妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.256

4.256

釋名者：一名梵輪，如來、應供是梵增語，彼所轉故亦名梵輪。二名法輪，法者可軌持義，正見等法所成性故，說名法輪。輪有四義：一圓滿義，具轂、輞、輻，或擇法覺等，體用周備名之為輪。二摧壞義，此四種法，若伏、若斷、若助、若正，未斷煩惱皆能摧故。三鎮遏義，已伏煩惱令勢遠故。四不定義，從自見至自脩，從自脩至自無學，從自無學智發言教，他從言教解於諦理，他從諦理起於正行，他從正行起於果智，如是展轉復為他說；如轉輪王所有輪寶，能降未伏諸煩惱故，能鎮已伏諸煩惱故，往復往故。《瑜伽論》說「當知世尊轉所解法置於阿若憍陳如身中，此復隨轉置餘身中，彼復隨轉置餘身中，以是展轉隨轉義故說名為輪。」法即是輪，持業釋也。「轉」者動也顯也、運也起也。動宣言教顯揚妙理，運聖道於聲前，起真智於言後，圓摧障惱名轉法輪，所轉即法輪，法輪之轉，二釋皆得。

Regarding explaining its name: First, it is called the wheel of Brahmā. 'Tathāgata' and 'Arhat' are epithets of Brahmā; because it is turned by him, it is also called the wheel of Brahmā. Second, it is called the wheel of Dharma. 'Dharma' has the meaning of being a model and holding [its own nature]; because its nature is constituted by dharmas such as right view, it is called the wheel of Dharma. 'Wheel' has four meanings: First, the meaning of perfection, possessing a hub, rim, and spokes, or possessing the awakening-constituent of dharma-investigation and the like, its substance and functions being complete and fully equipped, it is called a wheel. Second, the meaning of crushing and destroying: whether suppressing, severing, aiding, or directly [cutting], these four kinds of dharmas can all crush the unsevered afflictions. Third, the meaning of suppressing and checking, keeping the already suppressed afflictions far away in their power. Fourth, the meaning of indeterminate movement: proceeding from one's own path of seeing to one's own path of cultivation, from one's own path of cultivation to one's own stage of no-more-learning; from the wisdom of one's own stage of no-more-learning issuing verbal teachings; others, through the verbal teachings, understand the truth of the principles; others, through the truth of the principles, arouse correct practice; others, through correct practice, arouse the fruitional wisdom; and in this way, mutually passing it on, they again speak it for others; just like the wheel-treasure possessed by a cakravartin, it can subdue the afflictions not yet subdued, suppress the afflictions already subdued, and go back and forth repeatedly. The Yogācārabhūmi states: "It should be known that the Bhagavat turned the Dharma he realized and placed it in the person of Ājñātakauṇḍinya; this, successively turned, was placed in the persons of others; and that, successively turned, was placed in the persons of still others; because of this meaning of successive turning, it is called a wheel." 'Dharma' is itself the 'wheel', which is an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). 'Turning' means moving, revealing, rolling forward, and arising: moving forth verbal teaching, revealing the profound principle, rolling forward the noble path before speech, and giving rise to true wisdom after the words; completely crushing obstacles and afflictions is called 'turning the wheel of Dharma'. That which is turned is itself the wheel of Dharma, or it is the turning of the wheel of Dharma; both explanations are admissible.