妙法蓮華經玄贊 7.100

7.100

來意有四：一者前為上根初周法說，鶖子法領，佛法述成，後方授記。今第二周既為中根喻說，四人喻領，今佛還為以喻述成，後方授記，故此品來。二者論說對治七慢中，第三有大乘人一向增上慢，言無別聲聞辟支佛乘。為對治此故說兩喻，前〈譬喻品〉為對治凡夫求人天妙果；次〈信解品〉為治二乘有學執我乘與如來乘等，不求佛乘。今此品為對治大乘人一向慢言無別二乘、唯有一乘。故彼論言「第三人者，令知種種乘異，諸佛如來平等說法，隨眾生善根種子而生牙故」。意顯一雨雖同，三草二木生長各異；佛教雖同，三乘、二聖發脩亦別，有為機器各各別故，亦有決定二乘者故，由機性殊稟潤別故。故《勝鬘》云：「攝受正法善男子堪荷四擔」，《涅槃》亦言：「我於一時說一乘一道，乃至弟子不解我意，說須陀洹等皆得佛道」，廣說如餘。依人運載，教等名乘。佛法雖同，機脩有異，故說此品。三者〈方便品〉初標智及門二皆甚深名為一乘。前〈譬喻品〉說乘有三、體唯有一，四人領解實一假三，會智慧深。今此會門，門即阿含，教同機異名會其門。如說四諦，三根俱聞，依蘊、處、界、緣起、三性，賴脩有異名曰三乘。故知教同而機異也，故此品來。四者十無上中云，第一為顯種子無上故說雨譬喻。十無上者並是七喻，三平等殘。然於其中有是文殘、有是義殘者，此是義殘非是文殘也。七喻之中已有雨喻，十無上內又更重說，仍名為殘。前說雨喻普潤三草，三草既別令知乘異。今說雨喻所潤三草之中形於二草，佛種名大草，自位相形加名二木，所望義別名為義殘。或是文殘，謂小中大草，文是雨喻破乘同病，諸樹大小隨上中下各有所受。此雨喻是種子無上，前後文別故是文殘。此大種子得雨滋潤，體用弘廣，後得果殊，故名無上。論引經言「不離我身是無上義，唯大乘有，名不離故。若種若現、若因若果雖皆不離大乘。」今顯大乘無漏種子以為因本，成佛身故。為顯此種子無上，故此品來。

The reasons for this chapter's occurrence are fourfold: First, previously, for those of superior faculties, the initial cycle of exposition through Dharma was given, Śāriputra received it through Dharma, the Buddha confirmed it through Dharma, and only thereafter was prophecy bestowed. Now, in this second cycle, since an exposition through parable was delivered for those of middling faculties, and the four persons received it through parable, the Buddha now in return confirms it for them through a parable, and only thereafter bestows prophecy; hence this chapter comes next. Second, the Treatise states that among the counteractions to the seven types of arrogance, the third is that there are Mahāyāna practitioners who harbor exclusive, overweening pride, claiming that there are no distinct śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha vehicles. To counteract this, two parables were spoken: the earlier 'Parable Chapter' counteracted ordinary beings seeking the marvelous fruits of humans and devas; the subsequent 'Faith and Understanding Chapter' counteracted those in training of the two vehicles who clung to the view that their own vehicle was equal to the Tathāgata's vehicle and thus did not seek the Buddha Vehicle. Now, this chapter counteracts those Mahāyāna practitioners who harbor exclusive pride, asserting that there are no distinct two vehicles and only the Single Vehicle exists. Hence that Treatise says: 'Regarding the third person, it causes them to know the diverse distinctions among the vehicles; because the buddhas, the tathāgatas, preach the Dharma with impartiality, yet sprouts shoot forth in accordance with the seeds of the good roots of sentient beings.' The intended meaning reveals that although the single rainfall is the same, the growth of the three grasses and two trees differs; although the Buddha's teaching is the same, the development and practice of the three vehicles and two sages also differ, because conditioned vessels are individually distinct, and because there are also those who are definitively determined for the two vehicles, owing to differences in their receptive capacities and natures receiving moisture differently. Thus the Śrīmālā-sūtra says: 'The good son who upholds the true Dharma is capable of bearing the four burdens,' and the Nirvāṇa-sūtra also states: 'At one time I spoke of the single vehicle and the single path, yet my disciples did not understand my intention, and said that stream-enterers and the rest would all attain the Buddha Path'—as fully explained elsewhere. Borne and conveyed according to the person, the teaching and so forth are termed 'vehicles.' Although the Buddha's Dharma is identical, practitioners' capacities and practices differ; therefore this chapter is spoken. Third, at the beginning of the 'Expedient Means Chapter,' wisdom and its gate are both stated to be profound, termed the Single Vehicle. In the earlier 'Parable Chapter,' it was taught that while vehicles are three, their substance is only one; the four persons received and understood that reality is one and the three are provisional, which converges with the profundity of wisdom. Here, this converges with the gate: the 'gate' is the Āgama; that the teaching is identical while capacities differ is called converging with its gate. Just as when the Four Truths are spoken, those of the three faculties all hear them, yet based on the aggregates, realms, elements, dependent origination, and the three natures, differences in their respective practices lead to the designations of the three vehicles. Thus we know that the teaching is the same while capacities differ; hence this chapter comes next. Fourth, among the ten unsurpassables, it is stated that the parable of rain was spoken first to reveal the unsurpassable nature of the seed. The ten unsurpassables consist entirely of remnants of the seven parables and the three equalities. However, among them, some are textual remnants, while others are doctrinal remnants; this one is a doctrinal remnant, not a textual remnant. Among the seven parables, the parable of the rain is already present, yet within the ten unsurpassables it is repeated once more; thus it is still termed a remnant. The earlier parable of rain spoke of universally moistening the three grasses; since the three grasses are distinct, it causes one to know the differences among the vehicles. Now, in the parable of rain, contrasting them with the two grasses among the three moistened grasses, the Buddha-seed is termed the great grass, and when mutually contrasted among themselves, the additional designation of 'two trees' is given; because the perspective of meaning differs, it is termed a doctrinal remnant. Alternatively, it is a textual remnant: namely, regarding the small, intermediate, and great grasses, the text uses the parable of rain to refute the error of considering the vehicles to be identical, where the various trees, large and small, each receive moisture according to their superior, middling, or inferior stature. This parable of rain represents the unsurpassable seed; because the preceding and succeeding texts differ, it is a textual remnant. This great seed, upon receiving the moisture of the rain, possesses a vast substance and function and subsequently attains a distinct fruit; hence it is called unsurpassable. The Treatise cites the sūtra, stating: ''Not departing from my body' is the meaning of unsurpassable; it exists solely in the Mahāyāna, and is so named because it does not depart. Whether as seed or manifest activity, whether as cause or fruit, neither ever departs from the Mahāyāna.' Here, it reveals the uncontaminated seed of the Mahāyāna as the fundamental cause for accomplishing the Buddha body. To reveal this unsurpassable seed, this chapter comes next.