妙法蓮華經玄贊 7.345

7.345

正教之說本除生病，生有本無而有增上慢，執非擇滅為真，今說擇滅為化除之，令捨漸進寶所，故以化城為品、不以佛事為品。《正法華》名「往古品」，謂顯過去佛曾教化發大乘種，令其憶念為今熟因，望其意解引入大乘非正破病，故今此經不以往古為品號。又化城果今現得，大通事在往因，以顯果為品名，不以隱因為品稱，亦無失也。

The exposition of the correct teaching is fundamentally meant to eliminate the sickness of sentient beings. Sentient beings have the arrogance of superiority of claiming what they do not possess, clinging to non-analytical cessation as true; now, analytical cessation is explained as a conjuration to eliminate it, causing them to abandon it and gradually advance to the jewel cache. Therefore, the chapter is named after the conjured city and not after the Buddha's past deeds. The Zheng fahua [jing] names it the 'Chapter on the Past', meaning it reveals that the past Buddha once transformed them and caused them to plant the seeds of the Great Vehicle, prompting them to remember it as the cause for maturation today; looking to their understanding, it guides them into the Great Vehicle and does not primarily refute sickness. Therefore, the present sūtra does not take 'the past' as its chapter title. Furthermore, the fruit of the conjured city is presently attained, whereas the deeds of Mahābhijñā lie in past causes; naming the chapter by revealing the fruit rather than by designating the hidden causes is also without fault.