妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.28

1.28

Fifth, explaining the sequence of the chapters: whenever one wishes to preach the Dharma, one must first alert the minds of the multitude; only when the capacities have assembled and the conditions are in harmony can one express and make [the teaching] flow in response to beings. As for the progression of stating the exposition, the initial one is named the Introductory Chapter. The Introductory Chapter having been preached, next the main body is determined. Since the assembly has gathered but is not yet at ease, the main doctrine must be stated to instruct and guide [them]: through preaching the Dharma, it declares the Single Vehicle to be the real and summarily reveals the two operations to be the expedient, stating the single reality to guide them onto the path of return, and displaying the two expedients to turn their steps back; with wisdom, it promotes skillful means to wonderfully respond to those of superior capacities, and with words, it expounds supernatural efficacy to ferry [them] over to the profound principle; therefore, next is the Expedient Means Chapter. When those of superior capacity comprehend, the Buddha restates and confirms it before there is prophecy; thus there should be comprehension, confirmation, and a Prophecy Chapter. Because Śāriputra alone is outstanding and cannot be enlightened in isolation, and the text of comprehension, confirmation, and prophecy is slightly condensed, the beginning of the Parable Chapter is made the vehicle for his comprehension, confirmation, and the conferral of prophecy. Although those of middling capacity hear the preaching of the Dharma, they are still unable to understand; without relying on an elucidating analogy, there is no way for understanding to arise; therefore, there is the Parable Chapter. Through the parable, the wise generate comprehension and wisdom in turn; therefore, there is the Chapter of Faith and Understanding. Although they have a little faith and understanding, they do not yet know deeply; in order to shatter their doubtful thoughts and reaffirm that meaning, there is the Chapter of the Parable of the Medicinal Herbs. The four great śrāvakas having deeply comprehended, their future fruit is prophesied; therefore, next is the Prophecy Chapter. Although the two dispositions of superior and middling have generated understanding, the crowd of inferior capacity still shows no sign of awakening; they must depend on repeated explanation and cherish the aid of earnest instruction, so [the Buddha] speaks of the origin of their forming connections in the past to awaken and illumine their minds, and relates that the nirvāṇa attained by them was originally not the true extinction, causing them to return to the jewel repository and proceed toward the great nirvāṇa; therefore, next is the Chapter of the Parable of the Conjured City. Those of high renown understand immediately upon hearing the explanation; there should be faith and understanding and a renewed purification of mind, but since they have comprehended earnestly three times, the text is concise and the seal of confirmation is also not broad, so a separate chapter is not produced. First the characteristics of the future fruits of those of high renown are set forth; therefore, there is the Chapter of the Prophecy of the Five Hundred Disciples. Those of lower rank gradually also attain [understanding] in time, and prophecy is conferred on them; therefore, there is the Chapter of the Prophecy Conferred on Those in Training and Beyond Training. With the three capacities all having awakened, the exposition and benefits are already complete; in order to have distant generations take it as a common standard, praising the persons and extolling the Dharma to propagate the great meaning, there is the Dharma Master Chapter. Practicing and studying in reliance on the Dharma, both the Dharma and the persons can serve as models; shattering small attachments to accomplish the great Way, and converging expedient aims to enter the true doctrine, since those of faith and study are few, those who take refuge and revere are also scarce. Prabhūtaratna manifests the stūpa and the emanation buddhas assemble, encouraging long-term clear faith and confirming that the teaching is not false; therefore, there is the Chapter of Seeing the Jewel Stūpa. Although another buddha's speech confirms faith in this sūtra, he has not yet displayed his own nobility to encourage people to turn toward and revere it; therefore, he reveals that his own body served as a king to honor this sūtra, seeking the Dharma by acting as a bed for that enemy; it also displays that the majesty of the sūtra is vast, saving an immense multitude in the dragon palace, and that the power of the Dharma is swiftly accomplished, transforming the dragon girl to achieve the Way; therefore, there is the Devadatta Chapter. Having shown that both self and other equally cherish and value it, and that its majesty is vast and its function swift, earnestly encouraging and exhorting, the bodhisattvas who hear the sūtra all receive the instruction and vow to uphold it; therefore, there is the Chapter on Upholding [the Sūtra]. If one relies on the commentary text, it is called the 'Chapter on Exhortation to Uphold'; this sūtra lacks 'exhortation' [in the title], but because of the prior exhortation they now uphold it, so naming it 'Exhortation to Uphold' is also without fault in principle. As there are those in later ages whose practice of the Dharma largely transgresses the model, rules of deportment are now shown to make it easy to proclaim and propagate; since the Dharma is easy to practice, they naturally avoid injury and disparagement; therefore, there is the Chapter of Peaceful Practices. Bodhisattvas [as numerous as the sands of] eight Ganges Rivers, hearing the wonderful Way, vow to uphold it; the Buddha at that time does not permit it, making clear that there are already those who uphold and propagate it, whereupon bodhisattvas [as numerous as the sands of] sixty thousand Ganges Rivers, who have long been free from injury and disparagement, first vow to propagate and proclaim it, inspiring the assembly of the time; therefore, there is the Chapter of Welling Forth from the Earth. The assembly sees them welling forth and thinks that these are transformations and not real, with a young father and old sons, doubting that they were transformed by Śākyamuni; now it is clarified that my Way was accomplished long ago, and thus those who have been transformed should naturally not be few; in order to resolve this doubt and difficulty, there is the Span of Life of the Tathāgata Chapter. The body of the retribution buddha manifests a lifespan that is long and distant, and the essence of the dharmakāya is also proclaimed through expedient means; hence one knows that Śākyamuni has always possessed a transformed body; the Buddha's virtues are profound and wonderful, and those who hear and believe are many; since the benefit is vast, the merits are measureless. Now it clarifies the distinct benefits obtained by the assembly of that time; therefore, there is the Chapter on the Discrimination of Merit. Although the benefits suitable for that time have already been fully set forth, if there are those who can rejoice in accord, their blessing is also not small; therefore, there is the Chapter on the Merit of Rejoicing in Accord. If a bystander who rejoices in accord still attains great blessing, then for one who is truly able to expound and elucidate, the merit is even more abundant; therefore, there is the Chapter on the Merit of the Dharma Master. A dharma master who upholds the sūtra will certainly become a buddha, while one who disparages a dharma master incurs measureless sin; adducing himself as proof, there is the Sadāparibhūta Chapter. When the Tathāgata encourages preaching, the matters of merit are numerous; fearing that sentient beings might doubt and think that the Buddha makes empty claims, and wishing to reveal that his words are not erroneous and that he would never deceive you sentient beings, he unleashes divine power to show it; therefore, there is the Chapter on the Divine Power of the Tathāgata. In the past, Bhaiṣajyarāja sacrificed his life to uphold the sūtra; speaking of his original conditions to encourage and exhort the assembly of that time, there is the Chapter on the Past Lives of Bhaiṣajyarāja Bodhisattva. The propagation of the true Dharma connects both this land and that; Bhaiṣajyarāja having already added his praise in this land, Gadgadasvara is summoned to transmit and bestow it in other realms; therefore, there is the Chapter of Gadgadasvara Bodhisattva. Sentient beings upholding the sūtra encounter many obstacles and difficulties; they must depend on the great compassion of universally displaying all Dharma gates to rescue and protect them; therefore, there is the Chapter of the Universal Gate of Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva. Although one is mindful of Avalokiteśvara, relying on a person to rescue from difficulties, one has not yet upheld divine dhāraṇīs to rely on the majesty of the Dharma being added; wishing to make its divine efficacy vast and to make upholding the sūtra easy to accomplish and aid, there is the Dhāraṇī Chapter. The power of upholding the sūtra does not discriminate between enemy and friend; sustained by the blessings of the sūtra, one is always born in superior places; wishing to clarify that past and present are mutually identified so as to encourage propagation of the wonderful principle, there is the Chapter on the Past Lives of King Śubhavyūha. Although there is propagation of the sūtra in both this land and other lands, there has not yet been mutual encouragement and exhortation in both this realm and other realms; therefore, there is the Chapter on the Encouragement of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. Praise and exhortation being complete and the conditions for conversion already finished, [the sūtra] is earnestly entrusted to cause it to circulate afar; therefore, there is the Entrustment Chapter. This relies on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka [translated by Dharmarakṣa] and the commentary, explaining their sequence with the Entrustment Chapter placed at the end; if entrustment is spoken immediately after the Divine Power Chapter, human minds will twist the interpretation and fail to accord with the general path.