妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.3

1.3

First, the title "Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra" gives expression to the ultimate declaration of the great framework and marks the general name of the entire work. "Introductory Chapter, Chapter One" provides a grand indication mirroring the categories of meanings, revealing the specific rubric of this particular teaching. "Dharma" implies upholding and serving as a model; uniting all auspicious qualities, it is called "marvelous." "Lotus" implies blooming with excellence; gathering all splendors, it manifests the lotus. Both the essence and its function are stated; both the doctrine and the metaphor are presented. The paths of the half-letter and full-letter teachings are now understood, and the course of what to accept and what to reject is now clear. "Sūtra" means constant and means law; it integrates and it strings together. Constant, it serves as a path and guide for hundreds of kings; law, it serves as a moral exemplar for countless generations. Integrating, it collects these marvelous principles; stringing together, it guides those ordinary beings, aspiring to lead them completely away from the ford of suffering and ultimately mount the shore of awakening. "Introduction" (xu) means cause and origin, setting forth the reasons for the arising of the teaching and serving as the gradual beginning for the flourishing of the Dharma. "Chapter" (pin) means category and division, distinguishing the profound tenets into different classes and branching the subtle teachings into diverse categories. "Di" means sequence and position. "First" (yi) means the ultimate and the foremost. The sūtra contains twenty-eight categories that systematically run through the true doctrine; this chapter is situated at the very forefront, hence it is called "Chapter One."