妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.122

2.122

The Eulogy says: This refers to the bodhisattvas. 'Causes and conditions' means reasons: that is, in order to seek escape from birth and death, swiftly realize the fruit of buddhahood, and mature sentient beings—for these causes and conditions they cultivate the bodhisattva path; or, in order to adorn and purify buddha-fields and mature sentient beings, they cultivate the factors of awakening and practice the bodhisattva path; or, in order to cultivate the four means of embracing and the six perfections, they practice the bodhisattva path; such are the various kinds of reasons. 'Faith and understanding' means having faith and also understanding, abiding in the stages prior to the grounds (bhūmi), not yet having attained the noble fruit. 'Appearance' means the demeanor and comportment of the three types of karma, the demeanor and comportment of practicing the bodhisattva path. It should be the character mào (貌); the forms 𭸎 and 猊 are both incorrect. It refers to abiding on the ten grounds, having already attained the path and its fruit; because they practice the bodhisattva path through various reasons, they enter into these two stages. Furthermore, 'causes and conditions' refers to encountering good external conditions and meeting good friends (kalyāṇamitra), for a good spiritual friend is a great cause and condition. 'Faith and understanding' and 'appearance' are inner cultivations: within inner cultivation, inner mental practice is called faith and understanding, while bodily and verbal actions are called appearance; mentally contemplating profound principles is called faith and understanding, while relinquishing head, eyes, and so forth is called appearance. As for 'practicing the bodhisattva path', the Treatise says: 'Teaching and transforming sentient beings by relying on the four means of embracing and gathering them through expedient means.' Thus, both faith and understanding and appearance are practicing the bodhisattva path. The four means of embracing are: 1. Giving (dāna), as will be explained later. 2. Loving speech (priyavādita): constantly speaking pleasant, truthful, dharma-conforming, and distinctively meaningful words; keeping far from frowning and scowling, speaking with a smile first, inviting them forward and inquiring after their health, comforting and soothing them as appropriate; seeing someone prospering and not realizing it themselves, rejoicing with them upon perceiving the increase in good dharmas; expounding the Buddha's teachings constantly for supreme benefit; conceiving a pure mind toward those who are one's enemies; vowing to dispel the doubts and perplexities of the extremely foolish; having no resentment toward the flattery, deceit, and evil deeds committed against true fields of merit, thus practicing difficult-to-utter loving speech; speaking of prior actions in order to eliminate hindrances and coverings; preaching truthful teachings to those whose minds are well-tamed; admonishing those who are excessively heedless so that they renounce [defilements]; conversing and discerning for those who have doubts; and giving rise to the eight noble speeches relying on the four types of pure speech. 3. Beneficial action (arthacaryā): by means of loving speech, first showing the correct principle; in accordance with the training, with compassion and an undefiled mind, advising, subduing, settling, and establishing them; able to cause them to obtain present benefits such as wealth and status, future benefits such as renouncing the household life, and mutual benefits such as detachment from desire, pliancy, and liberation. For those who associate with bad companions and have not planted good roots, who are attached to great wealth and status and are deeply heedless, who hold external perverted attachments, wrong views, and slander, and who constantly generate the eight entanglements and ten unwholesome karmas—toward all of these, one is able to bring about understanding and give rise to great compassion; though enduring great suffering, the mind is untiring and generates double the joy; though possessing the supreme and foremost wealth and status, one humbles oneself like a servant, a slave, a caṇḍāla, or a filial child. With an undefiled, unfeigned, truly pitiful, and compassionate mind, one never backslides. 4. Common action (samānārthatā): regarding this beneficial principle, if one encourages others to learn it, one also cultivates and learns it oneself; letting others know that what they cultivate is done in common, their good roots become firm and do not backslide, causing them to think: 'This teaching given to me is certainly beneficial and joyful, for he practices it himself.' Otherwise they would say: 'You are not good yourself, how can you teach me? Go and consult someone else about this matter first.' Therefore one must practice it oneself. Although the bodhisattva's altruistic practices are measureless, by citing these four means of embracing, all practices are embraced, hence the rest need not be discussed; the meaning of this topic is as found in the second fascicle of the Commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa.