妙法蓮華經玄贊 3.24

3.24

The commentary states: Above, following the text of the treatise, the four general phrases were individually explained in one round. The treatise then, in a second [round], correlates the subsequent sūtra phrases with these four phrases. This is the first: "various expedient means." Next below, "For what reason? The Tathāgata's expedient means and knowledge and vision pāramitās are all already fulfilled," constitutes the second: "various types of knowledge and vision." Next, "Śāriputra, the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision... [up to] ...liberations and samādhis," constitutes the third phrase: "various mindful contemplations." Next, "Having profoundly entered the boundless... up to... beginning and end are ultimate," constitutes the fourth phrase: "various verbal expressions." Although the treatise correlates the subsequent sūtra text with the four general phrases above, it first explains the first three phrases in two rounds and then explains the last phrase in two rounds. That treatise's text is long and difficult to understand at first glance; one should read it according to this [scheme]. Within this, the first round explains: "Furthermore, there is an explanation: 'various expedient means' means showing the various faults in the heterodox teachings of non-Buddhists and the various merits in the correct Dharma of the buddhas. As the sūtra states: 'Śāriputra, from when I attained buddhahood until now, I have extensively expounded teachings and discourses, and through countless expedient means guided sentient beings, causing them to attain liberation from all attachments.'" Although the phrasing differs slightly, the general purport is the same. In explaining "countless expedient means," there are further four rounds: first, expediently causing them to enter all wholesome dharmas; second, severing all doubts; third, causing them to enter the supreme, superior knowledge; fourth, relying on the four means of attraction to gather sentient beings and cause them to attain liberation. Among these six explanations, turning from heterodoxy to enter the correct, advancing in goodness and crushing evil, personally entering superior knowledge, and liberating others correspond in that order. By these expedient means, [the Buddha] guides, attracts, and leads all sentient beings, causing them to leave all attachments. "Attachment" is the root of grasping, because craving and defilement are the root of saṃsāra. The treatise states: "'All attachments' means clinging to this or that place: either clinging to realms, clinging to stages, clinging to categories, or clinging to vehicles. Clinging to realms means clinging to the three realms. Clinging to stages means clinging to the attachments to rules and observances, the dhyāna-concentration stages from the first dhyāna of samādhi up to neither-perception-nor-non-perception and the stage of cessation-concentration. That is, taking the nine successive concentrations as stages, grasping these samādhis through attachment to rules and observances and attachment to views is called clinging to stages. Clinging to categories means clinging to the householder category, associating with one's peers and producing various karmas, wrong views, and so forth; or clinging to the monastic category, [pursuing] fame, gain, and offerings, which can give rise to various discriminatory afflictions and so forth. Clinging to vehicles means clinging to the śrāvaka vehicle, delighting in upholding the minor precepts, seeking the four fruits, and so forth; or clinging to the Great Vehicle, being attached to gain, offerings, respect, and so forth. [All of this arises] from clinging to discriminations that contemplate various dharma-characteristics up to discriminating the buddha-stage."