妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.18

4.18

Generally relying on various texts, integrating into one has four aspects: First is integrating the teaching. The *Vimalakīrtinirdeśa* says: "The Buddha expounds the Dharma with a single sound, / and sentient beings each understand it according to their capacity." Later in this sūtra it says: "A single rain moistens universally, yet the three grasses and two trees grow and develop differently." This integrates the teaching as identical while the capacities are distinct, because the three vehicles grasp the teaching either partially or universally. Second is integrating the principle. The *Ratnagotravibhāga* says: "Just as three animals—a hare, a horse, and an elephant—cross a river, the nature of the river is without distinction yet their penetration has shallow and deep." Moreover, later in the sūtra it says: "It is like digging for water on a high plateau; if one sees dry earth, one knows that water is still far off; if one sees moist earth, one knows that water is not far; if one sees mud, one knows that water is extremely near; the nature of water is without distinction, yet reaching it has differences." This integrates the principle as identical while the realizations are distinct, because the three vehicles realize the principle either completely or deficiently. Third is integrating practice. Śāriputra himself says: whether this is the ultimate Dharma or whether this is the path to be practiced; the Buddha himself also says: "I set up this expedient means to cause them to enter the buddha-wisdom"; the *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* also says: "These six bases are expounded for the sake of the Great Vehicle." Therefore we know that practice is identical while cultivation is distinct, because the three vehicles' cultivation of practice is either partial or complete. Fourth is integrating the fruit. Later in this sūtra it says: "For the sake of a resting place, two are spoken of; midway a conjured city is established; to guide them to the treasure place, only then is it the ultimate place; to seek an ox cart they leave the burning house; provisionally establishing goat and deer carts, later all are given an ox cart." The *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* also says: "The four cognitions of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas are not ultimate; they are called 'heading toward the realm of nirvāṇa.'" This integrates the bodhi and nirvāṇa of the two vehicles, whether principle or cognition, as all returning to the Single Vehicle. Therefore we know that the fruit is identical while the realizations are distinct, because the three vehicles' obtaining of the fruit has earlier and later. Although generally integrating these four relying on various teachings, nevertheless in the *Lotus Sūtra* the teaching and principle are explicitly integrated, while practice and fruit are secretly integrated. As for integrating teaching and principle: these are the previously indicated wisdom of all buddhas and the gateway to wisdom; a single rain universally moistening integrates the teaching; the ox cart and the treasure place integrate the principle. Here what is expressed is named "principle," not necessarily tathatā; it intends to manifest that what is attained is extremely profound and difficult to understand, and that the purport of what is spoken is difficult to fathom: "Of the Dharma attained at the site of awakening, / there is none who can raise questions; / my intention is difficult to measure, / and there is also none who can ask." It also manifests that the *Lotus Sūtra* opens the gate of expedient means and reveals the mark of the real, which is precisely the *Lotus Sūtra*'s blooming and excelling. Secretly it also comprehensively integrates practice and fruit as both identical: "I set up this expedient means to cause them to enter the buddha-wisdom," and riding this treasure vehicle straight to the site of awakening, is precisely integrating practice; establishing a conjured city midway in order to reach the treasure place is precisely integrating the fruit. Therefore in the *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* practice and fruit are explicitly integrated: "The six bases are expounded precisely for the sake of the Great Vehicle" explicitly integrates practice; "The four cognitions of the two vehicles are not ultimate, but called 'heading toward the realm of nirvāṇa'" explicitly integrates the fruit. Because the *Śrīmālādevī-sūtra* directly expounds the cause and fruit of the Single Vehicle, it explicitly integrates practice and fruit, while secretly integrating teaching and principle. The *Lotus Sūtra* directly reveals the provisional of the past and the real of the present, hence it explicitly integrates teaching and principle to cause them to cultivate and realize, while secretly integrating practice and fruit. Because of this, the Single Vehicle, in terms of reality, comprehensively integrates teaching, principle, practice, and fruit; resolving the various texts in general is conceptually clear, hence it is said that integrating distinctions is called "one." This sūtra directly takes the cause and fruit of the Single Vehicle as the substance of the true vehicle, and the teachings as expedient means, so there is no contradiction. Although these modest meanings have not stirred the ocean of wisdom, according to what this foolish one understands, they are quite unmatched across past and present; those of broad knowledge and profound wisdom should examine them for themselves. Among the three meanings, the first two explanations apply to both those of determinate nature and indeterminate nature, while the latter one mostly relies solely on those of indeterminate nature; although the unsurpassable Great Vehicle is precisely the Single Vehicle, it is not required by the sūtra, hence it is omitted and not spoken.