法華玄贊義決 1.76

1.76

然學之者，應先敘通名，後敘此經。此經名中分之為二：初依疏辨，後述異名。述異名中初解妙法，後辨喻。初解妙法者，南岳思禪師云有十妙：一境妙，二智，三行，四位，五三法，六感應，七神通，八說法，九眷屬，十功德利益妙。境即十如，智即能緣本後二智，智所導為行，行所歷名位，位所依為三法，依法以應物機為感應，隨能感而為現通名神通，應感者而演教為說法，因隨佛化聞法能悟為眷屬，以法授生為利機隨入為益名功德利益妙。何以得知有斯十妙？准下文知，〈方便品〉言唯佛與佛乃能究盡諸法實相等，即境妙。我所得智慧等，即智妙。具足行諸道等，即行妙。乘是寶乘因位直至道場果位，即位妙。佛自住大乘如其所得法定慧力莊嚴等，即三法妙。我以佛眼觀，皆是五子，驚入火宅，見父居床等，為應感妙。今佛世尊入于三昧雨華動地放光遠耀等，為神通妙。所可說法初中後善言辭柔軟，其所說法皆悉到於一切智地，但說無上道等，為說法妙。教化諸菩薩無聲聞弟子，為眷屬妙。聲聞聞法得記佛前，末世隨聞所得福利，皆為利益妙。生起次第，准義說之。上解妙法。次解喻者，華有眾多，何故獨舉蓮華為喻？答：吉藏法師云，略有三義：一者離喻，二合喻，三者通喻。言離喻者，一明此華不有而已，有則華實俱合；此經不說而已，說則因果雙舉，故以蓮華喻於因果，故論云示現因果相等。二者由華開而實現，由言發而理顯，故以蓮華喻於教理，故下云其義深遠其語巧妙等。三者華未開而實未現，華開則實方現，未開方便門則真實相未顯，開方便門則真實相方顯，華開喻方便門開，實現譬真實相顯也，故下云開方便門顯真實相。二合喻者，略有十義：一華從種生，喻一乘必有種起，故下云佛種從緣起等。二者此華從微至著，喻佛乘漸漸增長，故云漸漸積功德等。三者此華增長滿足出濁泥水，喻佛位國出離生死，故下云如來已離三界火宅，寂然閑居安處林野等。四者此華雖出泥水而不捨泥水，喻佛雖出四流之外，而不捨三界之中，故下云在門外立聞有人言驚入火宅方宜救濟。五者此華妙潔第一，喻於佛乘五乘第一，故下云是乘微妙清淨第一，於諸世間為無有上等。六者此華凡聖歎愛，佛乘亦爾，世出世間稱歎愛敬，故下云佛所悅可一切眾生所應稱讚供養禮拜。七者此華臺葉具足，喻於佛乘萬德皆圓，故下云無量億千諸力解脫禪定智慧及佛餘法。八者此華佛菩薩坐，此經亦爾，為佛菩薩而住其中，故下云佛自住大乘，如其所得法，定慧力莊嚴，以此度眾生。九者此華開合有時，喻此一乘隱顯有時，昔隱今顯，故下云所以未曾說，說時未至故，今正是其時，決定說大乘。十者此華劫初成時梵王坐上為眾生父，是經亦爾，故下云如大梵王一切世間之父，此經亦爾，為一切世間之父，為一切賢聖等父，餘處復說智度菩薩母以方便為父等。三通喻者，《大集經》云：慈悲為根莖，智慧為華葉，三昧為鬚臺，解脫為敷實，菩薩為蜂王，涅槃為甘露，是故我頂禮《妙法蓮華經》。復有釋云：所言妙者，妙名不可思議也。法者，十如權實之稱。蓮華者，喻權實法也。良以妙法難解，從近喻遠也。

However, those who study it should first expound the common title, and afterward expound this sūtra. In the title of this sūtra, it is divided into two: first, discerning it according to the commentary; second, relating the alternative explanations. Within relating the alternative explanations, it first explains the "Wondrous Dharma" (saddharma) and afterward discerns the metaphor. In the first part, explaining the Wondrous Dharma, Dhyāna Master Si of Nanyue said that there are ten wonders: first, the wonder of the objective realm; second, of wisdom; third, of practice; fourth, of stage; fifth, of the three dharmas; sixth, of sympathetic resonance; seventh, of supernormal powers; eighth, of expounding the Dharma; ninth, of retinue; tenth, the wonder of merit and benefit. The objective realm is the ten suchnesses. Wisdom is the fundamental and subsequent two wisdoms that can cognize it. That which is guided by wisdom is practice. That which is traversed by practice is called stage. That upon which the stages rely is the three dharmas. Relying on the Dharma to respond to the capacities of beings is sympathetic resonance. Manifesting supernormal powers according to what can evoke [a response] is called supernormal powers. Responding to those who evoke [a response] and expounding the teaching is expounding the Dharma. Because one follows the Buddha's conversion and hears the Dharma and is able to awaken, one is the retinue. Conferring the Dharma to sentient beings is benefiting capacities, and following it to enter is advantageousness, which is called the wonder of merit and benefit. How is it known that there are these ten wonders? It is known by reference to the text below. The "Skillful Means Chapter" says, "Only a buddha together with a buddha can exhaustively fathom the true mark of all dharmas," and so forth; this is the wonder of the objective realm. "The wisdom that I have attained," and so forth, is the wonder of wisdom. "Fully practicing the various paths," and so forth, is the wonder of practice. Riding this precious vehicle from the causal stage straight to the result stage of the place of awakening (bodhimaṇḍa) is the wonder of stage. "The Buddha himself abides in the Mahāyāna, adorned with the power of concentration and wisdom as in the Dharma he has attained," and so forth, is the wonder of the three dharmas. "I observe with the buddha eye, they are all my children"; being alarmed and entering the burning house; "seeing the father sitting on the seat," and so forth, is the wonder of sympathetic resonance. Now the Buddha, the World-Honored One, enters into samādhi, rains down flowers, shakes the earth, emits light illuminating afar, and so forth; this is the wonder of supernormal powers. The Dharma that can be expounded is "good in the beginning, middle, and end, with gentle speech"; "the Dharma that he expounds all reaches the stage of omniscience"; "only expounding the unsurpassed path," and so forth; this is the wonder of expounding the Dharma. Teaching and transforming the bodhisattvas without śrāvaka disciples is the wonder of the retinue. Śrāvakas hearing the Dharma and receiving prophecy before the Buddha, and the merit and welfare obtained in the latter age upon hearing it, are all the wonder of benefit. The sequence of their arising is explained in accordance with the meaning. The above explains the Wondrous Dharma. Next is explaining the metaphor: flowers are numerous; why is the lotus flower alone taken as a metaphor? Answer: Dharma Master Jizang said that there are briefly three meanings: first, the separated metaphor; second, the combined metaphor; third, the common metaphor. Regarding the separated metaphor: first, it clarifies that this flower does not exist at all, but once it exists, the flower and fruit are both combined; this sūtra is not expounded at all, but once expounded, cause and effect are both presented together; therefore, the lotus flower is used as a metaphor for cause and effect, hence the treatise says, "manifesting the marks of cause and effect," and so forth. Second, through the blossom opening, the fruit appears; through words being uttered, the principle is revealed; therefore, the lotus flower is used as a metaphor for teaching and principle, hence below it says, "its meaning is profound and far-reaching, its words are skillful and subtle," and so forth. Third, before the blossom has opened, the fruit has not appeared; when the blossom opens, the fruit then appears. If the gateway of skillful means has not been opened, the true mark is not yet revealed; when the gateway of skillful means is opened, the true mark is then revealed. The blossom opening is a metaphor for opening the gateway of skillful means; the fruit appearing is a metaphor for revealing the true mark; hence below it says, "opening the gateway of skillful means and revealing the true mark." Second, regarding the combined metaphor, there are briefly ten meanings: first, this flower grows from a seed, a metaphor for the One Vehicle necessarily arising from a seed; hence below it says, "the buddha seed arises from conditions," and so forth. Second, this flower progresses from subtle to manifest, a metaphor for the Buddha Vehicle gradually increasing; hence it says, "gradually accumulating merit," and so forth. Third, this flower increases to fulfillment and emerges from muddy, turbid water, a metaphor for the Buddha's stage and land transcending birth and death; hence below it says, "The Tathāgata has already left the burning house of the three realms, dwelling quietly at leisure, resting peacefully in the forest," and so forth. Fourth, although this flower emerges from the muddy water, it does not abandon the muddy water, a metaphor that although the Buddha transcends outside the four currents, he does not abandon the midst of the three realms; hence below it says, standing outside the gate, hearing someone speak, being alarmed and entering the burning house, only then being suited to rescue them. Fifth, this flower is the foremost in wonderful purity, a metaphor for the Buddha Vehicle being foremost among the five vehicles; hence below it says, "This vehicle is subtle, pure, and foremost, unsurpassed in all the worlds," and so forth. Sixth, this flower is praised and loved by ordinary beings and sages; the Buddha Vehicle is also like this, praised, loved, and revered in mundane and supramundane realms; hence below it says, "delighted in by the Buddha, and what ought to be praised, offered to, and bowed down to by all sentient beings." Seventh, this flower has its calyx and petals complete, a metaphor for the myriad virtues of the Buddha Vehicle being entirely consummate; hence below it says, "immeasurable hundreds of thousands of powers, liberations, dhyāna concentrations, wisdom, and the other dharmas of the Buddha." Eighth, this flower is sat upon by buddhas and bodhisattvas; this sūtra is also like this, being that within which buddhas and bodhisattvas abide; hence below it says, "The Buddha himself abides in the Mahāyāna; as in the Dharma he has attained, adorned with the power of concentration and wisdom, by this he saves sentient beings." Ninth, this flower opens and closes at specific times, a metaphor for this One Vehicle being hidden and manifest at specific times—formerly hidden, now manifest; hence below it says, "The reason why I have not yet expounded it is because the time for expounding it had not yet arrived; now is precisely the time, I definitely expound the Mahāyāna." Tenth, when this flower forms at the beginning of the kalpa, King Brahmā sits upon it and becomes the father of sentient beings; this sūtra is also like this, hence below it says, "like the Great Brahmā King, the father of all worlds"; this sūtra is also like this, being the father of all worlds, the father of all worthy and noble beings, and so forth; in other places it is also said that "Prajñā is the mother of bodhisattvas, with skillful means as the father," and so forth. Third, regarding the common metaphor, the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra says: "Loving-kindness and compassion are the roots and stalk; wisdom is the blossom and leaves; samādhi is the stamens and calyx; liberation is the blooming fruit; bodhisattvas are the king of bees; nirvāṇa is the sweet dew; therefore, I bow my head to the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra." Furthermore, there is an explanation that says: As for what is called "wondrous," the wondrous is named the inconceivable. "Dharma" is the designation for the provisional and the real of the ten suchnesses. "Lotus flower" is a metaphor for the provisional and real dharmas. Truly, because the Wondrous Dharma is difficult to understand, what is near is used as a metaphor for what is distant.