法華玄贊義決 1.76

1.76

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.