法華玄贊義決 1.80

1.80

In dividing and assessing the main text, one explanation takes the eight chapters from the 'Expedient Means Chapter' onward as the principal text, while another takes up through the 'Sadāparibhūta Bodhisattva Chapter' as the principal text. Although there are two interpretations, the intention adopts the first interpretation. Why? The text below says: 'Now in this sūtra only the One Vehicle is taught'; it also says: 'opening the door of expedient means' means revealing past expedients; 'manifesting the true mark' means now teaching the real. Furthermore, since the 'Expedient Means Chapter' is the fundamental text directly clarifying expedients and reality, the vehicle spoken, the parable, the conjured city reiterate the previous meaning; from the point where the three capacities obtain prediction onward, it praises and encourages practice. Once the preaching of the Dharma is complete, Jñānaprabha requests to depart, which clarifies propagation to manifest the power of the sūtra, that conversion is vast and swiftly accomplished, not the convergence of expedients to reveal the one reality. Moreover, the commentary explains the reason for addressing Śāriputra as being for the sake of the works performed by all the śrāvakas, wishing to make the śrāvakas turn toward the Great. Furthermore, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha says that in order to guide and attract one category and maintain the rest, it says the two vehicles are non-existent, causing them to abandon and not pursue them; how could it be said that the reward Dharma does not cause emanations to arise? Because after becoming a response buddha he does not refrain from giving rise to emanations, one should not cause him not to cultivate the Buddha's virtue and grace; therefore one knows it is not for the sake of discarding the emanation body to speak only of Dharma and reward [bodies]. Furthermore, the three buddhas are all unsurpassable bodhi, therefore the first explanation is good. The other [interpretation] clarifies that from the 'Expedient Means Chapter' down to the 'Sadāparibhūta Chapter' is the principal text of the sūtra, stating that the nineteen chapters from the 'Expedient Means Chapter' clarify the substance of the sūtra, the latter eight chapters clarify propagation, the preface clarifies the reason for the arising of the teaching, and the substance clarifies the benefit of sitting in the assembly. If obtaining prediction is taken as the benefit, then the eight chapters from 'Expedient Means' onward are spoken of as the principal text; if obtaining realization is collectively called benefit, it should extend from honoring the Dharma master to Samantabhadra; why only reach Sadāparibhūta? According to this, there is the fault of being too broad or too narrow. The rest follows the previous assessment; the merits and defects can be known.