[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華宗要](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725) › 1.19 # 法華宗要 1.19 法華宗要 1.19 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1.19) 第四釋題名者，具存梵音，應云薩達摩分陀利修多羅，此云妙法蓮華經。言妙法者，略有四義：一者巧妙、二者勝妙、三者微妙、四者絕妙。言巧妙者，此經巧開方便之門、巧滅執三之見、巧示真實之相、巧生已一之惠，以是四義而作真軌，故言妙法。言勝妙者，此經能宣一切佛法、能示一切神力、能顯一切祕藏、能說一切深事，以此四義最為勝妙，故名妙法。如〈神力品〉云：「以要言之，如來一切所有之法、如來一切自在神力、如來一切祕密之藏、如來一切甚深之事，皆於此經宣示顯示顯說。」故言妙法。言微妙者，此經所說一乘之果，無妙德而不圓、無雜染而不淨、無義理而不窮、無世間而不度，以是四義故名微妙之法。如〈譬喻品〉云：「是乘微妙，清淨第一，出諸世間，為無有上。」故言妙法。言絕妙者，此經所說一乘法相，廣大甚深離言絕慮，以是四義故為絕妙之法。如〈方便品〉云：「是法不可示，言辭相寂滅，諸餘眾生類，無有能得解。」故此四義中，巧妙、勝妙之法，當能詮用立名；微妙、絕妙之義，從所詮宗作目。合而言之，具含如是巧勝、微絕十有六種極妙之義，十方三世無二之軌，以是義故名為妙法。妙法之名略釋如是。蓮花之喻，有別、有通。通者，此華必具華、鬚、臺、實四種合成，殊為美妙，喻於此經具四妙義合成一經，故名妙法。別而言之，即有四義：一者，蓮花之類有四種中，分陀利者是白蓮花，鮮白分明、花開實顯，喻於此經，了了分明開權顯實之巧妙也。二者，此花凡有三名，未敷之時名屈摩羅，將落之時名迦摩羅，已敷未衰處中之時開榮勝盛稱分陀利，喻於此經，大機正發之盛時，宣示顯說之勝妙也。三者，此花非直出離泥水，亦乃圓之香潔、眾美具足，喻於此經所說佛乘出煩惱濁、離生死海、眾德圓滿之微妙也。四者，此花非直荷廣𮒓深，亦乃不着水渧、不染塵垢，喻於此經所說一乘，法門廣大、道理甚深、離言絕慮之絕妙也。由是四義有同妙法，故寄是喻以立題名也。 > Fourth, explaining the title: if preserving the Sanskrit pronunciation completely, it should be called Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra; here translated as Miaofa lianhua jing (Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra). As for the words 'wonderful dharma' (saddharma), there are briefly four meanings: first, 'skillfully wonderful'; second, 'supremely wonderful'; third, 'subtly wonderful'; and fourth, 'transcendently wonderful'. 'Skillfully wonderful' means that this sūtra skillfully opens the door of upāya, skillfully eliminates the view that clings to the three, skillfully demonstrates the characteristics of the real, and skillfully generates the wisdom that has unified; acting as the true standard by these four meanings, it is therefore called 'wonderful dharma'. 'Supremely wonderful' means that this sūtra can proclaim all buddhadharmas, can demonstrate all supernormal powers, can disclose all secret treasuries, and can state all profound matters; being most exceptionally wonderful through these four meanings, it is therefore named 'wonderful dharma'. As the 'Tathāgatarddhyabhisaṃskāra-parivarta' says: 'In brief, all the dharmas possessed by the Tathāgata, all the sovereign supernormal powers of the Tathāgata, all the secret treasuries of the Tathāgata, and all the extremely profound matters of the Tathāgata are all proclaimed, demonstrated, disclosed, and declared in this sūtra.' Therefore it is called 'wonderful dharma'. 'Subtly wonderful' means that, as for the fruit of the Ekayāna taught in this sūtra, there is no wonderful virtue that is not perfected, no defilement that is not purified, no principle that is not exhausted, and no world that is not crossed over; through these four meanings it is called the 'subtly wonderful dharma'. As the 'Aupamya-parivarta' says: 'This vehicle is subtle and wonderful, foremost in purity; transcending all worlds, it is unsurpassed.' Therefore it is called 'wonderful dharma'. 'Transcendently wonderful' means that the characteristics of the dharma of the Ekayāna taught in this sūtra are vast, extremely profound, beyond words, and cut off from conceptual thought; through these four meanings it is the 'transcendently wonderful dharma'. As the 'Upāyakauśalya-parivarta' says: 'This dharma cannot be demonstrated; the characteristics of words are extinguished; among all other kinds of living beings, there is none capable of understanding.' Thus, among these four meanings, the 'skillfully wonderful' and 'supremely wonderful' dharmas derive their designations from the function of what expresses; the meanings of 'subtly wonderful' and 'transcendently wonderful' take their titles from the essential tenets that are expressed. Combining them together, it completely contains these sixteen extremely wonderful meanings of skillful, supreme, subtle, and transcendent, being the non-dual standard of the ten directions and three periods of time; for this reason it is named 'wonderful dharma'. The name 'wonderful dharma' is briefly explained in this way. Regarding the metaphor of the lotus flower (puṇḍarīka), there are the specific and the general. As for the general, this flower necessarily possesses the four parts—petals, stamens, calyx, and fruit—combined together, making it remarkably beautiful, which exemplifies this sūtra possessing the four wonderful meanings combined into one sūtra; thus it is named 'wonderful dharma'. To speak of it specifically, there are four meanings: First, among the four kinds of lotuses, the puṇḍarīka is the white lotus, freshly white and distinct, its fruit revealed as the flower blooms, exemplifying the skillfulness of this sūtra in clearly and distinctly revealing the provisional and disclosing the real. Second, this flower generally has three names: when it has not yet bloomed, it is called kumuda; when it is about to fall, it is called kamala; and when it is fully bloomed without yet decaying, in the flourishing prime of its unfolding radiance, it is designated puṇḍarīka, exemplifying the supreme wonder of this sūtra proclaiming, demonstrating, and declaring at the prime time when the great faculties are genuinely aroused. Third, this flower not only emerges from the mud and water, but is also completely fragrant and clean, endowed with all beauties, exemplifying the subtle wonder of the Buddha-vehicle taught in this sūtra transcending the turbidity of afflictions, leaving behind the ocean of saṃsāra, and being perfected with all virtues. Fourth, this flower not only has broad leaves and deep roots, but is also unstained by water drops and undefiled by dust, exemplifying the transcendent wonder of the Ekayāna taught in this sūtra, whose dharma-gate is vast, whose principle is extremely profound, and which is beyond words and cut off from conceptual thought. Because it shares these four meanings with the wonderful dharma, this metaphor is employed to establish the title. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1.18) - [Next: 1.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1.20) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725~en-mt.1.19) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1725.1.19) · Pramāṇa