金光明經文句記 1.17

1.17

Second, from "Furthermore, the Dharma" onward, citing the sūtras. The master is Śākyamuni. In the "Devadatta Chapter," it clarifies that in past kalpas, in the body of a king, the Buddha served the sage Asita to seek the Great Vehicle Dharma; hence it is called the cause of the master. In the "Chapter on Upholding," the bestowal of prophecy on Pajāpatī, Yaśodharā, and others regarding the kalpas and lands of their buddhahood is the effect of the disciples. When ancient Dharma masters analyzed the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra, from the "Chapter on the Dharma Master" onward, everything was classified under the transmission, and this was universally accepted by people. This has an identical meaning to the southern masters' classifying the cause and effect of master and disciple under the transmission in the present text; therefore, it is said that "it poses no hindrance to the meaning." However, one must not cling to it fixedly; hence it is said, "affirming or rejecting depends on the person."