法華論疏 1.59

1.59

問：王舍城云何勝一切城？答：別傳云：五天竺國，十六大國、五百中國、十千小國，有六大城，而王舍城最大。龍樹云：佛滅度後，阿闍世王人民減小，故更別立一小城，猶勝一切城，何況本王舍城。譬此經於一切經中勝者，凡乘有四種：一是人天即世間乘、二小乘、三大乘、四一乘。此經正明一佛乘，故眾中經勝。又說盡理之法、暢眾聖之心、滿諸佛之願。華嚴等法華前教，雖盡理之法，未明五乘眾生皆成佛，未暢諸佛之心，是故斯經最勝。結束一化始終，是故最勝。如〈神力品〉云「如來所有一切諸法、一切自在神力、一切祕要之藏甚深之事，皆於此經宣示顯說。」餘經但當教明義，未暢諸佛之心，是故此經最勝。又如論下品云「此經有十七種名，顯示十七種甚深功德。」是故最勝。問：大乘、一乘，此有何異？答：有同有異。所言同者，即一而包，故一乘稱大；即大無二，故大乘名一。故下文云「為諸聲聞說大乘經，名妙法蓮華。」亦如《勝鬘》攝受正法名摩訶衍，故知一大無二。所言異者，《攝論》已稱小乘、大乘、一乘。《金剛般若》云「為大乘者說、最上乘者說」，故知大與一異。所言異者，大乘未廢二、一乘已廢二，大乘密廢二、一乘顯廢二，大乘但是因、一乘即是果。如《智度論》云「是乘從三界出，至薩婆若中住。」至佛乘反名一切種智，不復名乘，故知大乘但因。《法華》明三車、一城皆是果位，故知一乘但果。又大乘通因果，如《十二門論》「諸佛所乘故名為大，大士所乘故名為大。」一乘但果，如《法華》說。又《法華論》云「一乘者，謂無上菩提，果究竟故。」此一徒判，更有餘義。《涅槃經》云「佛性謂一乘」，《波若》、《首楞嚴》、《師子吼》，若如此文，即一乘亦因，與大無二。問：何故一乘偏屬果？答：昔明三果究竟，至此經即二果非究竟，唯佛果是究竟，是故一乘偏屬佛果。

Question: How does Rājagṛha surpass all other cities?
Answer: An independent account states: "Across the five regions of India, among the sixteen great kingdoms, five hundred medium kingdoms, and ten thousand small kingdoms, there are six great cities, and Rājagṛha is the largest." Nāgārjuna said: "After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, King Ajātaśatru's population decreased, so he separately established another small city, which was still superior to all other cities—how much more so the original Rājagṛha!" As an analogy for this sūtra surpassing all other sūtras: generally, there are four kinds of vehicles: first, the human and heavenly, that is, the mundane vehicle; second, the small vehicle (hīnayāna); third, the Great Vehicle (mahāyāna); fourth, the One Vehicle (ekayāna). This sūtra precisely elucidates the One Buddha Vehicle; therefore, among all sūtras, it is supreme. Furthermore, it expounds the Dharma that exhausts principle, opens up the intent of all sages, and fulfills the vows of all Buddhas. Although teachings prior to the Lotus Sūtra, such as the Avataṃsaka, expounded the Dharma that exhausts principle, they had not yet explained that sentient beings of all five vehicles will achieve Buddhahood, nor had they fully opened up the intent of all Buddhas; hence, this sūtra is the most supreme. It concludes and encompasses the beginning and end of a single period of conversion; hence, it is the most supreme. As the "Chapter on Supernatural Powers" states: "All the dharmas belonging to the Tathāgata, all his sovereign supernatural powers, all his secret and essential treasuries, and all his profound matters are proclaimed, demonstrated, and clearly explained in this sūtra." Other sūtras merely clarify meaning according to their specific teachings and have not fully opened up the intent of all Buddhas; hence, this sūtra is the most supreme. Moreover, as the latter part of the treatise says: "This sūtra has seventeen names, which demonstrate seventeen kinds of profound virtues." Hence, it is the most supreme.
Question: What is the difference between the Great Vehicle and the One Vehicle?
Answer: There are both identities and differences. As for their identity: because it is one yet all-encompassing, the One Vehicle is called "great"; because it is great without a second, the Great Vehicle is called "one." Thus the text below says: "He preached the Great Vehicle sūtra named Saddharmapuṇḍarīka for all the śrāvakas." It is also like the Śrīmālādevīsūtra, where the acceptance of the true Dharma is called Mahāyāna; thus we know that the "one" and the "great" are non-dual. As for their difference: the Mahāyānasaṃgraha already speaks of the Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, and Ekayāna. The Diamond Prajñā says: "Spoken for those of the Great Vehicle, spoken for those of the Supreme Vehicle"; thus we know that "great" and "one" differ. As for their difference: the Great Vehicle has not yet eliminated the two [vehicles], whereas the One Vehicle has already eliminated the two; the Great Vehicle covertly eliminates the two, whereas the One Vehicle overtly eliminates the two; the Great Vehicle is merely the cause, whereas the One Vehicle is precisely the fruit. As the Dazhidulun says: "This vehicle sets forth from the three realms and abides in sarvajña." Upon reaching the Buddha Vehicle, it is conversely called the knowledge of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā) and is no longer called a vehicle; thus we know that the Great Vehicle is only the cause. The Lotus Sūtra explains that the three carts and the one city are all the stage of fruition; thus we know that the One Vehicle is only the fruit. Furthermore, the Great Vehicle extends across both cause and fruit, as the Twelve Gates Treatise states: "It is called 'great' because it is ridden by all Buddhas; it is called 'great' because it is ridden by great beings (mahāsattvas)." The One Vehicle is only the fruit, as expounded in the Lotus Sūtra. Furthermore, the Fahua lun says: "The One Vehicle refers to unexcelled bodhi, because its fruit is ultimate." This is the determination of one lineage; there are other interpretations as well. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Buddha-nature is called the One Vehicle." The Prajñā, Śūraṅgama, and Siṃhanāda texts [hold similarly]; according to such passages, the One Vehicle is also the cause, being non-dual with the Great [Vehicle].
Question: Why is the One Vehicle ascribed exclusively to the fruit?
Answer: Formerly, it was explained that the three fruits were ultimate; coming to this sūtra, the two fruits are non-ultimate, and only the Buddha-fruit is ultimate. Therefore, the One Vehicle is ascribed exclusively to the Buddha-fruit.