萬善同歸集 3.71

3.71

答：「修善之人，自有冥顯二益。《法華玄義》四句料簡：一、冥機冥應：若過去善修三業，現在未運身口，藉往善力，此名為冥機；雖不見靈應，而密為法身所益，不見不聞、非覺非知，是名冥益。應身應，是顯應；法身應，是冥應。二、冥機顯益：過去植善而冥機已成，便得值佛聞法，現前獲利，是為顯益。如佛初出世，最初得度之人，現在何曾修行，諸佛照其宿機，自往度之。三、顯機顯益：現在身口精勤不懈，而能感降，道場禮懺，能感靈瑞。四、顯機冥益：如人雖一世勤苦，現善濃積，而不顯感，冥有其利。若解四意，一切低頭舉手，福不虛棄；終日無感，終日無悔矣。」

Answer: "Those who cultivate the good naturally have two kinds of benefit: the covert and the overt. The Fahua xuanyi evaluates this with four propositions: First, covert capacity and covert response: If in the past one well cultivated the three karmas, but in the present has not yet exerted body and speech, relying on the power of past good—this is called covert capacity. Although one does not see a miraculous response, one is secretly benefited by the dharmakāya; unseen and unheard, neither felt nor known—this is called covert benefit. When the nirmāṇakāya responds, that is overt response; when the dharmakāya responds, that is covert response. Second, covert capacity and overt benefit: having planted goodness in the past so that the covert capacity is already mature, one meets the Buddha and hears the Dharma, obtaining benefit in the present—this is overt benefit. Just as when the Buddha first appeared in the world, those who were first delivered: how had they practiced in the present? The Buddhas, illuminating their past capacity, went themselves to deliver them. Third, overt capacity and overt benefit: in the present, through unremitting diligence of body and speech, one is able to evoke a descent; making prostrations and repenting in the bodhimanda, one evokes miraculous omens. Fourth, overt capacity and covert benefit: like a person who, though toiling diligently for an entire lifetime, heavily accumulating present good, has no overt resonance, yet covertly receives its benefit. If one understands these four meanings, every lowering of the head and raising of the hand—merit is never cast away in vain; even if there is no resonance all day, all day one will have no regret."