出三藏記集 8.32

8.32

The Lotus Sūtra is the secret treasury of all Buddhas, the true essence of all scriptures. It takes 'flower' as its name to illuminate its root; it is called 'puṇḍarīka' to praise its flourishing splendor. That from which it arises being profound, its purport is exceedingly graceful; unless transmitted by those of penetrating insight, few can ever find its gate. Now, the blossom of myriad herbs and medicinal trees is the root of worldly fruit; the eighty-four thousand treasuries of the Dharma are the source of the fruit of the Way—hence the metaphor. Among all flowers, the lotus flower is supreme. When the flower has not yet opened, it is called kuḍmala; when opened and about to fall, it is called kamala; when in its middle flourishing stage, it is called puṇḍarīka. Not yet opened symbolizes the two paths; about to fall compares to nirvāṇa; its radiant glory alone suffices to symbolize this scripture. As for the Prajñā sūtras and others, they are so deep that none fails to reach the limit—hence practitioners turn to them; they are so vast that none fails to be embraced—hence travelers cross over by them. Yet their broad outline takes adaptation to beings as primary; the portal of responding to needs cannot but employ skillful means. Although the conversion through expedients broadly awakens beings, it is insufficient in ultimate substance; they all belong under the Lotus—as is truly fitting! Examining its hidden purport, it is vast, expansive, grand, and deep, encompassing what is exceedingly far. How could it merely be preaching the real, returning to the source, and definitively settling the divergent paths? It is in fact a great clarification of the principle of awakening, comprehending both antiquity and the present. It says that the Buddha's lifespan is immeasurable—eternal kalpas do not suffice to make clear its duration; his emanated bodies are countless—myriad forms do not suffice to differentiate his substance. Thus, the lifespan establishes that he is beyond number; the emanated bodies show that he is without substantiality; Samantabhadra reveals that there is no completion; Prabhūtaratna illuminates that there is no extinction. When one strides beyond remote antiquity to anticipate the present, ten thousand generations are a single day; when one grasps the profound through hundreds of transformations, a thousand paths share the same track. Such being the case, continuing births do not suffice to expect existence, nor can eternal quiescence be called extinction. If one pursues the profound purport by severing past existence, one loses merit in original non-being; if one reins the mind in samādhi, one forgets aspiration in the two stages. Although this scripture has circulated in this land for nearly a hundred years, translators were blind to its open crossing, and the spiritual gate was never opened; disputants deviated from its standard, and its profound tracks were rarely trodden. In vain they researched until their heads turned white, none ever peeking into its portal. The Sili Xiaowei (Colonel of the Metropolitan Censorate), General of the Left, and Marquis of Ancheng of the Qin, Yao Song, attuned his spirit to the profound portal and lodged his mind beyond the world. Devoting his sincerity to this scripture, his faith became ever more profound. Whenever he reflected on its text, he deeply recognized the errors of previous translators. Having met Dharma Master Kumārajīva, who translated and copied it for him and indicated its grand culmination, it was truly like parting the heavy clouds to stride high, or climbing Mount Kunlun to look down! At that time, more than eight hundred monks received and comprehended it, all being the elite of various regions and the heroes of the age. This was in the eighth year of the Hongshi era [406 CE], the cyclical year Chunhuo.