英語訳
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Lotus Sutra Opening Commentary (Immeasurable Meaning Sutra and Samantabhadra Sutra)
Immeasurable Meaning Sutra
Question: Should there be an assembly of wheel-turning kings at this sutra's gathering? Proceeding to say: It appears in the sutra text.
Regarding this, the appearance of all Buddhas occurs during the decreasing kalpa, while the appearance of wheel-turning kings occurs during the increasing kalpa. Already the kalpas of their appearances are vastly separated. Why does this sutra speak of an assembly of wheel-turning kings at its gathering? How is this?
Answer: If they appeared together in the same realm, the doubt would be reasonable. Wheel-turning king assemblies from other three-thousand worlds can come.
For example, like during the contemplation of the Lotus, as it says that countless millions of wheel-turning kings from other directions come to hear the One Vehicle. That is, the sutra states: "Also countless millions of wheel-turning sage kings from various countries, with palms joined, with reverent hearts wish to hear the complete Way," etc. Therefore there is no error.
Question: The sutra text mentions "great wheel-turning kings and small wheel-turning kings," etc. Are these then outside the four types of wheel-turning kings of gold, silver, etc.? How is this? From both perspectives, if they are among the four types, looking at the sutra text, it speaks of "great wheel-turning kings, small wheel-turning kings, gold wheel, silver wheel, and kings of various wheels." This appears to be outside the four types of wheel-turning kings. Based on this, examining other sutra explanations, those who rule the great thousand worlds are called "great wheel-turning kings," and those who rule small thousand worlds are called "small wheel-turning kings," etc. If we follow this, however, in the Treatise on Great Wisdom, it is determined that wheel-turning kings do not exceed the gold
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silver and other four types. How do we reconcile both perspectives?
Resolving this: Sutras carry implicit meanings, while abhidharma determines characteristics and aspects. The text of the Wisdom Treatise is already clear. We should respectfully believe in it. However, regarding the sutra text, looking at Woncheuk's commentary explanation, there are two establishments: relative to great and small, and relative to the four types. Great wheel-turning kings are gold wheel kings. Small wheel-turning kings are the other three wheel kings. Therefore, they are not outside the four types. Next, "gold wheel, silver wheel, and kings of various wheels" refers to the great and small wheel-turning kings being established separately in relation to gold, silver, etc.
Therefore, we should not speak of them as separate wheel-turning kings. However, regarding the explanations in Mahayana sutras, originally the establishments in sutras and treatises differ. This is one establishment, using rulers of great thousand and small thousand worlds to temporarily and provisionally call them wheel-turning kings. Nevertheless, these are not [true] wheel-turning kings.
Benefits of Patience Good Roots
Question: In this sutra, should there be benefits of patience good roots among the benefits gained? From both perspectives, if there are none, since it already discusses the benefits of warmth, peak, and highest worldly dharma, why are there no benefits of patience good roots? Based on this, in Huiri's treatise, citing the benefits gained from this sutra, all four good roots are mentioned together. If we follow this, however, looking at the sutra text, there is no explanation of patience good root benefits? How is this?
Resolving this: Looking at the sutra text, various places mention three good roots but do not explain patience good roots. Thinking about this based on the sutra text, perhaps there are no patience good root benefits at this sutra's gathering? The benefits gained at assemblies need not necessarily be complete. Why must there necessarily be patience good root benefits? For example, like when the Nirvana Sutra explains the benefits gained at its assembly, it does not
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mention patience good root benefits. However, regarding Huiri's treatise, certain texts differ. That is, just as the sutra text only mentions three good roots and does not list patience good roots, such texts also exist. If we rely on this text, doubts need not arise. If we rely on texts that include the patience dharma, this would be due to following the flow of language. Therefore, maintaining one interpretation, there would be no contradiction like this?
Benefits of Patience Good Roots
Question: At the time of this sutra, should there be benefits of patience good roots? From both perspectives, if there are, it lists the benefits of three dharmas and four fruits, and mentions the benefits from the first ground up to the tenth ground, yet we do not see any patience good root benefits? If we follow this, however, since it already explains the benefits of the other three good roots, what special reason would there be for not explaining patience good root benefits? Does Master Cizu cite this sutra's text to list patience good roots? Moreover, this sutra's commentary appears to have four good root benefits. How is this?
Answer: The preferences of those who abbreviate things differ. Therefore, the translator only mentioned three good roots and abbreviated patience good roots without error. Among these, the patience stage reaches three levels of distinction, and because that stage is broad, it was temporarily abbreviated.
Question: Can people who practice "as the teaching says" in this sutra transcend countless great kalpas? Answer: According to our school's position, we do not permit the doctrine of transcending countless great kalpas. Regarding this, this sutra is called "the dharma gate of swiftly attaining bodhi." Why would there be no transcending of countless great kalpas? Based on this, looking at the sutra text, "birth-and-death afflictions are severed and destroyed all at once, ascending to the bodhisattva's seventh ground," etc. Moreover, the great master, describing the benefits of Prajnaparamita practice, says "not passing through countless kalpas, passing through sixteen kalpas, then entering the first ground," etc. Why is this sutra not the same? How is this?
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Answer: Because great fruits are difficult to achieve, one must necessarily pass through three countless kalpas of practice. As it says "great fruits are difficult to achieve." Therefore one passes through the five stages. Based on this, the Yogacarabhumi states "definitely no change [for] countless great kalpas," etc. However, calling this sutra "the dharma gate of swiftly attaining bodhi" is because practitioners of this sutra do not long flow in birth-and-death transmigration. Next, regarding the sutra text, perhaps it discusses the wondrous power of the sutra? Or perhaps it's the "different time" implicit meaning? Or perhaps sixth-ground bodhisattvas sever the afflictions of fragmented birth-and-death, without long dwelling, swiftly ascending to the seventh ground? Next, the great master's explanation perhaps discusses the wondrous power of the Buddha-dharma? In reality, it does not speak of transcending countless kalpas. Moreover, saying "sixteen kalpas" - this time measure is unclear and should be investigated.
Question: The sutra text next explains "Vaipulya twelve-division sutras, Mahaprajnaparamita, Avatamsaka ocean-sky," etc. Is the mentioned Avatamsaka then the Avatamsaka Sutra? Answer: Yes. Regarding this, the Avatamsaka Sutra was taught on the fourteenth day after the Tathagata's enlightenment, before the four noble truths teaching at Deer Park. Yet it already speaks of it being taught after the Prajnaparamita sutras. We should understand that it is not that sutra. How is this?
Answer: According to the sequence of teaching, although the Avatamsaka Sutra was taught before the four noble truths teaching, now we discuss this according to the grouping of similar doctrines. Because this is the third period's middle path teaching, it is considered taught after the Prajnaparamita sutras. Therefore, Cizu