英語訳
【Right Page】
义 is cited, (Note: 义 one text lacks) and called the One Vehicle. This serves as evidence that teaching and principle constitute the One Vehicle.
Question: What is the meaning of those two meanings of emerging from water and blooming?
Answer: Among the seventeen names of the Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra, the sixteenth is called Wonderful Dharma Lotus. In explaining that lotus, the treatise has two explanations: First is the meaning of emerging from water, where the explicated meaning is called lotus, which is precisely realization wisdom profundity. Second is the meaning of flower opening, where the explicating teaching is called lotus, which is precisely scriptural profundity. To manifest these two profundities of wisdom and wisdom gates, the lotus has these two meanings.
Question: How does the meaning of emerging from water manifest explicated wisdom, and the meaning of blooming manifest explicating wisdom gates?
Answer: The meaning of emerging from water further has two meanings: First is inexhaustible emergence from water, departing from the muddy turbid water of birth and death (Note: birth-death, one text writes "Lesser Vehicle"). This discusses the flower's essence. Sudden-awakening bodhisattvas by nature depart from muddy water, and the dharma-essence is eternally constant, hence called "inexhaustible." This discusses the One Vehicle principle-nature emerging from the Two Vehicles, hence called "emerging from water." Second is another meaning: the lotus emerging from muddy water is analogous to various śrāvakas entering and sitting in the Tathāgata's great assembly. Like bodhisattvas sitting on lotus flowers, hearing the exposition of the Tathāgata's (Note: Tathāgata two characters, one text lacks) supreme wisdom pure realm, they realize the Tathāgata's secret treasury. This meaning states: bodhisattvas sit on lotus flowers, hear the exposition of the supreme wisdom realm, and can realize the Tathāgata's extremely deep secret treasury. After śrāvakas turn their minds, they gain entry to sit in the great assembly, also like bodhisattvas sitting on lotuses, hearing the exposition of the wisdom realm, and also realizing the secret treasury. The reason emerging from water has these two meanings is that the former explanation clarifies sudden-awakening bodhisattvas' essence-emergence, while this explanation clarifies gradual-awakening's later functional emergence. The meaning of the lotus in the Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra primarily uses teaching and principle to transform bodhisattvas, and secondarily transforms the Two Vehicles, hence making these two explanations. The meaning of flower opening
【Lower Section】
refers to sentient beings generating thoughts of precipitous cliffs toward the Great Vehicle, and because their minds are timid and weak, they cannot generate faith. Opening and showing the Tathāgata's pure and subtle dharma-body causes them to generate pure faith. (All of these use commentary texts, either fully quoted or taking the meaning for record. See the Profound Praise for details.)
Question: The meaning of emerging from water: first manifests sudden-awakening bodhisattvas' essence emerging from Lesser Vehicle mud; second manifests gradual-awakening bodhisattvas' function departing from Two Vehicle mud. How does this manifest explicated wisdom? The meaning of blooming manifests opening and showing the Tathāgata's pure subtle dharma-body to generate faithful mind. How does this manifest explicating wisdom gates?
Answer: Whether bodhisattvas are sudden-awakening or gradual-awakening, they take wisdom as essence. Now by raising the dependent conventional beings, the independent wisdom-essence is manifested. Therefore there is no error. Also, saying "opening and showing pure subtle dharma-body" - that "opening and showing" is the name of explicating teaching. Teaching essence has two aspects: first is words, second is meaning. "Opening and showing" refers to words. Name-phrases-syllables are the dharma of opening-showing meaning. Therefore "pure subtle dharma-body" is meaning - the dharma that name-words open and show. Now by raising the expression "opening and showing," explicating teaching is manifested. Therefore there is no error.
Question: If so, is this sixteenth designation called "lotus" the same as or different from this Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sūtra being called "lotus"?
Answer: The Profound Praise volume two has five explanations. The fifth explanation states: "That [sūtra] takes the two types of teaching and principle and calls them lotus. This sūtra, in contrast to those Two Vehicles, calls teaching, principle, practice, and fruition all lotus... Since the Lotus is thus, the One Vehicle is also thus. This should be understood accordingly." (Among the five explanations, the first three clarify that that sūtra and this sūtra have the same essence; the latter two clarify that that is narrow and this is broad. Among the latter two explanations, the fifth is best, so only this is recorded.)
As a related discussion, question: What are the seventeen names of the Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra?
Answer: First is called Immeasurable Meanings, because it accomplishes word-meaning. Second is called Supreme Sūtra, because among the three repositories, it is the supreme sublime repository, well accomplished within this
【Left Page】
Third is called Great Extensive, because immeasurable Great Vehicle gates accord with sentient beings' faculties and accomplish abiding maintenance. Fourth is called Teaching Bodhisattvas Dharma, because it teaches and transforms mature-rooted bodhisattvas, according with dharma vessels and well accomplishing them. Fifth is called Protected and Remembered by Buddha, because this dharma exists in dependence on the Tathāgata. Sixth is called Secret Dharma of All Buddhas, because this dharma is extremely deep and only buddhas know it. Seventh is called Treasury of All Buddhas, because the treasury of Tathāgata merit and samādhi exists in this sūtra. Eighth is called Secret Place of All Buddhas, because sentient beings with immature faculties are not vessels for receiving dharma and are not given it. Ninth is called Capable of Generating All Buddhas, because hearing this dharma gate can mature all buddhas' great bodhi. Tenth is called Bodhimaṇḍa of All Buddhas, because through this dharma gate all buddhas' anuttara-bodhi can be accomplished. Eleventh is called Dharma Wheel Turned by All Buddhas, because through this dharma all obstructions can be destroyed. Twelfth is called Solid Relics of All Buddhas, meaning the Tathāgata's true dharma-body does not decay or deteriorate in this sūtra. Thirteenth is called Great Skillful Means of All Buddhas, because depending on this dharma gate great bodhi is accomplished, and for sentient beings the various good dharmas of gods, humans, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, etc. are expounded. Fourteenth is called Expounding the One Vehicle, because through this dharma gate the essence of the Tathāgata's anuttara-bodhi is manifested and shown, and those Two Vehicle paths are not ultimate. Fifteenth is called Abiding in Ultimate Meaning, because this dharma gate is precisely the ultimate abiding place of all buddhas and tathāgatas' dharma-body. Sixteenth is called Wonderful Dharma Lotus, having two types of meaning (as explained above). Seventeenth is called Supreme Dharma Gate, because of comprehensive accomplishment. Comprehensive accomplishment means comprehensively taking immeasurable name-phrase bodies, verses like vimbara, akṣobhya, etc.
Question: Since the Immeasurable Meanings Sūtra has these seventeen names,
【Lower Section】
can the Lotus Sūtra also have these seventeen names?
Answer: Within the Lotus, four names are prominently mentioned: Immeasurable Meanings, Teaching Bodhisattvas Dharma, Protected and Remembered by Buddha, and Wonderful Dharma Lotus. If we follow the meaning of essence and function being inseparable, this sūtra could also have the seventeen names.
Question: The treatise states: "If only true-suchness is taken as the One Vehicle, one gains one meaning of emerging from water but loses the second capacity of blooming. Now since the lotus already possesses four meanings, why would only the dharma have merely two types?" What does this mean?
Answer: This, having used evidence texts above to establish taking teaching and principle as the One Vehicle, now refutes the ancient masters' doctrine that "only principle true-suchness constitutes the One Vehicle."
Question: What is the meaning of this refutation?
Answer: The lotus has two meanings. The meaning of emerging from water manifests principle and fruition; the meaning of blooming manifests teaching and practice. Therefore teaching, principle, practice, and fruition - these four are collectively called lotus and constitute the One Vehicle essence. But if, like the ancient masters, one says "only true-suchness is the One Vehicle," then one only gains the third (Note: three, one text writes one, perhaps) meaning of emerging from water and loses the second meaning of blooming. The analogous lotus already has four meanings - why would the dharma One Vehicle have only two types?
Question: What are those two types?
Answer: Principle and fruition.
Question: In refuting the ancient masters who say "only true-suchness is the One Vehicle," one should say "why is the dharma only one type?" Why add fruition and say "why only two types?"
Answer: The Water Commentary has this question and answer. Therefore it states: "Question: Since among the two emerging-from-water meanings, only one is obtained, one should simply say 'dharma is only one type.' Why say 'two types'? Answer: Even so, the ancient masters only know the emerging-from-water meaning of principle. Now this principle, in contrast to cause, is called fruition, and additionally obtains one portion of fruition emerging-from-water. The ancients did not know this meaning existed. The commentary master added and attached this. Therefore it says 'why does only dharma have merely two