英語訳
[Right Page]
"If the Tathāgata, following their intentions and desires, expediently explains that there is only the One Vehicle and no other vehicles," etc. What does this mean? Answer: This is the sixth contrast of expedient and real to clarify differences. The Vehicle Chapter states: "However, the Lotus Sutra opens the expedient gate and manifests the true characteristic. It takes the two vehicles as expedient and the One Vehicle as real. According to the Śrīmālā Sutra: 'If the Tathāgata, following their intentions and desires, expediently explains that there is only the One Vehicle and no two vehicles.' This meaning immediately manifests the inclusion of the two vehicles into the Mahāyāna. Explaining the One Vehicle follows others' intentions, because it is suitable for them to hear. This is also expedient, merely explaining the existence of the One Vehicle, not for the sake of the real. [The Śrīmālā] does not confer predictions upon those of determined seed-nature, because it is not solely one, and because sentient beings without Buddha-nature do not attain Buddhahood. The Lotus assembly, addressing indeterminate recipients, takes the two vehicles as expedient and the One Vehicle as real. In the Śrīmālā Sutra, through complete reasoning, recipients have indeterminacy. The four vehicles are real. Therefore explaining the One Vehicle is expedient explanation, following others' intentions. This also does not contradict." Qingsu says: "Because the Buddha follows and addresses others who are of indeterminate seed-nature and have turned their minds, he expediently and temporarily does not establish other vehicles, only praising the one—this is called expedient. This is temporary esoteric language called expedient. If he were to fully present the four vehicles, this would be called real. Because the four vehicles truly exist. Therefore in the Śrīmālā, this is the Buddha's own-intention language." Shanzhu says: "In the Lotus assembly, to attract the indeterminate, addressing distant subsidiary causes, the One Vehicle is real. If we exhaust the principle, the Lotus One Vehicle is expedient and not real. The reason for this is that in the Śrīmālā assembly, pointing to the Lotus intention, it says 'expediently explaining the existence of the One Vehicle.'"
[Lower Section]
Question: Regarding the Śrīmālā Sutra, what difference is there between the One Vehicle within the four vehicles and the One Vehicle outside the four vehicles? Answer: The One Vehicle within the four vehicles has determined recipients it addresses, therefore it is real. The One Vehicle outside the four vehicles has indeterminate recipients it addresses, therefore it is expedient. Question: If so, what difference is there between the One Vehicle within the four vehicles and the Lotus One Vehicle? Answer: The Lotus One Vehicle, in its aspect of addressing indeterminate śrāvakas, differs from the One Vehicle within the four vehicles. In its aspect of addressing indeterminate bodhisattvas, it is the same as the One Vehicle within the four vehicles. Although it is one dharma, it has differences in manifestness and hiddenness. Therefore the Vehicle Chapter states: "Although Buddha-fruit, nirvana, and bodhi are all the One Vehicle, the Śrīmālā explains with definitive meaning through the lion's roar (lion's roar means the meaning of certainty), while the Lotus explains the One Vehicle in hidden and esoteric manner."
As an incidental discussion, Question: What is the text where the Śrīmālā Sutra explains the four vehicles? Answer: That sutra states: "Just as the great earth bears four heavy burdens—first the great ocean, second the various mountains, third plants and trees, fourth sentient beings—so too the good son who receives and upholds the True Dharma is able to bear four kinds of heavy responsibilities. Namely, for sentient beings who are separated from good spiritual friends and do not hear the non-Dharma, he accomplishes them through human and heavenly good roots; for those seeking śrāvakahood he confers the śrāvaka vehicle; for those seeking pratyekabuddhahood he confers the pratyekabuddha vehicle; for those seeking Mahāyāna he confers the Mahāyāna." This is that text. The dharma and analogy can be known through correspondence. Question: The chapter states: "Distinguishing the differences from the One Vehicle explained in the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra is as already extensively explained in the section on explaining names." What does this mean? Answer: This clarifies the differences between the One Vehicle of the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra and the One Vehicle of this sutra. However, clarifying those
[Left Page]
differences is as already explained in the section on explaining names in the Immeasurable Meanings Sutra. Question: If so, what differences are there between the Immeasurable Meanings One Vehicle and the One Vehicle of this sutra? Answer: The Xuanzan's second [volume] clarifies the differences between these two sutras with five levels of meaning. The Water Commentary states: "There are five explanations: first, the distinction of already emerged and not yet emerged; second, the difference between supporting and supported; third, the non-identity of essence and function; fourth, the differences in teaching, principle, practice, and fruit; fifth, the distinction between two dharmas and four dharmas." Question: What do these five explanations mean? Answer: These five explanations answer the question: "The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra has sixteen names, also called Lotus. This sutra is also called Lotus. What differences do the two names have?" First: The lotus has two times of receiving names. When not yet emerged from water, it is also called lotus—that sutra's name is thus. When already emerged from water, it is also called lotus—this sutra is also thus. Second: That sutra explains the supporting True Suchness of teaching and principle, properly called Immeasurable Meanings, subsidiarily called Wonderful Lotus. This sutra explains the supported practice and fruit, properly called Wonderful Lotus, subsidiarily called Immeasurable Meanings. Third: That [sutra] bases itself on the essence of wisdom to be called Dharma-Lotus. This [sutra] bases itself on wisdom's functions to be called Dharma-Lotus, because it unifies two into one. Fourth: That [sutra] uses teaching and principle to be called lotus. Because bodhisattvas have already cultivated the causes of the One Vehicle and proceed toward the One Vehicle fruit, there is no need to explain practice and fruit One Vehicle, called Dharma-Lotus. Because they simply do not know the teaching and principle of matching medicine to illness, it only explains teaching and principle, called Dharma-Lotus. In this present assembly, because the two vehicles are not yet able to match medicine to illness, it does not explain the teaching-principle lotus for them, but only explains the two types of practice and fruit for them, called lotus, causing them to enter and proceed. Therefore the sutra below states: "Riding this jeweled vehicle, proceeding directly to the place of enlightenment"—this is the flower of causal practice. "Using only the Buddha's knowledge and vision to show and awaken sentient
[Lower Section]
beings," etc.—this is the fruit lotus. Also, in opening, showing, awakening, and entering, the first three are fruit, the last one is cause. The Śrīmālā is also thus. Because it only explains One Vehicle causes and fruits, it is called One Vehicle. Fifth: That [sutra] uses the two types of teaching and principle to be called lotus. This sutra, corresponding to the teaching, principle, practice, and fruit of those two vehicles, is entirely called lotus. Because the meaning is complete and perfect. Even the Dharma-Lotus being thus, the One Vehicle is also thus. One should understand completely based on this.
The general meaning is: The Immeasurable Meanings Sutra is called Wonderful Dharma Lotus, and this sutra is also called Wonderful Dharma Lotus. To clarify these differences, there are these five explanations. Thus, to clarify the differences between the Immeasurable Meanings One Vehicle and this sutra's One Vehicle, these five explanations can also be used. Therefore the Water Commentary states: "Question: Why does that [sutra's] explanation of lotus reveal the One Vehicle? Answer: That commentary states: 'The lotus being thus, the One Vehicle is also thus.' Therefore this is what is pointed to." Question: What is the relative superiority among these five explanations? Answer: The Xuanzan states: "The first three meanings explain that their essences are the same. The latter two meanings explain that this is broad while that is narrow. Due to this meaning, that Immeasurable Meanings Sutra uses only two meanings to be called immeasurable—one dharma, two meanings. The treatise states: 'accomplishing word-meanings.' Words are the teaching-dharma, meanings are what is expressed. That Immeasurable Meanings Sutra states: 'Because sentient beings' natures and desires are immeasurable, dharmas are also immeasurable. Because dharmas are immeasurable, meanings are also immeasurable. What is immeasurable in meaning arises from one dharma. That one dharma is precisely signlessness.' However, this present sutra, although initially praising principle and teaching, in later passages mostly uses practice and fruit as the real essence called lotus. The sutra passages throughout also encompass teaching, principle, practice, and fruit. Therefore the later explanations are good." "Later explanations" refers to the fourth and fifth explanations. Among those latter two explanations, the fifth explanation is properly considered good. The Dharma-Lotus's true intention