英語訳
【Page 16, Upper Section】
The commentary says: "When the Lotus was taught, he joined the pure assembly; when the time of nirvana came, he guided those with transgressive sins." {Note: Above}
Fifth, the Universal Transcendence Sutra explains that King Ajatashatru attained patient acceptance after murdering his father. The Contemplation Sutra criticizes the father, while the Universal Transcendence Sutra speaks of repentance. That the Universal Transcendence Sutra was taught before the Lotus has been definitively determined by Tiantai masters. Who would dare to doubt this? Even the Universal Transcendence Sutra, which came after the Contemplation Sutra, was still before the Lotus. How much more clearly evident is it that the Contemplation Sutra was taught before the Lotus! {Note: Above, paraphrased} Below and so on. From page 18 to page 35 should be consulted. Treatise on Wonderful Meanings {Note: 6, 45}
○Regarding the benefits obtained from the Contemplation Sutra, see the complete text in Tied Jewels Record 3 {Note: 2 sheets}.
△The Contemplation of Infinite Life Sutra {Note: Illustrated Sutra, middle 11} says: "At that time Vaidehi, seeing the Buddha World-Honored One, removed her necklace, threw her whole body to the ground, and crying aloud said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One, what sins did I commit in past lives to give birth to this evil son? World-Honored One, what causes and conditions led to my being related to Devadatta? I only wish the World-Honored One would extensively explain places without worry and anguish for me, etc.'" {Note: Text} Now I say: this inquiry is truly a great matter. But why did the World-Honored One not provide an answer? Because while there was a perfect capacity [in the questioner], there was no perfect time. Also because that sutra carries provisional [teachings]. See also Treatise on Opening the Eyes, latter part {Note: 67}.
△Commentary on the Vimalakirti Sutra 10 {Note: 9 left} says: "Kumarajiva said: In the Hinayana dharma, those who commit the five grave sins or violate the four heavy prohibitions are all abandoned and not saved. In the profound Mahayana dharma, there is none who cannot be saved." {Note: Text}
△Text and Meaning 7 {Note: 41} says: "Other sutras only give predictions to bodhisattvas, not to the two vehicles. They only give predictions to the good, not to the evil. They only give predictions to males, not to females. They only give predictions to humans and gods, not to animals. This sutra gives predictions to all
【Page 16, Lower Section】
of them."
○Shandao's final words: "Every day I [recite] sixty volumes of the Amitabha Sutra and念佛 one hundred thousand times without negligence. The three robes are like body and skin, the alms bowl like both eyes. I do not look at women, and for thirty years of my lifetime, I did not sleep but concentrated on念佛 to Amitabha, upholding all prohibitions without violating a single precept. I will definitely be reborn in the highest grade of the highest level of the Pure Land in the next life. Future monks should念佛 without abandoning the precepts. Though one may念佛 after abandoning the precepts, rebirth would be difficult to attain. The mouth should not drink alcohol nor consume the five pungent plants, meat, etc. This is called upholding the prohibitions. My remaining disciples, if you can guard these final words, they should be like both eyes and life itself." {Note: Above}
○Contemplation Dharma Gate {Note: 7 sheets} says: "When the practitioner's relatives and family come to visit the sick, do not allow anyone who eats alcohol, meat, and the five pungent plants [to approach]. If there are such people, they must not go near the sick person. [The sick person] will immediately lose right mindfulness, demons and spirits will create chaos, the sick person will die mad and fall into the three evil paths." {Note: Text}
○Commentary Record {Note: 4, end 27} "Even if one has past good karma like the sands of the Ganges, there is ultimately no principle by which one can achieve enlightenment by oneself."
△Nichiren's Treatise on the Precept-Body Attaining Buddhahood {Note: Inner 93, 18} quotes the Record and concludes: "Although one may have calling the name, reading sutras, making images, erecting pagodas, the five precepts and ten good deeds, form and formless meditative concentration, and immeasurable and boundless good roots, if one does not arouse the bodhi-mind of the Lotus Sutra's perfect integration, one cannot completely escape the six paths and four births." {Note: Text}
○Collection of Selections {Note: Lower 24} says: "The text that considers念佛 as many good roots and miscellaneous good deeds as few good roots. The Amitabha Sutra says: 'One cannot be born in that land through few good roots and merit as causes and conditions.'"
【Page 17, Upper Section】
{Note: Text}
○Text and Meaning 5 {Note: 94 sheets} says: "This sutra clarifies that small good deeds [can lead to] Buddhahood. This takes auxiliary causes as Buddha-seeds. If one does not believe that small good deeds [can lead to] Buddhahood, one cuts off the Buddha-seeds of the world." {Note: Text}
○Record {Note: 5, end 58} "This sutra universally opens the Buddha-seeds of the six paths. If one slanders this sutra, by principle they should be cut off." {Note: Text}
△Nichiren's Treatise on Essential Identity {Note: Inner 23-24} says: "Nichiren says: This sutra penetrates the Buddha-seeds of the ten realms. If one slanders this sutra, by principle one should cut off the Buddha-seeds of the ten realms. Such a person will definitely fall into the sin of the Avici Hell. How could they obtain a time of release?" {Note: Text} Treatise on the Initiation of the Six Paths and Ten Realms 20 {Note: 23}.
○Text and Meaning 9 says: "Before the Lotus, [Buddhahood] was not yet taught." {Note: Text} Not yet examined.
△Record 4, main text {Note: 70} says: "The single word 'Buddha' is limited only to this sutra." {Note: Text}
△Great Master Dengyo's Excellent Phrases, first part, says: "Before the Lotus, extensively teaching Buddhahood in various sutras was not the Buddha's original intent. Therefore [beings did] not [attain] Buddhahood. Therefore the sutra says: '[The Buddha] will never save sentient beings through the Small Vehicle.'" {Note: Text}
△Record 4, main text {Note: 50 sheets} says: "Now following the meaning and adapting to the text, there are briefly ten pairs to distinguish the different characteristics. Giving near predictions to the two vehicles, opening the distant original [nature] of the Tathagata {Note: First}. Praising with joy the fiftieth person [who hears the dharma], with benefits of hearing reaching to the stage of one-lifetime-away-from-Buddhahood {Note: Second}. Shakyamuni pointing to the three transgressions of Devadatta as the original teacher, Manjushri taking the eight-year-old dragon girl as the one taught {Note: Third}. Anyone hearing one sentence all receive predictions, protecting the sutra's name brings immeasurable merit
【Page 17, Lower Section】
{Note: Fourth}. Hearing and upholding a chapter, permanently leaving the female form; if hearing recitation, neither aging nor dying {Note: Fifth}. The five types of dharma teachers presently obtaining the similar [benefits], the four peaceful and joyful practices, entering the copper wheel in dreams {Note: Sixth}. Those who cause disturbance have their heads split into seven pieces; those who make offerings have merit exceeding the ten epithets [of Buddha] {Note: Seventh}. Moreover, [this sutra being] what the entire lifetime of 'already taught, now teaching, and future teaching' cannot reach, praising its teaching dharma with ten metaphors {Note: Eighth}. Even though [bodhisattvas] emerged from the earth, Ajita does not recognize a single person; [regarding] Eastern Lotus Flower Dragon Honored King, their characteristics are unknown {Note: Ninth}. Moreover, the trace teaching raises [the example of] three thousand ink dots, the original [teaching] uses the metaphor of five hundred dust particles {Note: Tenth}. The matters of original and trace are rare; various sutras do not explain them." {Note: Text}
○Excellent Phrases says: "What is created by expedient wisdom has only names but no real meaning." {Note: Text}
○The Great Treatise says: "Using Mahayana to criticize Hinayana is the compassion of all Buddhas. Using Hinayana to criticize Mahayana is the enemy of all Buddhas." {Note: And so on} Also says: "Using the great to break the small, all can be broken." {Note: Text not yet examined}
○Text and Meaning 4 says: "Weak in good and without understanding, slandering Mahayana, falling into the three paths." {Note: And so on}
○Jikaku says: "Even if one falls into hell and passes through immeasurable kalpas, regarding the Hinayana dharma, one should not take it in hand or recite it with the mouth." {Note: And so on}
○Explanatory Notes 1 {Note: End 17} says: "All Buddha World-Honored Ones appear in the world solely because of the one great matter as cause and condition. Therefore we know the original intent of appearing in the world lies in the Buddha Vehicle. Only the Buddha Vehicle can be called the great matter. We should know that the Buddha Vehicle is simply the wonderful dharma. Therefore the name can be verified." {Note: Text}
○Tiantai's Vimalakirti Commentary 10 {Note: 38 sheets} says: "If one only makes offerings to one Buddha, there is no merit regarding other Buddhas. If one slanders one Buddha, there is no sin regarding other Buddhas. If one makes offerings to the characteristics of the Buddha-mother ultimate reality, then