大智度論 舌相品Dazhidulun — Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa · The Mark of the Tongue

I. Structural Placement

Within the sequence in which the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa comments on the Larger Sūtra, this chapter belongs to the section of the Commentary on the Remaining Chapters and is placed at the end of Fascicle 40. The treatise gives its own title as 「大智度論釋舌相品第六」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Commentary on the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue, the Sixth"〔T25 0355c08〕, and it comments on the whole of the Larger Sūtra's Chapter 6, "The Mark of the Tongue"〔T08 0230a19–0230b20〕. It follows Chapter 5, "Praise of the Perfections" (also in Fascicle 40), and "The Mark of the Tongue" is the chapter next after it. In the whole chapter both sūtra and treatise are short: it begins at the chapter title〔T25 0355c08〕and ends with the final sentence 「劫名華積，佛皆號覺華」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening"〔T25 0356b06〕, and the very next line is the closing phrase at the end of the fascicle, 「大智度論卷第四十」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa, Fascicle Forty". The body of both sūtra and treatise of this chapter therefore lies wholly within Fascicle 40, and there is no text of this chapter at the transition into Fascicle 41. The whole chapter has only one Sūtra section and one Treatise section; it does not, like Chapter 4, "Rebirth", cite the sūtra passage by passage in alternation.

The Sūtra section (from〔T25 0355c09〕to〔T25 0356a09〕) proceeds along the narrative of the auspicious response, in six parts in all. First, the World-Honored One puts forth the mark of the tongue, covering the whole three-thousand great-thousand world, and from the mark of the tongue issues coloured light that illuminates the ten directions everywhere. Second, the countless bodhisattvas of the east see the light and ask their Buddhas, and the Buddhas answer that in the west, in the Sahā world, the mark of the tongue of Śākyamuni emits light because he is teaching prajñāpāramitā. Third, the bodhisattvas tell their Buddhas that they wish to go and make offerings and to hear prajñā, and the Buddhas permit it with 「汝自知時」 tr. "you yourselves know the time." Fourth, the bodhisattvas, and the gods from the Four Heavenly Kings up to Akaniṣṭha, carry implements of offering to the Sahā world, and the flowers they scatter transform in the sky into a great jewelled dais with four pillars. Fifth, in Śākyamuni's assembly a hundred thousand koṭi people rise from their seats and vow that in the future they too may teach the Dharma in this way; the Buddha knows their sincere mind, that with regard to all dharmas as neither arising nor ceasing they have attained this acceptance of dharmas, and he smiles and emits light. Sixth, Ānanda asks the cause of the smile, and the Buddha answers that these hundred thousand koṭi people have attained the acceptance of non-arising, that after sixty-eight koṭi of kalpas they will become Buddhas, that the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and that the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening.

The Treatise section (from〔T25 0356a10〕to〔T25 0356b06〕) brings out the meaning of the sūtra in three rounds of question and answer, followed by a single summarising sentence and three narrative passages that bring it to a close. The first question is 「初品中佛已出舌相，今何以重出」 tr. "in the first chapter the Buddha has already put forth the mark of the tongue; why now put it forth again?"〔T25 0356a10〕; the answer is that it is not taught in one day at one sitting, that at a different time it is taught again for other people, and that because Subhūti is skilled in teaching emptiness the Buddha commands him to teach again. The second question is 「舍利弗智慧第一，竟何所少，而復命須菩提」 tr. "Śāriputra is foremost in wisdom; what, after all, did he lack, that Subhūti is commanded in addition?"〔T25 0356a14〕; the answer is that the Buddha's disciples are many and he speaks with them in turn. The third question is 「若爾者，目連、迦葉等甚多，何以不次第皆與語」 tr. "if so, Maudgalyāyana, Kāśyapa, and the others are very many; why does he not speak with all of them in turn?"〔T25 0356a17〕; the answer is that because this sūtra is named wisdom, Śāriputra is asked first, and that Subhūti is commanded to teach for two causes and conditions (he delights in practising the concentration of non-contention and is always compassionate; he delights in deeply practising the dharma of emptiness). When the three rounds are finished, the treatise gathers all the auspicious signs into one sentence, 「是『舌相光明』、『諸菩薩來往』義，乃至『華臺供養』義，如先說」 tr. "the meaning of this 'light of the mark of the tongue' and 'the coming and going of the bodhisattvas', up to the meaning of 'the offering of the flower dais', is as explained before"〔T25 0356a24〕, referring them to the first chapter and not explaining them again. At the end it closes with three narrative passages: beings see the great supernormal power, at once attain the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas, and make their vow〔T25 0356a25〕; the Buddha smiles because he knows they have attained the acceptance〔T25 0356b01〕; and the prediction is given that the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers and the Buddhas called Flower of Awakening〔T25 0356b03〕.

II. Terms Examined

The mark of the tongue. The chapter is named for this. The sūtra text says at its very outset 「爾時，世尊出舌相，遍覆三千大千世界；從其舌相出無數無量色光明，普照十方如恒河沙等諸佛世界」 tr. "at that time the World-Honored One put forth the mark of the tongue, covering the whole three-thousand great-thousand world; from his mark of the tongue issued countless, measureless lights of many colours, illuminating everywhere the Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the Ganges"〔T25 0355c09〕. What the mark of the tongue displays—covering the whole three-thousand great-thousand world and emitting light that illuminates the ten directions everywhere—is the first of the auspicious signs of the whole chapter; the reason for its emitting light the sūtra itself makes clear further on: 「為諸菩薩摩訶薩說般若波羅蜜故」 tr. "because he is teaching prajñāpāramitā for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas"〔T25 0355c18〕.

The concentration of non-contention. The treatise gives as the first of Subhūti's two causes and conditions 「好行無諍定，常慈悲眾生」 tr. "he delights in practising the concentration of non-contention and is always compassionate toward beings"〔T25 0356a20〕. The concentration of non-contention is abiding in the wisdom of emptiness without contending with anything; this virtue is also seen in the judgement in Chapter 5, "Praise of the Perfections", where the treatise cites Subhūti as one who 「修無諍定，行空第一」 tr. "cultivates the concentration of non-contention, and is foremost in practising emptiness"〔T25 0354c16〕.

Deeply practising the dharma of emptiness. The treatise gives as Subhūti's second cause and condition 「好深行空法，是般若中多說空法」 tr. "he delights in deeply practising the dharma of emptiness, and within this prajñā the dharma of emptiness is mostly taught"〔T25 0356a22〕. What prajñā expounds mostly makes clear the meaning of emptiness, and therefore one who deeply practises the dharma of emptiness is commanded to teach it.

The acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas (the acceptance of non-arising). The sūtra makes clear that the hundred thousand koṭi people, 「於一切諸法不生不滅、不出不作，得是法忍」 tr. "with regard to all dharmas as neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming forth nor made, attained this acceptance of dharmas"〔T25 0356a03〕, and the Buddha answers 「於諸法中得無生忍」 tr. "among all dharmas they have attained the acceptance of non-arising"〔T25 0356a07〕. Acceptance is assenting to and abiding in the principle that dharmas neither arise nor cease; it is not dismissing dharmas as annihilated nothingness.

Heap of Flowers (name of the kalpa) · Flower of Awakening (name of the Buddha). The sūtra records that when the hundred thousand koṭi people become Buddhas in the future, 「劫名華積，佛皆號覺華」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening"〔T25 0356b06〕; the reason for the names lies in their arousing the mind and receiving the prediction because they saw the offering of flowers (see the commentaries of Jizang and Huiying in Section VI). Within the same sentence, 「劫名華積」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers" and the slightly earlier 「佛皆號覺花」 tr. "the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for 'flower')"〔T25 0356a08〕 use the two forms of the character for "flower" side by side; this is a difference of graph in the base text, not a difference of meaning (see Section VIII).

III. Similes and Stories

This chapter takes the auspicious sign of putting forth the mark of the tongue as the backbone of its narrative, and what the sūtra text sets out is all auspicious response and transformation; its use of similes and comparisons is not as abundant as in Chapter 4, "Rebirth." The treatise's explanation, however, sets up one worldly simile between question and answer.

To make clear that the Buddha commands his disciples to teach the Dharma in turn, the treatise sets out the simile of the king and his ministers: 「佛弟子眾多，一人說已，次命一人；譬如王者，群臣眾多，次第共語」 tr. "the Buddha's disciples are many; when one has spoken, he next commands another. It is like a king: his ministers are many, and he speaks with them in turn"〔T25 0356a16〕—as a king speaks with his ministers in turn and not with one alone, so the Buddha's command to his disciples to teach the Dharma reaches them in turn; it is not that once Śāriputra has spoken there is no one else who can be commanded. This simile answers directly the second question, 「舍利弗智慧第一，竟何所少，而復命須菩提」 tr. "Śāriputra is foremost in wisdom; what, after all, did he lack, that Subhūti is commanded in addition?"〔T25 0356a14〕, making clear that Subhūti is commanded not because Śāriputra lacked anything, but because it comes round to him in turn.

As for the parts in which the mark of the tongue is put forth and covers the whole three-thousand great-thousand world, the bodhisattvas carry flowers that transform into a jewelled dais, and the hundred thousand koṭi people attain the acceptance and make their vow—all these are narratives of auspicious response, not similes. As for the naming of Flower of Awakening and Heap of Flowers, the treatise only states the names directly; the ancient masters give separate commentarial explanations (see Section VI).

IV. The Sūtra Passage Explained

The Sūtra section cited by this treatise corresponds item by item to Chapter 6, "The Mark of the Tongue"〔T08 0230a19–0230b20〕, of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra translated by Kumārajīva of the Later Qin. The sūtra runs to only a page or so, and the part of the treatise that cites the sūtra (from〔T25 0355c09〕to〔T25 0356a09〕) likewise runs to only a page or so, of comparable length—the Sūtra section of this chapter covers almost word for word the whole of the chapter "The Mark of the Tongue" in T223. The seven sets of word-by-word alignment below prove that the sūtra the treatise explains is indeed this text.

The first set: the World-Honored One puts forth the mark of the tongue and emits light, and the bodhisattvas of the east see the light and ask their Buddhas. This treatise〔T25 0355c09〕reads 「爾時，世尊出舌相，遍覆三千大千世界；從其舌相出無數無量色光明，普照十方如恒河沙等諸佛世界」 tr. "at that time the World-Honored One put forth the mark of the tongue, covering the whole three-thousand great-thousand world; from his mark of the tongue issued countless, measureless lights of many colours, illuminating everywhere the Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the Ganges", and the question below reads 「是誰神力故，有是大光明」 tr. "by whose supernormal power is there this great light?"〔T25 0355c13〕; T223〔T08 0230a20〕reads 「爾時世尊出舌相遍覆三千大千世界，從其舌相出無數無量色光明，普照十方如恒河沙等諸佛世界」 tr. "at that time the World-Honored One put forth the mark of the tongue covering the whole three-thousand great-thousand world; from his mark of the tongue issued countless, measureless lights of many colours, illuminating everywhere the Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, as many as the sands of the Ganges", and the question below reads 「是誰力故，有是大光明」 tr. "by whose power is there this great light?" The two texts are nearly word for word the same; only T223 reads 「是誰力故」 tr. "by whose power", without the character 「神」 tr. "supernormal", while this treatise reads 「是誰神力故」 tr. "by whose supernormal power", with the character 「神」 tr. "supernormal." This difference corresponds exactly to this treatise's own collation note〔T25 0355c13〕, 「神【大】｜〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】」 tr. "'supernormal' in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions"—T223's lack of 「神」 tr. "supernormal" agrees with the variant reading of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions (see Section VIII). It is not a copying error but a difference between two texts each forming its own reading.

The second set: the Buddhas of the east answer that in the west, in the Sahā world, Śākyamuni's mark of the tongue emits light for the teaching of prajñā. This treatise's〔T25 0355c14〕 「諸佛告諸菩薩言：『諸善男子！西方有世界名娑婆，是中有佛名釋迦牟尼，是其舌相出大光明…為諸菩薩摩訶薩說般若波羅蜜故』」 tr. "the Buddhas told the bodhisattvas: 'Good men! In the west there is a world named Sahā, and in it there is a Buddha named Śākyamuni; this is his mark of the tongue emitting great light … because he is teaching prajñāpāramitā for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas'" agrees word for word with T223〔T08 0230a25〕; only the editorial layer of punctuation and sentence division differs, and there is no doctrinal divergence.

The third set: the bodhisattvas tell their Buddhas that they wish to go and make offerings and to hear prajñā. This treatise's〔T25 0355c18〕 「是時，諸菩薩各白其佛言：『我欲往供養釋迦牟尼佛及諸菩薩摩訶薩，并欲聽般若波羅蜜』…『善男子！汝自知時』」 tr. "at this time the bodhisattvas each said to their Buddha: 'I wish to go and make offerings to Śākyamuni Buddha and the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, and also wish to hear prajñāpāramitā' … 'Good man! You yourself know the time'" is almost word for word the same as T223〔T08 0230b01〕; only at the head of the sentence this treatise has in addition the three-character opening 「是時，」 tr. "at this time,", which T223 lacks; and in the punctuation layer T223 has a full stop where this treatise has an exclamation mark, which belongs to the editorial layer.

The fourth set: the bodhisattvas and the hosts of gods carry implements of offering to the Sahā world, and these transform into a jewelled dais. This treatise's〔T25 0355c21〕 「是時，諸菩薩摩訶薩持諸供養具、無量華蓋、幢幡、瓔珞…是諸菩薩摩訶薩及諸天所散諸華，於三千大千世界虛空中化成四柱大寶臺，種種異色，莊嚴分明」 tr. "at this time the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, carrying implements of offering, measureless flower-canopies, banners and streamers, and necklaces … the flowers scattered by these bodhisattva-mahāsattvas and the gods transformed in the sky over the three-thousand great-thousand world into a great jewelled dais with four pillars, of every different colour, adorned and distinct"〔T25 0355c21〕 agrees word for word with T223〔T08 0230b03〕, except that the two characters 「華」 tr. "flower" and 「花」 tr. "flower" differ throughout the passage—T223 uses 「花」 tr. "flower" throughout the passage, while this treatise uses 「華」 tr. "flower."

The fifth set: the hundred thousand koṭi people rise from their seats and vow that in the future they may teach the Dharma in this way. This treatise〔T25 0355c29〕reads 「有十萬億人皆從坐起，合掌白佛言」 tr. "there were a hundred thousand koṭi people who all rose from where they sat, joined their palms, and said to the Buddha", while T223〔T08 0230b11〕reads 「有十萬億人，皆從座起」 tr. "there were a hundred thousand koṭi people, who all rose from their seats"—this treatise reads 「從坐起」 tr. "rose from where they sat", T223 reads 「從座起」 tr. "rose from their seats", and 「坐」 tr. "sit" and 「座」 tr. "seat" are variant forms of the character. The same type of variant is also seen in Chapter 5, "Praise of the Perfections", in the pair 「從坐起」 tr. "rose from where they sat" and 「從座起」 tr. "rose from their seats"; it is a recurring instance between this treatise and T223.

The sixth set: the Buddha knows their sincere mind and that they have attained the acceptance of dharmas, and smiles; Ānanda asks the cause. This treatise's〔T25 0356a03〕 「是時，佛知善男子至心，於一切諸法不生不滅、不出不作，得是法忍。佛便微笑，種種色光從口中出」 tr. "at this time the Buddha knew the good men's sincere mind: with regard to all dharmas as neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming forth nor made, they had attained this acceptance of dharmas. The Buddha then smiled, and light of many colours came forth from his mouth", together with Ānanda's question below, 「何因緣故微笑」 tr. "for what cause and condition do you smile?"〔T25 0356a06〕, agrees word for word with T223〔T08 0230b14〕; only this treatise has one more comma in 「至心，於」 tr. "sincere mind, with regard to", which belongs to the punctuation layer.

The seventh set: the Buddha answers that the hundred thousand koṭi people have attained the acceptance of non-arising and will become Buddhas in the future. This treatise〔T25 0356a06〕reads 「佛告阿難：『是眾中十萬億人，於諸法中得無生忍。是諸人於未來世過六十八億劫當得作佛，劫名華積，佛皆號覺花』」 tr. "the Buddha told Ānanda: 'In this assembly a hundred thousand koṭi people have attained the acceptance of non-arising among all dharmas. In a future age, after sixty-eight koṭi of kalpas, these people will attain to becoming Buddhas; the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for "flower")'", while T223〔T08 0230b18〕reads 「佛告阿難：『是眾中十萬億人，於諸法中得無生忍。是諸人於未來世，過六十八億劫當作佛，劫名花積，佛皆號覺花』」 tr. "the Buddha told Ānanda: 'In this assembly a hundred thousand koṭi people have attained the acceptance of non-arising among all dharmas. In a future age, after sixty-eight koṭi of kalpas, these people will become Buddhas; the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers (variant graph for "flower"), and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for "flower")'"—the two texts differ in two ways. First, this treatise's 「當得作佛」 tr. "will attain to becoming Buddhas" has the character 「得」 tr. "attain", while T223's 「當作佛」 tr. "will become Buddhas" lacks the character 「得」 tr. "attain"; this corresponds to this treatise's collation note〔T25 0356a08〕, 「得【大】｜〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】」 tr. "'attain' in the Taishō; absent in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions" (T223's lack of 「得」 tr. "attain" agrees with the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions). Second, within this treatise's sentence 「劫名華積…佛皆號覺花」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers … the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for 'flower')" the two forms 「華」 tr. "flower" and 「花」 tr. "flower" are used side by side, while T223's sentence 「劫名花積…佛皆號覺花」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers (variant graph for 'flower') … the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for 'flower')" uses 「花」 tr. "flower" consistently throughout.

Apart from the three places of variant reading (the presence or absence of the character for "supernormal", the variant forms "sit" and "seat", the presence or absence of the character for "attain", together with the difference in the use of the two graphs for "flower"), the seven sets agree in doctrine and wording word for word or nearly word for word, confirming that the sūtra the treatise cites is indeed Kumārajīva's translation of the sūtra Chapter 6, "The Mark of the Tongue." Further, the whole of T223's chapter "The Mark of the Tongue" ends at 「佛皆號覺花」 tr. "the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for 'flower')", and the very next character begins the chapter heading of "The Three Designations"; the sūtra itself contains no treatise explanation. The Treatise part of this treatise, from〔T25 0356a10〕 「問曰：初品中佛已出舌相，今何以重出」 tr. "Question: In the first chapter the Buddha has already put forth the mark of the tongue; why now put it forth again?" onward, is an expository layer unique to the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa and not text citing the sūtra; the two go separate ways and are not to be cited in confusion with each other.

V. The Prajñā Eye

The eye of this chapter lies in what the reappearance of the mark of the tongue points to: the mark of the tongue appears not to display an auspicious wonder but 「為諸菩薩摩訶薩說般若波羅蜜故」 tr. "because he is teaching prajñāpāramitā for the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas"〔T25 0355c18〕. Answering the question of the bodhisattvas who saw the light, the Buddhas of the east explain the reason for the light of the mark of the tongue directly by the teaching of prajñā; thus what all the auspicious signs of the chapter tend toward is prajñā alone.

The treatise-author poses his own questions and answers to bring out the meaning of 「重出」 tr. "putting forth again." The mark of the tongue was already put forth in the first chapter; why is it put forth again in this chapter? The treatise answers 「是事非一日一坐說…今此異時，更為餘人；須菩提巧說空故，佛命令更說，是故出舌相光明」 tr. "this matter is not taught in one day at one sitting … now, at this different time, it is taught again for other people; because Subhūti is skilled in teaching emptiness, the Buddha commands him to teach again, and therefore he puts forth the light of the mark of the tongue"〔T25 0356a11〕. Prajñā cannot be exhausted in a single assembly; at a different time and for a different assembly the mark of the tongue appears again to command the teaching—before, Śāriputra asked and the Buddha answered; now it is put forth again in order to command Subhūti to teach emptiness.

The two causes and conditions for commanding Subhūti point directly to the marrow of prajñā. The treatise gives the two: 「一者、好行無諍定，常慈悲眾生…二者、好深行空法，是般若中多說空法——是故命須菩提說」 tr. "first, he delights in practising the concentration of non-contention and is always compassionate toward beings … second, he delights in deeply practising the dharma of emptiness, and within this prajñā the dharma of emptiness is mostly taught—therefore Subhūti is commanded to teach"〔T25 0356a20〕. What prajñā expounds mostly makes clear the meaning of emptiness, and one who 「深行空法」 tr. "deeply practises the dharma of emptiness" is commanded to teach it: the virtue of the teacher displays the dharma that is taught. The eye of prajñā lies in emptiness, and so the person commanded to teach it is chosen for the accord of his practice with emptiness.

What beings attain on hearing and seeing this supernormal power of prajñā also returns to emptiness. The sūtra makes clear that the hundred thousand koṭi people, 「於一切諸法不生不滅、不出不作，得是法忍」 tr. "with regard to all dharmas as neither arising nor ceasing, neither coming forth nor made, attained this acceptance of dharmas"〔T25 0356a03〕, and the Buddha answers 「於諸法中得無生忍」 tr. "among all dharmas they have attained the acceptance of non-arising"〔T25 0356a07〕. The acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas is not dismissing all dharmas as annihilated nothingness; it is assenting to and abiding in the principle that dharmas neither arise nor cease, neither come forth nor are made, and it is the present realisation of the meaning of emptiness. What the mark of the tongue attests is prajñā; what prajñā mostly teaches is emptiness; those who hear emptiness and assent to it attain the acceptance of the non-arising of dharmas. These three run through as one, and this is the Prajñā Eye on which the chapter's praise of auspicious signs, its command to teach, and its prediction all rest.

As for the meanings of the light of the mark of the tongue, the coming and going of the bodhisattvas, the offering of the flower dais, the smile, and the Buddha's answer, the treatise itself says in every case 「如先說」 tr. "as explained before"〔T25 0356a25〕, referring them to the first chapter and not explaining them again; the new meaning of the chapter lies only in two matters, the putting forth again and the command to Subhūti to teach emptiness. So although this chapter takes the narrative of auspicious signs as its surface, its Prajñā Eye is in fact gathered into a single line: prajñā taught again at a different time, one who deeply practises the dharma of emptiness commanded to teach emptiness, and those who hear emptiness attaining the acceptance of non-arising.

VI. Divergent Readings of the Masters

This section records the ancient masters who cite and explain this chapter, and the correspondence of what they comment on and cite with this chapter; it does not judge the interpretations of the various masters. The works outside the source text that contain an exact hit for 「舌相品」 tr. "Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue" in the whole canon fall into two layers: two works that comment directly on this chapter passage by passage, and five works that cite the text of this chapter in the course of other books. There is in addition the chapter 「現舌相品第六」 tr. "Chapter on Displaying the Mark of the Tongue, the Sixth" of the Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, a different book with a similar title, which is distinguished in the last paragraph.

Jizang's Commentary on the Larger Sūtra, Fascicle 4, "The Mark of the Tongue, Chapter 6" (X24n0451), directly explains the sūtra passage that this chapter explains. At the head of the chapter it first records an old interpretation—that 「佛對身子自說般若五品半經」 tr. "the Buddha himself, facing Śāriputra, taught five and a half chapters of the prajñā sūtra", and that this chapter concludes what went before and puts forth the mark of the tongue to make the hearers believe and accept it—and then sets up his own view: 「今謂不爾，上已出舌相，今不應更證」 tr. "I now say it is not so: the mark of the tongue has already been put forth above, and now it should not attest again"〔X24 0226c21〕. He divides this chapter into five parts and explicitly cites this treatise: 「此品為五：一、現舌相放光明；二、時會並集；三、因供養重現瑞；四、時眾悟道；五、佛歡喜為其授記。初如文。論云：般若非一會說，故更現舌相也」 tr. "this chapter is in five: first, displaying the mark of the tongue and emitting light; second, the assembly of the time gathers together; third, because of the offerings the auspicious sign appears again; fourth, the assembly of the time awakens to the path; fifth, the Buddha rejoices and gives them the prediction. The first is as the text says. The treatise says: prajñā is not taught in a single assembly, and therefore the mark of the tongue is displayed again"〔X24 0227a12〕. The order of the five parts corresponds to the order of the blocks set in this apparatus, and 「論云：般若非一會說」 tr. "the treatise says: prajñā is not taught in a single assembly" points precisely to the essential point of this treatise's question and answer on 「重出」 tr. "putting forth again." He explains the naming of Flower of Awakening and Heap of Flowers thus: 「如以因見華悟道故皆號華積，可與覺華，因華悟名覺華也」 tr. "as because they awakened to the path by seeing flowers they are all called Heap of Flowers, so it may be given as Flower of Awakening: because of flowers they awoke, and are named Flower of Awakening"〔X24 0227a22〕.

Huiying's Commentary, Fascicle 17, "Explaining the Mark of the Tongue, Chapter 6" (X46n0791), directly explains the Treatise passage. His commentary originally had twenty-four fascicles, of which only fragmentary fascicles survive today; the table of contents of Fascicle 17 itself lists 「釋嘆度品第五、釋舌相品第六」 tr. "Explaining the Chapter on Praise of the Perfections, the Fifth; Explaining the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue, the Sixth" in the same fascicle, corresponding passage by passage to Fascicle 40 of the treatise. At the head of the chapter he uses a jātaka of the Buddha to explain the doctrinal origin of why the mark of the tongue serves as attestation for faith: 「如佛入婆羅門聚落受老婢潘施，即為受記當來成辟支佛。有相師婆羅門子見之，即言：汝大種性淨飯王子，云何為於麤食乃作妄語？佛則問言：汝之相法，舌覆何處，不能妄語？其答言：如我相法，舌若覆鼻，終不妄語。佛則出於舌相覆面」 tr. "as when the Buddha entered a brahmin village and received an old maidservant's gift of rice-water, and at once gave her the prediction that she would in the future become a pratyekabuddha. A brahmin youth, a reader of marks, saw this and said at once: 'You, son of King Śuddhodana, of great lineage—how can you, for the sake of coarse food, speak falsely?' The Buddha then asked: 'In your art of marks, where must the tongue cover to be incapable of speaking falsely?' He answered: 'In my art of marks, if the tongue covers the nose, one never speaks falsely.' The Buddha then put forth the mark of the tongue and covered his face", and concludes 「今者如來開宗…將欲命於善吉令說波若，故出舌相光以為證信。命說之人契會法相，所說不虗，故有斯品來也」 tr. "now the Tathāgata opens the doctrinal point … intending to command Subhūti to teach prajñā, he therefore puts forth the light of the mark of the tongue as attestation for faith. The person commanded to teach accords with the mark of the Dharma, and what he teaches is not empty; therefore this chapter comes"〔X46 0855c02〕. This jātaka is not seen in the first chapter of this treatise itself; it is cited in Huiying's commentary, and it is recorded without judgement. He divides this chapter into three parts: 「就此一品文中大有三分：第一、明出舌相覆於三千，光照十方召集有緣來眾；第二…各持供具往詣娑婆；…第三、明諸人得益也」 tr. "within the text of this one chapter there are broadly three parts: first, making clear that he puts forth the mark of the tongue covering the three thousand, and the light illuminates the ten directions, summoning the assemblies with affinity to come; second … each carrying implements of offering, they go to the Sahā world; … third, making clear that the people obtain benefit"〔X46 0855c07〕. He explains Subhūti's two causes and conditions thus: 「今明智慧即空，與善吉空行相應，故須命說。二者、云慈悲深厚…此人護眾生心重，故須命說」 tr. "now it makes clear that wisdom is emptiness, and it accords with Subhūti's practice of emptiness, so he must be commanded to teach. Second, it says his compassion is deep and thick … this person's mind of protecting beings is weighty, so he must be commanded to teach"〔X46 0855c13〕—first 「空行相應」 tr. "accord with the practice of emptiness" and then 「慈悲深厚」 tr. "compassion deep and thick", the reverse of the order in this treatise's text, which puts non-contention and compassion first and deeply practising the dharma of emptiness after. This is recorded without judgement; it is not a contradiction, only a difference of order. He comments on the three characters of this treatise, 「如先說」 tr. "as explained before": 「是舌相光明諸義既同初品，故此中不釋。下經文句盡同初品者，論則不煩，有釋須知也」 tr. "since the meanings of this light of the mark of the tongue are the same as in the first chapter, they are not explained here. Where the phrases of the sūtra text below are wholly the same as in the first chapter, the treatise does not trouble to repeat them; one must know that there is an explanation"〔X46 0855c18〕, answering this treatise's summarising sentence meaning by meaning. He explains the naming of Flower of Awakening thus: 「因見花臺發心得益，故號覺花，如前所說」 tr. "because they saw the flower dais, aroused the mind, and obtained benefit, they are therefore called Flower of Awakening, as explained before"〔X46 0855c22〕, and with 「有數利益」 tr. "benefit of a stated number" he links Chapter 4, "Rebirth", and this chapter: 「次往生品末明三百權行比丘…此之品末明十萬億人，亦屬有數利益」 tr. "next, the end of the Chapter on Rebirth makes clear the three hundred bhikṣus of provisional practice … the end of this chapter makes clear the hundred thousand koṭi people, which likewise belongs to benefit of a stated number"〔X46 0856a01〕.

There are five places where other books cite the content of this chapter. Zhanran's Notes on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus cites: 「釋〈舌相品〉云『十萬億人見十方菩薩來以華供養，而發心得記，故劫名華積，佛號覺華』，如此皆因時事以立佛名」 tr. "the explanation of the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue says, 'a hundred thousand koṭi people saw the bodhisattvas of the ten directions come and make offerings with flowers, aroused the mind, and received the prediction; therefore the kalpa is named Heap of Flowers and the Buddhas are called Flower of Awakening'—in this way all of them establish the Buddha's name on account of the events of the time"〔T34 0517b01〕. Kuiji's Profound Praise of the Lotus Sūtra cites: 「〈舌相品〉『十萬億人見十方菩薩來以華供養，發心得記，佛名覺華，劫名華積』，如是等類不可一准，或此皆是初所逢佛，後遇此緣因符往願」 tr. "the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue: 'a hundred thousand koṭi people saw the bodhisattvas of the ten directions come and make offerings with flowers, aroused the mind, and received the prediction; the Buddhas are named Flower of Awakening, and the kalpa is named Heap of Flowers.' Cases of this kind cannot be held to one standard; perhaps these were all Buddhas first met, and later, meeting this condition, the cause matched the former vow"〔T34 0741a08〕. The two masters' citations are nearly word for word the same, and both take this chapter's 「覺華」 tr. "Flower of Awakening" as an example of a name established on account of events. Zhanran's Treatise on Five Hundred Questions on the Lotus cites: 「舌相品十萬億人見十方菩薩來以華供養而發心得記，名為覺華。今謂此等並是別因，因華因嚴、名華名嚴」 tr. "in the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue, a hundred thousand koṭi people saw the bodhisattvas of the ten directions come and make offerings with flowers, aroused the mind, and received the prediction, and were named Flower of Awakening. I now say these are all particular causes: from flowers or from adornment, named for flowers or named for adornment"〔X56 0626c11〕, distinguishing the causes of naming between this chapter's 「覺華」 tr. "Flower of Awakening" and Śāriputra's future Buddha-name 「華光」 tr. "Flower Light." Jizang's Summary of the Lotus cites: 「如智度論初現七種瑞召集有緣，佛自說般若利益竟；次舌相品更出舌相光明，召集於須菩提等有緣之徒，故復現瑞」 tr. "as in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa: first seven kinds of auspicious signs are displayed to summon those with affinity, and the Buddha himself finishes teaching the benefit of prajñā; next, in the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue, he puts forth again the light of the mark of the tongue to summon Subhūti and the other followers with affinity, and so displays the auspicious sign again"〔X27 0526a07〕, explicitly citing this treatise's structure of displaying the mark of the tongue again to summon the assembly. Yuance's Commentary on the Sūtra Unravelling the Deep Secret marks 「舌相品」 tr. "Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue" and cites the single sentence 「須菩提為菩薩說法皆是佛力」 tr. "Subhūti's teaching the Dharma for the bodhisattvas is all the Buddha's power"〔X21 0229c22〕; checked word for word, this sentence actually comes from Chapter 7, "The Three Designations", and is not text within the scope of this chapter. Yuance perhaps took "the mark of the tongue" as a general name for the narrative of commanding Subhūti to teach, or it is a general designation made at the time of citing; this section records the mismatch and does not judge its reason.

Further, the first assembly of Xuanzang's translation of the Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra has a separate 「現舌相品第六」 tr. "Chapter on Displaying the Mark of the Tongue, the Sixth" (the chapter title has one more character, 「現」 tr. "displaying", and the work's extent far exceeds that of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra), a chapter of another translation lineage. The 「現舌相品」 tr. "Chapter on Displaying the Mark of the Tongue" cited in the scripture catalogues, compendia, and ritual manuals has been checked to be a citation of this chapter of the Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra, not the chapter "The Mark of the Tongue" of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra that this treatise explains; this is recorded to prevent confused citation. Each of the masters' citations above is recorded against the passage to which it corresponds, and the relative merit of their interpretations is not judged.

VII. Cross-reading and Further Resonances

The backbone of this chapter is twofold, and both are taken up by the prajñā lineage and by the later gateways. The first is the meaning of the reappearance of the mark of the tongue—prajñā cannot be exhausted in a single assembly, and at a different time and for a different assembly the mark of the tongue appears again to command the teaching〔T25 0356a11〕; this structure of displaying the mark of the tongue again to summon the assembly is precisely what Jizang's Summary of the Lotus draws on to compare with the threefold preaching of the Lotus Sūtra〔X27 0526a07〕, a clear proof that the structure of this treatise's explanation of the sūtra was transmitted down to the Three Treatise lineage. The second is the meaning of commanding Subhūti to teach emptiness—within prajñā the dharma of emptiness is mostly taught, so one who deeply practises the dharma of emptiness is commanded to teach it〔T25 0356a19〕; this judgement that emptiness is the marrow of prajñā carries down into the contemplation of emptiness of the prajñā sūtras, and this chapter displays the emptiness that is taught through the person commanded to teach.

As for the prediction, this chapter's type of prediction—arousing the mind and receiving the prediction because of seeing the offering of flowers, with the kalpa named Heap of Flowers and the Buddhas called Flower of Awakening—is taken up and used by the gateway of prediction in the Lotus Sūtra: Zhanran's Notes on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus and Kuiji's Profound Praise of the Lotus Sūtra both cite this chapter's 「覺華」 tr. "Flower of Awakening" as an example of 「因時事以立佛名」 tr. "establishing the Buddha's name on account of the events of the time"〔T34 0517b01；T34 0741a08〕, and Zhanran's Treatise on Five Hundred Questions on the Lotus further distinguishes the causes of naming between this chapter's 「覺華」 tr. "Flower of Awakening" and Śāriputra's 「華光」 tr. "Flower Light"〔X56 0626c11〕—this is the transmission of this chapter's meaning of prediction down into the Lotus commentaries of Tiantai and Ci'en. As for the sequence of this treatise, Huiying links the three hundred bhikṣus of Chapter 4, "Rebirth", and the hundred thousand koṭi people of this chapter by 「有數利益」 tr. "benefit of a stated number"〔X46 0856a01〕, showing the ancient masters' perspective of reading the sūtra across chapters and linking them. These resonances lie in the continuity of the line of meaning; this section records the transmission and does not fix a reading on anyone's behalf.

VIII. Witnesses and Editions

Of the collation notes of this chapter, those that may bear on the meaning of the sūtra are selected as follows; the variant readings are preserved side by side, while the main text continues to follow the reading of the current base text.

0355c08 (chapter title): 大智度論釋舌相品第六【大】｜摩訶般若波羅蜜品第六舌相品第四十三【石】｜釋舌相品第六【明】—the Ishiyama text adds the general heading 「摩訶般若波羅蜜」 tr. "Mahāprajñāpāramitā" and appends the running ordinal 「第四十三」 tr. "the forty-third" for the whole work, and the Ming edition omits the name of the treatise and reads simply 「釋舌相品第六」 tr. "Explaining the Chapter on the Mark of the Tongue, the Sixth"; all these are differences of format in the heading, not doctrinal divergences.

0355c13: 神【大】｜〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】—「是誰〔神〕力故」 tr. "by whose 〔supernormal〕 power" / 「是誰力故」 tr. "by whose power." At this point the sūtra explained, T223, reads precisely 「是誰力故」 tr. "by whose power", agreeing with the reading of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions without 「神」 tr. "supernormal" (see Section IV, first set). The main text follows the base text's 「神」 tr. "supernormal."

0356a08: 得【大】｜〔－〕【宋】【元】【明】【宮】—「過六十八億劫當〔得〕作佛」 tr. "after sixty-eight koṭi of kalpas will 〔attain to〕 become Buddhas" / 「當作佛」 tr. "will become Buddhas." At this point the sūtra explained, T223, reads precisely 「當作佛」 tr. "will become Buddhas", agreeing with the reading of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace editions without 「得」 tr. "attain" (see Section IV, seventh set). Both of these collation variants in this chapter agree with the reading without the character in T223 (the sister sūtra text in Kumārajīva's separate translation); this coincidence of cross-textual mutual attestation is recorded without judgement.

0356a10: 【論】【大】｜〔－〕【宮】—the Palace edition has no marker character 「【論】」 tr. "[Treatise]" dividing the sections at this point; only the base text and the Korean edition mark the sign dividing sūtra and treatise. This is a difference of format marking, not a divergence in the content of the text.

0356a23: 命【大】｜令【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【石】—「是故〔命〕須菩提說」 tr. "therefore Subhūti is 〔commanded〕 to teach" / 「是故令須菩提說」 tr. "therefore Subhūti is caused to teach." 「命」 tr. "command" (to dispatch) and 「令」 tr. "cause" (to make someone do) are close in meaning and both read well; it is a harmless variant. The main text follows the base text's 「命」 tr. "command."

0356b06: 華【大】｜華（釋第四品下訖第六品也）【宋】【元】【明】【宮】—in both the base text and the variant editions this character reads 「華」 tr. "flower", but after the character the three editions Song, Yuan, Ming, and Palace attach an interlinear note in the line, 「釋第四品下訖第六品也」 tr. "explaining from Chapter Four down to the end of Chapter Six", marking this point (the end of the treatise's narrative sentence 「劫名華積，佛皆號覺華」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening", just before the closing phrase at the end of the fascicle) as the end of the section of treatise explanation covering Chapter 4, "Rebirth", down to the end of Chapter 6, "The Mark of the Tongue." This interlinear note agrees with the source of this chapter's final sentence as fixed in this section〔T25 0356b06〕; the ancient printed editions too treat Chapters 4 to 6 as a single continuous section of treatise explanation, which constitutes independent supporting evidence from outside this list.

Further, within the Buddha's words to Ānanda in this treatise〔T25 0356a06〕, 「劫名華積」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers" and 「佛皆號覺花」 tr. "the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening (variant graph for 'flower')" use the two forms side by side, while the narrative passage of the treatise's explanation〔T25 0356b06〕 reads 「劫名華積，佛皆號覺華」 tr. "the kalpa will be named Heap of Flowers, and the Buddhas will all be called Flower of Awakening." The two graphs for "flower" were commonly used interchangeably in Middle Chinese, and this is not a difference that alters sound or meaning; they are recorded side by side without judgement.

The base text of this chapter is Fascicle 40 of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-upadeśa〔T25 0355c08–0356b06〕; the body of both sūtra and treatise of the whole chapter lies within Fascicle 40, and there is no text of this chapter at the transition into Fascicle 41. The collation text for the sūtra explained is Chapter 6, "The Mark of the Tongue", of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra〔T08 0230a19–0230b20〕. The collation texts for the ancient-master commentaries are Fascicle 4, "The Mark of the Tongue, Chapter 6", of Jizang's Commentary on the Larger Sūtra (X24n0451, sūtra-explanation section), and Fascicle 17, "Explaining the Mark of the Tongue, Chapter 6", of Huiying's Commentary (X46n0791, treatise-explanation section). Variant notes follow the Taishō collation, covering differences between the Taishō base text and the Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, and Ishiyama texts. The collation notes for this chapter number fifteen in all, preserved in full at the end of the working base text; this list transcribes only the main items that bear on the core doctrinal wording of this chapter, and does not extend into judgements of the relative merit of the editions.