妙法蓮華經 法師功德品第十九
前一品說的是隨喜傍人之福——聞而喜、喜而傳的那一念。這一品，佛轉向正行的人：受持這部經、讀、誦、解說、書寫的法師，得什麼功德？
答案不是神通，不是果位，而是你自己的六根。佛告常精進菩薩：行此五事之人，得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德——六根皆令清淨。然後一根一根說開：父母所生的肉眼，見三千大千世界，下至地獄上至有頂；平常的耳朵，聞盡世間一切音聲而耳根不壞；鼻根聞遍眾生之香、諸天之香乃至諸佛身香，連孕婦胎中是男是女、地下埋著什麼寶藏，聞香悉知；舌根所嘗，苦澀皆成甘露，所說之聲，天龍八部、王臣諸佛皆來聽；身淨如琉璃，整個世界在他身中映現，如明鏡照像；意根聞一偈一句便通達無量義，講一年不離實相——連他說世俗的話、談謀生的事，都順於正法。
而佛在每一根上都重複了同一個轉折：雖未得天眼、雖未得天耳、雖未得無漏——功德已如是。這就是此品的心。持經的人還是凡夫，眼睛還是娘胎裡帶來的眼睛；可就在這副未經置換的凡身上，經的力量顯出來了。奇蹟不在彼岸，就長在這雙眼、這對耳、這條舌上——你若受持、讀誦這部經，此刻用來讀經的這雙眼睛，正是經文所許的那雙眼睛。
且入此品，看佛把一副凡夫的六根，一根一根說成不可思議的器皿；下一品〈常不輕菩薩品〉，佛要舉一位親身把這功德走出來的人——那位向一切人禮拜、說「我不敢輕於汝等，汝等皆當作佛」的常不輕菩薩。
The preceding chapter teaches the qualities gained by a person who stands alongside the practice in joyful acceptance—the single thought that hears and rejoices, then rejoices and passes the teaching on. In this chapter, the Buddha turns to the person who practices properly. What qualities does a Dharma teacher gain by receiving and upholding this sutra, reading it, reciting it, explaining it, and writing it out?
The answer is not supernormal power and not a stage of realization, but your own six faculties. The Buddha tells the bodhisattva Ever Diligent (Nityodyukta): a person who performs these five practices gains eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind—the six faculties are all made pure. The Buddha then unfolds them one by one. The physical eyes born of one’s parents see a three-thousandfold great-thousand world, from the hells below to the summit of existence above. Ordinary ears hear every sound in the world without the faculty of hearing being damaged. The faculty of smell knows the scents of sentient beings, devas, and even the bodies of buddhas; through scent it knows whether a child in the womb is male or female and what treasure lies buried beneath the ground. Bitter and astringent flavors become nectar upon the tongue, while the voice that issues from it draws devas, nāgas, the eight classes of beings, kings, ministers, and buddhas to hear the Dharma. The body becomes pure like lapis lazuli, and the whole world appears within it as images in a bright mirror. The faculty of mind hears a single verse or sentence and penetrates immeasurable meanings, teaching for a year without departing from the true mark—even worldly speech and talk of livelihoods accord with the true Dharma.
At each faculty, the Buddha repeats the same turn: although the divine eye has not yet been attained, although the divine ear has not yet been attained, although the uncontaminated has not yet been attained—the qualities are already such. This is the heart of the chapter. The person who upholds the sutra remains an ordinary being, and the eyes are still the eyes carried from the womb. Yet within this very body, unchanged and unreplaced, the power of the sutra appears. The miracle does not wait on a farther shore. It grows in these eyes, these ears, and this tongue. If you receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the very eyes with which you are reading it now are the eyes promised by the sutra.
Enter this chapter and watch the Buddha describe an ordinary person’s six faculties, one by one, as inconceivable vessels. In the next chapter, The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging, the Buddha will present someone who embodied these qualities in his own life: the bodhisattva Never Disparaging (Sadāparibhūta), who bowed to everyone and said, “I would never dare disparage you. You shall all become buddhas.”
後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉詔譯《妙法蓮華經》卷六〈法師功德品第十九〉· 大正藏 T09n0262〔起 T09 0047c03〕。段/行首〔T09 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T09 0047c03〕爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩：「若善男子、善女人，受持是法華經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，是人當得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德，以是功德、莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。是善男子、善女人，父母所生清淨肉眼，見於三千大千世界內外所有山林河海，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，亦見其中一切眾生，及業因緣、果報生處，悉見悉知。」
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「若於大眾中，以無所畏心、
說是法華經，汝聽其功德。
是人得八百、功德殊勝眼，
以是莊嚴故，其目甚清淨。
父母所生眼，悉見三千界，
內外彌樓山，須彌及鐵圍，
并諸餘山林、大海江河水，
下至阿鼻獄，上至有頂處，
其中諸眾生，一切皆悉見。
雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是。
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持此經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百耳功德。以是清淨耳，聞三千大千世界，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，其中內外種種語言音聲——象聲、馬聲、牛聲、車聲，啼哭聲、愁歎聲，螺聲、鼓聲、鍾聲、鈴聲，笑聲、語聲，男聲、女聲、童子聲、童女聲，法聲、非法聲，苦聲、樂聲，凡夫聲、聖人聲，喜聲、不喜聲，天聲、龍聲、夜叉聲、乾闥婆聲、阿修羅聲、迦樓羅聲、緊那羅聲、摩睺羅伽聲，火聲、水聲、風聲，地獄聲、畜生聲、餓鬼聲，比丘聲、比丘尼聲，聲聞聲、辟支佛聲，菩薩聲、佛聲——以要言之，三千大千世界中一切內外所有諸聲，雖未得天耳，以父母所生清淨常耳，皆悉聞知，如是分別種種音聲而不壞耳根。」
〔T09 0048a08〕爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「父母所生耳，清淨無濁穢，
以此常耳聞，三千世界聲。
象馬車牛聲，鍾鈴螺鼓聲，
琴瑟箜篌聲，簫笛之音聲，
清淨好歌聲，聽之而不著，
無數種人聲，聞悉能解了。
又聞諸天聲，微妙之歌音，
及聞男女聲，童子童女聲。
山川嶮谷中，迦陵頻伽聲，
命命等諸鳥，悉聞其音聲。
地獄眾苦痛，種種楚毒聲，
餓鬼飢渴逼，求索飲食聲，
諸阿修羅等，居在大海邊，
自共語言時，出于大音聲。
如是說法者，安住於此間，
遙聞是眾聲，而不壞耳根。
十方世界中，禽獸鳴相呼，
其說法之人，於此悉聞之。
其諸梵天上，光音及遍淨，
乃至有頂天，言語之音聲，
法師住於此，悉皆得聞之。
一切比丘眾，及諸比丘尼，
若讀誦經典，若為他人說，
法師住於此，悉皆得聞之。
復有諸菩薩，讀誦於經法，
若為他人說，撰集解其義，
如是諸音聲，悉皆得聞之。
諸佛大聖尊，教化眾生者，
於諸大會中，演說微妙法，
持此法華者，悉皆得聞之。
三千大千界，內外諸音聲，
下至阿鼻獄，上至有頂天，
皆聞其音聲，而不壞耳根，
其耳聰利故，悉能分別知。
持是法花者，雖未得天耳，
但用所生耳，功德已如是。
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，成就八百鼻功德。以是清淨鼻根，聞於三千大千世界上下內外種種諸香——須曼那華香、闍提華香、末利華香、瞻蔔華香、波羅羅華香，赤蓮華香、青蓮華香、白蓮華香，華樹香、菓樹香，栴檀香、沈水香、多摩羅跋香、多伽羅香，及千萬種和香，若末、若丸、若塗香——持是經者，於此間住，悉能分別。又復別知眾生之香——象香、馬香、牛羊等香，男香、女香、童子香、童女香，及草木叢林香——若近、若遠、所有諸香，悉皆得聞，分別不錯。持是經者，雖住於此，亦聞天上諸天之香——波利質多羅、拘鞞陀羅樹香，及曼陀羅華香、摩訶曼陀羅華香、曼殊沙華香、摩訶曼殊沙華香、栴檀、沈水、種種末香，諸雜華香——如是等天香和合所出之香，無不聞知。又聞諸天身香——釋提桓因在勝殿上，五欲娛樂嬉戲時香；若在妙法堂上，為忉利諸天說法時香；若於諸園遊戲時香；及餘天等男女身香，皆悉遙聞。如是展轉乃至梵世，上至有頂諸天身香，亦皆聞之，并聞諸天所燒之香。及聲聞香、辟支佛香、菩薩香、諸佛身香，亦皆遙聞，知其所在。雖聞此香，然於鼻根不壞不錯，若欲分別為他人說，憶念不謬。」
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「是人鼻清淨，於此世界中，
若香若臭物，種種悉聞知。
須曼那闍提、多摩羅栴檀、
沈水及桂香，種種華菓香，
及知眾生香，男子女人香，
說法者遠住，聞香知所在。
大勢轉輪王，小轉輪及子，
群臣諸宮人，聞香知所在。
身所著珍寶，及地中寶藏，
轉輪王寶女，聞香知所在。
諸人嚴身具，衣服及瓔珞，
種種所塗香，聞香知其身。
諸天若行坐，遊戲及神變，
持是法華者，聞香悉能知。
諸樹華菓實，及酥油香氣，
持經者住此，悉知其所在。
諸山深嶮處，栴檀樹花敷，
眾生在中者，聞香皆能知。
鐵圍山大海，地中諸眾生，
持經者聞香，悉知其所在。
阿修羅男女，及其諸眷屬，
鬪諍遊戲時，聞香皆能知。
曠野險隘處，師子象虎狼，
野牛水牛等，聞香知所在。
若有懷妊者，未辯其男女，
無根及非人，聞香悉能知。
以聞香力故，知其初懷妊，
成就不成就，安樂產福子。
以聞香力故，知男女所念，
染欲癡恚心，亦知修善者。
地中眾伏藏，金銀諸珍寶，
銅器之所盛，聞香悉能知。
種種諸瓔珞，無能識其價，
聞香知貴賤，出處及所在。
天上諸華等，曼陀曼殊沙、
波利質多樹，聞香悉能知。
天上諸宮殿，上中下差別，
眾寶花莊嚴，聞香悉能知。
天園林勝殿，諸觀妙法堂，
在中而娛樂，聞香悉能知。
諸天若聽法，或受五欲時，
來往行坐臥，聞香悉能知。
天女所著衣，好華香莊嚴，
周旋遊戲時，聞香悉能知。
如是展轉上，乃至於梵世，
入禪出禪者，聞香悉能知。
光音遍淨天，乃至于有頂，
初生及退沒，聞香悉能知。
諸比丘眾等，於法常精進，
若坐若經行，及讀誦經法，
或在林樹下，專精而坐禪，
持經者聞香，悉知其所在。
菩薩志堅固，坐禪若讀誦，
或為人說法，聞香悉能知。
在在方世尊，一切所恭敬，
愍眾而說法，聞香悉能知。
眾生在佛前，聞經皆歡喜，
如法而修行，聞香悉能知。
雖未得菩薩，無漏法生鼻，
而是持經者，先得此鼻相。」
〔T09 0049b15〕「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百舌功德。若好、若醜，若美、不美，及諸苦澁物，在其舌根，皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者。若以舌根於大眾中有所演說，出深妙聲，能入其心，皆令歡喜快樂。又諸天子、天女，釋梵諸天，聞是深妙音聲，有所演說言論次第，皆悉來聽。及諸龍、龍女，夜叉、夜叉女，乾闥婆、乾闥婆女，阿修羅、阿修羅女，迦樓羅、迦樓羅女，緊那羅、緊那羅女，摩睺羅伽、摩睺羅伽女，為聽法故，皆來親近恭敬供養。及比丘、比丘尼，優婆塞、優婆夷，國王、王子、群臣、眷屬，小轉輪王、大轉輪王、七寶千子內外眷屬，乘其宮殿，俱來聽法，以是菩薩善說法故。婆羅門、居士、國內人民、盡其形壽，隨侍供養。又諸聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛，常樂見之。是人所在方面，諸佛皆向其處說法，悉能受持一切佛法，又能出於深妙法音。」
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「是人舌根淨，終不受惡味，
其有所食噉，悉皆成甘露。
以深淨妙聲，於大眾說法，
以諸因緣喻，引導眾生心，
聞者皆歡喜，設諸上供養。
諸天龍夜叉，及阿修羅等，
皆以恭敬心，而共來聽法，
是說法之人，若欲以妙音，
遍滿三千界，隨意即能至。
大小轉輪王，及千子眷屬，
合掌恭敬心，常來聽受法。
諸天龍夜叉、羅剎毘舍闍，
亦以歡喜心，常樂來供養。
梵天王魔王，自在大自在，
如是諸天眾，常來至其所。
諸佛及弟子，聞其說法音，
常念而守護，或時為現身。
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦，若解說、若書寫，得八百身功德。得清淨身、如淨琉璃，眾生憙見。其身淨故，三千大千世界眾生，生時、死時，上下、好醜，生善處、惡處，悉於中現。及鐵圍山、大鐵圍山、彌樓山、摩訶彌樓山等諸山，及其中眾生，悉於中現。下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，所有及眾生，悉於中現。若聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛說法，皆於身中現其色像。」
〔T09 0050a01〕爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「若持法花者，其身甚清淨，
如彼淨琉璃，眾生皆憙見。
又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像，
菩薩於淨身，皆見世所有，
唯獨自明了，餘人所不見。
三千世界中，一切諸群萌，
天人阿修羅、地獄鬼畜生，
如是諸色像，皆於身中現。
諸天等宮殿，乃至於有頂，
鐵圍及彌樓、摩訶彌樓山，
諸大海水等，皆於身中現。
諸佛及聲聞，佛子菩薩等，
若獨若在眾，說法悉皆現。
雖未得無漏，法性之妙身，
以清淨常體，一切於中現。
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，如來滅後、受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百意功德。以是清淨意根，乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義，解是義已，能演說一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲，諸所說法，隨其義趣，皆與實相不相違背。若說俗間經書、治世語言、資生業等，皆順正法。三千大千世界六趣眾生，心之所行、心所動作、心所戲論，皆悉知之。雖未得無漏智慧，而其意根、清淨如此。是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說。」
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「是人意清淨，明利無穢濁，
以此妙意根，知上中下法，
乃至聞一偈，通達無量義，
次第如法說，月四月至歲。
是世界內外，一切諸眾生，
若天龍及人、夜叉鬼神等，
其在六趣中，所念若干種，
持法花之報，一時皆悉知。
十方無數佛，百福莊嚴相，
為眾生說法，悉聞能受持。
思惟無量義，說法亦無量，
終始不忘錯，以持法華故。
悉知諸法相，隨義識次第，
達名字語言，如所知演說。
此人有所說，皆是先佛法，
以演此法故，於眾無所畏。
持法花經者，意根淨若斯，
雖未得無漏，先有如是相。
是人持此經，安住希有地，
為一切眾生，歡喜而愛敬。
能以千萬種，善巧之語言，
分別而說法，持法花經故。」
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
總標六根功德·眼根八百
那時候，佛陀告訴常精進菩薩摩訶薩（摩訶薩就是大菩薩）說：「若是有善男子、善女人，受持這部法華經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，這個人將會得到八百種眼的功德、一千二百種耳的功德、八百種鼻的功德、一千二百種舌的功德、八百種身的功德、一千二百種意的功德，用這些功德來莊嚴六根（眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六種感官），使它們全都清淨。這位善男子、善女人，以父母所生的清淨肉眼，能見到三千大千世界內外所有的山林、河流、大海，下到阿鼻地獄（無間地獄），上到有頂（三界最高處的天），也能見到其中的一切眾生，以及他們造業的因緣、受果報所投生的處所，全都看得見、全都知道。」
眼根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「若是有人在大眾之中，以無所畏懼的心，演說這部法華經，你且聽聽他的功德。這個人能得到八百種殊勝的眼功德，因為以此莊嚴的緣故，他的眼睛非常清淨。以父母所生的肉眼，能看盡三千大千世界，內外的彌樓山、須彌山以及鐵圍山，連同其餘的種種山林、大海、江河之水，下到阿鼻地獄，上到有頂之處，其中的一切眾生，全都看得見。雖然還沒有得到天眼，肉眼的力量已然如此。」
耳根功德長行·千二百耳聞諸聲
「再者，常精進啊！若是有善男子、善女人，受持這部經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，能得到一千二百種耳的功德。以這清淨的耳朵，能聽聞三千大千世界，下到阿鼻地獄，上到有頂，其中內外種種的語言音聲——大象的聲音、馬的聲音、牛的聲音、車的聲音，啼哭的聲音、憂愁歎息的聲音，螺貝的聲音、鼓的聲音、鐘的聲音、鈴的聲音，歡笑的聲音、談話的聲音，男人的聲音、女人的聲音、童男的聲音、童女的聲音，合乎正法的聲音、不合正法的聲音，痛苦的聲音、快樂的聲音，凡夫的聲音、聖人的聲音，令人歡喜的聲音、令人不歡喜的聲音，天眾的聲音、龍的聲音、夜叉的聲音、乾闥婆（天上的樂神）的聲音、阿修羅的聲音、迦樓羅（金翅鳥神）的聲音、緊那羅（歌神）的聲音、摩睺羅伽（大蟒神）的聲音，火的聲音、水的聲音、風的聲音，地獄的聲音、畜生的聲音、餓鬼的聲音，比丘的聲音、比丘尼的聲音，聲聞的聲音、辟支佛（獨自覺悟的聖者）的聲音，菩薩的聲音、佛的聲音——簡要地說，三千大千世界之中一切內外所有的聲音，雖然還沒有得到天耳，只憑父母所生的清淨平常的耳朵，全都能聽聞了知，像這樣分別種種音聲，而耳根不會損壞。」
耳根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「父母所生的耳朵，清淨而沒有濁穢，用這平常的耳朵，就能聽聞三千大千世界的聲音。象聲、馬聲、車聲、牛聲，鐘聲、鈴聲、螺聲、鼓聲，琴聲、瑟聲、箜篌的聲音，簫與笛的音聲；清淨美好的歌聲，聽了卻不生貪著；無數種人的聲音，聽了全都能夠了解。
「又能聽到諸天的聲音，微妙的歌音；也能聽到男人女人的聲音，童男童女的聲音。山川險峻幽谷之中，迦陵頻伽（聲音美妙的仙鳥）的鳴聲，命命鳥（一身兩頭的共命鳥）等種種鳥類，全都能聽到牠們的音聲。地獄裡種種痛苦的煎熬、種種慘毒的哀聲，餓鬼受飢渴逼迫、求索飲食的聲音，還有諸阿修羅們，居住在大海邊上，彼此交談的時候，發出的巨大聲音。像這樣演說佛法的人，安然住在此處，遠遠地聽到這一切聲音，而耳根不會損壞。十方世界之中，禽獸鳴叫相互呼喚的聲音，那說法的人在這裡也全都聽得到。
「那些梵天之上，光音天與遍淨天，乃至有頂之天，種種言語的音聲，法師住在此處，全都能夠聽到。一切比丘大眾，以及諸位比丘尼，或是讀誦經典，或是為他人講說，法師住在此處，全都能夠聽到。又有諸位菩薩，讀誦經法，或是為他人講說，或是撰集著述、闡解其中的義理，像這樣的種種音聲，全都能夠聽到。諸佛是大聖尊，教化眾生的導師，在種種大法會中，演說微妙的法音，受持這部法華經的人，全都能夠聽到。
「三千大千世界，內外的一切音聲，下到阿鼻地獄，上到有頂之天，都能聽到那些聲音，而耳根不會損壞；因為他的耳朵聰敏銳利，全都能夠分別了知。受持這部法華經的人，雖然還沒有得到天耳，只用父母所生的耳朵，功德已經如此。」
鼻根功德長行·八百鼻聞諸香
「再者，常精進啊！若是有善男子、善女人，受持這部經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，能成就八百種鼻的功德。以這清淨的鼻根，能聞到三千大千世界上下內外種種的香氣——須曼那花香、闍提花香、末利花香、瞻蔔花香、波羅羅花香（以上都是天竺的名花），紅蓮花香、青蓮花香、白蓮花香，開花之樹的香、結果之樹的香，栴檀香、沈水香、多摩羅跋香、多伽羅香，以及千萬種調和的香，或是香末、或是香丸、或是塗香——受持這部經的人，住在這裡，全都能一一分別。
「又能分別了知眾生的氣息——象的氣味、馬的氣味、牛羊等的氣味，男人的氣味、女人的氣味、童男的氣味、童女的氣味，以及草木叢林的香氣——不論是近、是遠，所有的香氣，全都能夠聞到，分別得毫不錯亂。受持這部經的人，雖然住在這裡，也能聞到天上諸天的香——波利質多羅樹、拘鞞陀羅樹的香，以及曼陀羅花香、摩訶曼陀羅花香、曼殊沙花香、摩訶曼殊沙花香，栴檀、沈水、種種香末之香，各種雜花的香——像這樣種種天香調和所散發出來的香，沒有不聞到、不知道的。
「又能聞到諸天身上的香氣——釋提桓因（帝釋天，忉利天之主）在殊勝寶殿上，享受五欲之樂、嬉戲遊玩時的香氣；在妙法堂上，為忉利諸天說法時的香氣；在諸園林中遊戲時的香氣；以及其餘天眾男女的身香，全都能遠遠地聞到。像這樣展轉向上，乃至梵天世界，上到有頂諸天的身香，也都能聞到，同時聞到諸天所燒的香。還有聲聞的香、辟支佛的香、菩薩的香、諸佛身上的香，也都能遠遠地聞到，知道他們在什麼地方。雖然聞到這些香氣，鼻根卻不損壞、不錯亂；若是想要分別解說給他人聽，記憶也不會謬誤。」
鼻根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「這個人的鼻根清淨，在這個世界之中，或是香的、或是臭的東西，種種氣味全都能聞知。須曼那花、闍提花、多摩羅跋、栴檀、沈水以及桂香，種種花香果香，還有眾生的氣息，男子的氣味、女人的氣味——說法的人住在遠處，聞到香氣便知道他們在什麼地方。
「威勢巨大的轉輪聖王，小轉輪王以及王子，群臣和宮中的眷屬，聞到香氣便知道他們的所在。身上佩戴的珍寶，以及埋在地下的寶藏，還有轉輪聖王的寶女，聞到香氣便知道所在之處。人們莊嚴身體的用具，衣服以及瓔珞（珠玉串成的飾物），種種所塗的香膏，聞到香氣便知道那人是誰。諸天或行走、或坐著，遊戲或是顯現神變，受持這部法華經的人，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。
「各種樹木的花與果實，以及酥油的香氣，持經的人住在這裡，全都知道它們在什麼地方。深山險峻之處，栴檀樹的花開放了，在其中的眾生，聞到香氣都能知道。鐵圍山、大海、地中的種種眾生，持經的人聞到香氣，全都知道他們的所在。阿修羅的男男女女，以及他們的諸位眷屬，鬥諍或是遊戲的時候，聞到香氣都能知道。曠野險隘的地方，獅子、大象、老虎、豺狼，野牛、水牛等等，聞到香氣便知道所在。
「若是有懷孕的婦人，還分辨不出胎兒是男是女，是無根者（男女根不具的眾生）、還是非人（人形而非人類的眾生），聞到香氣全都能夠知道。憑著聞香的力量，能知道她初初懷胎，胎兒能不能保全成就，是否安樂地產下有福的孩子。憑著聞香的力量，能知道男人女人心中所想的，是染欲、愚癡還是瞋恚的心，也知道正在修習善行的人。
「地下埋伏的種種寶藏，金銀種種珍寶，用銅器所盛裝的，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。種種瓔珞珠飾，沒有人能識別它的價值，聞到香氣便知道貴賤、出處以及所在的地方。天上的種種花——曼陀羅花、曼殊沙花、波利質多樹的花——聞到香氣全都能夠知道。天上的種種宮殿，上等、中等、下等的差別，眾寶妙花所莊嚴的，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。天上的園林、殊勝的寶殿，諸樓觀與妙法堂，諸天在其中娛樂，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。諸天或是聽法、或是享受五欲的時候，來往、行走、坐著、躺臥，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。天女所穿著的衣服，用美好的花香莊嚴，周旋遊戲的時候，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。
「像這樣展轉向上，乃至於梵天世界，入禪定與出禪定的人，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。光音天、遍淨天，乃至於有頂之天，天人初生與命終退沒，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。諸比丘大眾們，對於佛法常常精進，或是坐著、或是經行（來回步行修習），以及讀誦經法，或是在林間樹下，專心精進地坐禪，持經的人聞到香氣，全都知道他們在什麼地方。菩薩志向堅固，坐禪或是讀誦，或是為人說法，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。處在各方的世尊，受一切眾生恭敬，哀愍眾生而說法，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。眾生在佛前，聽經而心生歡喜，依照佛法而修行，聞到香氣全都能夠知道。雖然還沒有得到菩薩由無漏法所生的鼻，而這位持經的人，已先得到這樣的鼻相。」
舌根功德長行·千二百舌演深妙聲
「再者，常精進啊！若是有善男子、善女人，受持這部經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，能得到一千二百種舌的功德。不論是好的、還是壞的，是美味的、還是不美味的，以及種種苦澀的東西，放在他的舌根上，全都變成上等的美味，如同天上的甘露，沒有不甘美的。若是用這舌根在大眾之中有所演說，能發出深遠微妙的聲音，能夠深入人心，使聽者全都歡喜快樂。
「又有諸天子、天女，帝釋、梵王等諸天，聽到這深妙的音聲演說言論、次第分明，全都前來聽講。還有諸龍與龍女，夜叉與夜叉女，乾闥婆與乾闥婆女，阿修羅與阿修羅女，迦樓羅與迦樓羅女，緊那羅與緊那羅女，摩睺羅伽與摩睺羅伽女，為了聽法的緣故，都來親近、恭敬、供養。還有比丘、比丘尼，優婆塞、優婆夷（在家的男居士、女居士），國王、王子、群臣與眷屬，小轉輪王、大轉輪王以及他們具足七寶的千位王子和內外眷屬，乘著他們的宮殿，一齊前來聽法——因為這位菩薩善於說法的緣故。婆羅門、居士以及國內的人民，盡其一生隨侍供養。又有諸位聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛，常常樂於見到他。這個人所在的方位，諸佛都朝著他那裡說法，他能夠完全受持一切佛法，又能夠發出深遠微妙的法音。」
舌根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「這個人的舌根清淨，始終不會嘗到惡味，他所吃的東西，全都變成甘露。以深沉清淨的妙聲，在大眾中演說佛法，用種種因緣和譬喻，引導眾生的心，聽的人全都歡喜，設辦種種上好的供養。諸天、龍、夜叉，以及阿修羅等，都以恭敬的心，一同前來聽法。這位說法的人，若是想用微妙的音聲遍滿三千大千世界，隨著心意立刻就能達到。大小轉輪聖王，以及千位王子與眷屬，合掌以恭敬的心，常常前來聽受佛法。諸天、龍、夜叉，羅剎、毘舍闍（噉精氣的鬼），也以歡喜的心，常常樂意前來供養。梵天王、魔王，自在天與大自在天，像這樣的諸天大眾，常常來到他的處所。諸佛以及佛的弟子，聽到他說法的聲音，常常護念守護著他，有時也為他現出身形。」
身根功德長行·八百身淨如琉璃
「再者，常精進啊！若是有善男子、善女人，受持這部經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，能得到八百種身的功德。得到清淨的身體，如同潔淨的琉璃，眾生都喜歡見到。因為他的身體潔淨的緣故，三千大千世界的眾生，出生的時候、死去的時候，上等的、下等的，美好的、醜陋的，投生到善處的、惡處的，全都在他身中顯現。還有鐵圍山、大鐵圍山、彌樓山、摩訶彌樓山等種種山，以及其中的眾生，全都在他身中顯現。下到阿鼻地獄，上到有頂，所有的境界及其眾生，全都在他身中顯現。若是聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛說法，也都在他身中現出色像。」
身根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「若是受持這部法華經的人，他的身體非常清淨，如同那潔淨的琉璃，眾生都喜歡見到。又如同潔淨明亮的鏡子，能照見一切色像；菩薩在自己清淨的身中，看見世間所有的一切，唯獨自己明明了了，其餘的人所看不見。三千大千世界之中，一切的眾生，天、人、阿修羅，地獄、餓鬼、畜生，像這樣種種的色像，全都在他身中顯現。諸天的宮殿，乃至於有頂，鐵圍山與彌樓山、摩訶彌樓山，種種大海之水，全都在他身中顯現。諸佛以及聲聞，佛子菩薩等，或是獨自一人、或是在大眾之中說法，全都顯現出來。雖然還沒有得到無漏的法性妙身，以這清淨的平常身體，一切都在其中顯現。」
意根功德長行·千二百意達無量義
「再者，常精進啊！若是有善男子、善女人，在如來滅度之後受持這部經，或是讀、或是誦、或是解說、或是書寫，能得到一千二百種意的功德。以這清淨的意根，乃至只聽聞一首偈頌、一個句子，便能通達無量無邊的義理；理解這義理之後，能夠演說這一句、一偈，長達一個月、四個月乃至一年，所說的種種法，隨順它的義理旨趣，都與實相不相違背。若是講說世俗間的經書、治理世間的言論、謀生的種種行業等，也都順於正法。三千大千世界六趣（天、人、阿修羅、地獄、餓鬼、畜生六道）的眾生，心裡所行的、心所動作的、心所戲論的，全都能夠知道。雖然還沒有得到無漏的智慧，而他的意根已經清淨到這種地步。這個人凡有所思惟、籌量、言說的，都是佛法，沒有不真實的，也都是過去諸佛經中所說過的。」
意根功德·佛偈重宣
那時候世尊想要把這番義理再宣說一遍，就用偈頌說道：
「這個人的意根清淨，明晰銳利而沒有穢濁，以這微妙的意根，能了知上、中、下種種法；乃至只聽聞一首偈頌，便通達無量的義理，次第如法地演說，一個月、四個月乃至一年。這個世界內外的一切眾生，或是天、龍以及人，夜叉、鬼神等等，他們在六趣之中，心中所想的種種念頭，受持法華經的果報，能使他一時之間全都知道。
「十方無數的諸佛，具足百福莊嚴的相好，為眾生演說佛法，他全都能聽聞而受持。思惟無量的義理，說法也是無量，從始至終不忘失、不錯亂，因為受持法華經的緣故。完全了知諸法之相，隨順義理而認識次第，通達名字與語言，就照著自己所了知的來演說。這個人所說的一切，都是過去諸佛所說的法；因為演說這法的緣故，在大眾之中無所畏懼。
「受持法華經的人，意根清淨到如此地步，雖然還沒有得到無漏，卻已先有這樣的相狀。這個人受持這部經，安住在稀有的境地，被一切的眾生歡喜而愛敬。能用千萬種善巧的語言，分別為眾生說法，因為受持法華經的緣故。」
Kumārajīva's Chinese root text (T09n0262) is retained as a visual anchor for bilingual readers; the English below renders it in plain, continuous prose.
General Declaration of the Qualities of the Six Faculties · Eight Hundred Qualities of the Eye
爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩：「若善男子、善女人，受持是法華經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，是人當得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德，以是功德、莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。是善男子、善女人，父母所生清淨肉眼，見於三千大千世界內外所有山林河海，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，亦見其中一切眾生，及業因緣、果報生處，悉見悉知。」
At that time, the Buddha said to the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Ever Diligent (Nityodyukta; a great bodhisattva): “If a good man or good woman receives and upholds this Lotus Sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person shall obtain eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind. These qualities will adorn the six faculties—the faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind—and make them all pure. With the pure physical eyes received at birth from their parents, this good man or good woman will see all the mountains, forests, rivers, and seas within and beyond the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, downward as far as Avīci hell, the Hell of Uninterrupted Torment, and upward as far as the summit of existence, the highest heaven in the three realms. They will also see all the sentient beings within it, together with the causes and conditions of their actions and the places where the recompenses of those actions bring them to birth. They will see and know them all.”
Qualities of the Eye · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「若於大眾中，以無所畏心、
說是法華經，汝聽其功德。
是人得八百、功德殊勝眼，
以是莊嚴故，其目甚清淨。
父母所生眼，悉見三千界，
內外彌樓山，須彌及鐵圍，
并諸餘山林、大海江河水，
下至阿鼻獄，上至有頂處，
其中諸眾生，一切皆悉見。
雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是。
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“If someone, in the midst of the great assembly,
teaches with a heart free from fear
this Lotus Sutra,
listen now to that person’s qualities.
That person obtains eight hundred qualities
of an extraordinary eye;
because it is adorned by these qualities,
the eye becomes exceedingly pure.
With the eyes received at birth from one’s parents,
one sees the whole three-thousandfold world:
Mount Mucilinda within and beyond it,
Mount Sumeru and the Iron Encircling Mountains,
all the other mountains and forests,
the great seas, rivers, and flowing waters,
downward as far as Avīci hell,
upward as far as the summit of existence.
Every sentient being within it—
one sees them all.
Although one has not yet attained the divine eye,
such is the power of one’s physical eyes.”
Qualities of the Ear in Prose · Twelve Hundred Qualities of the Ear Hear Every Sound
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持此經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百耳功德。以是清淨耳，聞三千大千世界，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，其中內外種種語言音聲——象聲、馬聲、牛聲、車聲，啼哭聲、愁歎聲，螺聲、鼓聲、鍾聲、鈴聲，笑聲、語聲，男聲、女聲、童子聲、童女聲，法聲、非法聲，苦聲、樂聲，凡夫聲、聖人聲，喜聲、不喜聲，天聲、龍聲、夜叉聲、乾闥婆聲、阿修羅聲、迦樓羅聲、緊那羅聲、摩睺羅伽聲，火聲、水聲、風聲，地獄聲、畜生聲、餓鬼聲，比丘聲、比丘尼聲，聲聞聲、辟支佛聲，菩薩聲、佛聲——以要言之，三千大千世界中一切內外所有諸聲，雖未得天耳，以父母所生清淨常耳，皆悉聞知，如是分別種種音聲而不壞耳根。」
“Furthermore, Ever Diligent! If a good man or good woman receives and upholds this sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person will obtain twelve hundred qualities of the ear. With these pure ears, they will hear all the many forms of speech and sound within and beyond the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, downward as far as Avīci hell and upward as far as the summit of existence: the sounds of elephants, horses, cattle, and carts; the sounds of weeping and of sorrowful sighing; the sounds of conches, drums, bells, and handbells; the sounds of laughter and conversation; the voices of men, women, boys, and girls; sounds that accord with the Dharma and sounds that do not accord with the Dharma; sounds of suffering and sounds of happiness; the voices of ordinary people and of sages; sounds that bring joy and sounds that do not bring joy; the voices of devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas—the celestial musicians—asuras, garuḍas—the golden-winged birds—kiṃnaras—the celestial singers—and mahoragas—the great serpent beings; the sounds of fire, water, and wind; the sounds of hell beings, animals, and hungry ghosts; the voices of monks and nuns; the voices of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the sages who awaken alone; and the voices of bodhisattvas and buddhas. In short, although they have not yet attained the divine ear, with the pure, ordinary ears received at birth from their parents they will hear and know every sound within and beyond the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. They will distinguish all these many sounds without damaging the faculty of hearing.”
Qualities of the Ear · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「父母所生耳，清淨無濁穢，
以此常耳聞，三千世界聲。
象馬車牛聲，鍾鈴螺鼓聲，
琴瑟箜篌聲，簫笛之音聲，
清淨好歌聲，聽之而不著，
無數種人聲，聞悉能解了。
又聞諸天聲，微妙之歌音，
及聞男女聲，童子童女聲。
山川嶮谷中，迦陵頻伽聲，
命命等諸鳥，悉聞其音聲。
地獄眾苦痛，種種楚毒聲，
餓鬼飢渴逼，求索飲食聲，
諸阿修羅等，居在大海邊，
自共語言時，出于大音聲。
如是說法者，安住於此間，
遙聞是眾聲，而不壞耳根。
十方世界中，禽獸鳴相呼，
其說法之人，於此悉聞之。
其諸梵天上，光音及遍淨，
乃至有頂天，言語之音聲，
法師住於此，悉皆得聞之。
一切比丘眾，及諸比丘尼，
若讀誦經典，若為他人說，
法師住於此，悉皆得聞之。
復有諸菩薩，讀誦於經法，
若為他人說，撰集解其義，
如是諸音聲，悉皆得聞之。
諸佛大聖尊，教化眾生者，
於諸大會中，演說微妙法，
持此法華者，悉皆得聞之。
三千大千界，內外諸音聲，
下至阿鼻獄，上至有頂天，
皆聞其音聲，而不壞耳根，
其耳聰利故，悉能分別知。
持是法花者，雖未得天耳，
但用所生耳，功德已如是。
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“The ears received at birth from one’s parents
are pure, without turbidity or defilement;
with these ordinary ears, one hears
the sounds of the three-thousandfold world:
the sounds of elephants, horses, carts, and cattle;
the sounds of bells, handbells, conches, and drums;
the sounds of zithers, lutes, and harps;
the music of flutes and pipes;
pure and beautiful songs,
which one hears without becoming attached;
and countless kinds of human voices,
which one hears and can understand completely.
“One also hears the voices of the devas
and the sound of their wondrous songs;
one hears the voices of men and women,
and the voices of boys and girls.
Among mountains, rivers, steep places, and valleys,
one hears the song of the kalaviṅka, the bird of wondrous voice,
and the calls of jīvaṃjīvaka birds, the two-headed birds sharing one life,
together with all the other birds.
One hears the many torments of beings in the hells
and their many cries of cruel anguish;
one hears hungry ghosts, driven by hunger and thirst,
seeking food and drink;
and one hears the asuras dwelling
along the shores of the great ocean,
who make tremendous sounds
when they speak among themselves.
One who teaches the Dharma in this way,
while dwelling securely here,
hears all those sounds from far away
without damaging the faculty of hearing.
Throughout the worlds of the ten directions,
birds and beasts call out to one another;
the person who teaches the Dharma
hears them all from here.
“Above the many Brahmā heavens,
from Radiant Sound and Universal Purity
upward as far as the heaven at the summit of existence,
one hears every sound of speech;
the Dharma teacher dwelling here
is able to hear them all.
All the assemblies of monks
and all the nuns,
whether they read and recite the scriptures
or teach them to others—
the Dharma teacher dwelling here
is able to hear them all.
There are also bodhisattvas
who read and recite the sutras and teachings,
teach them to others,
or compile writings that explain their meaning;
all sounds such as these
the Dharma teacher is able to hear.
The buddhas, great and noble sages,
who teach and transform sentient beings,
proclaim the wondrous Dharma
in their many great assemblies;
the person who upholds this Lotus Sutra
is able to hear them all.
“Every sound within and beyond
the three-thousandfold great-thousand world,
downward as far as Avīci hell
and upward as far as the heaven at the summit of existence—
one hears all those sounds
without damaging the faculty of hearing.
Because one’s ears are acute and keen,
one can distinguish and know them all.
Although one who upholds this Lotus Sutra
has not yet attained the divine ear,
merely by using the ears received at birth,
one’s qualities have already become such as these.”
Qualities of the Nose in Prose · Eight Hundred Qualities of the Nose Know Every Scent
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，成就八百鼻功德。以是清淨鼻根，聞於三千大千世界上下內外種種諸香——須曼那華香、闍提華香、末利華香、瞻蔔華香、波羅羅華香，赤蓮華香、青蓮華香、白蓮華香，華樹香、菓樹香，栴檀香、沈水香、多摩羅跋香、多伽羅香，及千萬種和香，若末、若丸、若塗香——持是經者，於此間住，悉能分別。又復別知眾生之香——象香、馬香、牛羊等香，男香、女香、童子香、童女香，及草木叢林香——若近、若遠、所有諸香，悉皆得聞，分別不錯。持是經者，雖住於此，亦聞天上諸天之香——波利質多羅、拘鞞陀羅樹香，及曼陀羅華香、摩訶曼陀羅華香、曼殊沙華香、摩訶曼殊沙華香、栴檀、沈水、種種末香，諸雜華香——如是等天香和合所出之香，無不聞知。又聞諸天身香——釋提桓因在勝殿上，五欲娛樂嬉戲時香；若在妙法堂上，為忉利諸天說法時香；若於諸園遊戲時香；及餘天等男女身香，皆悉遙聞。如是展轉乃至梵世，上至有頂諸天身香，亦皆聞之，并聞諸天所燒之香。及聲聞香、辟支佛香、菩薩香、諸佛身香，亦皆遙聞，知其所在。雖聞此香，然於鼻根不壞不錯，若欲分別為他人說，憶念不謬。」
“Furthermore, Ever Diligent! If a good man or good woman receives and upholds this sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person will accomplish eight hundred qualities of the nose. With this pure faculty of smell, they will perceive the many fragrances above and below, within and beyond, throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world: the fragrances of the sumanā, jāti, mallikā, campaka, and pāṭala flowers—all celebrated flowers of India; the fragrances of red, blue, and white lotuses; the fragrances of flowering trees and fruit trees; sandalwood, aloeswood, tamālapattra, and tagara; and tens of millions of blended incenses, whether powdered incense, pellets of incense, or incense paste. The person who upholds this sutra, while dwelling here, will be able to distinguish them all.
“That person will also distinguish and know the scents of sentient beings: the scents of elephants, horses, cattle, sheep, and other animals; of men, women, boys, and girls; and of grasses, trees, thickets, and forests. Whether near or far, they will perceive every scent and distinguish it without error. Although the person who upholds this sutra dwells here, they will also perceive the fragrances of the devas in the heavens: the fragrances of the pārijātaka and kovidāra trees; of māndārava and great māndārava flowers; of mañjūṣaka and great mañjūṣaka flowers; of sandalwood, aloeswood, many powdered incenses, and many kinds of mixed flowers. Of all the fragrances produced by such heavenly fragrances blended together, there is none they will not perceive and know.
“That person will also perceive the fragrances of the devas’ bodies: the fragrance of Śakra (the ruler of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three) when he enjoys and sports among the five desires in the Excellent Palace; his fragrance when he teaches the Dharma to the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three in the Hall of Wondrous Dharma; his fragrance when he plays in the many gardens; and the bodily fragrances of all the other male and female devas. They will perceive them all from far away. Passing successively upward in this way as far as the Brahmā world, and then as far as the summit of existence, that person will also perceive the bodily fragrances of the devas there, together with the incense burned by the devas. They will likewise perceive from far away the fragrances of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and the bodies of the buddhas, and will know where they are. Although the person perceives all these fragrances, the faculty of smell will neither be damaged nor fall into error. If they wish to distinguish and explain them to others, their recollection will not be mistaken.”
Qualities of the Nose · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「是人鼻清淨，於此世界中，
若香若臭物，種種悉聞知。
須曼那闍提、多摩羅栴檀、
沈水及桂香，種種華菓香，
及知眾生香，男子女人香，
說法者遠住，聞香知所在。
大勢轉輪王，小轉輪及子，
群臣諸宮人，聞香知所在。
身所著珍寶，及地中寶藏，
轉輪王寶女，聞香知所在。
諸人嚴身具，衣服及瓔珞，
種種所塗香，聞香知其身。
諸天若行坐，遊戲及神變，
持是法華者，聞香悉能知。
諸樹華菓實，及酥油香氣，
持經者住此，悉知其所在。
諸山深嶮處，栴檀樹花敷，
眾生在中者，聞香皆能知。
鐵圍山大海，地中諸眾生，
持經者聞香，悉知其所在。
阿修羅男女，及其諸眷屬，
鬪諍遊戲時，聞香皆能知。
曠野險隘處，師子象虎狼，
野牛水牛等，聞香知所在。
若有懷妊者，未辯其男女，
無根及非人，聞香悉能知。
以聞香力故，知其初懷妊，
成就不成就，安樂產福子。
以聞香力故，知男女所念，
染欲癡恚心，亦知修善者。
地中眾伏藏，金銀諸珍寶，
銅器之所盛，聞香悉能知。
種種諸瓔珞，無能識其價，
聞香知貴賤，出處及所在。
天上諸華等，曼陀曼殊沙、
波利質多樹，聞香悉能知。
天上諸宮殿，上中下差別，
眾寶花莊嚴，聞香悉能知。
天園林勝殿，諸觀妙法堂，
在中而娛樂，聞香悉能知。
諸天若聽法，或受五欲時，
來往行坐臥，聞香悉能知。
天女所著衣，好華香莊嚴，
周旋遊戲時，聞香悉能知。
如是展轉上，乃至於梵世，
入禪出禪者，聞香悉能知。
光音遍淨天，乃至于有頂，
初生及退沒，聞香悉能知。
諸比丘眾等，於法常精進，
若坐若經行，及讀誦經法，
或在林樹下，專精而坐禪，
持經者聞香，悉知其所在。
菩薩志堅固，坐禪若讀誦，
或為人說法，聞香悉能知。
在在方世尊，一切所恭敬，
愍眾而說法，聞香悉能知。
眾生在佛前，聞經皆歡喜，
如法而修行，聞香悉能知。
雖未得菩薩，無漏法生鼻，
而是持經者，先得此鼻相。」
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“This person’s faculty of smell is pure;
within this world,
whether a thing is fragrant or foul,
one perceives and knows every kind.
Sumanā and jāti flowers,
tamālapattra and sandalwood,
aloeswood and cinnamon,
the many fragrances of flowers and fruits,
and the scents of sentient beings,
the scents of men and women—
though the Dharma teacher dwells far away,
by perceiving their scents one knows where they are.
“A mighty wheel-turning sage-king,
lesser wheel-turning kings and their sons,
their ministers and all the people of their palaces—
by perceiving their scents one knows where they are.
The precious things worn on their bodies,
treasures hidden beneath the earth,
and the wheel-turning king’s precious queen—
by perceiving their scents one knows where they are.
The things with which people adorn their bodies,
their clothing and jeweled necklaces,
and the many fragrant pastes they apply—
by perceiving their scents one knows whose bodies they adorn.
Whether the devas walk or sit,
sport or display supernormal transformations,
one who upholds this Lotus Sutra
can know them all by perceiving their scents.
“The blossoms and fruits of the many trees,
and the fragrance of clarified butter and oil—
the person who upholds the sutra and dwells here
knows where they all are.
In the deep and precipitous places of the mountains,
where sandalwood trees open their flowers,
one can know by scent
all the sentient beings dwelling there.
At the Iron Encircling Mountains, in the great ocean,
and among all the sentient beings beneath the earth,
the person who upholds the sutra knows by scent
where they all are.
The male and female asuras
and all their retinues,
whether contending or at play—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
In the open wilderness and in narrow, dangerous places,
lions, elephants, tigers, and wolves,
wild cattle, water buffaloes, and other animals—
by perceiving their scents one knows where they are.
“If there is a pregnant woman
and it is not yet known whether her child is male or female,
whether its sexual faculties are incomplete or it is a nonhuman being (a being in human form who is not human)—
one can know it all by perceiving the scent.
Through the power of perceiving scent,
one knows when she has first conceived,
whether the child will or will not come to term,
and whether she will safely bear a fortunate child.
Through the power of perceiving scent,
one knows what men and women are thinking:
whether their minds hold lust, delusion, or anger,
and also who is cultivating the good.
“The many hidden stores beneath the earth,
gold, silver, and other precious treasures,
even those contained within vessels of copper—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
Many kinds of jeweled necklaces
whose value no one can recognize—
by perceiving their scents one knows whether they are precious or base,
where they came from, and where they are.
The many flowers of the heavens,
māndārava and mañjūṣaka flowers,
and flowers of the pārijātaka tree—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
The many palaces of the heavens,
with their distinctions of highest, middle, and lowest,
adorned with precious things and flowers—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
The heavenly gardens and the Excellent Palace,
the many towered galleries and the Hall of Wondrous Dharma,
and the devas enjoying themselves within—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
Whether the devas are listening to the Dharma
or enjoying the five desires,
whether coming or going, walking, sitting, or lying down—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
The garments worn by the heavenly women,
adorned with the fragrances of beautiful flowers,
and the women moving about at play—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
“Passing successively upward in this way
as far as the Brahmā world,
those entering meditation and those emerging from meditation—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
From the Radiant Sound and Universal Purity heavens
upward as far as the summit of existence,
whether devas are newly born or are declining and passing away—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
The many assemblies of monks,
ever diligent in the Dharma,
whether sitting, walking in meditation (practicing while walking back and forth),
or reading and reciting the sutras and teachings,
or sitting in meditation beneath the trees of a forest
with single-minded diligence—
the person who upholds the sutra knows by scent
where they all are.
Bodhisattvas whose resolve is firm,
whether meditating or reading and reciting,
or teaching the Dharma to others—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
The World-Honored Ones in every direction,
revered by all,
who teach the Dharma out of compassion for sentient beings—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
Sentient beings before the Buddha,
who hear the sutra and all rejoice,
practicing in accordance with the Dharma—
one can know them all by perceiving their scents.
Although this person has not yet attained
a bodhisattva’s nose born of uncontaminated Dharma,
the person who upholds this sutra
first obtains the sign of a nose such as this.”
Qualities of the Tongue in Prose · Twelve Hundred Qualities of the Tongue Issue a Profound and Wondrous Voice
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百舌功德。若好、若醜，若美、不美，及諸苦澁物，在其舌根，皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者。若以舌根於大眾中有所演說，出深妙聲，能入其心，皆令歡喜快樂。又諸天子、天女，釋梵諸天，聞是深妙音聲，有所演說言論次第，皆悉來聽。及諸龍、龍女，夜叉、夜叉女，乾闥婆、乾闥婆女，阿修羅、阿修羅女，迦樓羅、迦樓羅女，緊那羅、緊那羅女，摩睺羅伽、摩睺羅伽女，為聽法故，皆來親近恭敬供養。及比丘、比丘尼，優婆塞、優婆夷，國王、王子、群臣、眷屬，小轉輪王、大轉輪王、七寶千子內外眷屬，乘其宮殿，俱來聽法，以是菩薩善說法故。婆羅門、居士、國內人民、盡其形壽，隨侍供養。又諸聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛，常樂見之。是人所在方面，諸佛皆向其處說法，悉能受持一切佛法，又能出於深妙法音。」
“Furthermore, Ever Diligent! If a good man or good woman receives and upholds this sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person will obtain twelve hundred qualities of the tongue. Whether something is good or bad, delicious or not delicious, or even bitter or astringent, when it reaches that person’s tongue it will all become a supreme flavor, like the nectar of the devas: there will be nothing that is not delicious. If that person uses this tongue to speak in the midst of a great assembly, it will issue a profound and wondrous voice that can enter the listeners’ hearts and bring them all joy and happiness.
“When the sons and daughters of the devas, Śakra, Brahmā, and the other devas hear this profound and wondrous voice, and hear its teaching unfold in clear sequence, they will all come to listen. Dragons and dragon women, yakṣas and yakṣa women, gandharvas and gandharva women, asuras and asura women, garuḍas and garuḍa women, kiṃnaras and kiṃnara women, and mahoragas and mahoraga women will all draw near, show reverence, and make offerings in order to hear the Dharma. Monks and nuns; laymen and laywomen; kings, princes, ministers, and their retinues; lesser and great wheel-turning kings with their seven treasures, their thousand sons, and their retinues within and beyond the palace—all will ride together in their palaces and come to hear the Dharma because this bodhisattva teaches it skillfully. Brahmins, householders, and the people of the land will attend and make offerings throughout their lives. Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, and buddhas will always delight in seeing this person. Wherever this person may be, all the buddhas will face that place and teach the Dharma. That person will be able to receive and uphold all the Buddha’s teachings and will also issue a profound and wondrous voice of Dharma.”
Qualities of the Tongue · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「是人舌根淨，終不受惡味，
其有所食噉，悉皆成甘露。
以深淨妙聲，於大眾說法，
以諸因緣喻，引導眾生心，
聞者皆歡喜，設諸上供養。
諸天龍夜叉，及阿修羅等，
皆以恭敬心，而共來聽法，
是說法之人，若欲以妙音，
遍滿三千界，隨意即能至。
大小轉輪王，及千子眷屬，
合掌恭敬心，常來聽受法。
諸天龍夜叉、羅剎毘舍闍，
亦以歡喜心，常樂來供養。
梵天王魔王，自在大自在，
如是諸天眾，常來至其所。
諸佛及弟子，聞其說法音，
常念而守護，或時為現身。
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“This person’s faculty of the tongue is pure
and will never receive a bad flavor;
whatever this person eats
will all become heavenly nectar.
With a profound, pure, and wondrous voice,
this person teaches the Dharma in the great assembly,
using many causes, conditions, and parables
to guide the hearts of sentient beings.
All who hear are filled with joy
and prepare the finest offerings.
Devas, dragons, and yakṣas,
asuras and the other beings,
all come together with reverent hearts
to listen to the Dharma.
If this person who teaches the Dharma
wishes to use a wondrous voice
to fill the whole three-thousandfold world,
it can reach throughout it at will.
Great and lesser wheel-turning kings,
their thousand sons and retinues,
join their palms with reverent hearts
and always come to hear and receive the Dharma.
Devas, dragons, and yakṣas,
rākṣasas and piśācas, the devourers of vital essence,
also come with joyful hearts,
always delighting in making offerings.
Brahmā kings and Māra kings,
the Free Lord (Īśvara) and Great Free Lord (Maheśvara),
and all such assemblies of devas
always come to this person’s dwelling place.
When the buddhas and their disciples
hear the sound of this person teaching the Dharma,
they constantly bear this person in mind and offer protection,
and at times reveal their bodies.”
Qualities of the Body in Prose · Eight Hundred Qualities of the Body, Pure Like Lapis Lazuli
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，受持是經，若讀、若誦，若解說、若書寫，得八百身功德。得清淨身、如淨琉璃，眾生憙見。其身淨故，三千大千世界眾生，生時、死時，上下、好醜，生善處、惡處，悉於中現。及鐵圍山、大鐵圍山、彌樓山、摩訶彌樓山等諸山，及其中眾生，悉於中現。下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂，所有及眾生，悉於中現。若聲聞、辟支佛、菩薩、諸佛說法，皆於身中現其色像。」
“Furthermore, Ever Diligent! If a good man or good woman receives and upholds this sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person will obtain eight hundred qualities of the body. They will obtain a pure body like pure lapis lazuli, which sentient beings delight in seeing. Because this body is pure, all sentient beings in the three-thousandfold great-thousand world—at birth and at death, high and low, beautiful and ugly, born in good destinations and in bad destinations—will appear within it. The Iron Encircling Mountains, the Great Iron Encircling Mountains, Mount Mucilinda, Great Mount Mucilinda, all the other mountains, and the sentient beings within them will all appear within it. Downward as far as Avīci hell and upward as far as the summit of existence, every realm and every sentient being there will appear within it. When śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, bodhisattvas, or buddhas teach the Dharma, their visible forms will all appear within this person’s body.”
Qualities of the Body · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「若持法花者，其身甚清淨，
如彼淨琉璃，眾生皆憙見。
又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像，
菩薩於淨身，皆見世所有，
唯獨自明了，餘人所不見。
三千世界中，一切諸群萌，
天人阿修羅、地獄鬼畜生，
如是諸色像，皆於身中現。
諸天等宮殿，乃至於有頂，
鐵圍及彌樓、摩訶彌樓山，
諸大海水等，皆於身中現。
諸佛及聲聞，佛子菩薩等，
若獨若在眾，說法悉皆現。
雖未得無漏，法性之妙身，
以清淨常體，一切於中現。
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“When a person upholds this Lotus Sutra,
that person’s body becomes exceedingly pure,
like pure lapis lazuli,
and all sentient beings delight in seeing it.
It is also like a pure and brilliant mirror
in which every visible form is seen.
Within this pure body, the bodhisattva
sees everything in the world;
this person alone sees it distinctly,
while other people do not see it.
Within the three-thousandfold world,
all the multitudes of living beings—
devas, humans, and asuras,
hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—
all visible forms such as these
appear within this person’s body.
The palaces of the devas,
upward as far as the summit of existence;
the Iron Encircling Mountains, Mount Mucilinda,
and Great Mount Mucilinda;
the waters of all the great oceans—
all appear within this person’s body.
The buddhas and śrāvakas,
the bodhisattvas, sons of the Buddha,
whether teaching the Dharma alone or in an assembly—
all appear within it.
Although this person has not yet attained
the wondrous body of Dharma-nature, free of contaminating outflows,
within this pure, ordinary body
everything appears.”
Qualities of the Mind in Prose · Twelve Hundred Qualities of the Mind Penetrate Immeasurable Meanings
「復次，常精進！若善男子、善女人，如來滅後、受持是經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得千二百意功德。以是清淨意根，乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義，解是義已，能演說一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲，諸所說法，隨其義趣，皆與實相不相違背。若說俗間經書、治世語言、資生業等，皆順正法。三千大千世界六趣眾生，心之所行、心所動作、心所戲論，皆悉知之。雖未得無漏智慧，而其意根、清淨如此。是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說。」
“Furthermore, Ever Diligent! After the Tathāgata’s passing, if a good man or good woman receives and upholds this sutra—whether reading it, reciting it, explaining it, or copying it—that person will obtain twelve hundred qualities of the mind. With this pure faculty of mind, upon hearing even a single verse or a single phrase, they will penetrate immeasurable and boundless meanings. Having understood these meanings, they will be able to expound that one phrase or one verse for a month, four months, or even a full year. All the teachings they give will follow the intent of its meaning and will not contradict the true mark. Even when they speak of secular scriptures and books, the language of governing the world, or the many occupations by which people sustain their lives, everything will accord with the true Dharma. They will know all the courses of thought, workings of mind, and conceptual proliferations in the minds of the sentient beings in the six destinies—devas, humans, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals—throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. Although this person has not yet attained uncontaminated wisdom, the faculty of mind will already be pure in this way. Whatever this person reflects upon, considers, or says will all be the Buddha-Dharma. None of it will be untrue, and it will also be what the sutras of the buddhas of the past have taught.”
Qualities of the Mind · The Buddha Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「是人意清淨，明利無穢濁，
以此妙意根，知上中下法，
乃至聞一偈，通達無量義，
次第如法說，月四月至歲。
是世界內外，一切諸眾生，
若天龍及人、夜叉鬼神等，
其在六趣中，所念若干種，
持法花之報，一時皆悉知。
十方無數佛，百福莊嚴相，
為眾生說法，悉聞能受持。
思惟無量義，說法亦無量，
終始不忘錯，以持法華故。
悉知諸法相，隨義識次第，
達名字語言，如所知演說。
此人有所說，皆是先佛法，
以演此法故，於眾無所畏。
持法花經者，意根淨若斯，
雖未得無漏，先有如是相。
是人持此經，安住希有地，
為一切眾生，歡喜而愛敬。
能以千萬種，善巧之語言，
分別而說法，持法花經故。」
At that time, the World-Honored One wished to proclaim this meaning again, and spoke in verse:
“This person’s faculty of mind is pure,
clear and keen, without defilement or turbidity;
with this wondrous faculty of mind,
one knows teachings that are higher, middle, and lower.
Upon hearing even a single verse,
one penetrates immeasurable meanings,
then teaches them in sequence and in accord with the Dharma
for a month, four months, or as long as a year.
Every sentient being within and beyond
this world—
devas, dragons, and humans,
yakṣas, ghosts, spirits, and the rest—
dwells among the six destinies
and bears many different thoughts;
as the recompense of upholding the Lotus Sutra,
one knows them all in a single moment.
“The countless buddhas of the ten directions,
their marks adorned by a hundred merits,
teach the Dharma for sentient beings;
one hears it all and can receive and uphold it.
One reflects on immeasurable meanings
and teaches the Dharma in immeasurable ways;
from beginning to end one never forgets or errs,
because one upholds the Lotus Sutra.
One fully knows the marks of all dharmas,
recognizes their sequence by following their meaning,
and penetrates their terms and language,
teaching them in accord with what one knows.
Whatever this person teaches
is entirely the Dharma of the buddhas of the past;
because this person proclaims this Dharma,
one is fearless in the midst of the assembly.
“The faculty of mind of one who upholds the Lotus Sutra
is pure in just this way;
although one has not yet attained freedom from contaminating outflows,
one already bears such signs.
This person upholds this sutra
and dwells on rare ground,
rejoiced in and cherished
by all sentient beings.
Using tens of millions of kinds
of skillful language,
one distinguishes and teaches the Dharma,
because one upholds the Lotus Sutra.”
前一品〈隨喜功德〉，說的是隨喜傍人之福——聞而喜、喜而傳，那是還未起修的一念。這一品，佛轉向正行的人：受持這部經、讀、誦、解說、書寫的法師，得什麼功德？答案出人意表——不是神通，不是果位，而是六根的清淨:你這父母所生的眼睛、耳朵、鼻子、舌頭、身體、意根，就在這凡夫之身上，得到遠超凡夫的力用。以下順經文次第，把這一品每一義講明；末後再以唯識一系的讀法，補一點旁照。
總標：六根功德·五事法師
佛告常精進菩薩——這名字取得極準：能於受持讀誦解說書寫五事上恆久不懈的，正是「常精進」之人，以名符行，故偏告之。佛說：善男子善女人於這部法華經，若受持、若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，當得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德——以是功德莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。留意這清單的形狀：六根各有其數，三根千二百、三根八百，勝劣有差；而所修的只是五件極平常的事——拿著經、讀它、背它、講它、抄它。這一品要說的，就是這五件平常事，怎樣把一副凡夫的六根，磨成不可思議的器皿。
眼與耳：凡眼見三千界，常耳聞一切聲
先說眼。持經者以「父母所生清淨肉眼」，見三千大千世界內外所有山林河海，下至阿鼻地獄、上至有頂，也見其中一切眾生，及其業因緣、果報生處，悉見悉知。偈中特意點破：「雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是。」——不是換了一雙天眼，就是這雙從娘胎裡帶來的眼睛，因持經之力，見得這樣遠。再說耳。千二百耳功德：三千大千世界，下至地獄上至有頂，其中內外種種音聲——經文一口氣列了三十多類：象馬牛車、啼哭愁歎、螺鼓鍾鈴、笑語男女、法聲非法聲、苦樂凡聖、天龍八部、火水風、三惡道、比丘比丘尼、聲聞辟支佛、菩薩佛聲——「以要言之」，一切內外所有諸聲，以父母所生清淨常耳皆悉聞知；而且「分別種種音聲而不壞耳根」——聽盡世間一切聲而耳根不亂不損，聞而能別、別而不著（偈言「清淨好歌聲，聽之而不著」）。
鼻：一鼻之力，聞盡世間的氣息
鼻根一段，是全品最鋪張的文字。持經者以清淨鼻根，聞三千大千世界上下內外種種諸香：須曼那、闍提、末利諸花香，栴檀沈水諸和香；又別知眾生之香——象馬牛羊、男女童子童女、草木叢林，若近若遠，「分別不錯」;又聞諸天之香——波利質多樹香、曼陀羅花香，乃至釋提桓因在勝殿上五欲娛樂時的香、在妙法堂為忉利諸天說法時的香；展轉乃至梵世有頂諸天身香、聲聞辟支佛菩薩諸佛身香，「亦皆遙聞，知其所在」。偈中更把這鼻力寫進人世的曲折裡：懷孕的婦人，胎兒是男是女、能否平安生產，聞香悉知；地中的伏藏、銅器所盛的金銀，聞香悉知；男女心裡的染欲癡恚、誰在修善，聞香亦知；乃至梵天入禪出禪、天人初生退沒，林下坐禪的比丘、志固讀誦的菩薩，聞香悉知其所在。而收束仍是那句話：「雖未得菩薩無漏法生鼻，而是持經者，先得此鼻相。」
舌：所食成甘露，所說動天人
舌根有兩重用。一重向內：好的醜的、美的不美的、乃至苦澀之物，到了他舌根上，「皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者」——世間給他什麼味，他嘗到的都是甘露。一重向外：以此舌根於大眾中演說，「出深妙聲，能入其心，皆令歡喜快樂」。於是一幅盛大的聽法圖展開了：天子天女釋梵諸天聞聲皆來，龍與龍女、夜叉與夜叉女、八部男女皆來親近恭敬供養；比丘比丘尼、國王王子、大小轉輪王與七寶千子，「乘其宮殿，俱來聽法」;婆羅門居士盡形壽隨侍供養；聲聞辟支佛菩薩諸佛「常樂見之」，此人所在之處，諸佛皆向其處說法。一條舌頭，向內轉穢為淨，向外說動三千——而它仍是父母所生的舌頭。
身：淨琉璃之鏡
身根一段最靜，也最深。持經者得清淨身，「如淨琉璃，眾生憙見」;因身淨故，三千大千世界眾生的生時死時、上下好醜、生善處惡處，悉於身中現；鐵圍彌樓諸山、下至阿鼻上至有頂，悉於中現；四聖說法，皆於身中現其色像。偈中換一個喻：「又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像。」——這身成了一面照世之鏡：世界不在他外面走過，而在他身中映現。而經文添了微妙的一句：「唯獨自明了，餘人所不見。」這鏡中的世界，只有他自己看得分明——是自受用的境界，不是示人的神異。收束依然：「雖未得無漏法性之妙身，以清淨常體，一切於中現。」
意：聞一偈，通達無量義
意根壓軸，其用最廣。持經者以清淨意根，「乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義」;解此義已，能演說這一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲，而「諸所說法，隨其義趣，皆與實相不相違背」——從一偈裡讀出無量，講一年而不離實相。更奇的是下一句：「若說俗間經書、治世語言、資生業等，皆順正法。」——連他講世俗的書、談治世的道理、說謀生的行業，都不違正法；到了這裡，法與非法的牆塌了，因為那意根已淨。又，三千大千世界六趣眾生「心之所行、心所動作、心所戲論，皆悉知之」。而收束是全品說得最重的一次：「是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說。」——他心裡起的每一個念頭、口裡說的每一句話，都是佛法，都與過去諸佛所說暗合。
「雖未得」:這一品把奇蹟放回凡身
六根說竟，回頭看這一品的修辭骨架，會發現佛在每一根上都重複了同一個轉折：雖未得天眼、雖未得天耳、雖未得無漏法生鼻、雖未得法性妙身、雖未得無漏智慧——而功德已如是。這正是此品的義眼。佛不說持經者得了神通、證了果位；佛說他還是凡夫，眼睛還是父母所生的眼睛——可就在這副未經置換的凡身上，經的力量顯出來了。奇蹟不在彼岸，就長在這雙眼、這對耳、這條舌上。前品說一念隨喜已有無量福，是從門檻看堂奧；這一品說五事正行能令凡根起勝用，是把堂奧的光，接到讀經人自己的身上——你若受持、讀誦這部經，此刻用來讀經的這雙眼睛，正是經文所許的那雙眼睛。
以唯識之眼：經力、地前，與那「一根具六用」的身體
上來是法師功德品自身的義。所借的那面唯識鏡（慈恩窺基所傳），在此品照見的是「根用」的紋理——不談心性玄理，專判這凡根勝用從何而來、位在何處、依何而可能。先是總綱。窺基依世親《法華論》斷之：「諸凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地。」八個字把全品收盡——是凡夫（未入初地，故仍是父母所生之根）、是經力（非禪定所修、非果報所得，力在經不在我）。位在何處？窺基判在四善根位——加行道上、將入初地而未入的地前上位；並引〈菩薩地〉「勝解行位久修菩薩，無驗呪術用皆驗」為證：地前久修之人，尋常呪術到他手裡都靈驗，何況持此經者。其次是「互用」。《法華論》說六根清淨者「於一一根中悉能具足見色聞聲知香味觸」——鼻能知禪定、身能現世界，正是諸根互用。窺基在此立了二義：依《成唯識論》，自在互用唯在十地（「得自在位諸根互用，一根發識緣一切境」）;然若論加行力之分得，地前亦許——地上是全用，地前是分得。故鼻聞天香，《法華論》判為「智境」——是定智遙知、依鼻根而立名，非鼻子真能隔界取香——窺基承論而釋之。至於八百千二百之數，他破了古來二解，自立新算：以此經十法行（書寫、供養、施他、聽聞、披讀、受持、開演、諷誦、思惟、修習）為本，相資成百，自作、教他、讚勵、慶慰成四百，上中下三品成千二百；耳舌意三根勝故具三品，眼鼻身三根劣故無上品、唯八百。可注意的是他破古解時那句「又未勘彼二文」——沒查證到的，存疑不斷，不硬立。這凡根勝用的位次，幾副眼各判：慈恩判四善根，天台智顗判「圓教相似位」——鐵輪十信，六根清淨正是天台位次中「相似即」一階之本據，並說八百千二百「若言千二顯其能盈，若言八百顯其能縮」，若執定數反失旨，因為「六根互用，根自在故、不可思議故」;三論吉藏判前品弟子十信、此品法師三賢，又答互用之理最直截：「悟六根即是實相，實相即是法身，故六根無礙，所以得互用。」三家位判各異、算法各異，而同宗《法華論》那八個字——凡夫、經力。經自己的話始終在那裡：雖未得，功德已如是。此處並錄，不加裁斷，各還其位。
The preceding chapter teaches the qualities gained by a person who stands alongside the practice in joyful acceptance: hearing and rejoicing, then rejoicing and passing the teaching on—the single thought before practice itself has begun. In this chapter, the Buddha turns to the person who practices properly. What qualities does a Dharma teacher gain by receiving and upholding this sutra, reading it, reciting it, explaining it, and writing it out? The answer is unexpected. It is not supernormal power and not a stage of realization, but the purification of the six faculties: these very eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind with which you were born receive functions far beyond those of an ordinary person, right here in this ordinary body. We will follow the sequence of the sutra and make each meaning clear; only at the end will we add a further reflection from the Consciousness-Only tradition.
The General Declaration: The Qualities of the Six Faculties · The Dharma Teacher of Five Practices
The Buddha addresses the bodhisattva Ever Diligent (Nityodyukta)—a name exact in its fitness. One able to persist without cease in the five practices of receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, explaining, and writing is precisely a person who is “ever diligent”; name and practice correspond, and so the teaching is addressed particularly to him. The Buddha says that good men and good women who receive and uphold this Lotus Sutra, read it, recite it, explain it, or write it out will gain eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind. By these qualities they adorn the six faculties and cause them all to become pure. Notice the shape of the list. Each of the six faculties has its number: three have twelve hundred and three have eight hundred, differing in strength. Yet what is practiced consists of only five utterly ordinary acts—holding the sutra, reading it, reciting it, explaining it, and copying it. This chapter tells how these five ordinary acts polish the six faculties of an ordinary person into inconceivable vessels.
Eye and Ear: Ordinary Eyes See a Three-Thousandfold Great-Thousand World; Ordinary Ears Hear Every Sound
The eye comes first. With “the pure physical eyes born of their parents,” those who uphold the sutra see all the mountains, forests, rivers, and seas, within and beyond a three-thousandfold great-thousand world. Downward they see as far as the Avīci hell and upward as far as the summit of existence. They also see every sentient being within that world, together with the karmic causes and conditions they create, the recompenses they receive, and the places where they are born. They see and know them all. The verse deliberately makes the point explicit: although they have not yet attained the divine eye, the power of their physical eyes is already such. Their eyes have not been exchanged for a pair of divine eyes. These are the very eyes carried from the womb, yet through the power of upholding the sutra they can see so far.
The ear follows. The twelve hundred qualities of the ear allow one to hear the many sounds within and beyond the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, from the hells below to the summit of existence above. The sutra pours forth more than thirty classes in a single breath: elephants, horses, oxen, and carts; crying and sorrowful lament; conches, drums, bells, and chimes; laughter and speech; men and women; boys and girls; sounds in accord with Dharma and sounds not in accord with Dharma; suffering and pleasure; ordinary people and sages; delight and displeasure; devas, nāgas, and the eight classes of beings; fire, water, and wind; the three evil destinations; monks and nuns; listeners, solitary awakeners, bodhisattvas, and buddhas. To state the essential point, with the pure ordinary ears born of their parents they hear and know every sound, within and beyond the whole world. Yet they distinguish these many sounds without damaging the faculty of hearing. They hear and can distinguish; they distinguish and do not cling, for the verse says that even when they hear pure and beautiful singing, they do not become attached to it.
Nose: With One Faculty of Smell, They Know the Scents of the Whole World
The passage on the faculty of smell is the most lavish in the entire chapter. With a pure faculty of smell, one who upholds the sutra smells the many fragrances within, beyond, above, and below the three-thousandfold great-thousand world: sumanā, jāti, mallikā, campaka, and other flowers; sandalwood, aloeswood, and many blended incenses. Such a person further distinguishes the scents of sentient beings—elephants, horses, cattle, sheep, men, women, boys, and girls—and the scents of grasses, trees, thickets, and forests. Whether near or far, every scent is known and none is confused with another. That person also smells the fragrances of the devas: the pārijātaka tree and the heavenly māndārava and mañjūṣaka flowers; the scent of Śakra sporting amid the pleasures of the senses in the Excellent Palace; the scent when he teaches the Dharma to the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three in the Hall of Wondrous Dharma; and, successively upward, the bodily scents of devas as far as the Brahmā world and the summit of existence, as well as the scents of listeners, solitary awakeners, bodhisattvas, and buddhas. All are smelled from afar, and their locations are known.
The verse carries this power of scent into the intricacies of human life. A pregnant woman may not yet know whether the child is male or female, whether its sexual faculties are incomplete, or whether it is a nonhuman being; through scent, the upholder knows. Through scent, the upholder knows whether the pregnancy has just begun, whether it will come to term or not, and whether a fortunate child will be born safely. Buried stores of treasure and gold or silver kept in bronze vessels are known through scent. The thoughts of men and women—whether their minds are defiled by desire, delusion, or anger, or whether they cultivate wholesome conduct—are also known through scent. Even those in the Brahmā heavens entering or emerging from meditation, devas newly born or falling away at death, monks meditating beneath forest trees, and firm-minded bodhisattvas reading and reciting the Dharma are known in their locations. Yet the passage again closes with the same point: although the upholder has not yet attained the bodhisattva’s faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma, the signs of such a faculty are already present.
Tongue: What Is Eaten Becomes Nectar; What Is Taught Moves Devas and Humans
The faculty of the tongue has two kinds of function. One turns inward. Whether food is good or bad, delicious or not delicious, even if it is bitter or astringent, when it reaches this person’s tongue it all becomes the finest flavor, like heavenly nectar, with nothing that is not delicious. Whatever flavor the world gives, the upholder tastes nectar. The second turns outward. When this person uses the tongue to teach amid the assembly, a profound and wondrous voice issues forth, enters the hearts of those who hear, and causes them all to rejoice and delight.
A vast scene of Dharma-listening then unfolds. Divine sons and daughters, Śakra, Brahmā, and the other devas hear the voice and all come to listen. Male and female nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas all draw near, revere the teacher, and make offerings. Monks and nuns, kings and princes, great and lesser wheel-turning kings with their thousand sons and inner and outer retinues all come together in their palaces to hear the Dharma. Brahmins and householders attend and make offerings for the rest of their lives. Listeners, solitary awakeners, bodhisattvas, and buddhas always delight in seeing this person; wherever the person is, the buddhas turn toward that place and teach the Dharma. One tongue transforms what is impure into purity inwardly and moves the whole three-thousandfold world through teaching outwardly—yet it remains the tongue with which that person was born.
Body: A Mirror of Pure Lapis Lazuli
The passage on the body is the quietest and also the deepest. One who upholds the sutra gains a pure body “like pure lapis lazuli, which sentient beings delight in seeing.” Because the body is pure, the birth and death of the sentient beings in the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, their higher and lower stations, their beauty and ugliness, and their birth in wholesome or evil destinations all appear within it. The Iron Encircling Mountains, Mount Mucilinda, and the other mountains; everything from the Avīci hell below to the summit of existence above; and the images of listeners, solitary awakeners, bodhisattvas, and buddhas teaching the Dharma all appear within that body.
The verse changes the image: the body is “like a pure, bright mirror in which every visible image is seen.” The body has become a mirror that reflects the world. The world does not merely pass outside it; the world appears within it. The sutra then adds one subtle sentence: the bodhisattva alone understands this clearly, and other people do not see it. What appears in this mirror is an inwardly experienced sphere, not a wondrous display shown to others. The passage again closes in the same way: although the upholder has not yet attained the wondrous uncontaminated body of dharma-nature, everything already appears within this pure ordinary body.
Mind: Hearing One Verse, It Penetrates Immeasurable Meanings
The faculty of mind comes last, and its function is the broadest. With a pure faculty of mind, one who upholds the sutra hears even a single verse or sentence and penetrates immeasurable and boundless meanings. Having understood those meanings, that person can expound the one sentence or verse for one month, four months, or even a year. Every Dharma taught follows its purport and does not contradict the true mark. Stranger still is the sentence that follows: if the upholder speaks of worldly books and writings, language for governing the world, or livelihoods and occupations, all of it accords with the true Dharma. At this point, the wall between Dharma and what is not Dharma collapses, because the faculty of mind has become pure.
The upholder also knows the courses, activities, and proliferations of mind among all beings in the six destinations throughout the three-thousandfold great-thousand world. The passage then closes with the weightiest declaration in the entire chapter: whatever this person reflects upon, considers, or says is all Buddha-Dharma; none of it is untrue, and it is also what was taught in the sutras of former buddhas. Every thought arising in the mind and every sentence spoken accords quietly with what the buddhas of the past taught.
“Although Not Yet Attained”: This Chapter Returns the Miracle to the Ordinary Body
Now that all six faculties have been explained, look back at the rhetorical frame of the chapter. At each faculty the Buddha repeats the same turn: although the divine eye has not yet been attained; although the divine ear has not yet been attained; although the faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma has not yet been attained; although the wondrous body of dharma-nature has not yet been attained; although uncontaminated wisdom has not yet been attained—yet the qualities are already such. This is the chapter’s point of the eye. The Buddha does not say that the person who upholds the sutra has gained supernormal powers or realized a spiritual fruit. The person is still an ordinary being, and the eyes are still the eyes born of that person’s parents. Yet the power of the sutra appears within this very body, unchanged and unreplaced. The miracle does not wait on a farther shore. It grows in these eyes, these ears, and this tongue.
The preceding chapter taught that even one thought of joyful acceptance has immeasurable merit; it looked from the threshold into the depth of the hall. This chapter teaches that the five practices of proper cultivation bring extraordinary functions to ordinary faculties; it brings the light from that hall directly into the body of the person reading the sutra. If you receive, uphold, read, and recite this sutra, the very eyes with which you are reading it now are the eyes promised by the sutra.
Seen Through the Eyes of Consciousness-Only: The Power of the Sutra, the Stage before the First Ground, and a Body in Which One Faculty Performs the Functions of All Six
Everything above is the meaning of The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher in its own right. The further mirror borrowed here is the Consciousness-Only reading transmitted by Kuiji of Cien. The mirror is not the source of the Lotus; it is only another set of eyes. In this chapter it illuminates the texture of the faculties and their functions. It does not discuss a metaphysics of mind and nature. Instead, it asks where these extraordinary functions of ordinary faculties come from, at what stage they occur, and how they are possible.
Its first point is the governing principle. Following Vasubandhu’s Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, Kuiji says that ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before they have entered the first ground. Those eight characters gather the whole chapter: they are ordinary beings—not yet on the first ground, and therefore still using faculties born of their parents—and the power is the sutra’s, not something cultivated through meditation or obtained as karmic recompense. The power lies in the sutra, not in the self. Where is their stage? Kuiji places them at the four stages of intensified practice, the four roots of goodness: an advanced stage before the grounds, upon the path of preparatory practice, just before entry into the first ground. He also invokes the Bodhisattva Ground: for a bodhisattva who has long practiced at the stage of conduct through resolute understanding, even spells that ordinarily produce no result become effective; how much more must this be so for one who upholds the present sutra.
The second point is the “interfunctioning of the faculties.” The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says that when the six faculties are purified, each single faculty fully performs the functions of seeing forms, hearing sounds, knowing scents, tastes, and tangible objects. The nose knows meditative states, and the body displays the world: these are instances of the faculties functioning through one another. Kuiji gives two readings. According to the Cheng Weishi Lun, free interfunctioning belongs only to the ten grounds, where one faculty gives rise to consciousness that ranges over every object. But if the power of intensified practice allows a partial share, then it may also occur before the grounds. Above the grounds it is complete; before the grounds it is partially obtained. Thus, when the nose is said to smell heavenly fragrances, the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra calls this an object of knowledge: meditative knowledge knows it from afar, and it is named in dependence upon the faculty of smell. It is not that the nose itself actually reaches across realms and grasps a scent at a distance. Kuiji inherits and explains the root treatise in just this way.
As for the numbers eight hundred and twelve hundred, Kuiji rejects two older explanations and offers a new calculation. He begins from the ten Dharma practices of this sutra: copying, making offerings, giving to others, listening, reading through, receiving and upholding, rightly expounding, chanting and reciting, reflecting, and cultivating. Each assists the others and becomes a hundred practices; practiced oneself, taught to others, praised and encouraged, and welcomed with rejoicing, they become four hundred; practiced in higher, middle, and lower grades, they become twelve hundred. Ear, tongue, and mind are the three stronger faculties and therefore possess all three grades; eye, nose, and body are the three lesser and lack the highest grade, leaving only eight hundred. Notice also what Kuiji says when rejecting an older explanation: he had not checked the two texts on which it supposedly relied. What he had not verified, he left in doubt and did not decide by force.
Several sets of eyes assign different stages to these extraordinary functions of ordinary faculties. Cien places them at the four roots of goodness. Zhiyi of Tiantai places them at the “stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching”—the iron-wheel stage of the ten faiths—and says that twelve hundred shows the capacity to expand, while eight hundred shows the capacity to contract; to cling to either number alone would miss the purport, because the six faculties function through one another, are free in their operation, and are inconceivable. Jizang of Sanlun places the disciples of the preceding chapter at the ten-faith stage and the Dharma teacher of this chapter at the stage of the three worthies. His account of interfunctioning is the most direct: awakening to the six faculties as the true mark means that the true mark is precisely the dharma-body; the six faculties are therefore unobstructed and can function through one another. The three houses differ in stage and differ in their calculations, yet all stand upon the same teaching of the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra: ordinary beings, and the power of the sutra. The sutra’s own words remain where they have always stood: though these attainments have not yet been gained, the qualities are already such. The three readings are recorded side by side without adjudication, each kept in its own place.
考據Apparatus
本品明正行法師之功德。佛告常精進菩薩：受持法華經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德，以是功德莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。以下逐根廣明：父母所生清淨肉眼見三千大千世界（雖未得天眼）；清淨常耳聞一切內外音聲而不壞耳根；清淨鼻根聞眾生香、諸天身香乃至諸佛身香，分別不錯；舌根所食皆成上味，演說出深妙聲，天龍八部、王臣、四聖皆來聽法；清淨身如淨琉璃，三千大千世界眾生生死好醜、諸山諸天，悉於身中現；清淨意根聞一偈一句通達無量義，演說一月四月乃至一歲皆與實相不相違背，俗間經書治世語言皆順正法——而經文於六根皆自點「雖未得」天眼天耳、無漏法生鼻、法性妙身、無漏智慧：凡身肉根，功德已如是。慈恩窺基《玄贊》判此品為五門法力第五「讀誦持說」（告常精進·名行雙符）、正能行法師之福（對前品傍修行）；義理重心在「根用」：依世親《法華論》「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地」，今解位在四善根；諸根互用立二義判（十地自在／加行分得）；八百千二百之數破古二解、出今四釋（十法行為本）。天台智顗判此品為圓教相似位（鐵輪·十信）六根清淨之功德，以十善十如定慧二莊嚴算六千，立盈縮無盈縮之判；三論吉藏判前品十信弟子、此品三賢師位，明五種法師中品功德——並錄不判。
一、科判定位
| 科判系統 | 此品之位 |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第十九 法師功德品（卷六；〔T09n0262 0047c02〕起）· 正明持經法師六根清淨之功德 |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | 品段〔T34n1723 0837a25〕三門分別：一來意、二釋名、三解妨〔0837a26〕。來意三重:①六品能行人中「前明傍人能修行者福，未明正能行法師之福，今正明之」〔0837a27〕· ②「下二品明正依行福果多少中，初品總明得果多少，後品引已證成得者」〔0837a29·後品＝常不輕品〕· ③依《法華論》五門法力「第五讀誦持說，常精進品示現」〔0837a31·本據 0807a30–b04〕· 釋名：「依法修行可為軌範，故名法師。唯能行者，非所行法」〔0837b01〕· 解妨：何故獨告常精進——「以常精進名、行雙符，故唯偏告」〔0837b17〕· 大文分三：告修行法師差別・顯所得功德多少・顯六根殊勝果用〔0837b21〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | 〈釋法師功德品〉〔T34n1718 0139b17〕起 · 判此品為圓教相似位：「相似之位，若依四輪即鐵輪位也；若依五十二位，即十信心也……今對常精進者，即十信之第三心也」〔0140a04〕· 品名釋：「前謂初品之初功德，今五品之上，謂六根清淨」〔0139b18〕（⑱＝相似位前功德〔0139b06〕·此品＝相似位功德〔0140a04〕） |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | 〈法師功德品第十九〉〔T34n1721 0614b23〕起 · 承⑱三章判此品「五種法師，即是中品功德」· 約位：「前是十信弟子位，今是三賢師位」〔0614c04〕· 「今品但明出世功德，以六根清淨三界所無故稱出世也」〔0614c03〕· 品開為二：總明五種法師得六千功德・別釋對常精進〔0614c07〕 |
二、異譯·三譯對勘
本品三漢譯：羅什 T262〈法師功德品第十九〉· 竺法護 T263《正法華經》〈歎法師品第十八〉〔T09n0263 0119a17〕· 添品 T264〈法師功德品第十八〉〔T09n0264 0181c14〕。竺法護對應品確認＝歎法師品（歎法師之功德；與竺法護〈藥王如來品第十〉＝羅什⑩法師品者各為一品，勿混）；品次差（羅什⑲·竺法護／添品⑱，因提婆材料羅什獨立成品）。
句一 總標六根功德數（竺法護本品內總列與長行自相出入）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩：「若善男子、善女人，受持是法華經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，是人當得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德，以是功德、莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。…… | T09n0262 0047c03 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩…… | T09n0264 0181c15 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 爾時世尊，告常應時菩薩大士：「若族姓子、族姓女，受是經典持讀書寫……當得十眼功德之本八百名稱，千二百耳根，千二百鼻根，千二百舌根，千二百身行，千二百意淨，是為無數百千品德，則能嚴淨六根功祚。 | T09n0263 0119a18 |
異文所繫（關鍵）：添品逐字同羅什。竺法護——受告者「常精進」→「常應時」（名之異取·品內四見·後三根改稱「佛復告族姓子」）；六根功德數總列作「眼八百·餘五根皆千二百」（鼻・身＝千二百，與羅什異），而其品內逐根長行鼻作「得八百功德諸根堅固鼻根清淨」〔0120a11〕、身作「逮得身行八百功德」〔0121c20〕——T263 總列與長行自相出入；羅什／添品／《法華論》（玄贊「本論之中唯說三根各千二百，餘三各八百」〔T34n1723 0837c10〕）皆三勝三劣整齊。
句二 父母所生清淨肉眼
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 父母所生清淨肉眼，見於三千大千世界內外所有山林河海，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂……雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是 | T09n0262 0047c08／偈 0047c22 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 | T09n0264 0181c20 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 而以肉眼覩諸所有，滿三千大千世界……下至無可大地獄中，上至三十三天……尚未獲天眼，亦不曉了知，肉眼之境界，根且覺輕便 | T09n0263 0119a23／偈 0119b09 |
異文所繫：添品逐字同羅什。竺法護——阿鼻地獄→「無可大地獄」（阿鼻＝無間之義譯轉）·「上至有頂」→「上至三十三天」（界域範圍異：羅什上極色界頂·竺法護止於欲界忉利，眼耳身三處皆然）·「父母所生」義在偈中（「彼則以肉眼，而從父母生」〔0119b03〕）。
句三 耳根聞聲（列舉開合）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 象聲、馬聲、牛聲、車聲，啼哭聲、愁歎聲，螺聲、鼓聲、鍾聲、鈴聲，笑聲、語聲，男聲、女聲、童子聲、童女聲，法聲、非法聲，苦聲、樂聲，凡夫聲、聖人聲，喜聲、不喜聲，天聲、龍聲、夜叉聲……菩薩聲、佛聲 | T09n0262 0047c26 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什·唯「其中內外種種所有語言音聲」增一詞〕 | T09n0264 0182a08 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 象聲馬聲牛聲、伎樂聲車聲、啼哭聲愁歎聲、鼓聲鍾聲、歌聲舞聲戲笑聲、男聲女聲、幼僮聲僮女聲，風聲奇妙聲，正法聲非法聲，樂聲苦聲、力聲志性聲、柔聲麁聲，天聲龍聲，鬼神、揵沓和、阿須倫、迦留羅、真陀羅、摩休勒聲…… | T09n0263 0119b15 |
異文所繫：添品逐字近同（增「所有」）。竺法護——開（伎樂・歌舞・力聲志性聲・柔麁）合缺（螺・鈴・凡夫聖人・喜不喜・比丘尼・辟支佛等）互見；八部音寫異系（揵沓和＝乾闥婆·阿須倫＝阿修羅·真陀羅＝緊那羅·摩休勒＝摩睺羅伽）。
句四 鼻根聞香（諸天身香）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 釋提桓因在勝殿上，五欲娛樂嬉戲時香；若在妙法堂上，為忉利諸天說法時香 | T09n0262 0048c03 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 | T09n0264 0183a12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 諸天香天宮香，帝釋身香，知所生處，於講堂上鼓樂弦歌，所當修設諸大法則，為忉利天諸天說法 | T09n0263 0120a21 |
異文所繫：添品逐字同羅什（唯長行「如是展轉乃至梵世」〔0048c07〕添品作「梵天」·偈同）。竺法護——「勝殿」「妙法堂」專名品段零命中（義攝「講堂…為忉利天說法」）；另有特有詞「比陀美香、晝度樹香」（波利質多之義譯「晝度樹」）。
句五 舌根（美味·深妙聲）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 若好、若醜，若美、不美，及諸苦澁物，在其舌根，皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者……出深妙聲，能入其心 | T09n0262 0049b16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 | T09n0264 0183b24 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 舌根具足分別諸味，若得甘美，變為天上自然飲食，設服酢澁醎苦，化成天饌……若入諍怒德音柔軟，談誼辯慧清白知節 | T09n0263 0121b04 |
異文所繫：添品逐字同羅什。竺法護——「如天甘露」→「化成天饌」（「甘露」品段零命中）·「深妙聲」義攝「德音柔軟」。
句六 意根（一偈通達無量義）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義，解是義已，能演說一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲……是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說 | T09n0262 0050a20／0050a28 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 | T09n0264 0184b16 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 聞一頌者，所究彌廣多所達了。以弘覺了，便能一月講說經法。四月一年綜練所歷，憶念不忘……意志清淨不復思惟，自然分別說法誼趣，言皆至誠……往古最勝經卷 | T09n0263 0122a19／0122a25 |
異文所繫：添品逐字同羅什。竺法護——「一偈」→「一頌」（「一偈」品段零命中）·「一月四月乃至一歲」數框同（一月・四月・一年）·「皆是佛法」句式無（「佛法」品段零命中·義攝「言皆至誠…往古最勝經卷」＝先佛經中所說）·「俗間經書治世語言資生業」→「凡俗所為販賣賈作語言音聲」〔0122a21〕。
添品定位：添品 T264〈法師功德品第十八〉逐字承羅什，實質字異僅六（增「所有」·語言／言語·梵世→梵天〔長行＋偈〕·聞香／聞則·皆／悉·讀誦／讀經），餘皆異體（鍾／鐘·嶮／險·菓／果·酥／穌等）——羅什之重刊，非新譯。竺法護 T263 歎法師品為真異譯軸:①品名〈歎法師品〉②受告者「常應時」③六根功德數總列與長行自相出入（總列鼻身千二百·長行鼻身八百）④界域「上至三十三天」（非有頂）⑤譯名系統（無可大地獄・天饌・一頌・晝度樹・講堂）。
三、唯識義之經據（眼）
本品玄贊唯識義＝中而偏豐，落點全在「根用」一線，非三性賴耶。唯識-簽名形上語（三性〔遍依圓義〕・遍計・依他・圓成・阿賴耶・藏識・轉依・五性・種姓・二障・種子）機掃全段〔T34n1723 0837a25–0839b09〕皆零（「三性」一見〔0839a28〕係善惡無記行相義，非遍依圓）；而「互用」九見・「定果」三見・「經力」二見——重心在凡身根用之判。落點四：
(一) 凡夫以經力得勝根用——此品義理總綱〔T34n1723 0837c32〕:
「經云『以是功德莊嚴六根皆令清淨』，論云『諸凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地位』。」〔T34n1723 0837c32〕
→ 依世親《法華論》：六根清淨者仍是凡夫（未入初地），其勝用非天眼天耳之通、非果報所得，乃持經之力所成——正與經文六根皆點「雖未得（天眼／天耳／無漏法生鼻／法性妙身／無漏智慧）……功德已如是」相應。位判：「今解唯在四善根位，以其肉眼見大千故……決擇分位見大千之化佛」〔0838a04〕（有解在十住十行十迴向·今解取加行四善根）；又引〈菩薩地〉「勝解行位久修菩薩，無驗呪術用皆驗」證「六根清淨必在地前凡夫上位」〔0838b15〕。對比：「小教說二乘天眼見大千，今說持經力凡夫眼見大千，初地菩薩見一百大千世界」〔0838b01〕。
(二) 諸根互用——二義判〔T34n1723 0838a09〕：《法華論》「又六根清淨者，於一一根中悉能具足見色聞聲知香味觸等，諸根互用故」〔0838a09〕。窺基立二義：
「《唯識》等云『得自在位諸根互用，一根發識緣一切境』，故非地前可名自在諸根互用。」〔T34n1723 0838a15〕
一義：自在互用唯在十地（依《成唯識論》自在位義），地前無；二義：「若加行力分亦得者，地前亦得」〔0838a21〕——大自在互用在十地，分得互用地前亦許。鼻根聞天香即其例，《法華論》判之：「此是智境，鼻根知故。定智遙知，依鼻根取，故名聞香，非鼻實能離中取境」〔0838c02·論云〕（智境依根，非根離中取境——得假似香，非得實體；窺基承論而釋）。
(三) 八百千二百之數——破古二解·出今四釋：窺基先列古二解（十善為本成四百三品／六根各百福）而破之（「若依十善為首修成此德，餘經亦爾……何但此經？」·「又未勘彼二文」〔0837c03／0837c11〕——存疑不虛斷）；今解以此經十法行為本：「於此經中修十法行：一書寫，二供養，三施他，四聽聞，五披讀，六受持，七開演，八諷誦，九思惟，十修習。於此十中一一相資轉成百行，百行各四：自作、教他、讚勵、慶慰、合成四百。各有三品而修習之、成千二百。三根勝故具千二百、三根劣故而無上品各唯八百」〔0837c12〕。又法師開合：「據實法師總有十種，此略說五：一持，二讀，三誦，四說，五寫」〔0837b23〕（例餘供養・施他・聽聞・思惟・修習亦皆法師）。
(四) 定果色（色界香之會通）：色界云何有香？「此通果香，非業果也」〔0838c12〕——引《華嚴經》「菩薩鼻根聞無色界宮殿之香」與《瑜伽》「勝定果色當知唯有顯色等相」「勝定果色於一切色皆得自在」〔0838c12–21〕會通：定力所變之果色，非業報之香。
（按：本品玄贊唯識義中偏豐而全在「根用」軸——經力・地前位判・互用二義・定果色，皆倚《法華論》《成唯識論》《瑜伽》立義；三性賴耶形上綱維全零。勿套②三性通軸、勿挪⑯三佛菩提；義疏末節據「根用」實讀，不膨脹。）
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗·誌錄不判）
同一「六根清淨」，慈恩・天台・三論判位各異而同依《法華論》。本編義疏鏡＝慈恩窺基《玄贊》；天台、三論並錄，誌其異而不判。
約詞辨:①「六根互用」四字，智顗本品段親用——「六根互用根自在故、不可思議故」〔T34n1718 0140a02〕（全書二見·另化城喻品段〔0099b22〕）——此詞非後世約詞；吉藏以「得互用」出其概念〔T34n1721 0615a16〕而無四字連文；玄贊作「諸根互用」〔0838a09 等〕。②「六根清淨位」連文在〈分別功德品〉段〔0138b08／0138b15「鐵輪六根清淨位」〕，本品段智顗實作「相似之位……即十信心也」〔0140a04〕。③「相似即」作六即位名之連文，《文句》全書零命中（0018c11 係「相似・即空即假即中」斷句異讀）——天台六即位名之約詞，勿作智顗此品逐字之引。
慈恩·窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（鏡骨幹）
五門法力第五「讀誦持說」〔0837a31〕· 正能行法師之福（對⑱傍修行）〔0837a27〕· 釋名「依法修行可為軌範」〔0837b01〕· 獨告常精進「名行雙符」〔0837b17〕· 經力地前勝根用（今解四善根位）· 諸根互用二義判 · 八百千二百今四釋（十法行）· 定果色會通。詳目三。慈恩承衍：慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724。
天台·智顗《文句》T34n1718（旁證）
判此品＝圓教相似位六根清淨之功德〔T34n1718 0140a04〕:
「相似之位，若依四輪即鐵輪位也；若依五十二位，即十信心也；若依《仁王》即十善大心也。今對常精進者，即十信之第三心也。諸經名目雖異，同是圓教相似位耳。」〔T34n1718 0140a04〕
數解：破光宅（三業十善四百·五師二千·三品六千·與奪）〔0139c02〕；今解「三業安樂行即有十善，一善有十即百善，一善中有十如即千善，就化他為二千，約如來室、如來衣、如來座，即成六千……復次一心中具十法界，一一界皆有十如，即成一百，一根通取六塵，即有六百，約定慧二莊嚴，即是一千二百」〔0139c20〕。盈縮判：「若言千二顯其能盈，若言八百顯其能縮，若言清淨無盈無縮無等，六根互用根自在故、不可思議故。若偏判者則失旨也」〔0140a01〕。肉眼判：「因經之力有勝根用，既未發真不得稱天眼，猶名肉眼……猶是分段之身，故稱父母所生」〔0140a16〕·「雖稱肉眼，具五眼用」〔0140a19〕·引《大經》「雖有肉眼名為佛眼」〔0140a23〕。
三論·吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721（旁證）
約位：「前是十信弟子位，今是三賢師位」〔0614c04〕（⑱弟子十信·⑲法師三賢——與天台十信判異）· 「今品但明出世功德，以六根清淨三界所無故稱出世也」〔0614c03〕· 數解：十善互相莊嚴成百善，自行・教他・人讚・法讚合四百，約五種法師成二千，上中下品成六千〔0614c11〕（另錄二「有人言」）· 《法華論》三引（經力勝根用〔0615a07〕·一根具六用〔0615a14〕·知境勝用鼻根知〔0615b24〕）· 肉眼判：「今經所說肉眼者是柔順忍也」〔0615a11〕（龍樹二忍配）·「非修禪所得淨色來入眼中，又非生彼天報得，故不名天眼」〔0615a22〕· 互用之理：「悟六根即是實相，實相即是法身，故六根無礙，所以得互用」〔0615a17〕。
三家並錄（誌·不判）
共法：三家同依《法華論》「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地」（玄贊〔0837c32〕·文句〔0139c12〕·義疏〔0615a07〕皆引）——六根清淨者是凡夫、其力在經，三家無諍。位判各異：慈恩「四善根位」（加行決擇分）、天台「圓教相似位＝鐵輪＝十信」、三論「三賢師位」（柔順忍）——同一地前而各依自宗行位。數解各異：慈恩以此經十法行為本、天台以十善十如十法界定慧二莊嚴、吉藏以十善互嚴四百——皆自成算法，並錄不判。互用之理：慈恩「《唯識》自在位／加行分得」二義、天台「根自在故不可思議故」（無盈無縮）、吉藏「悟六根即是實相」——並錄不判。智顗（538–597）・吉藏（549–623）早於窺基（632–682），並錄不判。
五、術語
| 漢 | 傳梵（羅馬字·發音輔助） | 古德所徵 | 義 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 六根清淨 | — | 〔本經 0047c07〕；《法華論》「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用未入初地」（玄贊 T34n1723 0837c32 引）；三家位判各異（四善根／十信相似位／三賢） | 持經五事所得六根勝用·地前凡夫依經力成 |
| 八百·千二百功德 | — | 〔本經 0047c04〕；窺基今四釋（十法行×四行相×三品）〔T34n1723 0837c12〕；智顗十如算法＋盈縮判〔T34n1718 0139c20／0140a01〕；吉藏十善互嚴〔T34n1721 0614c11〕；竺法護總列鼻身作千二百（與長行自異）〔T09n0263 0119a19〕 | 三根勝（耳舌意）千二百·三根劣（眼鼻身）八百·算法三家各異 |
| 父母所生眼 | — | 〔本經 0047c08〕；窺基「肉眼非通」〔T34n1723 0838a27〕；智顗「既未發真不得稱天眼……分段之身故稱父母所生」〔T34n1718 0140a16〕；吉藏「柔順忍」〔T34n1721 0615a11〕 | 分段生死之凡身肉根·非天眼而力如天眼 |
| 諸根互用 | — | 《法華論》「於一一根中悉能具足見色聞聲知香味觸」（玄贊 0838a09 引）；窺基二義判〔0838a15／0838a21〕；智顗「六根互用根自在故」〔T34n1718 0140a02·本品段親用〕；吉藏「悟六根即是實相……所以得互用」〔T34n1721 0615a17〕 | 一根具餘根之用·十地自在／地前分得（慈恩二義） |
| 五種法師 | — | 〔本經 0047c03 受持讀誦解說書寫〕；窺基「據實法師總有十種，此略說五」〔T34n1723 0837b23〕 | 持・讀・誦・說・寫（十種之略） |
| 常精進 | Nityodyukta（系） | 〔本經 0047c03〕；窺基「名行雙符故唯偏告」〔T34n1723 0837b17〕；竺法護作「常應時」〔T09n0263 0119a18〕 | 此品受告之菩薩·名即行（常精進乃能持說） |
六、譬喻·修辭
本品無法華七喻；修辭核在「淨琉璃／明鏡」喻與「雖未得……功德已如是」之複沓。
(一) 淨琉璃·明鏡喻（身根）——〔T09n0262 0049c23／偈 0050a05〕：「得清淨身、如淨琉璃，眾生憙見……又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像；菩薩於淨身，皆見世所有，唯獨自明了，餘人所不見。」喻依＝琉璃之透淨、明鏡之照物；喻體＝持經者之清淨身；所顯義＝三千大千世界眾生生死好醜、諸山諸天、四聖說法，悉於身中現——身成一面照世之鏡，而「唯獨自明了」（自見非他見）。
(二) 「雖未得……」複沓（六根皆點）——眼「雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是」〔0047c22〕·耳「雖未得天耳……皆悉聞知」〔0048a06〕·鼻「雖未得菩薩無漏法生鼻，而是持經者先得此鼻相」〔0049b13〕·身「雖未得無漏法性之妙身，以清淨常體一切於中現」〔0050a16〕·意「雖未得無漏智慧，而其意根清淨如此」〔0050a26〕——一品之修辭骨架：每根極言其用之後，必自點「未得」——凡身肉根而有此用，正顯經力之不可思議。
(三) 舌變上味如天甘露——〔T09n0262 0049b18〕：苦澁之物在其舌根皆變上味——持經者之根，轉穢為淨之小影。
七、互讀·承衍
(一) 本品所依論（窺基《玄贊》骨幹）:
- 世親《法華論》——法力五門第五「讀誦持說」（常精進品示現）〔T34n1723 0837a31·本據 0807a30〕· 「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用未入初地」〔0837c32〕· 「六根清淨者……諸根互用故」〔0838a09〕· 「本論之中唯說三根各千二百」〔0837c10〕。
- 窺基引《成唯識論》（自在位諸根互用）〔0838a15〕·〈菩薩地〉（勝解行位）〔0838b15〕· 《瑜伽》（勝定果色二段）〔0838c14／c20〕· 《華嚴經》（鼻聞無色界宮殿香）〔0838c12〕。智顗引《大品》《正法華》《法華論》《大經（涅槃）》《仁王》；吉藏引《法華論》（三引）《普賢觀經》《智度論》《婆沙》《雜心》《成論》《華嚴》《毘曇》。
(二) 法華內互讀:
- 五門法力序列完結 → 〈分別功德品⑰〉（證・信・供養）→〈隨喜功德品⑱〉（聞法）→ 此品（讀誦持說）〔T34n1723 0807a30／0836b06／0837a31〕——《法華論》法力五門至此收束。
- 傍正之對 → ⑱「傍修行之福」（隨喜傍人）→ 此品「正能行法師之福」〔0837a27〕；吉藏三章：⑱下品（弟子）→ 此品中品（法師） →〈常不輕品⑳〉上品〔T34n1721 0612c07〕；玄贊來意二：此品總明得果多少，「後品引已證成得者」〔0837a29〕——〈常不輕品〉即以常不輕菩薩親證此福為證。
- 與〈法師品⑩〉之別 → ⑩歎人美法勸募持行（弘經三軌·五種法師之名已出）；此品正明能行者所得之功德（窺基釋名「唯能行者，非所行法」〔0837b01〕；智顗「法師義如上說，功德者……今五品之上，謂六根清淨」〔0139b18〕）。
- 天台位次 → ⑰現在四信・滅後五品（觀行即・五品位）→ 此品六根清淨（相似即・十信鐵輪）——天台六即位次於⑰⑱⑲三品次第展開（⑱相似位前〔0139b06〕・此品相似位〔0140a04〕）。
(三) 承衍：慈恩後學慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724;天台後學湛然《法華文句記》T34n1719;三論吉藏別有《法華玄論》T34n1720——各承其宗，誌不判。
八、校本定位
- 羅什 T262（底本）：〈法師功德品第十九〉〔T09n0262 0047c02〕起（卷六）。總標六根功德 0047c03 · 眼：長行 0047c08／偈 0047c13〔雖未得天眼 0047c22〕· 耳：長行 0047c24〔聲類列舉 0047c26·雖未得天耳 0048a06〕／偈 0048a09〔琴瑟箜篌 0048a12·迦陵頻伽 0048a17·偈末雖未得天耳 0048b14〕· 鼻：長行 0048b16〔五華香 0048b19·眾生香 0048b24·天香 0048b28·勝殿妙法堂 0048c03·梵世 0048c07〕／偈 0048c13〔懷妊 0049a08·伏藏 0049a14·無漏法生鼻 0049b13〕· 舌：長行 0049b15〔甘露 0049b18·八部男女 0049b22·轉輪王千子 0049b27〕／偈 0049c05 · 身：長行 0049c22〔淨琉璃 0049c23〕／偈 0050a03〔淨明鏡 0050a05·法性妙身 0050a16〕· 意：長行 0050a18〔一偈一句 0050a20·一月四月一歲 0050a22·俗間經書 0050a23·皆是佛法 0050a27〕／偈 0050b01 迄 0050b21（次品〈常不輕菩薩品第二十〉0050b23 起）。源檔：原典層（逐字校訖）。
- 竺法護 T263《正法華經》〈歎法師品第十八〉〔T09n0263 0119a17〕起：常應時 0119a18／六根總列 0119a19〔鼻身千二百〕· 肉眼 0119a23〔無可大地獄・三十三天 0119a24〕／偈 0119b03 · 耳 0119b12〔聲類 0119b15〕· 鼻 0120a11〔八百·與總列異〕〔帝釋講堂 0120a21〕· 舌 0121b04〔天饌 0121b06〕· 身 0121c20〔八百·琉璃 0121c21〕· 意 0122a18〔一頌 0122a19·凡俗販賣 0122a21·言皆至誠 0122a26〕· 品迄 0122b21。〔常精進・甘露・勝殿・妙法堂・梵世・一偈 品段皆 0 命中〕
- 添品 T264〈法師功德品第十八〉〔T09n0264 0181c14〕起：總標 0181c15 · 逐字近同羅什；實質字異六（所有增〔0182a08〕·言語〔0182b05〕·梵世→梵天〔長行＋偈〕·聞則〔0183a06〕·悉〔0183a12〕·讀經〔0183b18〕）·迄 0184c04。
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（義疏鏡）：〈法師功德品〉〔0837a25〕—〔0839b09〕。三門 0837a26／正能行法師之福 0837a27／後品引已證成 0837a29／第五讀誦持說 0837a31〔本據 0807a30〕· 釋名 0837b01／名行雙符 0837b17／大文分三 0837b21／法師十種略五 0837b23 · 古二解 0837b29／破 0837c03／未勘彼二文 0837c11／今四釋十法行 0837c12／三品成千二百 0837c17 · 經力勝根用 0837c32／今解四善根位 0838a04／決擇分見大千 0838a06 · 諸根互用 0838a09／自在位 0838a15／加行分得 0838a21／肉眼非通 0838a27 · 小教對比 0838b01／勝解行位 0838b15 · 智境鼻根知 0838c02／通果香 0838c12／勝定果色 0838c14／0838c20 · 意根七科 0839a24／三性行相 0839a28 · 大分科判 0839b09。
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718（旁證）：〈釋法師功德品〉0139b17 起 · 品名釋 0139b18／相似位前後 0139b06 · 破光宅 0139c02／今解十如 0139c20／定慧二莊嚴 0139c26 · 盈縮判 0140a01／六根互用 0140a02／相似之位十信 0140a04／十信第三心 0140a06 · 肉眼判 0140a16／具五眼用 0140a19／雖有肉眼名為佛眼 0140a23。
- 吉藏《義疏》T34n1721（旁證）：〈法師功德品第十九〉0614b23 起 · 來意三 0614b24 · 出世功德 0614c03／十信弟子三賢師 0614c04／品開為二 0614c07／數解 0614c11 · 經力勝根用 0615a07／柔順忍 0615a11／一根具六用 0615a14／悟六根即實相 0615a17／不名天眼 0615a22 · 知境勝用 0615b24。
- 成立史誌：品題羅什／添品「法師功德品」·竺法護「歎法師品」；品次羅什⑲・竺法護／添品⑱;竺法護異譯（常應時・總列與長行數自出入・三十三天・天饌・一頌）；添品逐字近同羅什（六實質字異）。「六根清淨位」連文在〈分別功德品〉疏段・「相似即」位名連文《文句》零（本品段智顗作「相似之位…十信」）；「六根互用」智顗本品段親用（非後世約詞）。
This chapter explains the qualities of the Dharma teacher who practices properly. The Buddha tells the bodhisattva Ever Diligent (Nityodyukta): one who receives and upholds the Lotus Sutra, reads it, recites it, explains it, or writes it out gains eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind; these qualities adorn the six faculties and cause them all to become pure. The text then explains each faculty at length. The pure physical eyes born of one’s parents see a three-thousandfold great-thousand world, although the divine eye has not yet been attained. Pure ordinary ears hear every sound within and beyond that world without the faculty of hearing being damaged. The pure faculty of smell knows the scents of sentient beings and devas, all the way through the bodily scents of buddhas, distinguishing them without error. Whatever the tongue tastes becomes the finest flavor; its profound and wondrous voice brings the eight classes of beings, kings and ministers, and the four classes of sages to hear the Dharma. The pure body, like pure lapis lazuli, displays within itself the birth and death, beauty and ugliness of the beings in the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, its mountains and heavens. The pure faculty of mind hears one verse or sentence and penetrates immeasurable meanings; whether the person teaches for one month, four months, or a year, the teaching never contradicts the true mark, and even worldly writings, language for governing the world, and livelihoods accord with the true Dharma. At each faculty the sutra itself marks 「雖未得」 tr. “although not yet attained”—the divine eye, the divine ear, the faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma, the wondrous body of dharma-nature, or uncontaminated wisdom—yet the qualities of the physical faculties of an ordinary body are already such. Kuiji’s Fahua Xuanzan (Profound Praise of the Lotus) of the Cien tradition places this chapter in the fifth of the five gateways of Dharma-power, “reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching”; Ever Diligent corresponds in both name and practice; this is the merit of the Dharma teacher who practices properly, in contrast to the person practicing alongside in the preceding chapter. Its doctrinal center is 「根用」 tr. “the functions of the faculties.” Following Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra—「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地」 tr. “ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before entering the first ground”—Kuiji places their stage at the four roots of goodness. He presents two readings of the interfunctioning of the faculties—free functioning on the ten grounds or a partial share through intensified practice—and rejects two older calculations of the numbers eight hundred and twelve hundred before presenting four explanations of his own, grounded in the ten Dharma practices. Zhiyi of Tiantai places the purification of the six faculties at the stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching—the iron-wheel stage of the ten faiths—and calculates six thousand through the ten wholesome actions, the ten suchnesses, and the two adornments of meditative stability and wisdom, distinguishing expansion, contraction, and neither expansion nor contraction. Jizang of Sanlun places the disciples of the preceding chapter at the ten-faith stage and the Dharma teacher of this chapter at the stage of the three worthies, calling these the middle-grade qualities among the five kinds of Dharma teacher. The three readings are recorded side by side without adjudication.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
| Outline system | Placement of this chapter |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第十九 法師功德品 tr. “Chapter 19, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” （卷六；〔T09n0262 0047c02〕起）· directly explains the qualities gained by the Dharma teacher who upholds the sutra and whose six faculties become pure |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | At the chapter section 〔T34n1723 0837a25〕, 三門分別：一來意、二釋名、三解妨 tr. “analysis through three gateways: first, the reason for its coming; second, explanation of its name; third, resolution of a difficulty” 〔0837a26〕. The reason for its coming is threefold: (1) 「前明傍人能修行者福，未明正能行法師之福，今正明之」 tr. “Previously the qualities of the person practicing alongside were explained; the qualities of the Dharma teacher who practices properly had not yet been explained, and now they are directly clarified” 〔0837a27〕; (2) 「下二品明正依行福果多少中，初品總明得果多少，後品引已證成得者」 tr. “Of the next two chapters, which explain the measure of the meritorious fruits of proper practice, the first explains their measure in general, and the later chapter adduces one who has already realized them to establish that they are attained” 〔0837a29·後品＝常不輕品〕; (3) according to the five gateways of Dharma-power in the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, 「第五讀誦持說，常精進品示現」 tr. “the fifth is reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching, manifested by the Chapter on Ever Diligent” 〔0837a31·本據 0807a30–b04〕. Explanation of the name: 「依法修行可為軌範，故名法師。唯能行者，非所行法」 tr. “One who practices in accordance with the Dharma can serve as a rule and model, and is therefore named a Dharma teacher. It refers only to the person able to practice, not to the Dharma practiced” 〔0837b01〕. Resolution of the difficulty—why Ever Diligent alone is addressed: 「以常精進名、行雙符，故唯偏告」 tr. “Because Ever Diligent corresponds in both name and practice, he alone is addressed in particular” 〔0837b17〕. The larger text has three parts: distinguishing the Dharma teachers who cultivate the practices; revealing the measure of the qualities they obtain; and revealing the excellent fruits and functions of the six faculties 〔0837b21〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | 〈釋法師功德品〉 tr. “Explanation of the Chapter on the Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” begins at 〔T34n1718 0139b17〕. It places this chapter at the stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching: 「相似之位，若依四輪即鐵輪位也；若依五十二位，即十信心也……今對常精進者，即十信之第三心也」 tr. “As for the stage of resemblance: according to the four wheels, it is the iron-wheel stage; according to the fifty-two stages, it is the minds of the ten faiths. … As now correlated with Ever Diligent, it is the third mind among the ten faiths” 〔0140a04〕. Explanation of the chapter title: 「前謂初品之初功德，今五品之上，謂六根清淨」 tr. “Previously it meant the initial qualities of the first grade; now it is above the five grades and means the purification of the six faculties” 〔0139b18〕（⑱＝相似位前功德〔0139b06〕·此品＝相似位功德〔0140a04〕） |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | 〈法師功德品第十九〉 tr. “Chapter 19, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” begins at 〔T34n1721 0614b23〕. Carrying forward the three-part judgment of Chapter 18, it calls this chapter 「五種法師，即是中品功德」 tr. “the middle-grade qualities among the five kinds of Dharma teacher.” In terms of stages: 「前是十信弟子位，今是三賢師位」 tr. “Previously was the disciple-stage of the ten faiths; now is the teacher-stage of the three worthies” 〔0614c04〕. 「今品但明出世功德，以六根清淨三界所無故稱出世也」 tr. “The present chapter explains only qualities beyond the world. Because the purification of the six faculties is absent from the three realms, it is called beyond the world” 〔0614c03〕. The chapter opens in two: a general explanation that the five kinds of Dharma teacher gain six thousand qualities, and a particular explanation addressed to Ever Diligent 〔0614c07〕 |
II. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations
This chapter has three Chinese translations: Kumārajīva’s T262 〈法師功德品第十九〉 tr. “Chapter 19, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher”; Dharmarakṣa’s T263 《正法華經》 True Dharma Lotus, 〈歎法師品第十八〉 tr. “Chapter 18, Praise of the Dharma Teacher” 〔T09n0263 0119a17〕; and the supplemented edition T264 〈法師功德品第十八〉 tr. “Chapter 18, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” 〔T09n0264 0181c14〕. The corresponding chapter in Dharmarakṣa is indeed the Chapter on Praise of the Dharma Teacher, praising the Dharma teacher’s qualities. It must not be confused with Dharmarakṣa’s 〈藥王如來品第十〉 tr. “Chapter 10, Medicine King Tathāgata,” which corresponds to Kumārajīva’s Chapter 10, The Dharma Teacher. The chapter numbers differ—Chapter 19 in Kumārajīva and Chapter 18 in Dharmarakṣa and the supplemented edition—because Kumārajīva alone makes the Devadatta material an independent chapter.
Passage One · General Enumeration of the Numbers for the Six Faculties (Dharmarakṣa’s General List Conflicts with Its Own Prose Sections)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩：「若善男子、善女人，受持是法華經，若讀、若誦、若解說、若書寫，是人當得八百眼功德、千二百耳功德、八百鼻功德、千二百舌功德、八百身功德、千二百意功德，以是功德、莊嚴六根，皆令清淨。…… tr. “At that time, the Buddha told the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Ever Diligent: ‘If good men or good women receive and uphold this Lotus Sutra, read it, recite it, explain it, or write it out, they will gain eight hundred qualities of the eye, twelve hundred qualities of the ear, eight hundred qualities of the nose, twelve hundred qualities of the tongue, eight hundred qualities of the body, and twelve hundred qualities of the mind. By these qualities they will adorn the six faculties and cause them all to become pure …’” | T09n0262 0047c03 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕爾時佛告常精進菩薩摩訶薩…… tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva:] At that time, the Buddha told the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Ever Diligent. …” | T09n0264 0181c15 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 爾時世尊，告常應時菩薩大士：「若族姓子、族姓女，受是經典持讀書寫……當得十眼功德之本八百名稱，千二百耳根，千二百鼻根，千二百舌根，千二百身行，千二百意淨，是為無數百千品德，則能嚴淨六根功祚。 tr. “At that time, the World-Honored One told the bodhisattva great being Ever Responsive to the Time: ‘If sons or daughters of good family receive this scripture, uphold it, read it, and write it … they will obtain ten bases of the eye’s qualities with eight hundred designations, twelve hundred for the faculty of hearing, twelve hundred for the faculty of smell, twelve hundred for the faculty of taste, twelve hundred bodily activities, and twelve hundred purities of mind. These are countless hundreds of thousands of virtues, able to adorn and purify the meritorious functions of the six faculties.’” | T09n0263 0119a18 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is word for word the same as Kumārajīva. In Dharmarakṣa, the addressee 「常精進」 tr. “Ever Diligent” becomes 「常應時」 tr. “Ever Responsive to the Time,” a different construal of the name that occurs four times in the chapter; in the last three faculty-sections, the address becomes 「佛復告族姓子」 tr. “the Buddha again told the son of good family.” Its general enumeration is 「眼八百·餘五根皆千二百」 tr. “eight hundred for the eye and twelve hundred for each of the other five faculties,” so the nose and body have twelve hundred rather than Kumārajīva’s eight hundred. Yet within Dharmarakṣa’s own prose section on the nose it says 「得八百功德諸根堅固鼻根清淨」 tr. “gaining eight hundred qualities, the faculties firm and the faculty of smell pure” 〔0120a11〕, and in the prose section on the body it says 「逮得身行八百功德」 tr. “attaining eight hundred qualities of bodily activity” 〔0121c20〕. Thus T263’s general enumeration conflicts with its own prose sections. Kumārajīva, the supplemented edition, and the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra—the Profound Praise states, 「本論之中唯說三根各千二百，餘三各八百」 tr. “the root Treatise speaks only of three faculties as each having twelve hundred and the remaining three as each having eight hundred” 〔T34n1723 0837c10〕—all present a regular division of three stronger and three lesser faculties.
Passage Two · The Pure Physical Eyes Born of One’s Parents
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 父母所生清淨肉眼，見於三千大千世界內外所有山林河海，下至阿鼻地獄，上至有頂……雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是 tr. “With the pure physical eyes born of their parents, they see all the mountains, forests, rivers, and seas within and beyond a three-thousandfold great-thousand world, downward to the Avīci hell and upward to the summit of existence. … Although they have not yet attained the divine eye, the power of their physical eyes is such.” | T09n0262 0047c08／偈 0047c22 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva.]” | T09n0264 0181c20 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 而以肉眼覩諸所有，滿三千大千世界……下至無可大地獄中，上至三十三天……尚未獲天眼，亦不曉了知，肉眼之境界，根且覺輕便 tr. “With the physical eye they behold all that exists throughout a three-thousandfold great-thousand world … downward to the Great Hell of No Escape, and upward to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. … Though they have not yet obtained the divine eye and do not know by its understanding, this is the sphere of the physical eye, and the faculty becomes light and facile.” | T09n0263 0119a23／偈 0119b09 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is word for word the same as Kumārajīva. Dharmarakṣa renders Avīci as 「無可大地獄」 tr. “the Great Hell of No Escape,” a translation of its sense as uninterrupted. More importantly, 「上至有頂」 tr. “upward to the summit of existence” becomes 「上至三十三天」 tr. “upward to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.” The scope differs: Kumārajīva reaches the summit of the form realm, whereas Dharmarakṣa stops at Trāyastriṃśa in the desire realm. The same scope recurs for eye, ear, and body. The meaning 「父母所生」 tr. “born of one’s parents” appears in Dharmarakṣa’s verse as 「彼則以肉眼，而從父母生」 tr. “with that physical eye, which is born of one’s parents” 〔0119b03〕.
Passage Three · Sounds Heard by the Faculty of Hearing (Expansion and Contraction of the Enumeration)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 象聲、馬聲、牛聲、車聲，啼哭聲、愁歎聲，螺聲、鼓聲、鍾聲、鈴聲，笑聲、語聲，男聲、女聲、童子聲、童女聲，法聲、非法聲，苦聲、樂聲，凡夫聲、聖人聲，喜聲、不喜聲，天聲、龍聲、夜叉聲……菩薩聲、佛聲 tr. “Sounds of elephants, horses, oxen, and carts; crying and sorrowful lament; conches, drums, bells, and chimes; laughter and speech; men and women; boys and girls; sounds in accord with Dharma and sounds not in accord with Dharma; suffering and pleasure; ordinary people and sages; delight and displeasure; devas, nāgas, and yakṣas … bodhisattvas and buddhas.” | T09n0262 0047c26 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什·唯「其中內外種種所有語言音聲」增一詞〕 tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva, except that one character is added in ‘all the many existing sounds of language within and beyond it.’]” | T09n0264 0182a08 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 象聲馬聲牛聲、伎樂聲車聲、啼哭聲愁歎聲、鼓聲鍾聲、歌聲舞聲戲笑聲、男聲女聲、幼僮聲僮女聲，風聲奇妙聲，正法聲非法聲，樂聲苦聲、力聲志性聲、柔聲麁聲，天聲龍聲，鬼神、揵沓和、阿須倫、迦留羅、真陀羅、摩休勒聲…… tr. “Sounds of elephants, horses, and oxen; music and carts; crying and sorrowful lament; drums and bells; singing, dancing, play, and laughter; men and women; boys and girls; wind and wondrous sounds; sounds of true Dharma and sounds not of Dharma; pleasure and suffering; strength and disposition; gentle and coarse sounds; devas and nāgas; spirits, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas. …” | T09n0263 0119b15 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is nearly word for word the same, adding only 「所有」 tr. “existing.” Dharmarakṣa expands the list with music, singing and dancing, sounds of strength and disposition, and gentle and coarse sounds, while contracting or omitting conches, chimes, ordinary people and sages, delight and displeasure, nuns, solitary awakeners, and other classes. Its transliterations for the eight classes follow another system: 「揵沓和」 tr. “gandharva,” 「阿須倫」 tr. “asura,” 「真陀羅」 tr. “kiṃnara,” and 「摩休勒」 tr. “mahoraga.”
Passage Four · Scents Known by the Faculty of Smell (the Bodily Scents of Devas)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 釋提桓因在勝殿上，五欲娛樂嬉戲時香；若在妙法堂上，為忉利諸天說法時香 tr. “The scent of Śakra when he sports amid the pleasures of the five senses in the Excellent Palace; and the scent when, in the Hall of Wondrous Dharma, he teaches the Dharma to the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.” | T09n0262 0048c03 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva.]” | T09n0264 0183a12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 諸天香天宮香，帝釋身香，知所生處，於講堂上鼓樂弦歌，所當修設諸大法則，為忉利天諸天說法 tr. “They know the fragrances of devas, heavenly palaces, and Śakra’s body, and know where they arise. In the lecture hall, amid drums, music, strings, and song, he establishes the great rules to be practiced and teaches the Dharma to the devas of Trāyastriṃśa.” | T09n0263 0120a21 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is word for word the same as Kumārajīva, except that in the prose the phrase 「如是展轉乃至梵世」 tr. “successively upward as far as the Brahmā world” 〔0048c07〕 reads 「梵天」 tr. “Brahmā heaven”; the verse agrees. In Dharmarakṣa, the proper names 「勝殿」「妙法堂」 tr. “Excellent Palace” and “Hall of Wondrous Dharma” have zero occurrences in the chapter; their meaning is gathered into 「講堂…為忉利天說法」 tr. “the lecture hall … teaching the Dharma to the devas of Trāyastriṃśa.” Dharmarakṣa also has the distinctive expressions 「比陀美香、晝度樹香」 tr. “fragrance of bitamei and fragrance of the Day-Crossing Tree,” the latter 「晝度樹」 tr. “Day-Crossing Tree” being a translation by meaning of pārijātaka.
Passage Five · The Tongue (Fine Flavor · Profound and Wondrous Voice)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 若好、若醜，若美、不美，及諸苦澁物，在其舌根，皆變成上味，如天甘露，無不美者……出深妙聲，能入其心 tr. “Whether good or bad, delicious or not delicious, even bitter and astringent things, when placed upon the faculty of the tongue all become the finest flavor, like heavenly nectar, with nothing that is not delicious. … A profound and wondrous voice issues forth and can enter their hearts.” | T09n0262 0049b16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva.]” | T09n0264 0183b24 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 舌根具足分別諸味，若得甘美，變為天上自然飲食，設服酢澁醎苦，化成天饌……若入諍怒德音柔軟，談誼辯慧清白知節 tr. “The faculty of the tongue fully distinguishes all flavors. If it obtains something sweet and delicious, it becomes naturally arisen heavenly food; if it takes in sour, astringent, salty, or bitter flavors, they transform into a heavenly meal. … If entering dispute or anger, the virtuous voice is gentle; its discourse on meaning, eloquence, and wisdom is pure and measured.” | T09n0263 0121b04 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is word for word the same as Kumārajīva. Dharmarakṣa turns 「如天甘露」 tr. “like heavenly nectar” into 「化成天饌」 tr. “transforming into a heavenly meal”; the term 「甘露」 tr. “nectar” has zero occurrences in its chapter. Kumārajīva’s 「深妙聲」 tr. “profound and wondrous voice” is represented in Dharmarakṣa by 「德音柔軟」 tr. “the virtuous voice is gentle.”
Passage Six · The Faculty of Mind (Hearing One Verse and Penetrating Immeasurable Meanings)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 乃至聞一偈一句，通達無量無邊之義，解是義已，能演說一句一偈至於一月、四月乃至一歲……是人有所思惟、籌量、言說，皆是佛法，無不真實，亦是先佛經中所說 tr. “Even on hearing one verse or sentence, they penetrate immeasurable and boundless meanings. Having understood those meanings, they can expound the one sentence or verse for one month, four months, or even a year. … Whatever this person reflects upon, considers, or says is all Buddha-Dharma; none of it is untrue, and it is also what was taught in the sutras of former buddhas.” | T09n0262 0050a20／0050a28 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕 tr. “[Word for word the same as Kumārajīva.]” | T09n0264 0184b16 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 聞一頌者，所究彌廣多所達了。以弘覺了，便能一月講說經法。四月一年綜練所歷，憶念不忘……意志清淨不復思惟，自然分別說法誼趣，言皆至誠……往古最勝經卷 tr. “One who hears a single stanza investigates ever more broadly and comprehends much. Through vast awakening and understanding, that person can teach the scripture and Dharma for one month; throughout four months or a year, surveying and mastering what has been traversed, it is remembered and not forgotten. … The intention is pure and no longer deliberates; naturally distinguishing and teaching the purport of the Dharma, every word is utterly sincere … the supreme scripture-scrolls of the ancient past.” | T09n0263 0122a19／0122a25 |
What the variants bear upon: the supplemented edition is word for word the same as Kumārajīva. Dharmarakṣa renders 「一偈」 tr. “one verse” as 「一頌」 tr. “one stanza”; the expression 「一偈」 tr. “one verse” has zero occurrences in its chapter. The numerical frame 「一月四月乃至一歲」 tr. “one month, four months, up to one year” is the same: one month, four months, one year. It has no sentence in the form 「皆是佛法」 tr. “all is Buddha-Dharma”; the term 「佛法」 tr. “Buddha-Dharma” has zero occurrences in the chapter, while the meaning is gathered into 「言皆至誠…往古最勝經卷」 tr. “every word is utterly sincere … the supreme scripture-scrolls of the ancient past,” corresponding to what was taught in the sutras of former buddhas. 「俗間經書治世語言資生業」 tr. “worldly books and writings, language for governing the world, and livelihoods” becomes 「凡俗所為販賣賈作語言音聲」 tr. “the words and sounds of ordinary worldly activities, trade, and commerce” 〔0122a21〕.
Placement of the supplemented edition: T264 〈法師功德品第十八〉 tr. “Chapter 18, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” follows Kumārajīva word for word. There are only six substantive differences: one added occurrence of 「所有」 tr. “existing”; 「語言／言語」 tr. “language / speech” in reversed order; 「梵世→梵天」 tr. “Brahmā world → Brahmā heaven” in prose and verse; 「聞香／聞則」 tr. “smelling the fragrance / upon smelling”; 「皆／悉」 tr. “all / entirely”; and 「讀誦／讀經」 tr. “reading and reciting / reading the scripture.” The remainder consists of graphic variants such as 鍾／鐘, 嶮／險, 菓／果, and 酥／穌. It is a reprint of Kumārajīva, not a new translation. Dharmarakṣa’s T263 〈歎法師品〉 tr. “Chapter on Praise of the Dharma Teacher” is the true alternate-translation axis: its chapter title differs; its addressee is “Ever Responsive to the Time”; its general enumeration conflicts with its own faculty-sections by giving twelve hundred to nose and body where the prose gives eight hundred; its upper limit is 「上至三十三天」 tr. “upward to the Heaven of the Thirty-Three” rather than the summit of existence; and it uses a different translation system—the Great Hell of No Escape, a heavenly meal, one stanza, the Day-Crossing Tree, and the lecture hall.
III. Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)
The Consciousness-Only meaning of this chapter in the Profound Praise is moderately rich but lies entirely along the single axis of 「根用」 tr. “the functions of the faculties,” not the three natures or the store consciousness. A mechanical scan of the full passage 〔T34n1723 0837a25–0839b09〕 returns zero for every signature metaphysical term associated with Consciousness-Only: the three natures in the sense of wholly-imagined, other-dependent, and perfectly-accomplished; wholly-imagined; other-dependent; perfectly-accomplished; store consciousness; ālaya-consciousness; transformation of the basis; the five lineages; lineage; the two obstructions; and seeds. The single occurrence of 「三性」 tr. “three natures” at 〔0839a28〕 refers to the wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate characteristics of action, not to the three-nature doctrine. By contrast, 「互用」 tr. “interfunctioning” occurs nine times, 「定果」 tr. “fruits of meditative stability” three times, and 「經力」 tr. “power of the sutra” twice. The center is the classification of the extraordinary functions of ordinary faculties. It has four points:
(1) Ordinary beings obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties through the power of the sutra—the governing principle of the chapter 〔T34n1723 0837c32〕:
「經云『以是功德莊嚴六根皆令清淨』，論云『諸凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地位』。」〔T34n1723 0837c32〕
tr. “The sutra says, ‘By these qualities they adorn the six faculties and cause them all to become pure.’ The Treatise says, ‘Ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before they have entered the first ground.’”
According to Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, those whose six faculties are pure are still ordinary beings, before the first ground. Their extraordinary functions are not the higher knowledges of divine eye or divine ear and are not obtained as karmic recompense; they are produced by the power of upholding the sutra. This corresponds exactly to the sutra’s recurring formula 「雖未得（天眼／天耳／無漏法生鼻／法性妙身／無漏智慧）……功德已如是」 tr. “although the divine eye / divine ear / faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma / wondrous body of dharma-nature / uncontaminated wisdom has not yet been attained … the qualities are already such.” As to the stage, Kuiji says, 「今解唯在四善根位，以其肉眼見大千故……決擇分位見大千之化佛」 tr. “The present explanation places it only at the stage of the four roots of goodness, because with the physical eye they see a great-thousand world. … At the stage of the portion of discernment, they see emanation buddhas of a great-thousand world” 〔0838a04〕. Some explanations place it at the ten abodes, ten practices, and ten dedications; Kuiji’s own explanation takes the four roots of goodness within intensified practice. He further invokes the 〈菩薩地〉 Bodhisattva Ground: 「勝解行位久修菩薩，無驗呪術用皆驗」 tr. “For bodhisattvas who have long practiced at the stage of conduct through resolute understanding, even spells that ordinarily produce no result become effective” 〔0838b15〕, proving 「六根清淨必在地前凡夫上位」 tr. “purification of the six faculties must lie at an advanced ordinary stage before the grounds.” In contrast, 「小教說二乘天眼見大千，今說持經力凡夫眼見大千，初地菩薩見一百大千世界」 tr. “The lesser teaching says that the divine eye of the two vehicles sees a great-thousand world; the present text says that through the power of upholding the sutra, the eyes of an ordinary being see a great-thousand world; a bodhisattva on the first ground sees one hundred great-thousand worlds” 〔0838b01〕.
(2) Interfunctioning of the faculties—two readings 〔T34n1723 0838a09〕. The 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says: 「又六根清淨者，於一一根中悉能具足見色聞聲知香味觸等，諸根互用故」 tr. “Further, when the six faculties are pure, each single faculty fully performs seeing forms, hearing sounds, and knowing scents, flavors, tangible objects, and the rest, because the faculties function through one another” 〔0838a09〕. Kuiji gives two readings:
「《唯識》等云『得自在位諸根互用，一根發識緣一切境』，故非地前可名自在諸根互用。」〔T34n1723 0838a15〕
tr. “The Consciousness-Only and other treatises say: ‘At the stage of mastery, the faculties function through one another, and one faculty gives rise to consciousness that ranges over every object.’ Therefore what lies before the grounds cannot be called free interfunctioning of the faculties.”
On the first reading, free interfunctioning occurs only on the ten grounds, in accordance with the sense of the stage of mastery in the 《成唯識論》 Cheng Weishi Lun; it does not occur before the grounds. On the second, 「若加行力分亦得者，地前亦得」 tr. “if through the power of intensified practice a partial share may also be obtained, then it may also be obtained before the grounds” 〔0838a21〕. Great free interfunctioning lies on the ten grounds, while a partial share is allowed before the grounds. The nose’s knowledge of heavenly fragrances is an example. The 《法華論》 judges it in this way: 「此是智境，鼻根知故。定智遙知，依鼻根取，故名聞香，非鼻實能離中取境」 tr. “This is an object of knowledge, known through the faculty of smell. Meditative knowledge knows it from afar and grasps it in dependence upon the faculty of smell; therefore it is called smelling fragrance. It is not that the nose actually grasps an object across a distance” 〔0838c02·論云〕. It is an object of knowledge named in dependence upon a faculty: a semblance of fragrance is obtained, not its actual substance. Kuiji follows and explains the root Treatise.
(3) The numbers eight hundred and twelve hundred—rejecting two older explanations and presenting four current explanations. Kuiji first records two older accounts: the ten wholesome actions as the basis, producing four hundred in three grades; or each of the six faculties possessing one hundred merits. He rejects them: 「若依十善為首修成此德，餘經亦爾……何但此經？」 tr. “If these qualities are cultivated and accomplished with the ten wholesome actions as their beginning, the same would be true of other sutras. … Why only this sutra?” 〔0837c03〕. He also writes, 「又未勘彼二文」 tr. “Moreover, I have not checked those two texts” 〔0837c11〕—recording doubt without making an unsupported decision. His current explanation takes the ten Dharma practices of this sutra as its basis:
「於此經中修十法行：一書寫，二供養，三施他，四聽聞，五披讀，六受持，七開演，八諷誦，九思惟，十修習。於此十中一一相資轉成百行，百行各四：自作、教他、讚勵、慶慰、合成四百。各有三品而修習之、成千二百。三根勝故具千二百、三根劣故而無上品各唯八百」〔0837c12〕
tr. “Within this sutra one cultivates ten Dharma practices: first, copying; second, making offerings; third, giving to others; fourth, listening; fifth, reading through; sixth, receiving and upholding; seventh, expounding; eighth, chanting and reciting; ninth, reflecting; tenth, cultivating. Within these ten, each mutually assists the others and in turn becomes one hundred practices. Each of the hundred has four forms: practicing oneself, teaching others, praising and encouraging, and welcoming with rejoicing; together they make four hundred. Each is cultivated in three grades, producing twelve hundred. Because three faculties are stronger, they possess the full twelve hundred; because three are lesser and lack the highest grade, each has only eight hundred.”
The kinds of Dharma teacher may likewise be expanded or contracted: 「據實法師總有十種，此略說五：一持，二讀，三誦，四說，五寫」 tr. “In reality there are ten kinds of Dharma teacher in all. Here five are taught in brief: first, upholding; second, reading; third, reciting; fourth, teaching; fifth, writing” 〔0837b23〕. Making offerings, giving to others, listening, reflecting, and cultivating are likewise all practices of a Dharma teacher.
(4) Form produced as the fruit of meditative stability—the reconciliation of fragrance in the form realm. How can there be fragrance in the form realm? 「此通果香，非業果也」 tr. “This fragrance is the fruit of a supernormal power, not a karmic fruit” 〔0838c12〕. Kuiji invokes the 《華嚴經》 Avataṃsaka-sūtra on 「菩薩鼻根聞無色界宮殿之香」 tr. “a bodhisattva’s faculty of smell perceiving the fragrance of palaces in the formless realm,” together with the 《瑜伽》 Yogācārabhūmi: 「勝定果色當知唯有顯色等相」 tr. “One should know that form produced as the fruit of superior meditative stability has only such marks as visible color” and 「勝定果色於一切色皆得自在」 tr. “Form produced as the fruit of superior meditative stability has mastery over every kind of form” 〔0838c12–21〕. This is form transformed by the power of meditative stability, not the fragrance of karmic recompense.
(Note: the Consciousness-Only meaning of this chapter in the Profound Praise is moderately rich but lies wholly along the axis of 「根用」 tr. “the functions of the faculties”—the power of the sutra, placement before the grounds, the two readings of interfunctioning, and form produced as the fruit of meditative stability. Each point is established through the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, the 《成唯識論》 Cheng Weishi Lun, and the 《瑜伽》 Yogācārabhūmi. The governing metaphysical framework of the three natures and the store consciousness is entirely absent. No three-nature framework from Chapter 2 and no three-buddha framework from Chapter 16 is to be imposed here. The terminal exposition follows the actual reading of 「根用」 tr. “the functions of the faculties” and does not expand beyond it.**)
IV. The Explanations of the Various Masters (the Ancients · Their Traditions Stated · Recorded without Adjudicating)
On the same 「六根清淨」 tr. “purification of the six faculties,” Cien, Tiantai, and Sanlun assign different stages while all relying upon the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra. The expository mirror of this edition is Kuiji’s Cien 《玄贊》 Fahua Xuanzan (Profound Praise of the Lotus); Tiantai and Sanlun are recorded alongside it, their differences stated without adjudication.
Distinguishing summary expressions: (1) The exact four-character expression 「六根互用」 tr. “interfunctioning of the six faculties” is used by Zhiyi in this chapter-section: 「六根互用根自在故、不可思議故」 tr. “because the six faculties function through one another, because the faculties are free, and because this is inconceivable” 〔T34n1718 0140a02〕. It occurs twice in the whole work, the other occurrence lying in the chapter-section on the Parable of the Conjured City 〔0099b22〕. It is therefore not a later summary expression. Jizang expresses the concept with 「得互用」 tr. “obtaining interfunctioning” 〔T34n1721 0615a16〕 without the exact four-character sequence; the Profound Praise uses 「諸根互用」 tr. “the faculties function through one another” 〔0838a09 and elsewhere〕. (2) The exact expression 「六根清淨位」 tr. “the stage of purification of the six faculties” occurs in the commentary-section on 〈分別功德品〉 tr. “the Chapter on Distinguishing Qualities” 〔0138b08／0138b15「鐵輪六根清淨位」 tr. “the iron-wheel stage of purification of the six faculties”〕. In the present chapter-section, Zhiyi actually writes 「相似之位……即十信心也」 tr. “the stage of resemblance … is precisely the minds of the ten faiths” 〔0140a04〕. (3) The continuous expression 「相似即」 tr. “resemblance identity,” as the name of one of the six identities, has zero occurrences in the whole of the 《文句》 Words and Phrases of the Lotus. At 0018c11, 「相似・即空即假即中」 tr. “resembling; precisely empty, precisely provisionally designated, and precisely the middle” has a different punctuation and reading. “Resemblance identity” is a later summary expression for a Tiantai stage and must not be presented as Zhiyi’s verbatim wording in this chapter.
Cien · Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 T34n1723 (the Principal Mirror)
The fifth gateway among the five gateways of Dharma-power, 「讀誦持說」 tr. “reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching” 〔0837a31〕; the qualities of the Dharma teacher who practices properly, in contrast to the person practicing alongside in Chapter 18 〔0837a27〕; explanation of the name through 「依法修行可為軌範」 tr. “one who practices in accordance with the Dharma can serve as a rule and model” 〔0837b01〕; Ever Diligent addressed alone because 「名行雙符」 tr. “name and practice both correspond” 〔0837b17〕; extraordinary functions of the faculties through the power of the sutra before the grounds, placed by Kuiji at the four roots of goodness; two readings of interfunctioning; four current explanations of eight hundred and twelve hundred, grounded in the ten Dharma practices; and reconciliation through form produced as the fruit of meditative stability. See Heading III. The Cien line is carried forward by Huizhao’s 《法華玄贊義決》 T34n1724.
Tiantai · Zhiyi’s 《文句》 T34n1718 (Parallel Witness)
This chapter is placed at the stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching, where the six faculties become pure 〔T34n1718 0140a04〕:
「相似之位，若依四輪即鐵輪位也；若依五十二位，即十信心也；若依《仁王》即十善大心也。今對常精進者，即十信之第三心也。諸經名目雖異，同是圓教相似位耳。」〔T34n1718 0140a04〕
tr. “As for the stage of resemblance: according to the four wheels, it is the iron-wheel stage; according to the fifty-two stages, it is the minds of the ten faiths; according to the 《仁王》 Humane Kings Sutra, it is the great minds of the ten wholesome actions. As now correlated with Ever Diligent, it is the third mind among the ten faiths. Although the terms used in the sutras differ, all alike refer to the stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching.”
Explanation of the numbers: Zhiyi rejects Guangzhai’s calculation through the three karmas, ten wholesome actions, four hundred, five teachers, two thousand, and three grades making six thousand 〔0139c02〕. His own explanation says:
「三業安樂行即有十善，一善有十即百善，一善中有十如即千善，就化他為二千，約如來室、如來衣、如來座，即成六千……復次一心中具十法界，一一界皆有十如，即成一百，一根通取六塵，即有六百，約定慧二莊嚴，即是一千二百」〔0139c20〕
tr. “The peaceful practices of the three karmas contain the ten wholesome actions; each wholesome action contains ten, making one hundred; within each wholesome action are the ten suchnesses, making one thousand. In relation to transforming others, this makes two thousand; in relation to the Tathāgata’s room, the Tathāgata’s robe, and the Tathāgata’s seat, it makes six thousand. … Again, one mind contains the ten dharma-realms, and each realm has the ten suchnesses, making one hundred. One faculty universally apprehends the six sense-objects, making six hundred; in relation to the two adornments of meditative stability and wisdom, this makes twelve hundred.”
Expansion and contraction: 「若言千二顯其能盈，若言八百顯其能縮，若言清淨無盈無縮無等，六根互用根自在故、不可思議故。若偏判者則失旨也」 tr. “To say twelve hundred reveals the capacity to expand; to say eight hundred reveals the capacity to contract; to say ‘pure’ means neither expansion nor contraction, with nothing equal to it, because the six faculties function through one another, because the faculties are free, and because this is inconceivable. To judge one-sidedly would miss the purport” 〔0140a01〕. The physical eye: 「因經之力有勝根用，既未發真不得稱天眼，猶名肉眼……猶是分段之身，故稱父母所生」 tr. “Through the power of the sutra it has extraordinary functions of a faculty. Since the real has not yet arisen, it cannot be called the divine eye and is still named the physical eye. … It remains a body in segmented birth and death and is therefore called born of one’s parents” 〔0140a16〕. Yet 「雖稱肉眼，具五眼用」 tr. “although named the physical eye, it possesses the functions of all five eyes” 〔0140a19〕. Zhiyi also cites the 《大經》 Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra: 「雖有肉眼名為佛眼」 tr. “although possessing a physical eye, it is named a buddha-eye” 〔0140a23〕.
Sanlun · Jizang’s 《法華義疏》 T34n1721 (Parallel Witness)
In terms of stages: 「前是十信弟子位，今是三賢師位」 tr. “Previously was the disciple-stage of the ten faiths; now is the teacher-stage of the three worthies” 〔0614c04〕. Chapter 18 concerns disciples at the ten faiths; Chapter 19 concerns Dharma teachers among the three worthies, differing from Tiantai’s placement at the ten faiths. 「今品但明出世功德，以六根清淨三界所無故稱出世也」 tr. “The present chapter explains only qualities beyond the world. Because purification of the six faculties is absent from the three realms, it is called beyond the world” 〔0614c03〕. In its calculation, the ten wholesome actions mutually adorn one another and become one hundred; practicing oneself, teaching others, praise by people, and praise of the Dharma make four hundred; the five kinds of Dharma teacher make two thousand; higher, middle, and lower grades make six thousand 〔0614c11〕, with two further explanations introduced as 「有人言」 tr. “someone says” also recorded. Jizang cites the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra three times: extraordinary functions through the power of the sutra 〔0615a07〕; each faculty possessing all six functions 〔0615a14〕; and an excellent function for knowing an object, known through the faculty of smell 〔0615b24〕. He interprets the physical eye as 「今經所說肉眼者是柔順忍也」 tr. “the physical eye taught in the present sutra is the forbearance of pliant accord” 〔0615a11〕, correlating it with Nāgārjuna’s two kinds of forbearance. 「非修禪所得淨色來入眼中，又非生彼天報得，故不名天眼」 tr. “It is not that pure form obtained through cultivating meditation enters the eye, nor is it attained as the karmic recompense of birth in that heaven; therefore it is not named the divine eye” 〔0615a22〕. The principle of interfunctioning: 「悟六根即是實相，實相即是法身，故六根無礙，所以得互用」 tr. “To awaken to the six faculties as precisely the true mark is to see that the true mark is precisely the dharma-body. The six faculties are therefore unobstructed, and so they obtain interfunctioning” 〔0615a17〕.
The Placements of the Three Houses Recorded Together (Recorded without Adjudication)
Common ground: all three houses rely upon the statement in the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, 「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用，未入初地」 tr. “ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before entering the first ground,” quoted in the Profound Praise 〔0837c32〕, the Words and Phrases 〔0139c12〕, and Jizang’s Commentary 〔0615a07〕. Those whose six faculties are pure are ordinary beings, and their power lies in the sutra; the three houses do not dispute this. Their placements of stage differ: Cien places them at 「四善根位」 tr. “the stage of the four roots of goodness,” in the portion of discernment within intensified practice; Tiantai places them at 「圓教相似位＝鐵輪＝十信」 tr. “the stage of resemblance in the perfect teaching—the iron wheel and ten faiths”; Sanlun places them at 「三賢師位」 tr. “the teacher-stage of the three worthies,” the forbearance of pliant accord. All three are before the grounds but each follows the stages of its own tradition. Their calculations differ: Cien begins from this sutra’s ten Dharma practices; Tiantai from the ten wholesome actions, the ten suchnesses, the ten dharma-realms, and the two adornments of meditative stability and wisdom; Jizang from the ten wholesome actions mutually adorning one another to make four hundred. Each calculation forms its own system; they are recorded side by side without adjudication. Their accounts of interfunctioning differ: Cien gives two readings—「《唯識》自在位／加行分得」 tr. “the stage of mastery in the Consciousness-Only treatise or a partial share through intensified practice”; Tiantai says 「根自在故不可思議故」 tr. “because the faculties are free and because this is inconceivable,” neither expanding nor contracting; Jizang says 「悟六根即是實相」 tr. “awakening to the six faculties as precisely the true mark” makes them unobstructed. The readings are recorded side by side without adjudication. Zhiyi (538–597) and Jizang (549–623) precede Kuiji (632–682).
V. Terminology
| 漢 | Ancient-transmitted Sanskrit (romanization · pronunciation aid) | Attestation by the ancient masters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 六根清淨 | — | 〔本經 0047c07〕; the 《法華論》 states, 「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用未入初地」 tr. “ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before entering the first ground,” as quoted in Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 T34n1723 0837c32; the three houses place the stage differently—four roots of goodness, stage of resemblance at the ten faiths, or the three worthies | Purification of the six faculties gained through the five practices of upholding the sutra; extraordinary functions produced by the power of the sutra in ordinary beings before the grounds |
| 八百·千二百功德 | — | 〔本經 0047c04〕; Kuiji’s four current explanations through the ten Dharma practices 〔T34n1723 0837c12〕; Zhiyi’s calculation through the ten suchnesses and his distinction of expansion and contraction 〔T34n1718 0139c20／0140a01〕; Jizang’s calculation through the mutual adornment of the ten wholesome actions 〔T34n1721 0614c11〕; Dharmarakṣa’s general list gives nose and body twelve hundred, conflicting with its own prose sections 〔T09n0263 0119a19〕 | Three stronger faculties—ear, tongue, and mind—have twelve hundred; three lesser faculties—eye, nose, and body—have eight hundred; the three houses calculate the numbers differently |
| 父母所生眼 | — | 〔本經 0047c08〕; Kuiji: 「肉眼非通」 tr. “the physical eye is not a higher knowledge” 〔T34n1723 0838a27〕; Zhiyi: 「既未發真不得稱天眼……分段之身故稱父母所生」 tr. “since the real has not yet arisen, it cannot be called the divine eye … because it is a body in segmented birth and death, it is called born of one’s parents” 〔T34n1718 0140a16〕; Jizang: 「柔順忍」 tr. “the forbearance of pliant accord” 〔T34n1721 0615a11〕 | The physical faculty of an ordinary body in segmented birth and death; not the divine eye, yet possessing power like that of the divine eye |
| 諸根互用 | — | The 《法華論》 states, 「於一一根中悉能具足見色聞聲知香味觸」 tr. “each single faculty fully performs seeing forms, hearing sounds, and knowing scents, flavors, and tangible objects,” quoted in Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 0838a09; Kuiji’s two readings 〔0838a15／0838a21〕; Zhiyi: 「六根互用根自在故」 tr. “because the six faculties function through one another, because the faculties are free” 〔T34n1718 0140a02·本品段親用〕; Jizang: 「悟六根即是實相……所以得互用」 tr. “awakening to the six faculties as precisely the true mark … therefore they obtain interfunctioning” 〔T34n1721 0615a17〕 | One faculty possessing the functions of the others; complete mastery on the ten grounds or a partial share before the grounds, according to Cien’s two readings |
| 五種法師 | — | 〔本經 0047c03 受持讀誦解說書寫〕; Kuiji: 「據實法師總有十種，此略說五」 tr. “in reality there are ten kinds of Dharma teacher in all; here five are taught in brief” 〔T34n1723 0837b23〕 | Receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, explaining, and writing—the abbreviated five among ten practices |
| 常精進 | Nityodyukta（系） | 〔本經 0047c03〕; Kuiji: 「名行雙符故唯偏告」 tr. “because name and practice both correspond, he alone is addressed in particular” 〔T34n1723 0837b17〕; Dharmarakṣa renders the name 「常應時」 tr. “Ever Responsive to the Time” 〔T09n0263 0119a18〕 | Ever Diligent, the bodhisattva addressed in this chapter; the name itself is the practice, because one must be ever diligent to uphold and teach the sutra |
VI. Similes · Rhetoric
This chapter contains none of the seven great parables of the Lotus. Its rhetorical core lies in 「淨琉璃／明鏡」 tr. “the similes of pure lapis lazuli and the bright mirror,” together with the repeated formula 「雖未得……功德已如是」 tr. “although not yet attained … the qualities are already such.”
(1) The similes of pure lapis lazuli and the bright mirror (the body) — 〔T09n0262 0049c23／偈 0050a05〕: 「得清淨身、如淨琉璃，眾生憙見……又如淨明鏡，悉見諸色像；菩薩於淨身，皆見世所有，唯獨自明了，餘人所不見。」 tr. “They gain a pure body like pure lapis lazuli, which sentient beings delight in seeing. … It is also like a pure, bright mirror in which every visible image is seen. Within the pure body, the bodhisattva sees everything in the world; the bodhisattva alone understands it clearly, and other people do not see it.” The basis of the simile is the transparency and purity of lapis lazuli and a bright mirror’s reflection of objects. What is illustrated is the pure body of the person who upholds the sutra. What is disclosed is that the birth and death, higher and lower stations, beauty and ugliness of beings in the three-thousandfold great-thousand world, together with its mountains and heavens and the teaching of the four classes of sages, all appear within that body. The body becomes a mirror reflecting the world, yet 「唯獨自明了」 tr. “the bodhisattva alone understands it clearly”: it is seen inwardly, not seen by others.
(2) The repeated 「雖未得……」 tr. “although not yet attained …” at the faculties — the eye: 「雖未得天眼，肉眼力如是」 tr. “although the divine eye has not yet been attained, the power of the physical eye is such” 〔0047c22〕; the ear: 「雖未得天耳……皆悉聞知」 tr. “although the divine ear has not yet been attained … all sounds are heard and known” 〔0048a06〕; the nose: 「雖未得菩薩無漏法生鼻，而是持經者先得此鼻相」 tr. “although the bodhisattva’s faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma has not yet been attained, the person who upholds the sutra already gains the sign of such a faculty” 〔0049b13〕; the body: 「雖未得無漏法性之妙身，以清淨常體一切於中現」 tr. “although the wondrous uncontaminated body of dharma-nature has not yet been attained, everything appears within this pure ordinary body” 〔0050a16〕; the mind: 「雖未得無漏智慧，而其意根清淨如此」 tr. “although uncontaminated wisdom has not yet been attained, the faculty of mind is already pure in this way” 〔0050a26〕. This is the rhetorical skeleton of the chapter. After describing the utmost function of each faculty, the sutra itself marks 「未得」 tr. “not yet attained”: these are physical faculties in an ordinary body, yet they already have these functions. This reveals the inconceivable power of the sutra.
(3) The tongue transforms fine flavor like heavenly nectar — 〔T09n0262 0049b18〕: bitter and astringent things placed on the tongue all become the finest flavor—a small image of the faculty of one who upholds the sutra transforming impurity into purity.
VII. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
(1) Treatises upon which this chapter relies in Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 Profound Praise of the Lotus:
- Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra — the fifth of the five gateways of Dharma-power, 「讀誦持說」 tr. “reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching,” manifested by the Chapter on Ever Diligent 〔T34n1723 0837a31·本據 0807a30〕; 「凡夫人以經力故得勝根用未入初地」 tr. “ordinary beings, through the power of the sutra, obtain extraordinary functions of the faculties before entering the first ground” 〔0837c32〕; 「六根清淨者……諸根互用故」 tr. “purification of the six faculties … because the faculties function through one another” 〔0838a09〕; and 「本論之中唯說三根各千二百」 tr. “the root Treatise speaks only of three faculties as each having twelve hundred” while the remaining three each have eight hundred 〔0837c10〕.
- Kuiji invokes the 《成唯識論》 Cheng Weishi Lun on the interfunctioning of the faculties at the stage of mastery 〔0838a15〕; the 〈菩薩地〉 Bodhisattva Ground on the stage of conduct through resolute understanding 〔0838b15〕; the 《瑜伽》 Yogācārabhūmi on form produced as the fruit of superior meditative stability 〔0838c14／c20〕; and the 《華嚴經》 Avataṃsaka-sūtra on the faculty of smell knowing the fragrance of a palace in the formless realm 〔0838c12〕. Zhiyi invokes the 《大品》《正法華》《法華論》《大經（涅槃）》《仁王》; Jizang invokes the 《法華論》 three times, together with the 《普賢觀經》《智度論》《婆沙》《雜心》《成論》《華嚴》《毘曇》. These titles are kept in the abbreviated forms used by the Chinese apparatus.
(2) Cross-reading within the Lotus:
- Completion of the sequence of the five gateways of Dharma-power → 〈分別功德品⑰〉 tr. “the Chapter on Distinguishing Qualities, Chapter 17”—realization, trust, and offerings → 〈隨喜功德品⑱〉 tr. “the Chapter on the Qualities of Joyful Acceptance, Chapter 18”—hearing the Dharma → this chapter—「讀誦持說」 tr. “reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching” 〔T34n1723 0807a30／0836b06／0837a31〕. The five gateways of Dharma-power in the 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra reach completion here.
- The contrast of alongside and proper practice → Chapter 18, 「傍修行之福」 tr. “the qualities of the person practicing alongside,” the one who joyfully accepts from the side → this chapter, 「正能行法師之福」 tr. “the qualities of the Dharma teacher who practices properly” 〔0837a27〕. Jizang’s three sections run: Chapter 18, lower grade—the disciple → this chapter, middle grade—the Dharma teacher → 〈常不輕品⑳〉 tr. “the Chapter on Never Disparaging, Chapter 20,” higher grade 〔T34n1721 0612c07〕. Kuiji’s second reason for the chapter’s coming says that this chapter generally explains the measure of the fruits attained, while 「後品引已證成得者」 tr. “the later chapter adduces one who has already realized them to establish that they are attained” 〔0837a29〕. 〈常不輕品〉 tr. “The Chapter on Never Disparaging” thus uses the bodhisattva Never Disparaging, who personally realized these qualities, as evidence.
- Difference from 〈法師品⑩〉 tr. “the Chapter on the Dharma Teacher, Chapter 10” → Chapter 10 praises the person and the Dharma and exhorts beings to take up the practice of transmitting the sutra, already naming the three guides and the kinds of Dharma teacher; the present chapter directly explains the qualities obtained by the person able to practice. Kuiji explains the name as 「唯能行者，非所行法」 tr. “only the person able to practice, not the Dharma practiced” 〔0837b01〕. Zhiyi says, 「法師義如上說，功德者……今五品之上，謂六根清淨」 tr. “The meaning of Dharma teacher is as explained above. As for qualities … here it is above the five grades and means purification of the six faculties” 〔0139b18〕.
- Tiantai’s sequence of stages → Chapter 17, the four present faiths and five grades after extinction—the stage of contemplative practice → this chapter, purification of the six faculties—the stage of resemblance at the iron-wheel ten faiths, later conventionally summarized as resemblance identity. The Tiantai stages unfold in sequence through Chapters 17, 18, and 19: Chapter 18 lies before the stage of resemblance 〔0139b06〕; the present chapter lies at the stage of resemblance 〔0140a04〕.
(3) Carrying Forward: Huizhao’s 《法華玄贊義決》 T34n1724 carries forward the Cien line; Zhanran’s 《法華文句記》 T34n1719 carries forward the Tiantai line; Jizang’s separate 《法華玄論》 T34n1720 belongs to the Sanlun line. Each carries forward the reading of its own tradition; the lines are recorded without adjudicating.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
- 羅什 T262 (base text): 〈法師功德品第十九〉 tr. “Chapter 19, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” begins at 〔T09n0262 0047c02〕（卷六）. General enumeration of the six faculties 0047c03 · eye: prose 0047c08 / verse 0047c13, including “although the divine eye has not yet been attained” 0047c22 · ear: prose 0047c24, including the enumeration of sounds 0047c26 and “although the divine ear has not yet been attained” 0048a06 / verse 0048a09, including zithers and harps 0048a12, kalaviṅkas 0048a17, and the closing “although the divine ear has not yet been attained” 0048b14 · nose: prose 0048b16, including five flower-fragrances 0048b19, scents of beings 0048b24, heavenly fragrances 0048b28, the Excellent Palace and Hall of Wondrous Dharma 0048c03, and Brahmā world 0048c07 / verse 0048c13, including pregnancy 0049a08, buried stores 0049a14, and the faculty of smell born of uncontaminated Dharma 0049b13 · tongue: prose 0049b15, including nectar 0049b18, male and female members of the eight classes 0049b22, and wheel-turning kings with their thousand sons 0049b27 / verse 0049c05 · body: prose 0049c22, including pure lapis lazuli 0049c23 / verse 0050a03, including the pure bright mirror 0050a05 and wondrous body of dharma-nature 0050a16 · mind: prose 0050a18, including one verse or sentence 0050a20, one month, four months, or a year 0050a22, worldly books 0050a23, and “all is Buddha-Dharma” 0050a27 / verse 0050b01 through 0050b21. The next chapter, 〈常不輕菩薩品第二十〉 tr. “Chapter 20, The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging,” begins at 0050b23. Source file: the Source-Text layer, verified word for word.
- 竺法護 T263 《正法華經》 True Dharma Lotus, 〈歎法師品第十八〉 tr. “Chapter 18, Praise of the Dharma Teacher,” begins at 〔T09n0263 0119a17〕: 「常應時」 tr. “Ever Responsive to the Time” 0119a18 / general enumeration of the six faculties 0119a19, giving nose and body twelve hundred · physical eye 0119a23, including the Great Hell of No Escape and the Heaven of the Thirty-Three 0119a24 / verse 0119b03 · ear 0119b12, including the classes of sound 0119b15 · nose 0120a11, giving eight hundred and therefore differing from the general enumeration, and Śakra in the lecture hall 0120a21 · tongue 0121b04, including the heavenly meal 0121b06 · body 0121c20, giving eight hundred and using lapis lazuli 0121c21 · mind 0122a18, including one stanza 0122a19, ordinary trade 0122a21, and words of utter sincerity 0122a26 · chapter ending 0122b21. Within this chapter, 常精進, 甘露, 勝殿, 妙法堂, 梵世, and 一偈 have zero occurrences.
- 添品 T264 〈法師功德品第十八〉 tr. “Chapter 18, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher,” begins at 〔T09n0264 0181c14〕: general enumeration 0181c15 · word for word nearly the same as Kumārajīva, with six substantive differences—one added occurrence of 所有 at 0182a08, 言語 at 0182b05, 梵世→梵天 in prose and verse, 聞則 at 0183a06, 悉 at 0183a12, and 讀經 at 0183b18 · chapter ending 0184c04.
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723 (the expository mirror): 〈法師功德品〉 tr. “Chapter on the Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” 〔0837a25〕—〔0839b09〕. Three gateways 0837a26 / qualities of the Dharma teacher who practices properly 0837a27 / the later chapter adducing one who has already realized them 0837a29 / the fifth gateway, reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching 0837a31, based on 0807a30 · explanation of the name 0837b01 / name and practice both corresponding 0837b17 / larger text in three parts 0837b21 / ten kinds of Dharma teacher abbreviated to five 0837b23 · two old explanations 0837b29 / rejection 0837c03 / the two texts not checked 0837c11 / four current explanations through the ten Dharma practices 0837c12 / three grades making twelve hundred 0837c17 · extraordinary functions through the power of the sutra 0837c32 / the four roots of goodness in Kuiji’s explanation 0838a04 / the portion of discernment seeing a great-thousand world 0838a06 · interfunctioning of the faculties 0838a09 / stage of mastery 0838a15 / partial share through intensified practice 0838a21 / the physical eye not a higher knowledge 0838a27 · contrast with the lesser teaching 0838b01 / stage of conduct through resolute understanding 0838b15 · an object of knowledge known through the faculty of smell 0838c02 / fragrance that is the fruit of a supernormal power 0838c12 / form produced as the fruit of superior meditative stability 0838c14 and 0838c20 · seven divisions of the faculty of mind 0839a24 / the three characteristics of action 0839a28 · major conclusion of the outline 0839b09.
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718 (parallel witness): 〈釋法師功德品〉 tr. “Explanation of the Chapter on the Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” begins at 0139b17 · explanation of the title 0139b18 / before and at the stage of resemblance 0139b06 · rejection of Guangzhai 0139c02 / current explanation through the ten suchnesses 0139c20 / two adornments of meditative stability and wisdom 0139c26 · expansion and contraction 0140a01 / interfunctioning of the six faculties 0140a02 / the stage of resemblance and ten faiths 0140a04 / third mind among the ten faiths 0140a06 · judgment of the physical eye 0140a16 / functions of the five eyes 0140a19 / “although possessing a physical eye, it is named a buddha-eye” 0140a23.
- 吉藏《義疏》T34n1721 (parallel witness): 〈法師功德品第十九〉 tr. “Chapter 19, The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” begins at 0614b23 · three reasons for its coming 0614b24 · qualities beyond the world 0614c03 / disciples at the ten faiths and teachers among the three worthies 0614c04 / chapter in two parts 0614c07 / calculation 0614c11 · extraordinary functions through the power of the sutra 0615a07 / forbearance of pliant accord 0615a11 / one faculty possessing all six functions 0615a14 / awakening to the six faculties as the true mark 0615a17 / why it is not named the divine eye 0615a22 · an excellent function for knowing an object 0615b24.
- Record of formation: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition call the chapter 「法師功德品」 tr. “The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher”; Dharmarakṣa calls it 「歎法師品」 tr. “Praise of the Dharma Teacher.” It is Chapter 19 in Kumārajīva and Chapter 18 in Dharmarakṣa and the supplemented edition. Dharmarakṣa is the true alternate translation, with Ever Responsive to the Time, a conflict between its general enumeration and its prose sections, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, a heavenly meal, and one stanza; the supplemented edition is nearly word for word the same as Kumārajīva, with six substantive differences. The exact expression 「六根清淨位」 tr. “stage of purification of the six faculties” occurs in the commentary-section on 〈分別功德品〉 tr. “the Chapter on Distinguishing Qualities”; the exact stage-name 「相似即」 tr. “resemblance identity” has zero occurrences in the 《文句》 Words and Phrases, whose present chapter-section uses 「相似之位…十信」 tr. “stage of resemblance … ten faiths.” The exact expression 「六根互用」 tr. “interfunctioning of the six faculties” is used by Zhiyi in this chapter-section and is not a later summary expression.