妙法蓮華經文句 化城喻品 · 結緣之由（遠由・近由）
我們很容易把『有緣』想成一聽就懂：話說出口，對方立刻領會，事情才算圓滿。若他仍有疑惑，我們便覺得這次相遇大概白費了。
大通智勝佛的故事不是這樣。祂成道以前，先有十劫的等待；成道以後，又有佛光照動、十方梵天循光而來、供養請法。佛接受請求，先轉法輪，後來十六王子又再次請法。從成道到說法，從說法到重請，每一步都在為後來的結緣預備條件。
同一場法會，有人很快得悟，也有人經過長時說法，仍然心生疑惑。經文沒有把未懂寫成已懂，也沒有把疑惑眾悄悄刪去。恰恰是這群尚未理解的人，後來與十六王子結下了《法華經》的緣。
轉折發生在佛入定以後。佛住在靜室，久久不出；疑惑的人失去可以請問的對象。十六王子已經信受，於是後來為他們重新講說。一次沒有聽懂的相遇，因有人願意再說一次，終於有了可以接續的未來。
這也改變我們看待『慢』的方式。大通智勝佛十劫才示現成道，並不是根鈍或道難；本論只說，眾生所宜的因緣有舒有促，所以示現有長有短。本論不以三佛成道所示的久促判根性利鈍或佛道難易。
有時真正重要的，不是催促對方當場證明自己懂了，而是如實知道：誰已領解，誰還疑惑；眼前少了哪個提問的機會，又有誰能把話重新說清楚。
我們也可能輪流站在兩邊。有時，我們是那個聽過卻未懂的人，需要承認疑惑仍在，不拿含糊冒充領解；有時，我們是已經聽懂一些的王子，需要在別人無處請問時，耐心覆講，而不是用『早就說過』結束對話。
一段緣能走得遠，不只因最初有人說，也因後來有人肯再說；不只因有人當下明白，也因尚未明白的人沒有被放棄。
所以，當一次說明沒有立刻開花，不必急著宣判它毫無結果。先守住真實的未解，再守住可以重說的因緣。也許今日只是遠由，也許下一次才成近由；只要尚能接續，這段相遇便還沒有走到盡頭。
We readily imagine that “having a connection” means understanding as soon as one hears: words are spoken, the other person immediately grasps them, and only then is the encounter complete. If doubt remains, we feel that the meeting was probably wasted.
The story of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence is otherwise. Before He realized the Way, there were first ten eons of waiting; after His realization came the Buddha’s radiance and trembling, the Brahmā kings of the ten directions following the light, and their offerings and requests for the Dharma. The Buddha accepted their request and first turned the Dharma wheel; later the sixteen princes requested the Dharma again. From realization to teaching, and from teaching to the renewed request, every step prepared the conditions for the connection that would follow.
At the same Dharma assembly, some awakened quickly while others still gave rise to doubt after teachings extending over a long time. The scripture does not write those who did not understand as though they understood, nor does it quietly remove the doubtful assembly. Precisely these people who had not yet understood later formed a connection with the Lotus Sutra through the sixteen princes.
The turn comes after the Buddha enters samādhi. He remains in a quiet room and does not emerge for a long time; those in doubt lose the person whom they could question. The sixteen princes have already accepted the teaching in faith, so they later explain it to them again. Because someone is willing to teach once more, an encounter not understood the first time finally gains a future in which it can continue.
This also changes how we regard “slowness.” That the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence manifested realization only after ten eons did not mean that His faculties were dull or the Way difficult. The root treatise says only that the conditions suited to living beings may unfold slowly or swiftly, so the manifestation may be long or short. It does not use the three buddhas’ manifested speed of realization to judge the acuity of their faculties or the ease or difficulty of the Buddha Way.
Sometimes what truly matters is not pressing another person to prove on the spot that they understand, but knowing truthfully who has understood and who still doubts, what opportunity to ask is now missing, and who can explain the teaching clearly again.
We too may stand on each side in turn. Sometimes we are the person who has heard but not understood, and must acknowledge that doubt remains rather than pass off vagueness as understanding. Sometimes we are princes who have understood something, and when others have nowhere to ask, must patiently explain it again rather than end the conversation with “this was already said.”
A connection can travel far not only because someone spoke at the beginning, but because someone later was willing to speak again; not only because someone understood at once, but because those who did not yet understand were not abandoned.
Therefore, when an explanation does not immediately flower, there is no need to declare that it accomplished nothing. First preserve the truth of what remains unresolved; then preserve the conditions under which it can be said again. Perhaps today provides only a distant cause and the next occasion becomes the recent cause. As long as continuation remains possible, the encounter has not yet reached its end.
隋天台智者大師說《妙法蓮華經文句》〔灌頂法師私記・唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫治定本・卷端序＝鏡中沙門神逈述〕· 大正藏 T34n1718〔起 T34 0098b16〕。段/行首〔T34 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T34 0098b16〕「佛壽五百四十」下，正明結緣。又為兩：初、結緣由，二、正結緣。由中又兩：遠由、近由。遠由又二：一、大通智勝佛成道，二、十方梵請法。成道為五：一、佛壽長遠。「其佛本坐」下，第二，成道前事。但諸佛道同、為緣事異，釋迦苦行六年，草生攢髀至肘不覺，諸天哭喚動地不聞，移坐得道；彌勒即出家日得道；彼佛十劫猶不現前，非根有利鈍、道有難易，緣宜奢促應示長短耳。三，「諸比丘大通過十小劫」下，明正成道。四，「其佛未出家」下，明成道後眷屬供養。五，「爾時十六王偈讚」下，明請轉法輪。第一文易解。第二成佛前事，有二：一、佛坐道場所經時節，二、諸天供養。「佛告諸」至「得三菩提時」下，第二，諸梵請。文為二：一、威光照動，二、十方梵請。初威光者，《過去因果經》云「薩婆悉達處胎時，三千國土朗然大光，日月所不照處大明，其中眾生各得相見」。初成道時亦如是，朝為色天、中為欲天、晡為鬼神說法，夜亦如是。觀解，「忽生眾生」者，心性本淨，陰入界覆之則闇，若修觀慧本性理顯。又兩山是二諦，其間是中道。日月光是二智，佛光是中道。無分別智光，照本有三諦洞明也。「爾時東方」下，第二，十方梵。文為二：先九方，後上方。九方為四：一東，二東南，三南，四總明六方。前三方梵，文各有七：一覩瑞，二驚駭，三相問決，四尋光見佛，五三業供養，六請法，七默許，皆如文。上方梵止有六，世尊即說故無默許。舊云東、東南請小，七方請大，上方請小大。若《釋論》明梵本請大，佛雖說小未遂所請，若說般若猶酬梵請耳。若依〈方便品〉文，梵王請大，然佛法道同不應偏請。但經論存略，諸師偏據耳。又如今佛自始至終，具轉五味法輪，一一皆酬梵請，彼亦應然。初十六子請轉滿教，如今佛說《華嚴》；東、東南二方請轉半教，如今佛說三藏；後七方請轉對半明滿，如今佛說方等；上方梵請帶半明滿，如今佛說《般若》，後十六子請廢半明滿，如今佛說《法華》醍醐教也。今古節目文義相應〔云云〕。「爾時大通智受十方」下，結緣近由。由佛受請說法，故後得覆講正作結緣。文為二：一、先轉半字法輪，二、諸子請轉廢半明滿字法輪。初為三：一、受請，二、正轉，三、聞法得道。此中應說三乘，如序品文，而今不說者，正為下根論結緣開顯等，略不言六度耳。三轉者，謂示、勸、證〔云云〕。亦將三轉對示教利喜，示即示轉，教即勸轉，利喜即證轉也。亦對見諦思惟無學也，為聲聞三轉，為緣覺再轉，為菩薩一轉。何故爾？由根利鈍。此一往說耳。通方例皆三轉。何故三轉？諸佛語法，法至於三，為眾生有三根故，《大論》及《婆沙》悉作此說。問：初為五人，云何作三根耶？復有八萬諸天，何故無三根？為生三慧、三根、三道故。「十二行」者，一約四諦教，二約十六行。教十二者，即示勸證是也；行十二者，三轉皆生眼智明覺。又教十二為能轉，行十二為所轉。十二行是輪，十二教非輪，若作二輪義，眼智明覺者，約四十八法，開此四心成十六心，謂苦法忍為眼、苦法智為智，比忍為明、比智為覺，餘三諦亦爾，故成十六心，三根人各得十六心，故成四十八行也。十二諦是教法輪，十二行是行法輪，教輪則能轉唯是一權智，所轉則有十二教也。若行法輪能轉之教有十二，所轉之行亦十二。或通三人、或約一人，今就見諦道三人，利根聞示轉，即生眼智明覺，三人合舉故言十二行也。所不能轉者，沙門不聞尚不能知，何況能轉？支佛雖悟，口不能說；婆羅門雖聞其名，不解其理；魔梵亦爾。夫轉者，轉此法度入他心，令彼得悟，破六十二見，乃名轉法輪；為無此義，魔梵等所不能轉也。有解大乘四諦，次轉二諦、次轉一諦、次轉無諦，皆是卷舒之意。小乘四諦以生滅為體，大乘以無生為體〔云云〕。「十二因緣」者，還是別相細觀四諦耳。約苦、集即有無明老死，約道、滅即有無明滅乃至老死滅也。又三人通觀十二緣，二乘生滅十二緣，為菩薩無生十二緣。無生十二緣，本不生、今不滅，相生則相、生傳傳滅〔云云〕。又三乘亦通論四諦，二乘有量四諦，為菩薩無量四諦。又六度亦通三人，《大品．發趣品》云「阿羅漢、支佛，因六波羅蜜至彼岸。」《攝大乘》云「凡夫、二乘皆有六度，但不同耳。」若爾應俱名波羅蜜，然二乘行到涅槃彼岸亦稱波羅蜜，但不能到佛道彼岸，比菩薩異耳。《阿毘曇》有六足，六足即六度，《寶雲經》明三乘毘尼〔云云〕。第三，聞法得悟者，初少中多。「不受」者，不受四見，悟初果也。「得解脫」者，脫子、果兩縛，得無學也。「深妙定」者，即俱解脫也〔云云〕。 〔T34 0099b18〕「爾時十六王子皆出家」下，第二，重請滿字法輪。文為七：一、出家，二、請法，三、所將亦出家，四、佛受請，五、時眾有解不解，六、時節，七、說已入定。「諸根」者，六根也，六根清淨故言通利。又六根互用故言「通」，入佛境界故言「利」。「智慧明了」者，開示悟入也，彼佛初說圓頓，諸子大乘功德悉皆具足，愍諸方便重請佛開權顯實也。「聲聞皆已成就」者，明其障除機動，是故為請。「我等志願如來知見」者，此《法華經》但明佛之知見，唯志於此，即正請滿字廢半之文，明顯若此也。「過二萬劫」者，上開三既久，不容中間無事，望下文意，二萬劫中必說方等《般若》，文云「說六波羅蜜及諸神通事」，般若是行、神通是事，諸方等經多明不可思議事行也。頌中又云「分別真實法」，即是《大品》明實相般若意也。十六沙彌信受及二乘，即信得解者；其餘千萬皆生疑惑，是不解眾。此不解眾即與十六子，結法華之緣者也。第七，明說法已入定，此正是結緣之近由。由佛入定不出，諸疑惑眾無所諮問，十六於後為不解者覆講說經也。文中明入定處所，即是靜室，正入定即是住於禪定，入定時節即是八萬四千劫〔云云〕。
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.
一、結緣之由，先分遠近
從經文『佛的壽命有五百四十萬億那由他劫』以下，正式說明眾生與《法華經》結緣。全段先分兩部分：第一，說結緣的由來；第二，正式說十六王子如何覆講而使眾生結緣。結緣的由來又分遠由、近由兩層。
遠由有兩件事：第一，大通智勝佛成道；第二，十方梵天王請佛說法。大通智勝佛成道這一段，又依次開成五項：一、佛的壽命久遠；二、從『那尊佛原本坐在道場』以下，說成道以前的事；三、從『諸比丘，大通智勝佛經過十小劫』以下，說祂正式成道；四、從『那尊佛尚未出家時』以下，說成道以後眷屬前來供養；五、從『當時十六王子以偈讚佛』以下，說十六王子請佛轉法輪。第一項依經文便容易明白。
成道以前的事又有兩項：第一，大通智勝佛坐在道場所經歷的時間；第二，諸天如何供養。
諸佛所證之道相同，為教化眾生而示現的事卻因緣各異。釋迦牟尼佛示現苦行六年，草長到由兩股之間盤繞而上、直到手肘，祂仍沒有察覺；諸天哭泣呼喚，震動大地，祂也沒有聽見，後來移坐才成道。彌勒則在出家的當天成道。大通智勝佛卻坐了十劫，佛道仍未顯現在前。這並不是三尊佛的根性有利有鈍，也不是所證的道有難有易；只因眾生所宜的因緣有舒緩、有急促，所以佛相應示現成道所需的時間有長、有短。
二、佛光照動，十方梵天前來請法
從經文『佛告訴諸比丘』直到『得到無上正等正覺時』以下，是遠由的第二部分：諸梵天王請佛說法。這部分先說佛的威光普照、世界震動，再說十方梵天王前來請法。
關於最初的威光，《過去因果經》說，薩婆悉達菩薩住母胎時，三千國土忽然明朗，出現大光；連日月平時照不到的地方也變得光明，其中眾生都能彼此看見。祂初成道時也是如此。早晨為色界諸天說法，中午為欲界諸天說法，傍晚為鬼神說法，夜間也同樣依時說法。
若從觀心來解釋經文所說的『眾生忽然出現』：心性本來清淨，只因五陰、十二入、十八界覆蔽，便顯得昏暗；若修習觀慧，本具的理便顯露。又可把兩山看作真、俗二諦，把兩山之間看作中道；把日光、月光看作兩種智慧，把佛光看作中道之光。這道沒有分別的智慧光明，照見本有三諦，通達而無所昏昧。
從『當時東方』以下，是十方梵天王請法。先說東、東南、南等九方，後說上方。九方再分四段：第一東方，第二東南方，第三南方，第四總說其餘六方。前三方梵天王的經文，各有七個次第：先看見瑞相；因瑞相而驚駭；彼此詢問、判明光明的來源；沿光尋覓而見佛；以身、口、意三業供養；請佛說法；最後是佛默然允許。每一項都如經文所載。上方梵天王只有六項，因為世尊接受請求以後立即說法，所以沒有另列默然允許。
舊說認為：東方、東南方請佛說小法，其餘七方請佛說大法，上方則兼請大小二法。若依《大智度論》，梵天王原本請佛說的是大法；佛雖先說小法，仍未完全回應祂的請求，直到宣說般若，才算回應。若依〈方便品〉，梵王所請也是大法。然而諸佛說法的道路相同，不應當只在某一方請大、某一方請小；只是經、論各有省略，諸師便各自偏據其中一段文字。
再看釋迦牟尼佛一代說法，自始至終完整轉動五味法輪，每一味都可說是在回應梵天王之請；大通智勝佛也應如此。最初，十六王子請佛轉滿字之教，如同釋迦牟尼佛宣說《華嚴經》；東方、東南方請佛轉半字之教，如同宣說三藏；其餘七方請佛對著半字而顯明滿字，如同宣說方等；上方梵天王請佛帶著半字而顯明滿字，如同宣說《般若經》；後來十六王子再請佛廢除半字而彰明滿字，如同宣說《法華經》的醍醐之教。古佛與今佛的說法節次，在文字和義理上彼此相應。
三、近由：先說半字法輪
從『當時大通智勝佛接受十方梵天王之請』以下，開始說結緣的近由。因為佛接受請求而說法，後來十六王子才有機會覆講，正式使眾生結下法緣。
近由分兩部分：第一，先轉半字法輪；第二，諸王子再請佛轉廢除半字、彰明滿字的法輪。第一部分又有三項：接受請求；正式轉法輪；聽法的大眾得道。
這裡本應像〈序品〉一樣，把三乘都說出來；如今沒有明列，是因本段正要就下根眾生說結緣與後來開顯之事，所以把六度一項省略不說。
法輪有三轉：示轉、勸轉、證轉。也可把三轉配於示、教、利、喜：『示』就是示轉，『教』就是勸轉，『利、喜』就是證轉。又可分別配於見諦道、思惟道、無學道。
若作一往分別，為聲聞轉三次，為緣覺轉兩次，為菩薩轉一次；為什麼次數不同？因三類根性有利有鈍。然而這只是一時的分說；若依通行的準則，三類人都具足三轉。
為什麼要轉三次？諸佛說法，法義說到三遍便完備；又因眾生有上、中、下三種根性，所以作三轉。《大智度論》和《婆沙論》都如此解說。
有人問：最初聽法的只有五人，怎能說具足三種根性？同時又有八萬諸天，為什麼不在他們當中分三根？
回答是：三轉能使眾生生起聞、思、修三慧，也能生起三種根性，進入三種道，所以說三轉。
四、十二教、十二行與四十八法
經文所說的『十二行』，可以從四諦之教來說，也可以從十六行來說。
先依四諦之教說。苦、集、滅、道四諦，每一諦都經示、勸、證三轉，四乘三便成十二，所以有十二教。再依所生之行說，三轉之中，每一轉都能生起眼、智、明、覺，三乘四也成十二，所以有十二行。
又可說，十二教是能轉，十二行是所轉；十二行本身是輪，十二教則不是輪。若把教與行都立作法輪，便有教輪、行輪兩種。
所謂眼、智、明、覺，還可依四十八法來說。先把這四心展開為十六心：以苦法忍為眼，以苦法智為智，以比忍為明，以比智為覺；集、滅、道其餘三諦也各有同樣四心，所以合成十六心。上、中、下三根之人各得十六心，三乘十六，便成四十八行。
再把兩種法輪分清：十二諦是教法輪，十二行是行法輪。就教輪說，能轉之智只是一種權宜智慧，所轉的教則有十二。就行輪說，能使行生起的教有十二，所生起的行也有十二。
經文的十二行，或可通約三類人，或可只約一人。這裡就見諦道中的三類人說：利根人一聽示轉，便生起眼、智、明、覺；把三類人合起來舉出，四乘三，所以說十二行。
經文又說，沙門、婆羅門、魔王、梵王等所不能轉。沙門若不曾聽聞，連這項法義都不能知道，何況能轉；辟支佛雖能自悟，卻不能用言語為人宣說；婆羅門即使聽過法輪的名稱，也不明白其中道理；魔王、梵王也是如此。
什麼才叫作『轉』？就是把這項法度入另一個人的心，使他由此覺悟，破除六十二種邪見，這才名為轉法輪。魔、梵等沒有這種作用，所以說他們不能轉。
五、四諦如何收放，三乘如何通觀
有一種解釋，先說大乘四諦，接著收作二諦，再收作一諦，最後收至無諦；這些都是把同一義理展開或收攝的說法。小乘四諦以生滅為體，大乘四諦則以無生為體。
十二因緣，仍是把四諦分別開來作細密觀察。就苦、集二諦說，有無明乃至老死；就道、滅二諦說，有無明滅乃至老死滅。
聲聞、緣覺、菩薩三類人都可通觀十二因緣。對二乘說生滅十二因緣；對菩薩說無生十二因緣。無生十二因緣，本來不曾生起，如今也沒有一個實有之法可滅；若依相待而說生，便說彼此相因而生，輾轉相續又輾轉歸滅。
三乘也都可通論四諦。對二乘說有量四諦，對菩薩說無量四諦。六度也同樣可以通於三類人。《大品般若經．發趣品》說，阿羅漢、辟支佛因六波羅蜜而到彼岸；《攝大乘論》說，凡夫、二乘也都有六度，只是修行方式不同。
若二乘也修六度，是否都應稱為波羅蜜？二乘之行能到達涅槃彼岸，所以也可以稱作波羅蜜；只是不能到達佛道彼岸，這一點與菩薩不同。《阿毘曇》有六足，六足也就是六度；《寶雲經》則說三乘各有相應的毘尼。
六、聽法所得，有淺有深
第三項說聽法以後得到領悟：最初得悟的人少，後來得悟的人多。
經文所說的『不受』，是指不再接受四見，證得初果。『得到解脫』，是脫離子縛、果縛兩重繫縛，得到無學果。『深妙禪定』，就是俱解脫。
七、十六王子重請滿字法輪
從『當時十六王子都出家』以下，是近由的第二部分：十六王子再次請佛宣說滿字法輪。全文依次有七項：第一，十六王子出家；第二，向佛請法；第三，他們所帶領的大眾也出家；第四，佛接受請求；第五，當時大眾有理解的人，也有不能理解的人；第六，說明所經時節；第七，佛說法完畢而入定。
經文說十六王子『諸根通利』。『諸根』就是眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意六根。因六根清淨，所以說通達；又因六根能彼此互用，所以稱作『通』；能進入佛的境界，所以稱作『利』。
經文又說他們『智慧明了』，這是就開、示、悟、入來說。大通智勝佛最初宣說圓頓之法，十六王子的大乘功德都已具足；他們憐愍仍停留於權宜法中的眾生，所以再次請佛開顯權宜而彰明真實。
『聲聞眾都已成就』，說明他們的障礙已經除去，領受進一步教法的機緣已經發動，因此王子們為他們請法。王子們說『我們志願得到如來的知見』，是說這部《法華經》只彰明佛的知見；他們一心志求於此，正是在請佛說滿字、廢除半字，經文的意思十分明顯。
八、二萬劫間，不能說全無所說
經文說，佛接受請求以後，經過二萬劫才宣說《法華經》。先前開出三乘之教已經很久，這二萬劫的中間不應當全無所說。依後文來看，這段時間一定宣說過方等、般若。
經文說佛『宣說六波羅蜜以及各種神通之事』：般若著重行，神通著重事；諸方等經也常說不可思議的事與行。偈頌又說『分別真實法』，正顯出《大品般若經》所說實相般若的意思。
十六沙彌信受佛說，二乘中也有信受而得到領解的人；其餘千萬億眾生卻都生起疑惑，屬於不能理解的大眾。正是這群不能理解的人，後來與十六王子結下《法華經》的因緣。
九、佛入定，為覆講留下因緣
第七項說，佛說法完畢以後入定；這正是結緣的近由。
佛入定而久久不出，心中仍有疑惑的大眾便沒有地方可以請問。十六王子因此在後來為不能理解的人重新講說這部經，使他們得以結緣。
經文把入定的三件事都說清楚：入定的處所是靜室；正式入定，是安住於禪定；入定延續的時間，是八萬四千劫。
由此回看，遠由從大通智勝佛成道與十方梵天王請法開始；近由從佛接受請求、先後說法，一直推進到佛入靜室、疑惑眾失去請問的對象。正因這些條件一層一層具足，十六王子才會在後文覆講，正式成就眾生久遠的法緣。
I. The Causes of the Connection Are First Divided into Distant and Recent
From the scriptural words “that buddha’s lifespan was five hundred forty myriads of koṭis of nayutas of eons” onward, the formation of living beings’ connection with the Lotus Sutra is directly explained. The whole passage first divides into two: first, the causes for establishing the connection; second, the direct account of how the sixteen princes explained the teaching again and thereby established the connection. The causes are themselves divided into distant and recent.
The distant cause has two parts: first, the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence realizes the Way; second, the Brahmā kings of the ten directions request Him to teach the Dharma. The account of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence’s realization then opens successively into five items: the great length of His lifespan; from “that buddha originally sat at the place of practice” onward, events before realization; from “Bhikṣus, after the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence had passed ten minor eons” onward, His actual realization; from “before that buddha left home” onward, His retinue coming to make offerings after His realization; and from “at that time the sixteen princes praised the Buddha in verse” onward, the princes requesting Him to turn the Dharma wheel. The first item is readily understood from the scripture.
Events before realization have two further parts: first, the time the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence spent sitting at the place of practice; second, the gods’ offerings.
The Way realized by all buddhas is the same, but the events they manifest to transform living beings differ according to conditions. Śākyamuni Buddha manifested six years of ascetic practice. Grass grew up from between His thighs, twined around them, and reached His elbows without His noticing; the gods wept, called out, and shook the earth without His hearing. Only after moving His seat did He realize the Way. Maitreya realized it on the very day he left home. Yet the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence sat for ten eons while the Buddha Way still did not appear before Him. This does not mean that the three buddhas’ faculties were sharp or dull, or that the Way they realized was difficult or easy. It means only that the conditions suited to living beings may unfold slowly or swiftly, so the buddhas correspondingly manifest longer or shorter times before realization.
II. The Buddha’s Radiance Shines and Stirs; the Brahmā Kings of the Ten Directions Come to Request the Dharma
From the scriptural words “the Buddha told the bhikṣus” through “when He attained unsurpassed complete awakening” is the second part of the distant cause: the Brahmā kings request the Buddha to teach. It first describes the Buddha’s majestic radiance universally illuminating and the worlds trembling, then the Brahmā kings of the ten directions coming to request the Dharma.
Concerning the initial majestic radiance, the Sūtra of Past Causes and Effects says that while Bodhisattva Sapoxida was in the womb, three thousand lands suddenly became bright and a great light appeared. Even places ordinarily unreached by the sun and moon became illuminated, and the beings there could see one another. The same occurred when He first realized the Way. In the morning He taught the gods of the form realm, at midday the gods of the desire realm, in the late afternoon ghosts and spirits, and at night He likewise taught at the appropriate times.
Interpreted through contemplating the mind, the scripture’s “living beings suddenly appearing” means this: mind-nature is originally pure, but appears dark because it is covered by the five aggregates, twelve entrances, and eighteen realms. When contemplative wisdom is cultivated, the inherently present principle becomes manifest. The two mountains may be viewed as the truths of the real and conventional, and the space between them as the Middle Way. Sunlight and moonlight may be viewed as the two wisdoms, and buddha-light as the light of the Middle Way. This radiance of nondiscriminating wisdom illuminates the three truths inherently present, penetrating them without darkness.
From “at that time in the east” onward comes the request of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions. First come the nine directions—east, southeast, south, and so forth—and then above. The nine directions divide into four passages: the east, the southeast, the south, and a combined account of the remaining six. In the scripture, the Brahmā kings of each of the first three directions pass through seven stages: seeing the portent; being startled by it; questioning one another and determining the source of the light; following the light and seeing the Buddha; making offerings through body, speech, and mind; requesting the Dharma; and finally receiving the Buddha’s silent assent. Each is as the scripture records. The Brahmā kings above have only six items because the World-Honored One teaches immediately after accepting their request, so silent assent is not listed separately.
An older explanation holds that the east and southeast request a lesser teaching, the remaining seven directions request a great teaching, and above requests both lesser and great teachings. According to the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, the Brahmā king originally requested a great teaching. Although the Buddha first taught a lesser teaching, He had not yet fully answered that request; only when He taught Prajñāpāramitā did He do so. According to the “Skillful Means” chapter, the Brahmā king likewise requested the great teaching. Yet the buddhas’ path of teaching is the same, so a great teaching should not have been requested only in one direction and a lesser teaching in another. Scriptures and treatises preserve different degrees of detail, and various masters each relied partially on one passage.
Consider again Śākyamuni Buddha’s lifetime of teaching. From beginning to end He fully turned the Dharma wheels of the five flavors, and each flavor can be said to answer the Brahmā king’s request; the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence should be understood likewise. First, the sixteen princes requested the full-word teaching, corresponding to Śākyamuni Buddha’s teaching of the Flower Ornament Sutra. The east and southeast requested the half-word teaching, corresponding to the Tripiṭaka Teaching. The remaining seven directions requested that the full word be clarified in contrast to the half word, corresponding to the Vaipulya teaching. The Brahmā kings above requested that the full word be clarified while carrying the half word, corresponding to the Prajñāpāramitā Sutra. Later the sixteen princes requested that the half word be abolished and the full word disclosed, corresponding to the ghee teaching of the Lotus Sutra. The stages of the ancient and present buddhas’ teaching correspond in wording and meaning.
III. The Recent Cause: First Teaching the Dharma Wheel of the Half Word
From “at that time the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence accepted the request of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions” onward begins the recent cause of the connection. Because the Buddha accepts their request and teaches, the sixteen princes later have the opportunity to explain the teaching again and formally establish living beings’ Dharma connection.
The recent cause has two parts: first, the Dharma wheel of the half word is turned; second, the princes again request a Dharma wheel that abolishes the half word and clarifies the full word. The first part has three items: acceptance of the request, the actual turning of the wheel, and the hearers’ attainment of the Way.
All three vehicles should be stated here as in the “Introduction” chapter. They are not expressly listed because this passage is about to explain connection and later disclosure for those of lesser capacity, so the six perfections are omitted.
The Dharma wheel has three turnings: demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation. They may also be correlated with demonstration, instruction, benefit, and joy: “demonstration” is the demonstrative turning, “instruction” the exhortative turning, and “benefit and joy” the confirmatory turning. They may further be correlated respectively with the path of seeing the truths, the path of reflection, and the path of no-more-learning.
In a provisional distinction, the wheel is turned three times for śrāvakas, twice for pratyekabuddhas, and once for bodhisattvas. Why do the counts differ? Because the faculties of these three kinds of persons are sharp or dull. Yet this is only a temporary distinction. According to the general rule, all three kinds possess all three turnings.
Why is the wheel turned three times? When the buddhas teach, the Dharma becomes complete when stated three times; living beings also have three grades of faculties—superior, middling, and lesser—so there are three turnings. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom and the Vibhāṣā Treatise both explain it in this way.
Someone asks: only five people first heard the Dharma, so how can all three kinds of faculties be present? There were also eighty thousand gods; why not distinguish the three faculties among them?
The answer is that the three turnings can cause living beings to produce the three wisdoms of hearing, reflection, and cultivation; they can also produce the three faculties and lead into the three paths. Thus there are three turnings.
IV. Twelve Teaching-Aspects, Twelve Practice-Aspects, and Forty-Eight Dharmas
The scripture’s “twelve aspects” may be explained through the teaching of the four truths or through the sixteen practice-aspects.
First consider the teaching of the four truths. Each of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path passes through the three turnings of demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation. Four times three makes twelve, hence twelve teaching-aspects. Consider next the practice-aspects produced. In each of the three turnings, eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening arise. Three times four also makes twelve, hence twelve practice-aspects.
The twelve teaching-aspects may also be called what turns and the twelve practice-aspects what is turned. The twelve practice-aspects themselves are the wheel; the twelve teaching-aspects are not the wheel. If both teaching and practice are established as Dharma wheels, there are two: the teaching wheel and the practice wheel.
Eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening may further be explained through forty-eight dharmas. First these four mental states open into sixteen: receptivity to the Dharma of suffering is eye, knowledge of the Dharma of suffering is knowledge, comparative receptivity is clarity, and comparative knowledge is awakening. Each of the remaining truths of origination, cessation, and the path likewise has these four, together making sixteen. Persons of superior, middling, and lesser faculties each obtain sixteen; three times sixteen makes forty-eight practice-aspects.
The two Dharma wheels can then be distinguished clearly. The twelve truth-statements are the teaching Dharma wheel, and the twelve practice-aspects are the practice Dharma wheel. For the teaching wheel, the wisdom that turns is only one kind of provisional wisdom, while the teaching-aspects turned are twelve. For the practice wheel, the teachings that cause practice to arise number twelve, and the practice-aspects produced also number twelve.
The scripture’s twelve practice-aspects may be applied generally to three kinds of persons or to one person alone. Here they are explained through three persons on the path of seeing the truths. A person of sharp faculties hears the demonstrative turning and at once produces eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening. The three persons are stated together, so four times three is called twelve practice-aspects.
The scripture also says that śramaṇas, brahmans, Māra, Brahmā, and others cannot turn it. A śramaṇa who has not heard it cannot even know this Dharma, much less turn it. A pratyekabuddha may awaken alone but cannot proclaim it for others in words. Even if a brahman has heard the name “Dharma wheel,” he does not understand its principle. Māra and Brahmā are the same.
What is truly called “turning”? It means conveying this Dharma into another person’s mind, causing that person to awaken through it and destroy the sixty-two wrong views. Only this is called turning the Dharma wheel. Māra, Brahmā, and the others do not have this function, and so they cannot turn it.
V. How the Four Truths Contract and Expand, and How the Three Vehicles Contemplate in Common
One explanation first states the Great Vehicle’s four truths, then contracts them into two truths, then one truth, and finally no truth. These are all ways of expanding and gathering the same meaning. The Lesser Vehicle’s four truths take arising and cessation as their essence; the Great Vehicle’s four truths take nonarising as their essence.
The twelve links of causes and conditions are still a differentiated and detailed contemplation of the four truths. Under suffering and origination come ignorance through aging and death; under the path and cessation come the cessation of ignorance through the cessation of aging and death.
Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas can all contemplate the twelve links. For the two vehicles they are taught as arising and ceasing; for bodhisattvas, as nonarising. The twelve links of nonarising never originally arose, and now there is no real Dharma that ceases. If arising is spoken of relationally, phenomena arise through mutual conditioning, continue successively, and successively come to cessation.
All three vehicles may likewise be discussed through the four truths. The two vehicles are taught measurable four truths; bodhisattvas are taught immeasurable four truths. The six perfections also extend to all three kinds of persons. The “Departure” chapter of the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sutra says that arhats and pratyekabuddhas reach the farther shore through the six perfections. The Summary of the Great Vehicle says that ordinary persons and the two vehicles also possess six perfections, but their modes of practice differ.
If the two vehicles also practice the six, should all of them be called perfections? Since the practices of the two vehicles can reach the farther shore of nirvāṇa, they too may be called perfections. They differ from bodhisattvas only in being unable to reach the farther shore of the Buddha Way. The Abhidharma has six feet, which are correlated with the six perfections; the Jeweled Cloud Sutra says that the three vehicles each have their corresponding discipline.
VI. What Is Attained through Hearing the Dharma Has Shallow and Deep Forms
The third item explains the understanding attained after hearing the Dharma: few awaken at first and many later.
The scripture’s “not accepting” means no longer taking up the four views and realizing the first fruit. “Attaining liberation” means release from the two fetters of the seed and the fruit, and attainment of the fruit of no-more-learning. “Profound and subtle meditation” means liberation through both.
VII. The Sixteen Princes Again Request the Dharma Wheel of the Full Word
From “at that time the sixteen princes all left home” onward is the second part of the recent cause: the sixteen princes again request the Buddha to teach the Dharma wheel of the full word. The entire passage has seven items in sequence: the princes leave home; they request the Dharma from the Buddha; the people they lead also leave home; the Buddha accepts their request; some in the assembly understand while others do not; the period of time is explained; and the Buddha enters samādhi after completing the teaching.
The scripture says that the sixteen princes’ “faculties were penetrating and keen.” “Faculties” means the six faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Because the six faculties are pure, they are said to penetrate; because they can function interchangeably, they are called “penetrating”; because they can enter the Buddha’s domain, they are called “keen.”
The scripture further says that “their wisdom was clear.” This is explained through opening, showing, awakening, and entering. The Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence first taught the perfect and sudden Dharma, and the sixteen princes’ Great Vehicle virtues were already complete. Taking pity on living beings who still remained within provisional teachings, they again requested the Buddha to open the provisional and reveal the real.
“The śrāvaka assembly had all reached accomplishment” means that its obstructions had been removed and its capacity to receive further teaching had stirred; the princes therefore requested the Dharma on its behalf. When the princes say, “We aspire to the Tathāgata’s knowledge and vision,” they mean that this Lotus Sutra discloses only the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. Their single-minded aspiration for this is precisely a request that the Buddha teach the full word and abolish the half word. The scripture’s meaning is unmistakable.
VIII. One Cannot Say That Nothing Was Taught during the Twenty Thousand Eons
The scripture says that after accepting the request, the Buddha waited twenty thousand eons before teaching the Lotus Sutra. The teaching of the three vehicles had already been open for a long time; one cannot say that nothing was taught during these twenty thousand eons. Judging from the later passage, Vaipulya and Prajñāpāramitā must have been taught during this interval.
The scripture says that the Buddha “taught the six perfections and various matters of supernormal powers.” Prajñāpāramitā emphasizes practice, while supernormal powers emphasize events; the Vaipulya scriptures also often explain inconceivable events and practices. The verse further says “differentiating the real Dharma,” which directly reveals the meaning of the prajñā of the true mark taught in the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sutra.
The sixteen novices accepted the Buddha’s teaching in faith; among the two vehicles there were also those who accepted it and understood. The remaining myriads of koṭis of living beings, however, all gave rise to doubt and belonged to the assembly unable to understand. Precisely this assembly later formed a connection with the Lotus Sutra through the sixteen princes.
IX. The Buddha Enters Samādhi, Leaving the Conditions for a Renewed Explanation
The seventh item says that the Buddha enters samādhi after completing His teaching; this is precisely the recent cause for establishing the connection.
The Buddha enters samādhi and does not emerge for a long time, so the assembly whose minds still hold doubt has nowhere to ask. The sixteen princes therefore later explain this scripture again to those unable to understand, enabling them to form the connection.
The scripture makes three aspects of the samādhi clear: its place is a quiet room; actually entering it means abiding in meditative concentration; and its duration is eighty-four thousand eons.
Looking back from here, the distant cause begins with the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence’s realization and the request of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions. The recent cause proceeds from the Buddha’s acceptance of the request and successive teachings to His entering the quiet room and the doubtful assembly’s loss of anyone to question. Only because these conditions become complete level by level can the sixteen princes later explain the scripture again and formally establish living beings’ Dharma connection from the distant past.
結緣不是忽然發生的一次相遇。有人說法，也要有人能聽；有人聽見，也未必當下領解；即使尚未領解，只要後來仍有覆講的機會，最初那次聽聞便沒有徒然過去。本論把正式結緣以前的事分作遠由、近由，正是要沿著這條前後相接的線，說明一段久遠法緣如何逐步形成。
遠由追到大通智勝佛成道與十方梵天王請法；近由則從佛受請說法，一直寫到佛入定、疑惑眾無從請問。前者使法輪得以開始，後者使十六王子的覆講成為必要。遠與近不是兩套彼此無關的故事，而是同一件結緣之事尚未正式出現以前，先後具足的因由。
一、同一所證，為何成道有遲有速
大通智勝佛坐道場十劫，佛道仍不現前。本論隨即拿釋迦牟尼佛的六年苦行、彌勒出家的當日成道來對看，然後截斷兩種容易生起的比較：不能因此說三尊佛的根性有利鈍，也不能說所證之道有難易。
差別落在『緣宜』。眾生所宜的因緣或舒或促，佛所示現的時間便或長或短。這一判語使十劫不再是一項高下標誌。長，不表示所證更難；短，也不表示根性更利。同樣的道，進入不同眾生的世界時，可以呈現不同的等待。
這也正是結緣之由以長時開篇的理由。後文有人一聽便悟，有人經過二萬劫仍疑，又有人要等佛入定、王子覆講才得接續。從佛成道所示的長短，到眾生領解所需的遲速，本論雖曾依根性利鈍作一往分別，隨即又以『一往說』限之，所問終歸是當下之緣是否相宜。
二、一道光，如何成為十方的請法
佛將說法，先有威光照動。本論引《過去因果經》，說菩薩處胎與初成道時，大光使日月照不到的地方也彼此相見。光在這裡先完成一件很具體的事：原先幽暗隔絕的眾生，如今能夠看見彼此。
觀心之釋把這幅景象轉入一心。心性本淨，受陰、入、界覆蔽便暗；觀慧若起，本具之理便顯。兩山及其中間，使二諦與中道有了地勢；日月光與佛光，使兩智與中道智有了明暗。景象沒有被撤去，反而成了理解內在覆蔽與顯明的入口。
光明又從可見之瑞，推動成十方梵天王的行動。東、東南、南三方各經七個次第：見瑞、驚駭、相問、尋光見佛、供養、請法、默許；上方只有六項，因為佛受請後立即說法，不再另列默許。瑞相若只停在驚奇，尚未成為結緣之由；眾生循光見佛，再以三業供養而請法，光才真正轉入說法的因緣。
對各方究竟請大或請小，舊說各有分配，經、論的說法也各有詳略。本論沒有把其中一種偏據立成唯一答案，而以諸佛道同收束：從最初十六王子請法，到東、東南、其餘七方、上方與後來王子重請，古佛說法的節次與今佛自始至終的五味次第相應。重點不在替每一方固定一個永不移動的名目，而在看見各次請法如何依序得到回應。
三、為何先轉法輪，還要再請一次
近由開始，佛先接受十方梵天王之請而轉半字法輪。這裡本應具說三乘，卻把六度省略；本論明說，是因下文正要就下根眾生說結緣與開顯，所以文字從略。省略不是把菩薩乘刪去，更不是把三乘改成兩乘，而是敘述焦點已經指向後來仍須覆講的人。
第一次說法有受請、正轉、聞法得道三層。三轉是示、勸、證，也可配示、教、利、喜，又可配見諦、思惟、無學。若只作一往分別，聲聞三轉、緣覺再轉、菩薩一轉；本論隨即補明，這只是依根性利鈍暫作的說法，通例仍是三類都具三轉。法數在此不是把三類人永遠封在不同次數中，而是先顯差別，再明共同具足。
為何法至於三？一方面，諸佛語法說到三次而完備；另一方面，眾生有三根。即使最初受法的是五人，並有八萬諸天，也仍可從三慧、三根、三道說明三轉所生的利益。問題因此不在會中究竟排成三組或更多組，而在同一法輪如何使領受者的慧、根、道各有生起。
十六王子後來再次請法，所為與第一次不同。此時諸子已經出家，諸根通利、智慧明了；聲聞眾也已成就，障礙既除，受法之機便動。王子不是因前一番說法全無作用而重請，恰恰因前一番已有成就，才有進一步請佛彰明如來知見的時節。
四、十二與四十八，究竟在數什麼
『十二行』可以從教與行兩邊來看。四諦各有示、勸、證，合成十二教；三轉各生眼、智、明、覺，合成十二行。若分能所，教是能轉，行是所轉；若辨輪與非輪，又可只以十二行為輪。本論隨即又開教輪、行輪兩義。數字的反覆展開並非另立彼此競爭的算法，而是依所問的面向，辨明同一法輪中的說、受、教、行。
眼、智、明、覺本身又依忍、智開為十六心。苦諦有苦法忍、苦法智、比忍、比智，其餘三諦也各有四心，於是四乘四成十六；三根之人各得十六，便成四十八行。十二沒有被四十八推翻，四十八也不是在十二之外多出一套法：前者依三轉與四心合數，後者再把四心依四諦展開，所開的寬狹不同。
教輪與行輪也各有能、所。教輪的能轉只是一種權智，所轉有十二教；行輪則能轉之教有十二，所轉之行也有十二。十二行或可通約三人，也可只約一人。本段最後就見諦道三人合說十二行，正是眾多開合之中的當文落點。
真正的『轉』，不是自己知道一個名稱。沙門若未聞佛說，尚且不能知道；辟支佛雖自悟而不能以言宣說；婆羅門只聞其名而不解其理，魔、梵也同樣不能轉。法度入他心，使對方領悟並破六十二見，才叫轉法輪。從佛口到眾生心，從所聞到所得，『轉』始終是一項實際發生的教化。
五、四諦、十二因緣、六度，為何彼此可開可合
有人把大乘四諦再收作二諦、一諦，直到無諦；本論稱這些都是卷舒之意。卷是收攝，舒是展開。小乘四諦以生滅為體，大乘則以無生為體；十二因緣又是把四諦作別相細觀：無明乃至老死攝於苦、集，無明滅乃至老死滅攝於道、滅。
這項開合也用來說明三乘的通與別。三類人都可觀十二因緣，二乘依生滅而觀，菩薩依無生而觀。三乘也都可論四諦，二乘依有量而說，菩薩依無量而說。六度同樣通於三人；二乘之行能到涅槃彼岸，也可稱為波羅蜜，只是不能到佛道彼岸，所以與菩薩不同。
因此，四諦、十二因緣、六度並非只憑名稱便各成一座互不相通的島。相同的法門可以通於三人，又依所觀之體、所到之岸而顯出差別。本論既不抹去差別，也不因差別而否認相通；卷舒正是把兩面放在同一段文字中看清。
六、同在一會，為何有人悟、有人疑
第一次聞法得悟，最初人少，後來人多。『不受』是離開四見而得初果；『得解脫』是脫離子縛、果縛而至無學；『深妙定』則是俱解脫。得益有先後，也有淺深，但這一番說法確實使許多人走完相應的路。
第二次請法時，十六王子與一部分二乘信受得解；其餘千萬億眾卻生疑惑。這個對比極為要緊：佛已說法，大眾也確實在場，仍不能保證每一個人當下都能理解。疑惑眾不是被敘事遺棄的人；本論明說，他們正是後來與十六王子結下《法華經》因緣的人。
兩番說法之間又隔二萬劫。本論依後文判斷，中間不應全無所說，必有方等、般若；所據是六波羅蜜、神通之事與分別真實法等文字。這項判讀仍服務於同一條結緣次第：疑惑眾並非只聽過孤立的一句話，他們已經歷長時說法，卻仍有未解之處。
七、佛為何以入定結束這一段
佛說法後進入靜室，住於禪定，經八萬四千劫。若只看佛一方，入定似乎是說法暫停；若看疑惑眾一方，它立即造成新的處境：佛久久不出，他們失去可以請問的對象。
正是在這裡，近由與後文正式結緣銜接。十六王子已有信解，疑惑眾仍待解答，佛又入定不出；三項條件同時具足，王子才會在後來為不解者覆講。佛入定並沒有直接替大眾解除疑惑，卻使已領解者承擔起再說一次的工作。
所以，這一段真正寫成的不是『聽過便算有緣』。它寫的是法緣如何經成道、放光、請法、三轉、兩番說法、信與疑，最後來到覆講之前。有人當下得道，有人尚未得解；未解沒有被粉飾成已解，也沒有因此被排除在法緣之外。遠近二由所護持的，正是這一份尚待接續、卻已經開始的可能。
文句記之眼
《文句記》先在成道久近處加上一道界線。祂說：「故知同居淨穢其相蓋多，故成道等不可全同此土三藏，故知不可若引此土小教以消彼文。」〔T34n1719 0297a29〕這使本論的『道同緣異』不被讀成把大通智勝佛的一切示現，逐項套入此土既有的成道敘事。道同仍可成立，示現之相卻不能因此被抹平。
鏡文還留意一個經相上的疑問：梵天所雨之華高大如山，菩提樹下的座卻仍在其下，兩者如何並存？祂以不思議事彼此不礙作答〔T34n1719 0297b02–0297b04〕。這道問答是鏡文對根經景象的追問，本論原段沒有另設此問；它的所屬層位仍是鏡照。
對本論只標名而未細解的三轉，鏡文補出各自的語勢：「示者，謂此是苦乃至此是道。勸者，謂苦應知、集應斷、滅應證、道應修。證者，苦我已知不復更知，乃至道我已修不復更修。」〔T34n1719 0297b10〕這一補釋照明示、勸、證如何由指出四諦，進到勸修，再以佛自身所證作證；逐句定義屬於鏡文增量，並非本論原段所陳。
十二教、十二行之辨，鏡文又追問何以稱輪：「輪以摧碾為義，唯教無行豈能摧惑？」〔T34n1719 0297c07〕隨後同時保留兩層說法：若教從化主、行從受者分判，可偏就行說輪；若教行相循而共同摧惑，兩者又都可稱輪。這不是替本論另加第三種法輪，而是把本論先判輪、非輪，繼而又許二輪的轉折說透。
到十六王子一段，鏡文把『諸根通利』的兩釋分判為不同位次：初釋判為「相似位」〔T34n1719 0298a26〕，次釋判為「初住位」〔0298a26〕。本論原文只說六根清淨、六根互用與入佛境界，並未標出這兩個位名；兩個位名都是鏡文增量。
最後，鏡文以眾生受化的時限解釋八萬四千劫：「諸佛奚嘗不與定俱，但由物機在十六子結緣齊限，故爾許時具如次文所述者是。」〔T34n1719 0298b01〕祂又引《正法華》作三十萬劫〔0298b03〕；今本大正正文與校記另有數字問題，異讀已由考據層並錄。鏡文在此照明的方向是：長時入定不是一個孤立數字，而與十六王子所結之緣的時限相連。
A Dharma connection is not an encounter that happens all at once. When someone teaches the Dharma, someone must also be able to hear; even when someone hears, they may not immediately understand. If there remains a later opportunity to explain it again, even what was not yet understood at the first hearing has not passed in vain. By dividing what precedes the formal establishment of the connection into distant and recent causes, the root treatise follows this continuous line to show how a Dharma connection from the distant past gradually took form.
The distant cause reaches back to the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence’s realization of the Way and the Brahmā kings of the ten directions requesting the Dharma. The recent cause begins with the Buddha accepting their request and teaching, and continues until He enters samādhi and the doubtful assembly has no one to question. The former makes the turning of the Dharma wheel possible; the latter makes the sixteen princes’ renewed explanation necessary. Distant and recent are not two unrelated stories, but causes successively brought to completion before one and the same connection formally appears.
I. Why Realization of the Same Way May Be Slow or Swift
The Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence sat at the place of practice for ten eons, yet the Buddha Way still did not appear before Him. The root treatise immediately sets this beside Śākyamuni Buddha’s six years of ascetic practice and Maitreya’s realization on the very day he left home, then cuts off two comparisons that might easily arise: one cannot infer that the faculties of the three buddhas were sharp or dull, nor that the Way they realized was difficult or easy.
The difference lies in the “suitability of conditions.” The conditions suited to living beings may unfold slowly or swiftly, and so a buddha’s manifestation may last a longer or shorter time. This judgment prevents ten eons from becoming a mark of higher or lower attainment. A long duration does not mean that realization was more difficult; a short duration does not mean that the faculties were sharper. The same Way can display different periods of waiting when it enters the worlds of different living beings.
This is also why the causes of the connection begin with a long span of time. Later, some awaken upon one hearing, some still doubt after twenty thousand eons, and others can continue only after the Buddha enters samādhi and the princes explain the teaching again. From the length or brevity manifested in a buddha’s realization to the speed or delay required for living beings to understand, the root treatise provisionally distinguishes according to sharp and dull faculties but immediately limits this as “a statement made in the first instance.” The final question is whether the conditions at that moment are suitable.
II. How One Radiance Becomes the Ten Directions’ Request for the Dharma
Before the Buddha teaches, His majestic radiance first shines and causes trembling. The root treatise cites the Sūtra of Past Causes and Effects: when the bodhisattva was in the womb and when he first realized the Way, a great light enabled even those in places unreached by sun or moon to see one another. The light first accomplishes something very concrete: beings formerly separated in darkness can now see each other.
Interpretation through contemplating the mind turns this scene into the single mind. Mind-nature is originally pure, but becomes dark when covered by aggregates, entrances, and realms; when contemplative wisdom arises, the principle inherently present becomes manifest. The two mountains and the space between them give terrain to the two truths and the Middle Way; sunlight, moonlight, and buddha-light give degrees of illumination to the two wisdoms and the wisdom of the Middle Way. The scene is not withdrawn. It becomes an entrance for understanding inner concealment and disclosure.
The radiance then moves from a visible portent into the action of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions. East, southeast, and south each unfold in seven stages: seeing the portent, being startled, questioning one another, following the light and seeing the Buddha, making offerings, requesting the Dharma, and receiving silent assent. Above has only six because the Buddha teaches immediately after accepting the request, with no separate silent assent. If a portent ends in astonishment, it has not yet become a cause of connection. Only when beings follow the light, see the Buddha, make offerings through the three modes of action, and request the Dharma does the light truly become a condition for teaching.
Older explanations distribute requests for a great or lesser teaching among the directions, while scriptures and treatises preserve differing degrees of detail. The root treatise does not make one partial basis the sole answer, but gathers the discussion under the sameness of the buddhas’ Way. From the sixteen princes’ initial request through the east, southeast, the remaining seven directions, above, and the princes’ later renewed request, the stages of the ancient buddha’s teaching correspond to the five-flavor sequence of the present Buddha from beginning to end. The point is not to fix an immovable label upon each direction, but to see how each successive request receives its response.
III. Why Turn the Dharma Wheel First and Then Request the Dharma Again?
At the beginning of the recent cause, the Buddha first accepts the request of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions and turns the Dharma wheel of the half-word teaching. All three vehicles should be stated here, but the six perfections are omitted. The root treatise expressly says that the wording is abbreviated because what follows will explain connection and disclosure for those of lesser capacity. This omission does not delete the bodhisattva vehicle or turn three vehicles into two; it directs the narrative toward those for whom the teaching will still have to be explained again.
The first teaching has three levels: acceptance of the request, the actual turning, and the hearers’ attainment of the Way. The three turnings are demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation; they may also be correlated with demonstration, instruction, benefit, and joy, or with the paths of seeing the truths, reflection, and no-more-learning. In a provisional distinction, the wheel is turned three times for śrāvakas, twice for pratyekabuddhas, and once for bodhisattvas. The root treatise immediately adds that this is only a temporary statement according to sharp and dull faculties; by the general rule all three groups possess all three turnings. Here the numbers do not imprison the three groups forever within different counts. They first reveal difference and then clarify common completeness.
Why does the teaching reach completion in three? On one side, the buddhas’ manner of speech becomes complete when the Dharma is stated three times; on the other, living beings have three grades of faculties. Even though the first recipients were five people together with eighty thousand gods, the benefits produced by the three turnings can still be explained through the three wisdoms, three faculties, and three paths. The question is therefore not whether the assembly was divided into exactly three groups or more, but how one Dharma wheel caused wisdom, faculties, and paths to arise in its recipients.
The sixteen princes’ later renewed request has a different purpose from the first. By then they have left home, their faculties are penetrating and keen, and their wisdom is clear. The śrāvaka assembly too has reached accomplishment: its obstructions have been removed and the capacity to receive the Dharma has stirred. The princes do not request again because the earlier teaching had no effect. Precisely because it had already brought accomplishment, the time has come to ask the Buddha to disclose the Tathāgata’s knowledge and vision.
IV. What Exactly Do Twelve and Forty-Eight Count?
The “twelve aspects” can be viewed from the sides of teaching and practice. Each of the four truths has demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation, making twelve teaching-aspects; each of the three turnings produces eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening, making twelve practice-aspects. Distinguished as agent and object, teaching is what turns and practice is what is turned. Distinguished as wheel and non-wheel, only the twelve practice-aspects may be called the wheel. The root treatise then opens the two meanings of a teaching wheel and a practice wheel. These repeated expansions of the numbers do not establish competing calculations; each clarifies teaching, reception, instruction, and practice within the same Dharma wheel from the standpoint asked about.
Eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening are themselves expanded through receptivity and knowledge into sixteen mental states. The truth of suffering has receptivity to the Dharma of suffering, knowledge of the Dharma of suffering, comparative receptivity, and comparative knowledge; each of the other three truths likewise has four, so four times four makes sixteen. Persons of each of the three grades of faculties obtain sixteen, making forty-eight practice-aspects. Twelve is not overturned by forty-eight, nor does forty-eight add a separate Dharma beyond twelve. The former counts the three turnings together with four mental states; the latter expands those four across the four truths. Their breadth differs.
The teaching wheel and practice wheel each also have an agent and an object. For the teaching wheel, what turns is only one kind of provisional wisdom and what is turned consists of twelve teaching-aspects. For the practice wheel, the teaching that causes practice to arise has twelve aspects and the practice-aspects produced also number twelve. The twelve practice-aspects may be applied generally to three persons or to one person alone. This passage finally speaks of twelve practice-aspects by grouping the three persons on the path of seeing the truths; this is the contextual conclusion among its many expansions and contractions.
Genuine “turning” is not personally knowing a name. A śramaṇa who has not heard the Buddha speak cannot even know it; a pratyekabuddha awakens alone but cannot proclaim it in words; a brahman hears only the name without understanding the principle; Māra and Brahmā likewise cannot turn it. Only when the Dharma passes into another’s mind, enabling that person to awaken and break the sixty-two views, is it called turning the Dharma wheel. From the Buddha’s mouth to living beings’ minds, and from what is heard to what is attained, “turning” always names an act of transformation that actually takes place.
V. Why the Four Truths, Twelve Links, and Six Perfections Can Be Expanded and Contracted
One explanation contracts the Great Vehicle’s four truths into two truths, then one truth, and finally no truth. The root treatise calls all of this the meaning of contraction and expansion: contraction gathers in, while expansion unfolds. The Lesser Vehicle’s four truths take arising and cessation as their essence; the Great Vehicle takes nonarising as their essence. The twelve links are a fine-grained, differentiated contemplation of the four truths: ignorance through aging and death are gathered under suffering and origination, while the cessation of ignorance through the cessation of aging and death are gathered under the path and cessation.
This expansion and contraction also explains what is shared and distinct among the three vehicles. All three kinds of persons may contemplate the twelve links: the two vehicles contemplate them through arising and cessation, while bodhisattvas contemplate them as nonarising. All three vehicles may also be discussed through the four truths: the two vehicles in terms of the measurable and bodhisattvas in terms of the immeasurable. The six perfections likewise extend to all three persons. Since practices of the two vehicles can reach the farther shore of nirvāṇa, they too may be called perfections; they differ from bodhisattvas because they cannot reach the farther shore of the Buddha Way.
Thus the four truths, twelve links, and six perfections do not each become an isolated island merely through having a separate name. The same Dharma gate can extend to all three persons and still reveal differences according to the essence contemplated and the shore reached. The root treatise neither erases difference nor denies what is shared because differences remain. Contraction and expansion place both sides clearly within a single passage.
VI. Why Some Awaken and Others Doubt in the Same Assembly
At the first hearing, few awakened initially and many later. “Not accepting” means leaving the four views and attaining the first fruit; “attaining liberation” means release from the fetters of the seed and the fruit and reaching no-more-learning; “profound and subtle meditation” means liberation through both. Benefits have earlier and later moments and shallower and deeper forms, but this teaching did enable many people to complete the corresponding path.
At the second request, the sixteen princes and a portion of those in the two vehicles accepted in faith and understood; the remaining myriads of koṭis of beings gave rise to doubt. This contrast is essential: even when the Buddha has taught and the assembly is truly present, not everyone is guaranteed to understand immediately. The doubtful assembly is not abandoned by the narrative. The root treatise expressly says that these are the very people who later form a connection with the Lotus Sutra through the sixteen princes.
Twenty thousand eons also separate the two teachings. Judging from the later text, the root treatise says that this interval cannot have contained no teaching at all, but must have included Vaipulya and Prajñāpāramitā; its basis is the language on the six perfections, supernormal deeds, and differentiating the real Dharma. This reading still serves the same sequence of connection. The doubtful assembly did not hear merely one isolated sentence. They had passed through teaching over a long time, yet something remained unresolved.
VII. Why the Buddha Ends This Passage by Entering Samādhi
After teaching, the Buddha enters a quiet room and remains in meditative concentration for eighty-four thousand eons. Viewed only from the Buddha’s side, samādhi may look like an interruption of teaching. Viewed from the doubtful assembly’s side, it immediately creates a new situation: the Buddha does not emerge for a long time, and they lose the one whom they could question.
Here the recent cause connects with the formal establishment of the connection that follows. The sixteen princes already have faith and understanding, the doubtful assembly still awaits an answer, and the Buddha has entered samādhi without emerging. Only when these three conditions coexist will the princes later explain the teaching again to those who do not understand. The Buddha’s samādhi does not directly resolve the assembly’s doubts, but causes those who have understood to take up the work of teaching once more.
What this passage actually writes, then, is not “hearing once means one has a connection.” It shows how a Dharma connection passes through realization of the Way, radiance, requests for the Dharma, three turnings, two rounds of teaching, faith, and doubt, until it reaches the point immediately before renewed explanation. Some attain the Way at once and some have not yet understood. Lack of understanding is neither embellished as understanding nor used to exclude anyone from the Dharma connection. The distant and recent causes preserve precisely this possibility—already begun, yet still awaiting continuation.
Through the Eye of the Wenjuji
The Wenjuji first adds a boundary concerning the long and short times of realization. It says: “Thus one knows that the pure and defiled forms of co-residence are manifold. Realization of the Way and related matters therefore cannot be made wholly the same as the Tripiṭaka Teaching in this land, and one cannot interpret that passage merely by citing this land’s lesser teaching”〔T34n1719 0297a29〕. This prevents the root treatise’s “same Way, different conditions” from being read as mapping every manifestation of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence point by point onto this land’s received account of realization. The sameness of the Way remains, but the forms manifested cannot thereby be erased.
The Mirror also notices a question within the scriptural scene: the flowers rained by the Brahmā gods are as high as a mountain, yet the seat beneath the bodhi tree remains below them—how can both coexist? It answers that inconceivable events do not obstruct one another〔T34n1719 0297b02–0297b04〕. This question and answer is the Mirror’s inquiry into the root scripture’s scene; the root-treatise passage does not pose it separately, and it remains on the mirror layer.
For the three turnings, which the root treatise only names without detailed explanation, the Mirror supplies their respective force: “Demonstration means: this is suffering, and so on through this is the path. Exhortation means: suffering should be known, origination should be severed, cessation should be realized, and the path should be cultivated. Confirmation means: I have known suffering and need not know it again, and so on through I have cultivated the path and need not cultivate it again”〔T34n1719 0297b10〕. This supplement illuminates how demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation move from indicating the four truths, to urging practice, and then to the Buddha’s own realization as confirmation. The sentence-by-sentence definitions are the Mirror’s addition, not statements made in this root-treatise passage.
In distinguishing twelve teaching-aspects and twelve practice-aspects, the Mirror further asks why they are called a wheel: “A wheel takes crushing and grinding as its meaning; if there were only teaching and no practice, how could it crush delusion?”〔T34n1719 0297c07〕. It then preserves both levels. If teaching is assigned to the transforming lord and practice to the recipient, “wheel” may be stated preferentially of practice. If teaching and practice follow one another and together crush delusion, both may be called wheels. This does not add a third Dharma wheel to the root treatise, but clarifies its turn from judging wheel and non-wheel to permitting two wheels.
In the passage on the sixteen princes, the Mirror assigns the two explanations of “their faculties were penetrating and keen” to different stages. The first is “the stage of resemblance”〔T34n1719 0298a26〕 and the second “the stage of the first abode”〔0298a26〕. The root treatise itself speaks only of purification of the six faculties, their interchangeable functioning, and entry into the Buddha’s domain. Both named stages are additions of the Mirror.
Finally, the Mirror explains the eighty-four thousand eons through the duration of living beings’ reception of transformation: “When have the buddhas ever not been together with samādhi? It is only because the capacities of beings reach their limit in forming connections with the sixteen princes that it lasts for precisely this time, as the following passage fully describes”〔T34n1719 0298b01〕. It also cites the True Dharma Lotus as giving three hundred thousand eons〔0298b03〕; the present Taishō text and its critical note present a further numerical problem, and the variant readings are recorded together in the apparatus. The direction illuminated by the Mirror is that this long samādhi is not an isolated number, but is connected with the duration of the connections formed by the sixteen princes.
考據Apparatus
本單元消釋〈化城喻品〉中大通智勝佛成道、十方梵王請法、三轉十二行法輪，以及十六王子重請《法華》的長段。智者把它判作結緣之由：成道與梵請是遠由，先轉半字法輪、後請滿字法輪是近由；近由之末，疑惑眾因佛入定而無所諮問，遂為十六沙彌後來覆講結緣預留位置。
一、科判定位
嚴格域為 T34n1718〔0098b16–0099c11〕，起於「「佛壽五百四十」下，正明結緣」〔0098b16〕，止於「入定時節即是八萬四千劫〔云云〕」〔0099c11〕。同一〔0098b16〕前半仍屬上一單元；同一〔0099c11〕後半「「是時十六菩薩知佛入室」下」已轉入覆講正文，不納本域。讀者原典共二段，正文二千二百五十字，其中漢字一千八百零八字。
本論自列的兩、五、七等層級可分為七科：
| 次第 | 行域 | 本論內容 |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | 0098b16–0098b18 | 結緣分由與正結緣；由再分遠由、近由 |
| 二 | 0098b18–0098c01 | 遠由第一：大通智勝佛成道；成道開佛壽、成道前事、正成道、眷屬供養、請轉法輪五項 |
| 三 | 0098c01–0098c26 | 遠由第二：先威光照動，後十方梵請；先九方，後上方 |
| 四 | 0098c27–0099a11 | 近由總標；先轉半字法輪，開受請、正轉、聞法得道三項 |
| 五 | 0099a11–0099a29 | 三轉、十二行、教行能所、四十八行及能轉、不能轉 |
| 六 | 0099a29–0099b18 | 四諦、十二因緣、六度的卷舒與三乘通別；聞法得悟 |
| 七 | 0099b18–0099c11 | 重請滿字法輪七項：出家、請法、所將出家、佛受請、時眾解與不解、時節、說已入定 |
本單元位於迹門〈化城喻品〉。其後覆講、結緣及今日得度的科文仍在同品展開；眼前只處理結緣何以得以發生，後段正結緣不在本域。
二、成立與傳本
本帙卷端神逈序記灌頂法師私記二十卷，並記唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫治定；現行半卷題署仍單署天台智者大師說。故本單元義說歸智者，文字傳錄歸灌頂及後世治定。原序次沒有另一部條倫以前的完整傳本可逐字對勘，治定層只誌其自陳，不據以判定每一異讀的先後。
本域有十組大正本與甲本校異、七枚所傳夾註，沒有待解算外字。這些材料顯示現行字面有可考異存，卻不足以重建治定以前的全文；正文守大正本，甲本異讀並錄。
三、所帖經文與所引
（一）根經範圍
所帖根經為鳩摩羅什譯《妙法蓮華經》T09n0262〈化城喻品第七〉，對應本倉已封印原典 canon/tiantai/fahua/treatise/07_huachengyu/07_huachengyu_source.md 第二十二至第一百四十六行，大正藏行域〔0022b19–0025b05〕。起句是大通智勝佛壽量，末句是佛說《法華》後入靜室、住禪定八萬四千劫；其後十六沙彌知佛入室，已是下一單元所釋。
下表依根經三十七個散文、偈頌段逐段列出：
| 次 | 類 | T0262 loc | 今本逐字 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 散文 | 0022b19 | 佛告諸比丘：「大通智勝佛壽五百四十萬億那由他劫。其佛本坐道場，破魔軍已，垂得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，而諸佛法不現在前。如是一小劫乃至十小劫，結加趺坐，身心不動，而諸佛法猶不在前。爾時忉利諸天，先為彼佛於菩提樹下敷師子座，高一由旬，佛於此座當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。適坐此座，時諸梵天王雨眾天華，面百由旬，香風時來，吹去萎華，更雨新者。如是不絕，滿十小劫，供養於佛，乃至滅度常雨此華。四王諸天為供養佛，常擊天鼓，其餘諸天作天伎樂，滿十小劫，至于滅度亦復如是。 |
| 2 | 散文 | 0022c02 | 「諸比丘！大通智勝佛過十小劫，諸佛之法乃現在前，成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。其佛未出家時，有十六子，其第一者名曰智積。諸子各有種種珍異玩好之具，聞父得成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，皆捨所珍，往詣佛所。諸母涕泣而隨送之。其祖轉輪聖王，與一百大臣及餘百千萬億人民，皆共圍繞，隨至道場。咸欲親近大通智勝如來，供養恭敬，尊重讚歎。到已，頭面禮足，繞佛畢已，一心合掌，瞻仰世尊，以偈頌曰： |
| 3 | 偈頌 | 0022c12 | 「『大威德世尊，為度眾生故，於無量億劫，爾乃得成佛，諸願已具足，善哉吉無上。世尊甚希有，一坐十小劫，身體及手足，靜然安不動。其心常惔怕，未曾有散亂，究竟永寂滅，安住無漏法。今者見世尊，安隱成佛道，我等得善利，稱慶大歡喜。眾生常苦惱，盲瞑無導師，不識苦盡道，不知求解脫。長夜增惡趣，減損諸天眾，從冥入於冥，永不聞佛名。今佛得最上、安隱無漏道，我等及天人，為得最大利，是故咸稽首、歸命無上尊。』 |
| 4 | 散文 | 0022c28 | 「爾時十六王子偈讚佛已，勸請世尊轉於法輪，咸作是言：『世尊說法，多所安隱、憐愍、饒益諸天人民。』重說偈言： |
| 5 | 偈頌 | 0023a02 | 「『世雄無等倫，百福自莊嚴，得無上智慧，願為世間說。度脫於我等、及諸眾生類，為分別顯示，令得是智慧。若我等得佛，眾生亦復然。世尊知眾生，深心之所念，亦知所行道，又知智慧力，欲樂及修福，宿命所行業。世尊悉知已，當轉無上輪。』」 |
| 6 | 散文 | 0023a11 | 佛告諸比丘：「大通智勝佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，十方各五百萬億諸佛世界六種震動，其國中間幽冥之處，日月威光所不能照，而皆大明。其中眾生，各得相見，咸作是言：『此中云何忽生眾生，又其國界、諸天宮殿乃至梵宮，六種震動，大光普照，遍滿世界，勝諸天光？』 |
| 7 | 散文 | 0023a17 | 「爾時東方五百萬億諸國土中，梵天宮殿光明照曜，倍於常明。諸梵天王各作是念：『今者宮殿光明，昔所未有。以何因緣而現此相？』是時諸梵天王，即各相詣，共議此事。時彼眾中，有一大梵天王，名救一切，為諸梵眾而說偈言： |
| 8 | 偈頌 | 0023a23 | 「『我等諸宮殿，光明昔未有，此是何因緣，宜各共求之。為大德天生，為佛出世間，而此大光明，遍照於十方。』 |
| 9 | 散文 | 0023a27 | 「爾時五百萬億國土諸梵天王，與宮殿俱，各以衣裓，盛諸天華，共詣西方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。即時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——其所散華如須彌山；并以供養佛菩提樹——其菩提樹高十由旬。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： |
| 10 | 偈頌 | 0023b09 | 「『世尊甚希有，難可得值遇，具無量功德，能救護一切。天人之大師，哀愍於世間，十方諸眾生，普皆蒙饒益。我等所從來，五百萬億國，捨深禪定樂，為供養佛故。我等先世福，宮殿甚嚴飾，今以奉世尊，唯願哀納受。』 |
| 11 | 散文 | 0023b17 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，度脫眾生，開涅槃道。』時諸梵天王，一心同聲而說偈言： |
| 12 | 偈頌 | 0023b20 | 「『世雄兩足尊，唯願演說法，以大慈悲力，度苦惱眾生。』 |
| 13 | 散文 | 0023b22 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。 |
| 14 | 散文 | 0023b22 | 「又，諸比丘！東南方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，各自見宮殿光明照曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事。時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰大悲，為諸梵眾而說偈言： |
| 15 | 偈頌 | 0023b27 | 「『是事何因緣，而現如此相？我等諸宮殿，光明昔未有。為大德天生？為佛出世間？未曾見此相，當共一心求。過千萬億土，尋光共推之，多是佛出世，度脫苦眾生。』 |
| 16 | 散文 | 0023c04 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣西北方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之華如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』爾時諸梵天王即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： |
| 17 | 偈頌 | 0023c15 | 「『聖主天中王，迦陵頻伽聲，哀愍眾生者，我等今敬禮。世尊甚希有，久遠乃一現，一百八十劫，空過無有佛。三惡道充滿，諸天眾減少，今佛出於世，為眾生作眼。世間所歸趣，救護於一切，為眾生之父，哀愍饒益者。我等宿福慶，今得值世尊。』 |
| 18 | 散文 | 0023c24 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊哀愍一切，轉於法輪，度脫眾生。』時諸梵天王一心同聲而說偈言： |
| 19 | 偈頌 | 0023c27 | 「『大聖轉法輪，顯示諸法相，度苦惱眾生，令得大歡喜。眾生聞此法，得道若生天，諸惡道減少，忍善者增益。』 |
| 20 | 散文 | 0024a02 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。 |
| 21 | 散文 | 0024a02 | 「又，諸比丘！南方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，各自見宮殿光明照曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事：『以何因緣，我等宮殿有此光曜？』時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰妙法，為諸梵眾而說偈言： |
| 22 | 偈頌 | 0024a08 | 「『我等諸宮殿，光明甚威曜，此非無因緣，是相宜求之。過於百千劫，未曾見是相，為大德天生？為佛出世間？』 |
| 23 | 散文 | 0024a12 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣北方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之華如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』爾時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： |
| 24 | 偈頌 | 0024a23 | 「『世尊甚難見，破諸煩惱者，過百三十劫，今乃得一見。諸飢渴眾生，以法雨充滿，昔所未曾見，無量智慧者，如優曇鉢花，今日乃值遇。我等諸宮殿，蒙光故嚴飾，世尊大慈悲，唯願垂納受。』 |
| 25 | 散文 | 0024b01 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，令一切世間諸天、魔、梵、沙門、婆羅門，皆獲安隱而得度脫。』時諸梵天王一心同聲以偈頌曰： |
| 26 | 偈頌 | 0024b05 | 「『唯願天人尊，轉無上法輪，擊于大法鼓，而吹大法螺，普雨大法雨，度無量眾生。我等咸歸請，當演深遠音。』 |
| 27 | 散文 | 0024b09 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。西南方乃至下方，亦復如是。 |
| 28 | 散文 | 0024b10 | 「爾時上方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，皆悉自覩所止宮殿光明威曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事：『以何因緣，我等宮殿，有斯光明？』時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰尸棄，為諸梵眾而說偈言： |
| 29 | 偈頌 | 0024b16 | 「『今以何因緣，我等諸宮殿，威德光明曜，嚴飾未曾有。如是之妙相，昔所未聞見，為大德天生？為佛出世間？』 |
| 30 | 散文 | 0024b20 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣下方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之花如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。花供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： |
| 31 | 偈頌 | 0024c02 | 「『善哉見諸佛，救世之聖尊，能於三界獄，勉出諸眾生。普智天人尊，哀愍群萌類，能開甘露門，廣度於一切。於昔無量劫，空過無有佛，世尊未出時，十方常暗冥，三惡道增長，阿修羅亦盛，諸天眾轉減，死多墮惡道。不從佛聞法，常行不善事，色力及智慧，斯等皆減少。罪業因緣故，失樂及樂想，住於邪見法，不識善儀則，不蒙佛所化，常墮於惡道。佛為世間眼，久遠時乃出，哀愍諸眾生，故現於世間。超出成正覺，我等甚欣慶，及餘一切眾，喜歎未曾有。我等諸宮殿，蒙光故嚴飾，今以奉世尊，唯垂哀納受。願以此功德，普及於一切，我等與眾生，皆共成佛道。』 |
| 32 | 散文 | 0024c23 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各白佛言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，多所安隱，多所度脫。』時諸梵天王而說偈言： |
| 33 | 偈頌 | 0024c26 | 「『世尊轉法輪，擊甘露法鼓，度苦惱眾生，開示涅槃道。唯願受我請，以大微妙音，哀愍而敷演，無量劫習法。』 |
| 34 | 散文 | 0025a01 | 「爾時大通智勝如來受十方諸梵天王及十六王子請，即時三轉十二行法輪——若沙門、婆羅門，若天、魔、梵及餘世間所不能轉——謂是苦，是苦集，是苦滅，是苦滅道；及廣說十二因緣法——無明緣行，行緣識，識緣名色，名色緣六入，六入緣觸，觸緣受，受緣愛，愛緣取，取緣有，有緣生，生緣老死憂悲苦惱。無明滅則行滅，行滅則識滅，識滅則名色滅，名色滅則六入滅，六入滅則觸滅，觸滅則受滅，受滅則愛滅，愛滅則取滅，取滅則有滅，有滅則生滅，生滅則老死憂悲苦惱滅。 |
| 35 | 散文 | 0025a12 | 「佛於天人大眾之中說是法時，六百萬億那由他人，以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫，皆得深妙禪定，三明、六通，具八解脫。第二、第三、第四說法時，千萬億恒河沙那由他等眾生，亦以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫。從是已後，諸聲聞眾無量無邊不可稱數。 |
| 36 | 散文 | 0025a18 | 「爾時十六王子——皆以童子出家而為沙彌，諸根通利，智慧明了，已曾供養百千萬億諸佛，淨修梵行，求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提——俱白佛言：『世尊！是諸無量千萬億大德聲聞皆已成就。世尊亦當為我等說阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，我等聞已，皆共修學。世尊！我等志願如來知見，深心所念，佛自證知。』爾時轉輪聖王所將眾中八萬億人，見十六王子出家，亦求出家。王即聽許。 |
| 37 | 散文 | 0025a27 | 「爾時彼佛受沙彌請，過二萬劫已，乃於四眾之中說是大乘經，名『妙法蓮華』，教菩薩法，佛所護念。說是經已，十六沙彌為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故，皆共受持，諷誦通利。說是經時，十六菩薩沙彌皆悉信受；聲聞眾中，亦有信解；其餘眾生千萬億種，皆生疑惑。佛說是經，於八千劫未曾休廢。說此經已，即入靜室，住於禪定八萬四千劫。 |
以上根經域共三十七段，起訖與本倉封印原典一一對位。
（二）同品稍後重頌
智者在本域另帖同品稍後兩句。它們不在前述根經嚴格域，故分列：
| 《文句》所帖 | 本論 loc | T09n0262 今本逐字 | 今本 loc |
|---|---|---|---|
| 「說六波羅蜜及諸神通事」 | 0099c01 | 「說六波羅蜜，及諸神通事。」 | 0026c08 |
| 「分別真實法」 | 0099c03 | 「分別真實法，菩薩所行道，」 | 0026c09 |
第一句本論省逗號，第二句只取今本前半；各守其本。
（三）顯名他引：本論原句與今本並錄
甲、《過去因果經》
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所引 | 「薩婆悉達處胎時，三千國土朗然大光，日月所不照處大明，其中眾生各得相見」 | 0098c03 | 引名起於前一行，引句首字在本行 |
| T03n0189 今本 | 「三千大千世界，常皆大明，其界中間幽冥之處，日月威光所不能照，亦皆朗然。其中眾生各得相見，共相謂言：『此中云何忽生眾生？』」 | 0624b26 | 次序相近，今本文字較展開 |
乙、《釋論》與梵請
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所述 | 「若《釋論》明梵本請大，佛雖說小未遂所請，若說般若猶酬梵請耳。」 | 0098c16 | 本論的引源比較 |
| T25n1509 今本 | 「是時三千大千世界主梵天王，名式棄，及色界諸天等，釋提桓因及欲界諸天等，并四天王，皆詣佛所，勸請世尊初轉法輪；亦是菩薩念本所願，及大慈大悲故，受請說法。」 | 0058a25 | 有梵請轉法輪 |
| T25n1509 今本 | 「諸法甚深者，般若波羅蜜是。以是故佛說《摩訶般若波羅蜜經》。」 | 0058a29 | 有般若脈絡；今本未見本論整句同文 |
丙、〈方便品〉
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所述 | 「若依〈方便品〉文，梵王請大，然佛法道同不應偏請。」 | 0098c18 | 本論的引源比較 |
| T09n0262 今本 | 「爾時諸梵王，及諸天帝釋、護世四天王，及大自在天，并餘諸天眾，眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」 | 0009c09 | 梵王請轉法輪 |
| T09n0262 今本 | 「我即自思惟：『若但讚佛乘，眾生沒在苦，不能信是法；破法不信故，墜於三惡道。我寧不說法，疾入於涅槃。尋念過去佛，所行方便力，我今所得道，亦應說三乘。』」 | 0009c13 | 請後有佛乘與三乘的思惟 |
丁、《大論》與《婆沙》
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所述 | 「諸佛語法，法至於三，為眾生有三根故，《大論》及《婆沙》悉作此說。問：初為五人，云何作三根耶？復有八萬諸天，何故無三根？」 | 0099a08 | 本論合舉兩論 |
| T25n1509 今本 | 「佛為五比丘，初開甘露門，說四真諦法：苦集滅道諦。阿若憍陳如，最初得見道；八萬諸天眾，皆亦入道迹！」 | 0069b14 | 五比丘與八萬諸天 |
| T28n1546 今本 | 「佛經說：諸比丘！是苦聖諦，曾從他聞。於法中正觀思惟，生眼智明覺。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我應當知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我已知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。集滅道說亦如是。」 | 0307b02 | 三轉與眼智明覺 |
| T28n1546 今本 | 「是說未知欲知根。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我應當知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。是說知根。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我已知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。是說知已根。如是餘一二諦三轉生三根亦爾。」 | 0307b07 | 三轉生三根 |
| T28n1546 今本 | 「此是如來最初之說，五比丘、八萬諸天為證。」 | 0307b17 | 五比丘與八萬諸天 |
戊、《大品．發趣品》
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所引 | 「阿羅漢、支佛，因六波羅蜜至彼岸。」 | 0099b10 | 本論引句 |
| T08n0223 今本 | 「所謂六波羅蜜。諸佛及聲聞、辟支佛住六波羅蜜中能度彼岸，是名具足六法。」 | 0258c13 | 今本有聲聞、辟支佛、六波羅蜜與度彼岸，字面不全同 |
己、《攝大乘》
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所引 | 「凡夫、二乘皆有六度，但不同耳。」 | 0099b11 | 本論引句 |
| T31n1595 今本 | 「世間、二乘、菩薩皆有施等六行，若不明菩薩所行六波羅蜜相，云何得知此是波羅蜜、此非波羅蜜？」 | 0215b03 | 三類皆有施等六行 |
| T31n1595 今本 | 「世間及二乘行施等，不依止無上菩提心起，唯菩薩行施等必依止無上菩提心起」 | 0215b08 | 今本明所依止有異 |
庚、《阿毘曇》六足
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所述 | 「《阿毘曇》有六足，六足即六度」 | 0099b14 | 前半為書目法數，後半為本論配當 |
| T55n2145 今本 | 「什於沙勒國誦阿毘曇六足諸門增一阿鋡。」 | 0100b29 | 只證阿毘曇六足詞面，不證六足即六度 |
辛、《寶雲經》三乘毘尼
| 層位 | 逐字 | loc | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所述 | 「《寶雲經》明三乘毘尼」 | 0099b14 | 本論引源 |
| T16n0659 今本 | 「菩薩摩訶薩具足十法，受持毘尼。何等為十？所謂了知毘尼并律宗體、毘尼甚深、毘尼微細、犯與不犯、性罪制罪、波羅提木叉、學之本源、聲聞毘尼、菩薩毘尼悉皆了知。」 | 0270b08 | 同段明聲聞、菩薩二類毘尼 |
| T16n0659 今本相鄰段 | 「於聲聞法已經修學、於緣覺法已經修學、於菩薩法已經修學」 | 0270b15 | 相鄰段明三法；今本無三乘毘尼四字連文 |
（四）顯名而非逐字引句的配當
| T34n1718 本論字面 | loc | 性質 |
|---|---|---|
| 「初十六子請轉滿教，如今佛說《華嚴》」 | 0098c21 | 本論所列第一項 |
| 「東、東南二方請轉半教，如今佛說三藏」 | 0098c22 | 本論所列第二項 |
| 「後七方請轉對半明滿，如今佛說方等」 | 0098c23 | 本論所列第三項 |
| 「上方梵請帶半明滿，如今佛說《般若》」 | 0098c24 | 本論所列第四項 |
| 「後十六子請廢半明滿，如今佛說《法華》醍醐教也」 | 0098c25 | 本論所列第五項 |
| 「即是《大品》明實相般若意也」 | 0099c03 | 本論對同品重頌「分別真實法」的解說 |
五項是本論自己的配當，不另造各經逐字引句。
四、文句記釋要〔鏡〕
湛然《法華文句記》T34n1719 的對位域起於〔0297a27〕，止於〔0298b04〕；同一末行其後已轉下一單元。鏡中骨幹如下：
| 本論節點 | 《文句記》逐字要句 | 鏡 loc |
|---|---|---|
| 佛壽、成道 | 「一切八相垂迹之處皆先破魔，準說《法華》亦應先漸。復云破魔似同穢土，若準壽長復非穢土，故知同居淨穢其相蓋多」 | 0297a27 |
| 天華、樹座 | 「問：時諸梵天雨眾天華，其華如山、樹座猶下，其相如何？」 | 0297b02 |
| 天華、樹座答 | 「答不思議事彼此不礙」 | 0297b04 |
| 十方梵列次 | 「正本中先四方、次四維、次上下，此則並是隨譯者意，不知梵本次第如何？然正本列數與此多異。」 | 0297b04 |
| 三轉 | 「示者，謂此是苦乃至此是道。勸者，謂苦應知、集應斷、滅應證、道應修。證者，苦我已知不復更知，乃至道我已修不復更修。」 | 0297b09 |
| 三轉科文 | 「今辨諸門略示同異，於中為四：初約所對，次「為聲聞」下約所為，三「何故」下明三轉意，四「問」下料簡。」 | 0297b17 |
| 十二行 | 「釋中又六：先略釋，次「又教」下判能所，三「十二」下判輪非輪，四「若作」下判教行，五「教輪」下判名體寬狹，六「或通」下判通別。」 | 0297b29 |
| 兩讀 | 「次辨通別中所言「或」者，不定辭也。或三人各聞三轉，或一人前後聞三。」 | 0297c20 |
| 沙門 | 「初文云「沙門」謂佛法出家者，不因佛說尚不知名，豈能轉耶？故法輪名唯從佛得。沙門尚爾，況餘眾耶？有云：外道中出家者名沙門。」 | 0297c26 |
| 有解 | 「「有解」至「之意」者，今師有時作此解也，因此通辨非初轉也。」 | 0298a01 |
| 卷舒 | 「從無舒四、卷四歸無，卷舒秖是開合意耳。」 | 0298a05 |
| 諸根通利 | 「初釋即相似位。次釋云「入佛境界」者，即初住位。」 | 0298a25 |
| 真實法 | 「分別故始自色心終至種智皆不出實相，故云「真實」。」 | 0298a27 |
| 異譯時數 | 「《正法華》云「入定經三十萬劫」，不知法護所以所譯其數頓乖。」 | 0298b03 |
鏡中最後一項可與竺法護譯《正法華經》今本對讀：大正本作「即入靜室精思閑定，四十萬劫三昧正受」〔T09n0263 0092a01〕，校記作「四【大】／三【宮】」〔0092a01〕。鏡引三十萬劫與宮本三字相合；今本大正正文作四十，兩讀並錄。
五、諸家異釋
本論以兩種明標語錄入異解：
一、舊解把梵請分配為「舊云東、東南請小，七方請大，上方請小大。」〔0098c15〕。下文另依《釋論》、〈方便品〉及五味法輪逐層疏通；舊解與本論後說分列。
二、本論記「有解大乘四諦，次轉二諦、次轉一諦、次轉無諦，皆是卷舒之意。」〔0099a29〕。作者只以有解標出此說；《文句記》才把它歸為今師有時所作之解，歸屬留在鏡層。
此外，本論在十二行段自列「或通三人、或約一人，今就見諦道三人」〔0099a22〕。兩個或是不定讀法，不是假名另立兩位說者。梵請段又有依《釋論》、依〈方便品〉兩個引源比較，並說經論有存略、諸師有所偏據；這些是本論的辨析材料，不增造成具名古師之說。
六、術語
| 詞語 | 本段義位 |
|---|---|
| 遠由、近由 | 遠由是成道與十方梵請；近由是受請說法，使十六沙彌後來得以覆講結緣 |
| 道同、緣異 | 諸佛成道之道相同，隨所緣之宜而示現久、促不同 |
| 威光照動 | 成道光明使幽暗處相見，並引出十方梵王尋光請法 |
| 半字、滿字 | 近由先轉半字法輪，後由諸子重請，廢半而明滿字法輪 |
| 三轉 | 示、勸、證；本論又以一往三、二、一與通方皆三轉兩層並說 |
| 教十二、行十二 | 教十二是四諦各具示、勸、證；行十二是三轉各生眼、智、明、覺 |
| 能轉、所轉 | 教十二為能轉，行十二為所轉；後文又開教、行二輪之義 |
| 四十八行 | 三根人各得十六心，合成四十八行 |
| 卷舒 | 四諦依次轉二諦、一諦、無諦的開合說 |
| 不受 | 本論釋為不受四見、悟初果 |
| 得解脫 | 本論釋為脫子、果兩縛而得無學 |
| 深妙定 | 本論釋為俱解脫 |
| 通利 | 先以六根清淨總釋，再以六根互用釋通、入佛境界釋利 |
| 覆講 | 佛入定未出，疑惑眾無所諮問，十六沙彌後來為其重說 |
本域字面未見五時八教、化儀、化法、藏通別圓、迹門十妙、本門十妙、一念三千七個後世約詞。這項零見只界定現行本文字面，不由此推論相關義理不存在。
七、譬喻・互讀・承衍
本段的意象先由長時成道展開。釋迦苦行六年、彌勒出家日得道、大通智勝佛十劫法不現前，三者不被用來排列根的利鈍或道的難易，而用來說隨緣所宜示現久促。本論不據久促判佛道高下，只說成道之事隨緣顯現。
威光照動把成道與請法連起來。幽暗處因光而互見，梵宮因光而異常，梵王遂相問、尋光、見佛、供養、請法。智者又以兩山與其間、日月光與佛光作兩組觀解〔0098c06–0098c10〕：兩山與日月光各成一對，其間與佛光各顯中道；兩組並列，不互相增成更多位次。
法輪意象從佛說移到受者之心。智者說，能把法轉度入他心，使對方得悟、破六十二見，才名轉法輪〔0099a27〕。因此，教十二與行十二雖都名十二，前者是所說的示、勸、證，後者是受者所生的眼、智、明、覺；輪的轉動同時含說法與得悟。
卷舒意象把四諦、十二因緣與六度放入開合、通別的連續辨析。本論先記四、二、一、無諦，又把十二因緣說成別相細觀四諦，續以生滅、無生、有量、無量及六度通三人展開。各組法數皆依本論原列展開，彼此並未合成另一套數表。
與本倉〈化城喻品〉原典互讀，遠由從佛壽、成道、光明、梵請一路回到〔T09 0022b19–0024c29〕，近由則貼合三轉十二行、聞法得道、王子重請、信解與疑惑、入定〔0025a01–0025b05〕。與同品稍後偈頌互讀，六波羅蜜、神通事與分別真實法補足智者對二萬劫中間所說的判釋。
本單元末後承衍至下一單元：疑惑眾已與十六沙彌結下《法華》之緣，佛又入定八萬四千劫；下一段遂從十六沙彌知佛入室起，正說覆講如何發生。此處的入定不是故事停頓，而是近由完成、正結緣將起的接縫。
八、校本定位
（一）十組【大】／【甲】校異
本域共有十組普通對舉式校記，其中八組甲本缺字、兩組甲本有異文：
| 行錨 | 【大】 | 【甲】 | 類型 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0098b18 | 由 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0098c07 | 之 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0098c08 | 間是中道 | 中間是中道 | 增字 |
| 0098c27 | 智 | 智勝 | 增字 |
| 0099a25 | 能 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0099b14 | 六足 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0099b16 | 也 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0099b18 | 王子 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0099b28 | 劫 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
| 0099c07 | 此 | 甲本缺 | 空讀 |
十組均為帶起訖錨的普通校記。本域星號校及 corresp 回指型為零，單邊校勘註為零，省略式字數校記亦為零；空讀欄均明記「甲本缺」，沒有空白欄。
（二）所傳夾註
本域七枚行內夾註全作〔云云〕，分別附於「今古節目文義相應」〔0098c26〕、「三轉者，謂示、勸、證」〔0099a03〕、「大乘以無生為體」〔0099b02〕、「相生則相、生傳傳滅」〔0099b07〕、「《寶雲經》明三乘毘尼」〔0099b14〕、「俱解脫也」〔0099b18〕及「入定時節即是八萬四千劫」〔0099c11〕。〔0098b16〕前半另有一枚〔云云〕，屬上一單元，不計入本域。
（三）外字、目錄與頁錨
本域沒有 <g ref> 外字，故無待解算字形。這只表示本單元沒有外字標籤，不推出全帙無外字。
全帙一級目錄中，〈序品〉不冠釋字，其餘二十七品作釋某品；本單元是〈化城喻品〉內二級切分，不另占一品。讀者原典依頁面轉換設兩枚段首行內錨：〔T34 0098b16〕與〔T34 0099b18〕；不逐行重標，也沒有句中獨立錨。考據引文則各由首字前最近的大正藏行定位，與讀者頁錨分工。
This unit explains the long passage in the “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter covering the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence’s realization of the Way, the Brahmā kings of the ten directions requesting the Dharma, the Dharma wheel in three turnings and twelve aspects, and the sixteen princes’ renewed request for the Lotus. Zhiyi judges these to be the causes for establishing the connection: realization and the Brahmā request are the distant cause; first turning the half-word Dharma wheel and later requesting the full-word Dharma wheel are the recent cause. At the recent cause’s end, the doubtful assembly has no one to question because the Buddha enters samādhi, leaving a place for the sixteen novices later to explain the teaching again and establish the connection.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
The strict domain is T34n1718〔0098b16–0099c11〕. It begins with 「「佛壽五百四十」下，正明結緣」 tr. “from ‘the buddha’s lifespan was five hundred forty’ onward, the formation of the connection is directly clarified”〔0098b16〕 and ends with 「入定時節即是八萬四千劫〔云云〕」 tr. “the duration of the samādhi is precisely eighty-four thousand eons, and so forth”〔0099c11〕. The first half of the same 〔0098b16〕 line still belongs to the preceding unit; on the latter half of the same 〔0099c11〕 line, 「「是時十六菩薩知佛入室」下」 tr. “from ‘at that time the sixteen bodhisattvas knew that the Buddha had entered the chamber’ onward” has already turned to the direct account of the renewed explanation and is excluded. The reader’s source text has two blocks and 2,250 content characters, of which 1,808 are Han graphs.
The levels of two, five, seven, and so forth enumerated by the root treatise may be divided into seven sections:
| Sequence | Line Domain | Content of the Root Treatise |
|---|---|---|
| I | 0098b16–0098b18 | Establishing the connection is divided into its causes and its direct establishment; the causes are again divided into distant and recent |
| II | 0098b18–0098c01 | First distant cause: the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence realizes the Way; realization opens into five items—lifespan, events before realization, actual realization, the retinue’s offerings, and the request to turn the Dharma wheel |
| III | 0098c01–0098c26 | Second distant cause: first the majestic radiance shines and stirs, then the Brahmā request from the ten directions; first the nine directions, then above |
| IV | 0098c27–0099a11 | General marking of the recent cause; first turning the half-word Dharma wheel, opened into acceptance of the request, actual turning, and the hearers’ attainment of the Way |
| V | 0099a11–0099a29 | The three turnings, twelve aspects, teaching and practice as agent and object, forty-eight practice-aspects, and those able and unable to turn |
| VI | 0099a29–0099b18 | Contraction and expansion of the four truths, twelve links, and six perfections and what is shared or distinct among the three vehicles; awakening after hearing the Dharma |
| VII | 0099b18–0099c11 | Seven items in the renewed request for the full-word Dharma wheel: leaving home, requesting the Dharma, the followers leaving home, the Buddha accepting the request, understanding and nonunderstanding in the assembly, the duration, and entry into samādhi after teaching |
This unit lies within the Trace Gate’s “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter. The doctrinal divisions on renewed explanation, establishment of the connection, and liberation today continue later in the same chapter. The present unit treats only how the conditions for the connection arose; its direct establishment is outside this domain.
II. Formation and Transmission
Shenjiong’s preface at the head of the fascicle records that Dharma Master Guanding privately recorded twenty fascicles and that Master Lang arranged and settled them in the Tang Tianbao wuzi year; the extant half-fascicle heading still attributes the spoken teaching only to the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai. The doctrinal teaching in this unit is therefore attributed to Zhiyi, while its textual transmission belongs to Guanding and later settlement. The original preface supplies no complete pre-arrangement witness for word-by-word collation. The settlement layer records only its own statement and does not determine the priority of every variant.
This domain contains ten Taishō / witness-A variants and seven transmitted inline annotations, with no gaiji requiring resolution. These materials show that the extant wording preserves collatable differences, but they are insufficient to reconstruct the complete text before its settlement. The body follows the Taishō while witness-A readings are recorded alongside it.
III. Sutra Passages Explained and Works Cited
1. Root-Scripture Domain
The root scripture explained is Kumārajīva’s Lotus Sutra of the Wondrous Dharma, T09n0262, “The Parable of the Conjured City,” chapter seven. It corresponds to lines 22–146 of the repository’s sealed source canon/tiantai/fahua/treatise/07_huachengyu/07_huachengyu_source.md, at Taishō lines 〔0022b19–0025b05〕. It begins with the lifespan of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence and ends after the Buddha teaches the Lotus, enters a quiet chamber, and abides in meditation for eighty-four thousand eons. The sixteen novices’ subsequent knowledge that He has entered the chamber is already explained in the next unit.
The table lists the root scripture’s thirty-seven prose and verse segments individually:
| Sequence | Type | T0262 Locus | Received Text Verbatim and Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Prose | 0022b19 | 佛告諸比丘：「大通智勝佛壽五百四十萬億那由他劫。其佛本坐道場，破魔軍已，垂得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，而諸佛法不現在前。如是一小劫乃至十小劫，結加趺坐，身心不動，而諸佛法猶不在前。爾時忉利諸天，先為彼佛於菩提樹下敷師子座，高一由旬，佛於此座當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。適坐此座，時諸梵天王雨眾天華，面百由旬，香風時來，吹去萎華，更雨新者。如是不絕，滿十小劫，供養於佛，乃至滅度常雨此華。四王諸天為供養佛，常擊天鼓，其餘諸天作天伎樂，滿十小劫，至于滅度亦復如是。 tr. The Buddha told the bhikṣus: “The lifespan of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence was five hundred forty myriads of koṭis of nayutas of eons. That buddha originally sat at the place of practice. He had defeated Māra’s hosts and was about to attain unsurpassed complete awakening, yet the Dharmas of the buddhas did not appear before Him. For one minor eon and then as many as ten, He sat cross-legged with body and mind unmoving, but those Dharmas still did not appear. The gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three spread a lion seat one yojana high beneath the bodhi tree, where He was to awaken. When He sat, the Brahmā kings rained heavenly flowers over one hundred yojanas; fragrant winds blew away wilted flowers and new ones rained down without interruption for ten minor eons, continuing even until His extinction. The gods of the Four Kings constantly beat heavenly drums, and the other gods made heavenly music in the same way.” |
| 2 | Prose | 0022c02 | 「諸比丘！大通智勝佛過十小劫，諸佛之法乃現在前，成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。其佛未出家時，有十六子，其第一者名曰智積。諸子各有種種珍異玩好之具，聞父得成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，皆捨所珍，往詣佛所。諸母涕泣而隨送之。其祖轉輪聖王，與一百大臣及餘百千萬億人民，皆共圍繞，隨至道場。咸欲親近大通智勝如來，供養恭敬，尊重讚歎。到已，頭面禮足，繞佛畢已，一心合掌，瞻仰世尊，以偈頌曰： tr. “Bhikṣus, after ten minor eons the Dharmas of the buddhas at last appeared before the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence, and He attained unsurpassed complete awakening. Before leaving home He had sixteen sons, the first named Wisdom Accumulation. Hearing that their father had awakened, all relinquished their precious playthings and went to the Buddha. Their weeping mothers saw them off. Their grandfather, a wheel-turning sage-king, came with one hundred ministers and countless people, all surrounding the princes and following them to the place of practice. Wishing to draw near, make offerings, revere, honor, and praise the Tathāgata, they bowed at His feet, circumambulated Him, joined their palms single-mindedly, gazed up at the World-Honored One, and spoke in verse:” |
| 3 | Verse | 0022c12 | 「『大威德世尊，為度眾生故，於無量億劫，爾乃得成佛，諸願已具足，善哉吉無上。世尊甚希有，一坐十小劫，身體及手足，靜然安不動。其心常惔怕，未曾有散亂，究竟永寂滅，安住無漏法。今者見世尊，安隱成佛道，我等得善利，稱慶大歡喜。眾生常苦惱，盲瞑無導師，不識苦盡道，不知求解脫。長夜增惡趣，減損諸天眾，從冥入於冥，永不聞佛名。今佛得最上、安隱無漏道，我等及天人，為得最大利，是故咸稽首、歸命無上尊。』 tr. “‘World-Honored One of great majesty and virtue, for the sake of liberating living beings, only after immeasurable koṭis of eons have You become a buddha, all Your vows fulfilled. Excellent and supremely auspicious! The World-Honored One is exceedingly rare: seated once for ten minor eons, body, hands, and feet peacefully unmoving, mind always tranquil and never scattered, ultimately and forever at peace, abiding in uncontaminated Dharma. Seeing You securely accomplish the Buddha Way, we gain excellent benefit and rejoice greatly. Living beings constantly suffer, blind and without a guide; they know neither the path ending suffering nor to seek liberation. Through the long night evil destinies increase and the hosts of gods diminish; from darkness they enter darkness, never hearing a buddha’s name. Now the Buddha has attained the unsurpassed, secure, uncontaminated Way. We and the gods and humans gain the greatest benefit, and therefore bow and entrust our lives to the Unsurpassed Honored One.’” |
| 4 | Prose | 0022c28 | 「爾時十六王子偈讚佛已，勸請世尊轉於法輪，咸作是言：『世尊說法，多所安隱、憐愍、饒益諸天人民。』重說偈言： tr. “After the sixteen princes praised the Buddha in verse, they urged the World-Honored One to turn the Dharma wheel, saying together: ‘When the World-Honored One teaches the Dharma, He brings abundant security, compassion, and benefit to gods and humans.’ They then spoke again in verse:” |
| 5 | Verse | 0023a02 | 「『世雄無等倫，百福自莊嚴，得無上智慧，願為世間說。度脫於我等、及諸眾生類，為分別顯示，令得是智慧。若我等得佛，眾生亦復然。世尊知眾生，深心之所念，亦知所行道，又知智慧力，欲樂及修福，宿命所行業。世尊悉知已，當轉無上輪。』」 tr. “‘Unequaled Hero of the World, adorned with a hundred blessings, You have attained unsurpassed wisdom; may You teach it for the world. Liberate us and all kinds of living beings; distinguish and reveal it so that we attain this wisdom. If we attain buddhahood, living beings can likewise. The World-Honored One knows the thoughts deep within beings’ minds, the paths they practice, the power of their wisdom, their desires and delights, the merit they cultivate, and deeds done in former lives. Knowing all this, World-Honored One, turn the unsurpassed wheel.’” |
| 6 | Prose | 0023a11 | 佛告諸比丘：「大通智勝佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提時，十方各五百萬億諸佛世界六種震動，其國中間幽冥之處，日月威光所不能照，而皆大明。其中眾生，各得相見，咸作是言：『此中云何忽生眾生，又其國界、諸天宮殿乃至梵宮，六種震動，大光普照，遍滿世界，勝諸天光？』 tr. The Buddha told the bhikṣus: “When the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence attained unsurpassed complete awakening, five hundred myriads of koṭis of buddha-worlds in each of the ten directions shook in six ways. Dark places between those lands, unreached by sun and moon, all became brilliantly illuminated. Beings there saw one another and said: ‘How have beings suddenly appeared here?’ The borders of the lands, the heavenly palaces, and even the Brahmā palaces shook in six ways; a great light filled the worlds and surpassed all heavenly light.” |
| 7 | Prose | 0023a17 | 「爾時東方五百萬億諸國土中，梵天宮殿光明照曜，倍於常明。諸梵天王各作是念：『今者宮殿光明，昔所未有。以何因緣而現此相？』是時諸梵天王，即各相詣，共議此事。時彼眾中，有一大梵天王，名救一切，為諸梵眾而說偈言： tr. “At that time the Brahmā palaces throughout five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands in the east shone with twice their usual light. Each Brahmā king thought: ‘This light in our palaces has never existed before. What cause has made this sign appear?’ They visited one another and discussed it. In their assembly a great Brahmā king named Saving All spoke in verse:” |
| 8 | Verse | 0023a23 | 「『我等諸宮殿，光明昔未有，此是何因緣，宜各共求之。為大德天生，為佛出世間，而此大光明，遍照於十方。』 tr. “‘The light in our palaces has never existed before. What is its cause? We should seek it together. Has a greatly virtuous god been born, or has a buddha appeared in the world, causing this great radiance to illuminate the ten directions?’” |
| 9 | Prose | 0023a27 | 「爾時五百萬億國土諸梵天王，與宮殿俱，各以衣裓，盛諸天華，共詣西方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。即時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——其所散華如須彌山；并以供養佛菩提樹——其菩提樹高十由旬。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： tr. “The Brahmā kings of five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands, together with their palaces and carrying heavenly flowers in the hems of their robes, traveled west to seek the sign. They saw the Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence seated on the lion seat beneath the bodhi tree, reverently surrounded by gods, dragon kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, and saw the sixteen princes request Him to turn the Dharma wheel. They bowed at His feet, circumambulated Him countless times, and scattered heavenly flowers as high as Mount Sumeru over Him and over the ten-yojana-high bodhi tree. Then each offered his palace, saying: ‘Look upon us with compassion and benefit us. Please accept the palaces we offer.’ Before the Buddha they spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 10 | Verse | 0023b09 | 「『世尊甚希有，難可得值遇，具無量功德，能救護一切。天人之大師，哀愍於世間，十方諸眾生，普皆蒙饒益。我等所從來，五百萬億國，捨深禪定樂，為供養佛故。我等先世福，宮殿甚嚴飾，今以奉世尊，唯願哀納受。』 tr. “‘The World-Honored One is exceedingly rare and difficult to encounter, possesses immeasurable virtues, and can rescue and protect all. Great Teacher of gods and humans, You have compassion for the world; beings throughout the ten directions all receive Your benefit. We have come from five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands, relinquishing the joy of deep meditation to make offerings to the Buddha. Through merit from former lives our palaces are splendidly adorned. We now offer them to the World-Honored One; compassionately accept them.’” |
| 11 | Prose | 0023b17 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，度脫眾生，開涅槃道。』時諸梵天王，一心同聲而說偈言： tr. “After praising the Buddha in verse, each Brahmā king said: ‘May the World-Honored One turn the Dharma wheel, liberate living beings, and open the path to nirvāṇa.’ They then spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 12 | Verse | 0023b20 | 「『世雄兩足尊，唯願演說法，以大慈悲力，度苦惱眾生。』 tr. “‘Hero of the World, Honored One Complete in Both, teach the Dharma and through the power of great loving-kindness and compassion liberate suffering living beings.’” |
| 13 | Prose | 0023b22 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。 tr. “The Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence silently assented.” |
| 14 | Prose | 0023b22 | 「又，諸比丘！東南方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，各自見宮殿光明照曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事。時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰大悲，為諸梵眾而說偈言： tr. “‘Again, bhikṣus, the great Brahmā kings throughout five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands in the southeast each saw his palace shine with unprecedented light. Rejoicing with wonder, they visited one another and discussed it. A great Brahmā king named Great Compassion spoke in verse:” |
| 15 | Verse | 0023b27 | 「『是事何因緣，而現如此相？我等諸宮殿，光明昔未有。為大德天生？為佛出世間？未曾見此相，當共一心求。過千萬億土，尋光共推之，多是佛出世，度脫苦眾生。』 tr. “‘What cause has made this sign appear? Our palaces have never shone so before. Has a greatly virtuous god been born, or has a buddha appeared? We have never seen this sign; let us seek it with one mind, pass through countless lands, and trace the light together. Most likely a buddha has appeared to liberate suffering beings.’” |
| 16 | Prose | 0023c04 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣西北方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之華如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』爾時諸梵天王即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： tr. “The Brahmā kings, together with their palaces and carrying heavenly flowers in their robes, traveled northwest to seek the sign. They saw the Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence on the lion seat beneath the bodhi tree, surrounded in reverence by devas, dragon kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, and saw the sixteen princes request the Dharma wheel. They bowed, circumambulated Him countless times, scattered heavenly flowers as high as Mount Sumeru over Him and the bodhi tree, and offered their palaces, asking Him compassionately to accept them. Before Him they spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 17 | Verse | 0023c15 | 「『聖主天中王，迦陵頻伽聲，哀愍眾生者，我等今敬禮。世尊甚希有，久遠乃一現，一百八十劫，空過無有佛。三惡道充滿，諸天眾減少，今佛出於世，為眾生作眼。世間所歸趣，救護於一切，為眾生之父，哀愍饒益者。我等宿福慶，今得值世尊。』 tr. “‘Sacred Lord and King among gods, with a kalaviṅka’s voice, You who have compassion for beings, we now bow in reverence. The World-Honored One is exceedingly rare, appearing only after a long time. For one hundred eighty eons there was no buddha; the three evil destinies filled while the heavenly hosts diminished. Now the Buddha appears as the eye of beings, the refuge of the world, rescuer of all and father of beings, compassionate benefactor. Through past merit we now encounter the World-Honored One.’” |
| 18 | Prose | 0023c24 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊哀愍一切，轉於法輪，度脫眾生。』時諸梵天王一心同聲而說偈言： tr. “After praising the Buddha, each Brahmā king said: ‘May the World-Honored One have compassion for all, turn the Dharma wheel, and liberate living beings.’ They then spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 19 | Verse | 0023c27 | 「『大聖轉法輪，顯示諸法相，度苦惱眾生，令得大歡喜。眾生聞此法，得道若生天，諸惡道減少，忍善者增益。』 tr. “‘Great Sage, turn the Dharma wheel and reveal the marks of Dharmas; liberate suffering beings and bring them great joy. Hearing this Dharma, beings attain the Way or are born among gods; evil destinies diminish and those patient in goodness increase.’” |
| 20 | Prose | 0024a02 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。 tr. “The Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence silently assented.” |
| 21 | Prose | 0024a02 | 「又，諸比丘！南方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，各自見宮殿光明照曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事：『以何因緣，我等宮殿有此光曜？』時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰妙法，為諸梵眾而說偈言： tr. “‘Again, bhikṣus, the great Brahmā kings throughout five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands in the south each saw his palace shine with unprecedented light. Rejoicing with wonder, they visited one another and asked: ‘What cause has made our palaces shine?’ A great Brahmā king named Wondrous Dharma spoke in verse:” |
| 22 | Verse | 0024a08 | 「『我等諸宮殿，光明甚威曜，此非無因緣，是相宜求之。過於百千劫，未曾見是相，為大德天生？為佛出世間？』 tr. “‘Our palaces shine with majestic radiance. This is not without a cause; we should seek the reason for the sign. Through hundreds of thousands of eons we have never seen it. Has a greatly virtuous god been born, or has a buddha appeared?’” |
| 23 | Prose | 0024a12 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣北方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之華如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。華供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』爾時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： tr. “The Brahmā kings, together with their palaces and carrying heavenly flowers in their robes, traveled north to seek the sign. They saw the Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence on the lion seat beneath the bodhi tree, surrounded in reverence by devas, dragon kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, and saw the sixteen princes request the Dharma wheel. They bowed, circumambulated Him countless times, scattered flowers as high as Mount Sumeru over Him and the tree, and offered their palaces, asking Him compassionately to accept them. Before Him they spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 24 | Verse | 0024a23 | 「『世尊甚難見，破諸煩惱者，過百三十劫，今乃得一見。諸飢渴眾生，以法雨充滿，昔所未曾見，無量智慧者，如優曇鉢花，今日乃值遇。我等諸宮殿，蒙光故嚴飾，世尊大慈悲，唯願垂納受。』 tr. “‘The World-Honored One, destroyer of afflictions, is exceedingly difficult to see; only now, after one hundred thirty eons, do we see You. Fill hungry and thirsty beings with Dharma rain. One of immeasurable wisdom, never seen before, You are like the udumbara flower encountered only today. Our palaces are adorned by Your light. World-Honored One of great compassion, accept them.’” |
| 25 | Prose | 0024b01 | 「爾時諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各作是言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，令一切世間諸天、魔、梵、沙門、婆羅門，皆獲安隱而得度脫。』時諸梵天王一心同聲以偈頌曰： tr. “After praising the Buddha, each Brahmā king said: ‘May the World-Honored One turn the Dharma wheel so that all gods, Māras, Brahmās, śramaṇas, and brahmans throughout the world gain security and liberation.’ They then spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 26 | Verse | 0024b05 | 「『唯願天人尊，轉無上法輪，擊于大法鼓，而吹大法螺，普雨大法雨，度無量眾生。我等咸歸請，當演深遠音。』 tr. “‘Honored One among gods and humans, turn the unsurpassed Dharma wheel, beat the great Dharma drum, blow the great Dharma conch, rain great Dharma rain everywhere, and liberate immeasurable beings. We all take refuge and request that You proclaim the profound and far-reaching sound.’” |
| 27 | Prose | 0024b09 | 「爾時大通智勝如來默然許之。西南方乃至下方，亦復如是。 tr. “The Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence silently assented. From the southwest through below, the same occurred.” |
| 28 | Prose | 0024b10 | 「爾時上方五百萬億國土諸大梵王，皆悉自覩所止宮殿光明威曜，昔所未有，歡喜踊躍，生希有心，即各相詣，共議此事：『以何因緣，我等宮殿，有斯光明？』時彼眾中有一大梵天王，名曰尸棄，為諸梵眾而說偈言： tr. “At that time the great Brahmā kings throughout five hundred myriads of koṭis of lands above saw their palaces shine with unprecedented majestic light. Rejoicing with wonder, they visited one another and asked: ‘What cause has brought this light to our palaces?’ A great Brahmā king named Śikhin spoke in verse:” |
| 29 | Verse | 0024b16 | 「『今以何因緣，我等諸宮殿，威德光明曜，嚴飾未曾有。如是之妙相，昔所未聞見，為大德天生？為佛出世間？』 tr. “‘What cause now makes our palaces shine with majestic and virtuous radiance, adorned as never before? Such a wondrous sign has never been heard of or seen. Has a greatly virtuous god been born, or has a buddha appeared?’” |
| 30 | Prose | 0024b20 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王與宮殿俱，各以衣裓盛諸天華，共詣下方推尋是相。見大通智勝如來處于道場菩提樹下，坐師子座，諸天、龍王、乾闥婆、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人等恭敬圍繞，及見十六王子請佛轉法輪。時諸梵天王頭面禮佛，繞百千匝，即以天華而散佛上——所散之花如須彌山，并以供養佛菩提樹。花供養已，各以宮殿奉上彼佛，而作是言：『唯見哀愍，饒益我等。所獻宮殿，願垂納受。』時諸梵天王，即於佛前，一心同聲以偈頌曰： tr. “The Brahmā kings, together with their palaces and carrying heavenly flowers in their robes, traveled downward to seek the sign. They saw the Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence on the lion seat beneath the bodhi tree, surrounded in reverence by devas, dragon kings, gandharvas, kiṃnaras, mahoragas, humans, nonhumans, and others, and saw the sixteen princes request the Dharma wheel. They bowed, circumambulated Him countless times, scattered flowers as high as Mount Sumeru over Him and the tree, and offered their palaces, asking Him compassionately to accept them. Before Him they spoke in verse with one mind and voice:” |
| 31 | Verse | 0024c02 | 「『善哉見諸佛，救世之聖尊，能於三界獄，勉出諸眾生。普智天人尊，哀愍群萌類，能開甘露門，廣度於一切。於昔無量劫，空過無有佛，世尊未出時，十方常暗冥，三惡道增長，阿修羅亦盛，諸天眾轉減，死多墮惡道。不從佛聞法，常行不善事，色力及智慧，斯等皆減少。罪業因緣故，失樂及樂想，住於邪見法，不識善儀則，不蒙佛所化，常墮於惡道。佛為世間眼，久遠時乃出，哀愍諸眾生，故現於世間。超出成正覺，我等甚欣慶，及餘一切眾，喜歎未曾有。我等諸宮殿，蒙光故嚴飾，今以奉世尊，唯垂哀納受。願以此功德，普及於一切，我等與眾生，皆共成佛道。』 tr. “‘Excellent that we see a buddha, the Sacred Honored One who saves the world and draws beings from the prison of the three realms. Universally Wise Honored One among gods and humans, You compassionately open the nectar gate and liberate all. For immeasurable past eons no buddha appeared; the ten directions were dark, evil destinies and asuras increased, gods diminished, and the dead mostly fell into evil destinies. Without hearing the Dharma from a buddha, beings performed unwholesome deeds; complexion, strength, and wisdom declined. Through wrongdoing they lost joy, dwelled in wrong views, knew no wholesome conduct, and constantly fell into evil destinies. A buddha, the world’s eye, appears only after a long time. Out of compassion You have appeared and attained perfect awakening; we and all others rejoice at what never existed before. Our palaces are adorned by Your light; we offer them to You. May this merit extend to all, and may we and living beings together accomplish the Buddha Way.’” |
| 32 | Prose | 0024c23 | 「爾時五百萬億諸梵天王偈讚佛已，各白佛言：『唯願世尊轉於法輪，多所安隱，多所度脫。』時諸梵天王而說偈言： tr. “After praising the Buddha, each of the five hundred myriads of koṭis of Brahmā kings said: ‘May the World-Honored One turn the Dharma wheel, bringing abundant security and liberation.’ They then spoke in verse:” |
| 33 | Verse | 0024c26 | 「『世尊轉法輪，擊甘露法鼓，度苦惱眾生，開示涅槃道。唯願受我請，以大微妙音，哀愍而敷演，無量劫習法。』 tr. “‘World-Honored One, turn the Dharma wheel and beat the nectar Dharma drum; liberate suffering beings and open the path to nirvāṇa. Accept our request and compassionately proclaim, in a great and subtle voice, the Dharma cultivated through immeasurable eons.’” |
| 34 | Prose | 0025a01 | 「爾時大通智勝如來受十方諸梵天王及十六王子請，即時三轉十二行法輪——若沙門、婆羅門，若天、魔、梵及餘世間所不能轉——謂是苦，是苦集，是苦滅，是苦滅道；及廣說十二因緣法——無明緣行，行緣識，識緣名色，名色緣六入，六入緣觸，觸緣受，受緣愛，愛緣取，取緣有，有緣生，生緣老死憂悲苦惱。無明滅則行滅，行滅則識滅，識滅則名色滅，名色滅則六入滅，六入滅則觸滅，觸滅則受滅，受滅則愛滅，愛滅則取滅，取滅則有滅，有滅則生滅，生滅則老死憂悲苦惱滅。 tr. “The Tathāgata Great Universal Wisdom Excellence accepted the requests of the Brahmā kings of the ten directions and the sixteen princes and immediately turned the Dharma wheel in three turnings and twelve aspects, which no śramaṇa, brahman, god, Māra, Brahmā, or other worldly being could turn. He taught: this is suffering, its origination, its cessation, and the path to its cessation. He broadly taught the twelve links: conditioned by ignorance are formations; conditioned by formations is consciousness; conditioned by consciousness are name-and-form; conditioned by name-and-form are the six entrances; conditioned by the six entrances is contact; conditioned by contact is feeling; conditioned by feeling is craving; conditioned by craving is appropriation; conditioned by appropriation is becoming; conditioned by becoming is birth; conditioned by birth are aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress. With the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; with the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; with the cessation of consciousness, name-and-form cease; with the cessation of name-and-form, the six entrances cease; with the cessation of the six entrances, contact ceases; with the cessation of contact, feeling ceases; with the cessation of feeling, craving ceases; with the cessation of craving, appropriation ceases; with the cessation of appropriation, becoming ceases; with the cessation of becoming, birth ceases; with the cessation of birth, aging, death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress cease.” |
| 35 | Prose | 0025a12 | 「佛於天人大眾之中說是法時，六百萬億那由他人，以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫，皆得深妙禪定，三明、六通，具八解脫。第二、第三、第四說法時，千萬億恒河沙那由他等眾生，亦以不受一切法故，而於諸漏心得解脫。從是已後，諸聲聞眾無量無邊不可稱數。 tr. “When the Buddha taught this Dharma among gods and humans, six hundred myriads of koṭis of nayutas of people gained liberation of mind from the contaminants because they did not grasp any Dharma. All attained profound and subtle meditation, the three knowledges, six higher knowledges, and eight liberations. At the second, third, and fourth teachings, myriads of millions of nayutas of beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges likewise gained liberation from the contaminants because they did not grasp any Dharma. Thereafter the śrāvaka assembly became immeasurable and uncountable.” |
| 36 | Prose | 0025a18 | 「爾時十六王子——皆以童子出家而為沙彌，諸根通利，智慧明了，已曾供養百千萬億諸佛，淨修梵行，求阿耨多羅三藐三菩提——俱白佛言：『世尊！是諸無量千萬億大德聲聞皆已成就。世尊亦當為我等說阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，我等聞已，皆共修學。世尊！我等志願如來知見，深心所念，佛自證知。』爾時轉輪聖王所將眾中八萬億人，見十六王子出家，亦求出家。王即聽許。 tr. “The sixteen princes all left home as boys and became novices. Their faculties were penetrating and keen, their wisdom clear; they had made offerings to countless buddhas, purely cultivated the holy life, and sought unsurpassed complete awakening. Together they said: ‘World-Honored One, these immeasurable śrāvakas of great virtue have reached accomplishment. Teach us too the Dharma of unsurpassed complete awakening, which we will hear and cultivate together. We aspire to the Tathāgata’s knowledge and vision; the Buddha personally knows our deepest thoughts.’ Among the wheel-turning sage-king’s followers, eighty myriads of koṭis of people saw them leave home and likewise sought to do so; the king consented.” |
| 37 | Prose | 0025a27 | 「爾時彼佛受沙彌請，過二萬劫已，乃於四眾之中說是大乘經，名『妙法蓮華』，教菩薩法，佛所護念。說是經已，十六沙彌為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提故，皆共受持，諷誦通利。說是經時，十六菩薩沙彌皆悉信受；聲聞眾中，亦有信解；其餘眾生千萬億種，皆生疑惑。佛說是經，於八千劫未曾休廢。說此經已，即入靜室，住於禪定八萬四千劫。 tr. “The Buddha accepted the novices’ request. After twenty thousand eons He taught the fourfold assembly a Great Vehicle scripture named the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, which teaches bodhisattvas and is guarded and kept in mind by the buddhas. The sixteen novices received, upheld, and fluently recited it for unsurpassed complete awakening. All accepted it in faith; some śrāvakas believed and understood, while all the other myriads of millions of kinds of living beings gave rise to doubt. The Buddha taught this scripture without pause for eight thousand eons, then entered a quiet chamber and remained in meditative concentration for eighty-four thousand eons.” |
The root-scripture domain thus contains thirty-seven segments, with its beginning and end aligned individually to the repository’s sealed source.
2. Later Verses in the Same Chapter
Zhiyi also attaches two later lines from the same chapter within this domain. Because they lie outside the preceding strict root-scripture domain, they are listed separately:
| Wording Attached by the Wenju | Root-Treatise Locus | T09n0262 Received Text Verbatim and Translation | Received-Text Locus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 「說六波羅蜜及諸神通事」 tr. “teaching the six perfections and matters of supernormal powers” | 0099c01 | 「說六波羅蜜，及諸神通事。」 tr. “teaching the six perfections and matters of supernormal powers” | 0026c08 |
| 「分別真實法」 tr. “differentiating the real Dharma” | 0099c03 | 「分別真實法，菩薩所行道，」 tr. “differentiating the real Dharma, the path practiced by bodhisattvas” | 0026c09 |
The first root-treatise line omits a comma, and the second takes only the first half of the received line; each text preserves its own wording.
3. Explicitly Named External Citations: Root Wording and Received Texts Side by Side
A. The Sūtra of Past Causes and Effects
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation in T34n1718 | 「薩婆悉達處胎時，三千國土朗然大光，日月所不照處大明，其中眾生各得相見」 tr. “When Sapoxida was in the womb, three thousand lands became brilliantly illuminated by a great light; where sun and moon did not shine there was great brightness, and the beings within could see one another” | 0098c03 | The work’s title begins on the preceding line; the first graph of the quoted sentence is on this line |
| T03n0189 received text | 「三千大千世界，常皆大明，其界中間幽冥之處，日月威光所不能照，亦皆朗然。其中眾生各得相見，共相謂言：『此中云何忽生眾生？』」 tr. “The great trichiliocosm was always entirely bright. Dark places between its realms where the radiance of sun and moon could not reach likewise became brilliant. The beings within saw one another and said together: ‘How have beings suddenly appeared here?’” | 0624b26 | The sequence is close, while the received wording is fuller |
B. The Great Treatise and the Brahmā Request
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement in T34n1718 | 「若《釋論》明梵本請大，佛雖說小未遂所請，若說般若猶酬梵請耳。」 tr. “If the Great Treatise clarifies that the Brahmā originally requested the great teaching, then although the Buddha taught the lesser teaching, He had not fulfilled the request; if He taught Prajñāpāramitā, He was still answering the Brahmā request” | 0098c16 | The root treatise’s comparison of cited sources |
| T25n1509 received text | 「是時三千大千世界主梵天王，名式棄，及色界諸天等，釋提桓因及欲界諸天等，并四天王，皆詣佛所，勸請世尊初轉法輪；亦是菩薩念本所願，及大慈大悲故，受請說法。」 tr. “At that time the Brahmā king named Śikhin, lord of the great trichiliocosm, the gods of the form realm, Śakra and the gods of the desire realm, and the Four Kings all went to the Buddha and entreated the World-Honored One first to turn the Dharma wheel. Recalling His original vow and out of great loving-kindness and compassion, the bodhisattva accepted the request and taught” | 0058a25 | Contains the Brahmā request to turn the Dharma wheel |
| T25n1509 received text | 「諸法甚深者，般若波羅蜜是。以是故佛說《摩訶般若波羅蜜經》。」 tr. “What is profound among Dharmas is the perfection of prajñā. For this reason the Buddha taught the Great Prajñāpāramitā Sutra” | 0058a29 | Contains a Prajñāpāramitā context; the received text does not contain the root treatise’s entire sentence verbatim |
C. The “Skillful Means” Chapter
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement in T34n1718 | 「若依〈方便品〉文，梵王請大，然佛法道同不應偏請。」 tr. “According to the wording of the ‘Skillful Means’ chapter, the Brahmā king requested the great teaching; yet the buddhas’ Dharma and Way are the same, so the request should not be partial” | 0098c18 | The root treatise’s comparison of cited sources |
| T09n0262 received text | 「爾時諸梵王，及諸天帝釋、護世四天王，及大自在天，并餘諸天眾，眷屬百千萬，恭敬合掌禮，請我轉法輪。」 tr. “At that time the Brahmā kings, Śakra among the gods, the Four Heavenly Kings who protect the world, Maheśvara, and the other heavenly hosts, with hundreds of thousands of myriads in their retinues, reverently joined their palms, bowed, and asked Me to turn the Dharma wheel” | 0009c09 | The Brahmā kings request the turning of the Dharma wheel |
| T09n0262 received text | 「我即自思惟：『若但讚佛乘，眾生沒在苦，不能信是法；破法不信故，墜於三惡道。我寧不說法，疾入於涅槃。尋念過去佛，所行方便力，我今所得道，亦應說三乘。』」 tr. “I then reflected: ‘If I praise only the Buddha Vehicle, living beings immersed in suffering will be unable to believe this Dharma. By rejecting the Dharma in disbelief, they will fall into the three evil destinies. I would rather not teach and quickly enter nirvāṇa.’ Then I recalled the power of skillful means practiced by past buddhas: ‘The Way I have now attained should likewise be taught as three vehicles’” | 0009c13 | After the request comes reflection on the Buddha Vehicle and three vehicles |
D. The Great Treatise and the Vibhāṣā
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement in T34n1718 | 「諸佛語法，法至於三，為眾生有三根故，《大論》及《婆沙》悉作此說。問：初為五人，云何作三根耶？復有八萬諸天，何故無三根？」 tr. “In the buddhas’ manner of speaking, the Dharma reaches completion in three because living beings have three grades of faculties; the Great Treatise and the Vibhāṣā both explain it this way. Question: at first there were five people, so how could there be three faculties? There were also eighty thousand gods; why were there not three faculties among them?” | 0099a08 | The root treatise names the two treatises together |
| T25n1509 received text | 「佛為五比丘，初開甘露門，說四真諦法：苦集滅道諦。阿若憍陳如，最初得見道；八萬諸天眾，皆亦入道迹！」 tr. “For the five bhikṣus the Buddha first opened the nectar gate and taught the four true realities: the truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path. Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya first attained the path of seeing, and the eighty thousand gods likewise entered the trace of the Way” | 0069b14 | The five bhikṣus and eighty thousand gods |
| T28n1546 received text | 「佛經說：諸比丘！是苦聖諦，曾從他聞。於法中正觀思惟，生眼智明覺。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我應當知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我已知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。集滅道說亦如是。」 tr. “The Buddha’s scripture says: Bhikṣus, this is the noble truth of suffering, formerly heard from another. Through correct contemplation and reflection on the Dharma arise eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening. Bhikṣus, this noble truth of suffering should be known by me, formerly heard from another; the fuller explanation is as above. Bhikṣus, this noble truth of suffering has been known by me, formerly heard from another; the fuller explanation is as above. Origination, cessation, and the path are explained likewise” | 0307b02 | The three turnings and eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening |
| T28n1546 received text | 「是說未知欲知根。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我應當知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。是說知根。諸比丘！是苦聖諦，我已知，曾從他聞，廣說如上。是說知已根。如是餘一二諦三轉生三根亦爾。」 tr. “This explains the faculty of wishing to know what is not yet known. Bhikṣus, this noble truth of suffering should be known by me, formerly heard from another; the fuller explanation is as above. This explains the faculty of knowing. Bhikṣus, this noble truth of suffering has been known by me, formerly heard from another; the fuller explanation is as above. This explains the faculty of one who has known. The three turnings of the other truths likewise produce the three faculties” | 0307b07 | The three turnings produce the three faculties |
| T28n1546 received text | 「此是如來最初之說，五比丘、八萬諸天為證。」 tr. “This was the Tathāgata’s first teaching; the five bhikṣus and eighty thousand gods bear witness” | 0307b17 | The five bhikṣus and eighty thousand gods |
E. The “Departure” Chapter of the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sutra
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation in T34n1718 | 「阿羅漢、支佛，因六波羅蜜至彼岸。」 tr. “Arhats and pratyekabuddhas reach the farther shore through the six perfections” | 0099b10 | Root-treatise quotation |
| T08n0223 received text | 「所謂六波羅蜜。諸佛及聲聞、辟支佛住六波羅蜜中能度彼岸，是名具足六法。」 tr. “Namely, the six perfections. Buddhas, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas abide in the six perfections and can cross to the farther shore; this is called possessing the six Dharmas” | 0258c13 | Contains śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, the six perfections, and crossing to the farther shore, but the wording is not entirely identical |
F. The Summary of the Great Vehicle
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation in T34n1718 | 「凡夫、二乘皆有六度，但不同耳。」 tr. “Ordinary persons and the two vehicles all possess the six perfections; they merely differ” | 0099b11 | Root-treatise quotation |
| T31n1595 received text | 「世間、二乘、菩薩皆有施等六行，若不明菩薩所行六波羅蜜相，云何得知此是波羅蜜、此非波羅蜜？」 tr. “Worldly persons, the two vehicles, and bodhisattvas all possess the six practices beginning with giving. If the marks of the six perfections practiced by bodhisattvas are not clarified, how can one know that this is a perfection and that is not?” | 0215b03 | All three groups possess the six practices beginning with giving |
| T31n1595 received text | 「世間及二乘行施等，不依止無上菩提心起，唯菩薩行施等必依止無上菩提心起」 tr. “The worldly and the two vehicles practice giving and the others without arising in dependence on the mind of unsurpassed awakening; only bodhisattvas necessarily practice giving and the others in dependence upon that mind” | 0215b08 | The received text states a difference in their basis |
G. The Six Feet of the Abhidharma
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement in T34n1718 | 「《阿毘曇》有六足，六足即六度」 tr. “The Abhidharma has six feet; the six feet are correlated with the six perfections” | 0099b14 | The first half is a bibliographical count; the second is the root treatise’s correlation |
| T55n2145 received text | 「什於沙勒國誦阿毘曇六足諸門增一阿鋡。」 tr. “In the kingdom of Shale, Kumārajīva recited the six feet and various gates of the Abhidharma and the Ekottarika Āgama” | 0100b29 | Confirms only the wording “six feet of the Abhidharma,” not that the six feet are the six perfections |
H. Discipline for the Three Vehicles in the Jeweled Cloud Sutra
| Layer | Verbatim and Translation | Locus | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement in T34n1718 | 「《寶雲經》明三乘毘尼」 tr. “The Jeweled Cloud Sutra explains discipline for the three vehicles” | 0099b14 | Source named by the root treatise |
| T16n0659 received text | 「菩薩摩訶薩具足十法，受持毘尼。何等為十？所謂了知毘尼并律宗體、毘尼甚深、毘尼微細、犯與不犯、性罪制罪、波羅提木叉、學之本源、聲聞毘尼、菩薩毘尼悉皆了知。」 tr. “A bodhisattva-mahāsattva possesses ten Dharmas in receiving and upholding discipline. What are the ten? Understanding discipline together with the essence of the Vinaya tradition, the profundity and subtlety of discipline, offense and nonoffense, offenses by nature and by regulation, the prātimokṣa, the source of training, śrāvaka discipline, and bodhisattva discipline—all are fully understood” | 0270b08 | The same passage explains śrāvaka and bodhisattva discipline |
| Adjacent passage in T16n0659 | 「於聲聞法已經修學、於緣覺法已經修學、於菩薩法已經修學」 tr. “having already cultivated the śrāvaka Dharma, the pratyekabuddha Dharma, and the bodhisattva Dharma” | 0270b15 | The adjacent passage names all three Dharmas; the received text lacks the four-character phrase “discipline of the three vehicles” |
4. Correlations Explicitly Named but Not Presented as Verbatim Citations
| T34n1718 Root-Treatise Wording and Translation | Locus | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 「初十六子請轉滿教，如今佛說《華嚴》」 tr. “First, the sixteen princes request the turning of the full teaching, like the present Buddha teaching the Flower Ornament” | 0098c21 | First item listed by the root treatise |
| 「東、東南二方請轉半教，如今佛說三藏」 tr. “The east and southeast request the turning of the half teaching, like the present Buddha teaching the Tripiṭaka” | 0098c22 | Second item listed by the root treatise |
| 「後七方請轉對半明滿，如今佛說方等」 tr. “The later seven directions request that the full be clarified in contrast to the half, like the present Buddha teaching Vaipulya” | 0098c23 | Third item listed by the root treatise |
| 「上方梵請帶半明滿，如今佛說《般若》」 tr. “The Brahmā request from above carries the half while clarifying the full, like the present Buddha teaching Prajñāpāramitā” | 0098c24 | Fourth item listed by the root treatise |
| 「後十六子請廢半明滿，如今佛說《法華》醍醐教也」 tr. “Later the sixteen princes request abolishing the half and clarifying the full, like the present Buddha teaching the ghee teaching of the Lotus” | 0098c25 | Fifth item listed by the root treatise |
| 「即是《大品》明實相般若意也」 tr. “this is precisely the meaning of prajñā of the true mark clarified in the Large Prajñāpāramitā” | 0099c03 | The root treatise’s explanation of the later verse phrase 「分別真實法」 tr. “differentiating the real Dharma” |
The five items are the root treatise’s own correlations; this apparatus does not fabricate verbatim quotations from each scripture.
IV. Essential Explanations from the Wenjuji [the Mirror]
The corresponding domain in Zhanran’s Fahua Wenjuji, T34n1719, begins at 〔0297a27〕 and ends at 〔0298b04〕; later on the same final line it has already turned to the next unit. Its essential points follow:
| Root-Treatise Node | Essential Verbatim Sentence from the Wenjuji and Translation | Mirror Locus |
|---|---|---|
| Lifespan and realization | 「一切八相垂迹之處皆先破魔，準說《法華》亦應先漸。復云破魔似同穢土，若準壽長復非穢土，故知同居淨穢其相蓋多」 tr. “Wherever the eight marks are manifested as Trace, the defeat of Māra comes first. By analogy with teaching the Lotus, there should also first be gradual teaching. Yet defeating Māra resembles a defiled land, while the long lifespan does not accord with a defiled land; thus one knows that the pure and defiled forms of co-residence are manifold” | 0297a27 |
| Heavenly flowers and tree-seat | 「問：時諸梵天雨眾天華，其華如山、樹座猶下，其相如何？」 tr. “Question: when the Brahmā gods rain heavenly flowers, the flowers are like a mountain while the tree-seat remains below; how can this appearance be?” | 0297b02 |
| Answer on heavenly flowers and tree-seat | 「答不思議事彼此不礙」 tr. “Answer: inconceivable events do not obstruct one another” | 0297b04 |
| Order of the Brahmā directions | 「正本中先四方、次四維、次上下，此則並是隨譯者意，不知梵本次第如何？然正本列數與此多異。」 tr. “In the alternate version come first the four directions, next the four intermediate directions, and then above and below. This follows the translators’ intentions; the order of the Indic originals is unknown. Yet the counts listed in the alternate version differ greatly from this one” | 0297b04 |
| Three turnings | 「示者，謂此是苦乃至此是道。勸者，謂苦應知、集應斷、滅應證、道應修。證者，苦我已知不復更知，乃至道我已修不復更修。」 tr. “Demonstration means: this is suffering through this is the path. Exhortation means: suffering should be known, origination severed, cessation realized, and the path cultivated. Confirmation means: I have known suffering and need not know it again, through I have cultivated the path and need not cultivate it again” | 0297b09 |
| Doctrinal divisions of the three turnings | 「今辨諸門略示同異，於中為四：初約所對，次「為聲聞」下約所為，三「何故」下明三轉意，四「問」下料簡。」 tr. “The present distinction of the various gates briefly shows agreements and differences and has four parts: first, according to what is addressed; next, from ‘for śrāvakas’ onward, according to those for whom it is taught; third, from ‘why’ onward, clarifying the meaning of three turnings; fourth, from ‘question’ onward, analytical discussion” | 0297b17 |
| Twelve aspects | 「釋中又六：先略釋，次「又教」下判能所，三「十二」下判輪非輪，四「若作」下判教行，五「教輪」下判名體寬狹，六「或通」下判通別。」 tr. “The explanation has six further parts: first, brief explanation; next, from ‘also the teaching’ onward, judging agent and object; third, from ‘twelve’ onward, judging wheel and non-wheel; fourth, from ‘if understood as’ onward, judging teaching and practice; fifth, from ‘teaching wheel’ onward, judging the breadth of name and essence; sixth, from ‘or generally’ onward, judging what is shared and distinct” | 0297b29 |
| Two readings | 「次辨通別中所言「或」者，不定辭也。或三人各聞三轉，或一人前後聞三。」 tr. “Next, in distinguishing what is shared and distinct, ‘or’ is an indeterminate expression: perhaps three persons each hear the three turnings, or one person hears the three in sequence” | 0297c20 |
| Śramaṇa | 「初文云「沙門」謂佛法出家者，不因佛說尚不知名，豈能轉耶？故法輪名唯從佛得。沙門尚爾，況餘眾耶？有云：外道中出家者名沙門。」 tr. “The initial passage’s ‘śramaṇa’ means one who has left home in the Buddha-Dharma. Without the Buddha’s teaching he would not even know the name, so how could he turn it? The name Dharma wheel is therefore obtained only from the Buddha. If this is so even of a śramaṇa, how much more of the others? Someone says that one who has left home among non-Buddhists is called a śramaṇa” | 0297c26 |
| “One explanation” | 「「有解」至「之意」者，今師有時作此解也，因此通辨非初轉也。」 tr. “From ‘one explanation’ through ‘its meaning’ is an explanation sometimes made by the present master; through it he generally distinguishes that this is not the initial turning” | 0298a01 |
| Contraction and expansion | 「從無舒四、卷四歸無，卷舒秖是開合意耳。」 tr. “From no truth four are expanded; the four are contracted and return to none. Contraction and expansion mean only opening and combining” | 0298a05 |
| Penetrating and keen faculties | 「初釋即相似位。次釋云「入佛境界」者，即初住位。」 tr. “The first explanation is the stage of resemblance. The next explanation’s ‘entering the Buddha’s domain’ is the stage of the first abode” | 0298a25 |
| Real Dharma | 「分別故始自色心終至種智皆不出實相，故云「真實」。」 tr. “Because of differentiation, from form and mind through knowledge of all modes nothing lies outside the true mark; therefore it is called ‘real’” | 0298a27 |
| Duration in another translation | 「《正法華》云「入定經三十萬劫」，不知法護所以所譯其數頓乖。」 tr. “The True Dharma Lotus says ‘remained in samādhi for three hundred thousand eons.’ It is unknown why Dharmarakṣa’s translated number differs so abruptly” | 0298b03 |
The Mirror’s final item may be read against the extant text of Dharmarakṣa’s True Dharma Lotus Sutra: the Taishō reads 「即入靜室精思閑定，四十萬劫三昧正受」 tr. “He then entered a quiet chamber, contemplated intently in tranquil concentration, and correctly received samādhi for four hundred thousand eons”〔T09n0263 0092a01〕, while the critical note reads 「四【大】／三【宮】」 tr. “four [Taishō] / three [Palace witness]”〔0092a01〕. The Mirror’s three hundred thousand agrees with the Palace witness’s graph three; the Taishō body reads four hundred thousand, and both readings are recorded.
V. Explanations of Various Masters
The root treatise records divergent explanations under two explicit markers:
First, an older explanation distributes the Brahmā requests as 「舊云東、東南請小，七方請大，上方請小大。」 tr. “an older explanation says the east and southeast request the lesser teaching, the seven directions request the great teaching, and above requests both lesser and great”〔0098c15〕. The following passage separately works through the Great Treatise, the “Skillful Means” chapter, and the five-flavor Dharma wheel; the older explanation and the root treatise’s later account remain distinct.
Second, the root treatise records 「有解大乘四諦，次轉二諦、次轉一諦、次轉無諦，皆是卷舒之意。」 tr. “one explanation gives the Great Vehicle’s four truths, then turns them into two truths, then one truth, and then no truth; all express contraction and expansion”〔0099a29〕. The author marks this only as “one explanation”; the Wenjuji later attributes it to an explanation sometimes made by the present master, and that attribution remains on the mirror layer.
In addition, the root treatise itself lists 「或通三人、或約一人，今就見諦道三人」 tr. “perhaps it applies generally to three persons, or perhaps to one person; here it concerns three persons on the path of seeing the truths”〔0099a22〕 in the passage on the twelve practice-aspects. The two occurrences of “perhaps” are indeterminate readings, not fictitious names for two speakers. The Brahmā-request passage also compares sources according to the Great Treatise and “Skillful Means,” saying that scriptures and treatises preserve or omit different materials and that various masters rely partially upon them. These are analytical materials in the root treatise and are not inflated into statements by named ancient masters.
VI. Terminology
| Term | Meaning in This Passage |
|---|---|
遠由、近由 tr. “distant cause, recent cause” | The distant cause is realization of the Way and the Brahmā request from the ten directions; the recent cause is accepting the request and teaching, enabling the sixteen novices later to explain it again and establish the connection |
道同、緣異 tr. “same Way, different conditions” | The Way realized by the buddhas is the same, while the duration manifested differs according to the suitability of conditions |
威光照動 tr. “majestic radiance shining and stirring” | The light of realization lets beings in dark places see one another and leads the Brahmā kings of the ten directions to follow it and request the Dharma |
半字、滿字 tr. “half word, full word” | The recent cause first turns the half-word Dharma wheel; after the princes’ renewed request it abolishes the half and clarifies the full-word Dharma wheel |
三轉 tr. “three turnings” | Demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation; the root treatise states both a provisional three-two-one division and the general rule that all possess three turnings |
教十二、行十二 tr. “twelve teaching-aspects, twelve practice-aspects” | The twelve teaching-aspects are demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation for each of the four truths; the twelve practice-aspects are eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening produced by each of the three turnings |
能轉、所轉 tr. “what turns, what is turned” | The twelve teaching-aspects are what turns and the twelve practice-aspects what is turned; the later passage also opens the meanings of teaching and practice as two wheels |
四十八行 tr. “forty-eight practice-aspects” | Persons of each of the three grades of faculties obtain sixteen mental states, together making forty-eight |
卷舒 tr. “contraction and expansion” | Opening and combining in which the four truths successively turn into two truths, one truth, and no truth |
不受 tr. “not accepting” | The root treatise explains it as not accepting the four views and awakening to the first fruit |
得解脫 tr. “attaining liberation” | The root treatise explains it as release from the fetters of the seed and the fruit and attainment of no-more-learning |
深妙定 tr. “profound and subtle meditation” | The root treatise explains it as liberation through both |
通利 tr. “penetrating and keen” | First generally explained through purification of the six faculties, then “penetrating” through their interchangeable function and “keen” through entry into the Buddha’s domain |
覆講 tr. “renewed explanation” | The Buddha enters samādhi without emerging, the doubtful assembly has no one to question, and the sixteen novices later teach it again |
The fixed wording in this domain does not contain the seven later summary expressions Five Periods and Eight Teachings, modes of conversion, methods of teaching, Tripiṭaka–Shared–Distinct–Perfect, ten subtleties of the Trace Gate, ten subtleties of the Origin Gate, or three thousand in one thought-moment. This zero occurrence limits only the wording of the extant text and does not imply that related meanings are absent.
VII. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
The imagery of this passage first unfolds through a long realization of the Way. Śākyamuni’s six years of ascetic practice, Maitreya’s realization on the day He leaves home, and the failure of the Dharma to appear before the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence for ten eons are not used to rank sharp and dull faculties or an easy and difficult Way. They explain that long and short manifestations accord with the suitability of conditions. The root treatise does not judge the Buddha Way as higher or lower from duration; it says only that the event of realization manifests in accord with conditions.
The shining and stirring of majestic radiance links realization with the request for the Dharma. Light lets beings in dark places see one another and makes the Brahmā palaces appear extraordinary; the Brahmā kings therefore question one another, follow the light, see the Buddha, make offerings, and request the Dharma. Zhiyi further uses the two mountains and the space between them, and sunlight and moonlight together with buddha-light, as two contemplative interpretations〔0098c06–0098c10〕. The mountains and the two lights each form a pair, while the space between and the buddha-light each disclose the Middle Way. The two groups stand side by side and are not mutually multiplied into further stages.
The image of the Dharma wheel moves from the Buddha’s teaching into the recipient’s mind. Zhiyi says that only conveying the Dharma into another’s mind, enabling that person to awaken and destroy the sixty-two views, is called turning the Dharma wheel〔0099a27〕. Thus although both the twelve teaching-aspects and twelve practice-aspects number twelve, the former are the demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation that are taught, while the latter are the eye, knowledge, clarity, and awakening produced in recipients. The wheel’s turning includes both teaching and awakening.
The image of contraction and expansion places the four truths, twelve links, and six perfections within one continuous analysis of opening and combining and of what is shared and distinct. The root treatise first records four, two, one, and no truth; then calls the twelve links a differentiated, detailed contemplation of the four truths; then unfolds arising and cessation, nonarising, measurable and immeasurable, and the six perfections as common to three persons. Each group of numbered Dharmas unfolds according to the root treatise’s own enumeration; they are not combined into another numerical system.
Read with the repository’s source text of the “Parable of the Conjured City,” the distant cause returns through the Buddha’s lifespan, realization, radiance, and Brahmā request at 〔T09 0022b19–0024c29〕. The recent cause aligns with the three turnings and twelve aspects, attainment after hearing the Dharma, the princes’ renewed request, faith and doubt, and entry into samādhi at 〔0025a01–0025b05〕. Read with the later verse in the same chapter, the six perfections, matters of supernormal power, and differentiation of the real Dharma supply the basis for Zhiyi’s judgment concerning what was taught during the twenty thousand eons.
The end of this unit carries forward into the next. The doubtful assembly has formed a connection with the sixteen novices through the Lotus, and the Buddha enters samādhi for eighty-four thousand eons. The next passage therefore begins when the sixteen novices know that He has entered the chamber and directly explains how renewed exposition occurs. The samādhi here is not a pause in the story, but the joint at which the recent cause is complete and the direct establishment of the connection is about to begin.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
1. Ten Taishō / Witness-A Variants
This domain contains ten ordinary paired critical notes: witness A lacks eight readings and has two variant readings:
| Line Anchor | Taishō | Witness A | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0098b18 | 由 tr. “cause” | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
| 0098c07 | 之 tr. “it” | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
| 0098c08 | 間是中道 tr. “the space is the Middle Way” | 中間是中道 tr. “the space between is the Middle Way” | Added graph |
| 0098c27 | 智 tr. “wisdom” | 智勝 tr. “wisdom excellence” | Added graph |
| 0099a25 | 能 tr. “can” | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
| 0099b14 | 六足 tr. “six feet” | Witness A lacks the graphs | Empty reading |
| 0099b16 | 也 tr. final particle | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
| 0099b18 | 王子 tr. “princes” | Witness A lacks the graphs | Empty reading |
| 0099b28 | 劫 tr. “eons” | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
| 0099c07 | 此 tr. “this” | Witness A lacks the graph | Empty reading |
All ten are ordinary paired notes with beginning and ending anchors. This domain has zero asterisk notes or corresp cross-references, zero one-sided critical notes, and zero abbreviated first-and-last-graph count notes. Every empty reading expressly states 「甲本缺」 tr. “witness A lacks the graph”; no field is left blank.
2. Transmitted Inline Annotations
All seven inline annotations in this domain read 〔云云〕. They follow respectively 「今古節目文義相應」 tr. “the textual divisions and meanings of the ancient and present correspond”〔0098c26〕, 「三轉者，謂示、勸、證」 tr. “the three turnings are demonstration, exhortation, and confirmation”〔0099a03〕, 「大乘以無生為體」 tr. “the Great Vehicle takes nonarising as its essence”〔0099b02〕, 「相生則相、生傳傳滅」 tr. “if arising is stated relationally, phenomena arise mutually and cease through successive transmission”〔0099b07〕, 「《寶雲經》明三乘毘尼」 tr. “the Jeweled Cloud Sutra explains discipline for the three vehicles”〔0099b14〕, 「俱解脫也」 tr. “it is liberation through both”〔0099b18〕, and 「入定時節即是八萬四千劫」 tr. “the duration of the samādhi is precisely eighty-four thousand eons”〔0099c11〕. The first half of 〔0098b16〕 contains one further 〔云云〕, but it precedes 07b’s opening graph and belongs to the preceding unit, so it is not counted among this domain’s seven.
3. Gaiji, Contents, and Page Anchors
This domain contains no <g ref> gaiji and therefore no unresolved glyph. This means only that this unit has no gaiji tag; it does not imply that the whole fascicle has none.
In the work’s first-level contents, the “Introduction” chapter lacks the prefix “Explanation of,” while the remaining twenty-seven chapters are titled “Explanation of [chapter].” This unit is a secondary division within the “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter and does not occupy a separate chapter. The reader’s source text has two inline anchors at the beginnings of blocks according to page transitions: 〔T34 0098b16〕 and 〔T34 0099b18〕. It does not repeat an anchor on every line and has none standing independently mid-sentence. Quotations in the apparatus are instead located by the nearest preceding Taishō line before their first graph; these functions remain distinct from the reader’s page anchors.