妙法蓮華經文句 化城喻品 · 法說結緣
我們很容易把修行想成一條只許前進的直線。今天發心，明天就該更堅定；一旦退轉、停住，甚至改求較小的果，最初那一念彷彿便全部作廢。
十六王子與眾生所結的緣，不是這樣展開。
眾生聽王子覆說《法華》，都發起菩提心。這個開始是真實的，所以智者稱之為度；可是它又不是所有人都已走到究竟。從那時到今日，有人屢次相逢都受大乘，已在中間成就；有人從大退轉，由小法接引，今日再聞大乘；有人長久只遇小法，今日才開始受大，甚至要到佛滅度後才得道。
同一場發心，後來走出三種進程。差別並沒有抹去昔日的法緣，反而顯出法緣怎樣在差別中不斷：能受大，便以大乘相逢；退大之後，小法仍能接住；尚未聞大，也不因此永遠失去再聞的可能。
因此，真正的陪伴未必每次都把最高的話立刻說完。有人嫌佛道太長，說短能使他不再疲厭；有人把佛道看得太容易，說長能使他不再輕忽。長與短若只是拿來估算自己還要等多久，便錯過了說法當下正在對治的心。
這也照見另一種退轉：不是轉身離開，而是太早宣布自己已經抵達。未來弟子自以為已入滅度，本論卻說，他終究仍會在餘國聞經。『我已經到了』只是自己的判定，不足以窮盡佛與眾生之間尚未完成的因緣。
法緣可貴之處，不在保證我們從此不再偏離；它使偏離之後仍有相遇，停住之後仍有話可聞，自以為足夠之後仍有一道更廣的路被重新打開。
所以，回望自己的初心，不必只問：『我有沒有一路做到？』也可以問：『那一念曾使我與什麼相遇？在我退轉、疲厭或自滿時，它正以什麼方式再次來到？』
發心不是一張保證從此順遂的文書。它更像一段已經結下的因緣：未必使每一步相同，卻能在漫長流轉中，一次又一次把人帶回成佛之道。
We readily imagine practice as a straight line on which one may only advance. Having aroused the aspiration today, one ought to be firmer tomorrow; once one turns back, stops, or even seeks a lesser fruit, it seems that the first thought has been completely annulled.
The connection formed between the sixteen princes and living beings does not unfold in this way.
When living beings heard the princes explain the Lotus Sutra again, all aroused the aspiration for awakening. This beginning was real, and so Zhiyi calls it deliverance; yet it did not mean that everyone had already reached the ultimate. From that time until today, some repeatedly encountered the princes, always received the Great Vehicle, and reached accomplishment in the intervening period. Some retreated from the Great and were guided by lesser teachings, then heard the Great Vehicle again today. Some long encountered only lesser teachings and began to receive the Great only today, while others would attain the Way only after the Buddha’s extinction.
One shared arousal of aspiration subsequently opened into three courses. Their differences did not erase the Dharma connection formed in the past; instead, they show how that connection continued through difference. Those able to receive the Great encountered the Great Vehicle. After retreat from the Great, lesser teachings could still receive and support them. Those who had not yet heard the Great were not thereby deprived forever of the possibility of hearing it again.
Genuine accompaniment therefore need not finish speaking the highest teaching immediately at every encounter. To someone wearied by the length of the Buddha Way, speaking of its shortness prevents further discouragement; to someone who regards the Buddha Way as easy, speaking of its length prevents contemptuous neglect. If long and short serve only to calculate how much longer one must wait, one misses the mind that the teaching is addressing at that very moment.
This also illuminates another kind of retreat: not turning away, but declaring too soon that one has already arrived. A future disciple may suppose that he has entered extinction, yet the root treatise says that he will ultimately hear the scripture in another land. “I have arrived” is only one’s own judgment; it cannot exhaust the still-unfinished connection between a buddha and living beings.
What makes a Dharma connection precious is not a guarantee that we will never deviate again. It makes another meeting possible after deviation, another teaching audible after we stop, and a wider path open again after we suppose that what we have is enough.
Therefore, when looking back upon our first aspiration, we need not ask only, “Did I carry it through without interruption?” We may also ask, “What did that thought cause me to encounter? When I retreat, grow weary, or become complacent, in what form is it meeting me again?”
Arousing aspiration is not a document guaranteeing an untroubled course from that moment onward. It is more like a connection already formed: it may not make every step identical, yet across long wandering it can lead a person back, again and again, to the Buddha Way.
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 0099c11〕。段/行首〔T34 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T34 0099c11〕「是時十六菩薩知佛入室」下，第二，正結緣。就此有二：先法說結緣，次譬說結緣。就法說有三：第一明昔日共結緣，第二明中間更相值遇，第三明今還說法華。第一有四：一者知佛入定，二者王子覆講，三者眾得利益，四佛從定起稱歎菩薩。由佛入定所以得說，佛知一化將畢不復熟此段之人，故令王子共其結緣；又知此等必由王子究竟得度，所以入定久而不出也〔云云〕。「是十六沙彌」下，第一，知佛入定。「各升法座」下，第二，覆說《法華》。「一一皆度」下，第三，說法利益。皆發菩提心故云「度」，若初發心時誓願當作佛已過於世間，即是度七方便彼岸義也。「大通智勝過八萬」下，第四，佛從定起稱歎勸信。此中復二：一、正稱歎菩薩，二、「汝等皆當」下，勸物親近。勸物親近中又二：先勸親近，次「所以者何」下，第一、釋勸意，「佛告諸比丘是十六」下，第二、明中間常相逢值。逢值有三種，若相逢遇常受大乘，此輩中間皆已成就不至于今；若相逢遇，遇其退大仍接以小，此輩中間猶故未盡，今得還聞大乘之教；三但論遇小不論遇大，則中間未度，于今亦不盡，方始受大乃至滅後得道者是也。 〔T34 0100a05〕問： 如上塵數多許時節，今始得羅漢，當知無生法忍何易可階。 答： 一云，大聖善巧，依四悉檀作如是說，或說佛道長遠，或說佛易得，對治厭道長者說短，於道生輕易想者說長，或為發生宿善，或隨世間所欲，或為聞說長短即得入第一義，當知言如許劫方今得羅漢者，此是權行四悉檀，引諸實行令入道耳。 「諸比丘我今語汝彼佛」下，第三，明今日還說《法華》。此文復二：先會古今，後明還說《法華》。先會古今復二：一、結師之古今，二、會弟子古今。十六沙彌是古，八方作佛是今也。「諸比丘我等為沙彌各各」下，次會弟子，復二：一、會現在，二、會未來。現在復四：一、不退者，住三菩提也；二、此諸眾生退轉者，今住聲聞；三、「所以者何」下，釋退住意；四、「爾時所化無量」下，正結古今也。「及我滅度未來」下，第二，會未來弟子，復二：一、正會，二、「我滅度後復有」下釋疑。疑者云，現在者，得聞佛說《法華》得入一道，可是結緣之流；未來者，不聞《法華》而入滅度，此豈能捨小得入一乘？釋云，雖滅度之，終會得聞，我於餘國作佛得聞是經。「餘國」者，三乘通教有餘國也。「除諸如來方便說」者，斷疑也。三是方便說，其實無三也。 「諸比丘若如來」下，第二，正明今日還說《法華》。就此復三：一、時眾清淨，二、正說《法華》，三、釋前開三意。「涅槃時到」者，諸佛出世教道將畢之時，即說此經，如迦葉佛、日月燈明等，說此經竟即入涅槃，釋迦說《法華》竟仍唱當滅。「眾又清淨」者，即斷德也。「信解堅固」者，信即四不壞信，解即無漏正解。了達真諦具諸禪定，此智斷立也。爾時堪教大道，聞必信受也。復次「眾又清淨」者，得三藏教益免難也。「信解堅固」者，於方等教心相體信也。「了達空法」，聞般若教說法，於空法中心得了達，即轉教意也。「便集諸菩薩」下，正說《法華》。集菩薩是聚親族等，是說此經也。上釋親族法身大士影嚮眾，以此文驗之，其義明也。「集諸菩薩」是會親族，「及聲聞眾」是命其子也。「比丘當知如來方便」下，釋開三意也。若世無二乘得滅度者，何故如來前說權教？釋云，比丘當知如來方便，深知眾生有小性欲，著於五塵、弊於五濁，故先說三令破蔽免難，後說一也。
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.
《妙法蓮華經文句》第七卷下，天台智者大師說。
一、正結緣先分法說、譬說
從經文『這時十六菩薩知道佛已進入靜室』以下，是第二大段，正式說明結緣。這一段分為兩部分：先以法說說明結緣，其次以譬喻說明結緣。
法說結緣又分三段：第一，說明昔日共同結緣；第二，說明從昔日至今的中間時期，王子與所化眾生又彼此相遇；第三，說明今日再次宣說《法華經》。
第一段昔日共同結緣，又有四件事：一、十六王子知道佛已入定；二、王子再次講說佛先前所說的法；三、大眾因聞法而得到利益；四、大通智勝佛從定中起，稱歎十六位菩薩。
王子之所以能夠在這時說法，是因為佛已入定。佛知道自己這一期的教化將要結束，不再親自在這一段使這批人得到成熟，所以使王子與他們結下法緣。佛又知道，這些人最後必須由王子的因緣才能究竟得度，因此入定很久而不出〔云云：以下從略〕。
二、昔日共同結緣的四件事
從經文『這十六位沙彌』以下，是第一件事：他們知道佛已入定。
從『各自登上法座』以下，是第二件事：十六王子再次宣說《法華經》。
從『每一位都度脫』以下，是第三件事：說法使大眾得到利益。這些眾生全都發起菩提心，所以稱作得度。他們初發心時，已立誓願將來成佛，因而超過世間；這便是度過七方便、到達彼岸的意思。
從『大通智勝佛經過八萬四千劫』以下，是第四件事：佛從定中起，稱歎菩薩並勸眾生信受。這裡又分兩段：第一，正式稱歎十六位菩薩；第二，從『你們都應當』以下，勸眾生親近他們。
勸人親近這一段又分兩層：先勸大眾親近十六菩薩；其次，從『為什麼呢』以下，是第一，解釋勸人親近的用意。
三、中間相遇的三種情形
從經文『佛告訴比丘，這十六』以下，是第二大段，說明從昔日至今的中間時期，王子與所化眾生經常彼此相遇。
這種相遇有三種情形。
第一，如果彼此相遇時，眾生總是接受大乘教法，這一類人在中間時期便已全部成就，不必一直延至今日才成就。
第二，如果彼此相遇時，有人已從大乘退轉，王子仍以小乘教法接引他；這一類人在中間時期仍未全部成就，到了今日才得以再次聽聞大乘教法。
第三，只說他在中間時期遇到小乘教法，不說他遇到大乘教法。這一類人在中間時期尚未得度，到今日也還沒有全部成就；他們今日才開始接受大乘，乃至其中有人要到佛滅度以後才得道。
四、經過久遠時節，為何今日才得羅漢
有人問：像上文所說，經過如塵數般長久的時節，這些人今日才得到阿羅漢果。由此可知，無生法忍哪裡是容易登上的階位？
一種說法是：大聖善巧，依四悉檀作這樣的說法。有時說佛道長遠，有時說佛道容易得到；對厭倦修道長遠的人便說短，對佛道生起輕率、容易之想的人便說長；有時為了使他過去的善根發生，有時隨順世間眾生所欲，有時使人一聽到長、短之說便能進入第一義。
應當知道，所謂經過那麼多劫、今日才得阿羅漢，是權行四悉檀，用以引諸實行進入佛道罷了。
五、先會合老師的古今，再會合弟子的古今
從經文『諸比丘，我現在告訴你們，那尊佛』以下，是第三大段，說明今日再次宣說《法華經》。這一段又分兩部分：先會合昔日與今日的人物身分，後說明今日再次宣說《法華經》。
會合古今又分兩層：一、會合老師的古今身分；二、會合弟子的古今身分。十六位沙彌是昔日的身分，在八個方位成佛是今日的身分。
從經文『諸比丘，我們作沙彌時，各自』以下，是會合弟子古今。這裡又分兩段：第一，會合現在的弟子；第二，會合未來的弟子。
會合現在弟子又有四項。
第一，不退轉的人安住於無上正等菩提。
第二，這些眾生中已經退轉的人，今日安住在聲聞地。
第三，從『為什麼呢』以下，解釋他們退轉而住於聲聞地的原因。
第四，從『那時所教化的無量眾生』以下，正式會合這些弟子的古今身分。
從『以及我滅度以後的未來』以下，是第二段，會合未來弟子。這裡又分兩項：一、正式會合；二、從『我滅度後，又有弟子』以下解釋疑問。
六、未來弟子沒有聽聞《法華》，怎能進入一乘
提出疑問的人說：現在的弟子能夠聽佛宣說《法華經》，進入唯一佛道，可以說是結緣之流；未來的弟子沒有聽聞《法華經》，便入滅度，他們怎麼能捨棄小乘而進入一乘？
解釋說：雖然使他們滅度，最後仍會聽聞本經。我會在其他國土成佛，他們在那裡聽聞這部經。
所謂其他國土，是說三乘通教有有餘國。
經文說『除了諸如來的方便說法』，是為了斷除這項疑問。三乘是方便說法，實際上並沒有三種究竟之乘。
七、今日再次宣說《法華》的三件事
從經文『諸比丘，如果如來』以下，是第二，正式說明今日再次宣說《法華經》。這裡又分三項：一、當時的大眾已經清淨；二、正式宣說《法華經》；三、解釋先前為何開說三乘。
所謂『涅槃時候已到』，是諸佛出現在世間，教化之道將要結束的時候；這時便宣說《法華經》。例如迦葉佛、日月燈明佛等，說完這部經便入涅槃；釋迦佛說完《法華經》，也接著宣告自己將要入滅。
八、時眾清淨的第一種解釋
經文說『大眾又已清淨』，這是斷德。
經文說『信解堅固』，其中的信是四不壞信，解是無漏的正解。
大眾了達真諦，又具足諸種禪定，至此智慧與斷德便能成立。到了這時，他們已堪受大道；一旦聽聞，必定能夠信受。
九、時眾清淨的第二種解釋
再作一種解釋。經文說『大眾又已清淨』，是說他們已從三藏教得到利益，免離困難。
經文說『信解堅固』，是說他們在方等教中心中相互體會而信任。
經文說『了達空法』，是說他們聽聞般若教所說之法，在空法中心得了達；這便是轉教的意思。
兩種解釋各有自己的次第：第一種依清淨、信解、了達與禪定說明智斷成立；第二種依三藏、方等、般若三段說明所得利益。
十、召集菩薩與聲聞，正式宣說《法華》
從經文『便召集諸菩薩』以下，是正式宣說《法華經》。
召集菩薩，就是聚集親族等人，由此宣說本經。上文把親族解釋為法身大士所作的影響眾；用眼前這段經文來驗證，那一層意思便十分明白。
經文說『召集諸菩薩』，是會聚親族；說『以及聲聞大眾』，則是召命祂的孩子。
十一、既然二乘不能究竟滅度，為何先說三乘
從經文『比丘應當知道，如來善用方便』以下，是解釋先前開說三乘的用意。
有人問：如果世間沒有二乘能夠得到究竟滅度，為什麼如來先前還要宣說權宜教法？
解釋說：比丘應當知道，如來善用方便，深知眾生具有偏向小法的根性與欲求，又貪著五塵，受五濁遮蔽。因此，佛先宣說三乘，使他們破除遮蔽、免離困難，然後再宣說一乘。
Fahua Wenju, latter half of Fascicle Seven, taught by the Tiantai Master Zhiyi.
I. The Direct Establishment of the Connection Is First Divided into Prose and Parable
From the scriptural words “at that time the sixteen bodhisattvas knew that the Buddha had entered the quiet chamber” onward comes the second major division, which directly explains the establishment of the connection. It has two parts: first establishing the connection through prose, and next establishing it through parable.
Establishing the connection through prose has three passages: first, forming the connection together in the past; second, the princes and the living beings they transformed repeatedly encountering one another in the intervening period from the past until today; and third, teaching the Lotus Sutra again today.
The first passage, forming the connection together in the past, has four events: the sixteen princes know that the Buddha has entered samādhi; the princes explain again the Dharma previously taught by the Buddha; the assembly gains benefit from hearing the Dharma; and the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence emerges from samādhi and praises the sixteen bodhisattvas.
The princes can teach at this time because the Buddha has entered samādhi. The Buddha knows that this period of His transformation is nearing its end and that He will not personally bring this group to maturity within this passage, so He causes the princes to form a Dharma connection with them. He also knows that these people must ultimately be delivered through their connection with the princes, and therefore remains in samādhi for a long time without emerging. 〔And so forth: the remainder is abbreviated.〕
II. Four Events in the Shared Formation of the Connection in the Past
From the scriptural words “these sixteen novices” onward comes the first event: they know that the Buddha has entered samādhi.
From “each ascended a Dharma seat” onward comes the second event: the sixteen princes again teach the Lotus Sutra.
From “each delivered” onward comes the third event: the teaching brings the assembly benefit. Because all these living beings arouse the aspiration for awakening, they are called delivered. When first arousing aspiration, they vow to become buddhas in the future and thereby pass beyond the world; this is the meaning of crossing beyond the seven kinds of skillful means and reaching the farther shore.
From “after eighty-four thousand eons, the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence” onward comes the fourth event: the Buddha emerges from samādhi, praises the bodhisattvas, and exhorts living beings to accept their teaching in faith. This has two passages: first, He directly praises the sixteen bodhisattvas; second, from “all of you should” onward, He exhorts living beings to draw near to them.
The exhortation to draw near has two further levels: first, the assembly is exhorted to draw near to the sixteen bodhisattvas; next, from “Why is this?” onward, the purpose of that exhortation is explained.
III. Three Kinds of Encounter in the Intervening Period
From the scriptural words “the Buddha told the bhikṣus, these sixteen” onward comes the second major passage, explaining how the princes and the living beings they transformed repeatedly encountered one another in the intervening period from the past until today.
These encounters are of three kinds.
First, when living beings always receive the Great Vehicle teaching whenever they meet the princes, this group reaches complete accomplishment during the intervening period and need not wait until today.
Second, when some have retreated from the Great Vehicle, the princes nevertheless guide them through Lesser-Vehicle teachings. This group is not fully accomplished during the intervening period and is therefore able to hear the Great Vehicle teaching again today.
Third, the text says only that they encounter Lesser-Vehicle teachings in the intervening period and does not say that they encounter the Great Vehicle. This group is not delivered during that period and is still not fully accomplished today. They begin to receive the Great Vehicle only today, and some among them do not attain the Way until after the Buddha’s extinction.
IV. Why Do They Attain Arhatship Only Today after Such a Distant Span?
Someone asks: as stated above, these people pass through a span as long as dust-mote eons and attain the fruit of arhatship only today. How, then, could patience regarding the nonarising of dharmas be an easy stage to ascend?
One explanation says that the Great Sage skillfully teaches in this manner through the four siddhāntas. Sometimes He says that the Buddha Way is long and distant, and sometimes that it is readily attained. To those wearied by the path’s long duration He teaches shortness; to those who conceive the Buddha Way lightly and as easy He teaches length. Sometimes He causes wholesome roots from their past lives to arise; sometimes He accords with what living beings in the world desire; and sometimes, as soon as they hear of long and short, He enables them to enter ultimate meaning.
One should therefore understand that passing through so many eons and attaining arhatship only today is a provisional practice of the four siddhāntas used to guide those who practice the real into the Buddha Way.
V. First Identifying the Teachers in Past and Present, Then the Disciples
From the scriptural words “Bhikṣus, I now tell you, that buddha” onward comes the third major passage, teaching the Lotus Sutra again today. It has two parts: first identifying who the persons of the past are today, and then explaining the renewed teaching of the Lotus Sutra today.
Identifying past and present has two levels: first identifying the teachers in past and present, and second identifying the disciples. Being sixteen novices was their identity in the past; becoming buddhas in eight directions is their identity today.
From the scriptural words “Bhikṣus, when we were novices, each of us” onward comes the identification of the disciples in past and present. This has two passages: first identifying the present disciples, and second identifying the future disciples.
Identifying the present disciples has four items.
First, those who have not retreated abide in unsurpassed complete awakening.
Second, those among these living beings who have retreated now abide at the stage of śrāvakas.
Third, from “Why is this?” onward, the reason they retreated and remain at the stage of śrāvakas is explained.
Fourth, from “the immeasurable living beings transformed at that time” onward, the disciples’ past and present identities are directly joined.
From “as well as those in the future after my extinction” onward comes the second passage, identifying future disciples. It has two items: first the direct identification; and second, from “after my extinction there will also be disciples” onward, the explanation of a doubt.
VI. How Can Future Disciples Who Have Not Heard the Lotus Enter the One Vehicle?
The questioner says: present disciples can hear the Buddha teach the Lotus Sutra and enter the single Buddha Way, and therefore may be called part of the stream of those who formed the connection. Future disciples enter extinction without hearing the Lotus Sutra. How can they abandon the Lesser Vehicle and enter the One Vehicle?
The explanation says: although they are caused to enter extinction, they will ultimately hear this scripture. I will become a buddha in another land, and there they will hear it.
“Another land” means that in the Shared Teaching common to the three vehicles, there is an other land.
The scripture says “apart from the teachings through skillful means of the tathāgatas” in order to eliminate this doubt. The three vehicles are teachings through skillful means; in reality there are not three ultimate vehicles.
VII. Three Events in Teaching the Lotus Again Today
From the scriptural words “Bhikṣus, if the Tathāgata” onward comes the second part, directly explaining the renewed teaching of the Lotus Sutra today. It has three items: the assembly at that time is pure; the Lotus Sutra is directly taught; and the reason the three vehicles were previously opened is explained.
“The time of nirvāṇa has arrived” means the time when buddhas appear in the world and their Way of transformation is nearing its end; at that time the Lotus Sutra is taught. Kāśyapa Buddha, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiance Buddha, and others entered nirvāṇa after teaching this scripture. After Śākyamuni Buddha teaches the Lotus Sutra, He likewise announces that He will soon enter extinction.
VIII. The First Explanation of the Assembly’s Purity
The scripture says that “the assembly is also pure”; this is the virtue of severance.
It says that “their faith and understanding are firm.” Faith here is the four kinds of unbreakable faith, while understanding is correct uncontaminated understanding.
The assembly thoroughly comprehends the true truth and possesses the various meditative concentrations; at this point wisdom and severance can be established. They are now capable of receiving the great Way and will certainly accept it in faith upon hearing it.
IX. The Second Explanation of the Assembly’s Purity
According to another explanation, the scripture’s statement that “the assembly is also pure” means that they have gained benefit from the Tripiṭaka Teaching and escaped danger.
Its statement that “their faith and understanding are firm” means that through the Vaipulya teaching their minds have come to mutual understanding and trust.
Its statement that they “comprehend the Dharma of emptiness” means that by hearing the Dharma taught in the Prajñāpāramitā teaching, they attain comprehension in mind of the Dharma of emptiness. This is the meaning of transmitting the teaching.
Each explanation has its own sequence. The first establishes wisdom and severance through purity, faith and understanding, comprehension, and meditative concentration. The second explains the benefits attained through the three stages of the Tripiṭaka, Vaipulya, and Prajñāpāramitā teachings.
X. Gathering Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas and Directly Teaching the Lotus
From the scriptural words “He then gathers the bodhisattvas” onward comes the direct teaching of the Lotus Sutra.
Gathering the bodhisattvas means assembling the relatives and others, and on that basis teaching this scripture. The preceding passage explains the relatives as an influential assembly created by great beings of the Dharma-body. The present scriptural passage makes that level of meaning especially clear.
The scriptural words “gathers the bodhisattvas” mean assembling the relatives, while “and the śrāvaka assembly” means summoning His child.
XI. If the Two Vehicles Cannot Attain Ultimate Extinction, Why Teach Three Vehicles First?
From the scriptural words “Bhikṣus, you should understand that the Tathāgata is skilled in means” onward comes the explanation of the intention behind previously opening the three vehicles.
Someone asks: if the two vehicles cannot attain ultimate extinction in the world, why did the Tathāgata previously teach provisional teachings?
The explanation says: Bhikṣus, you should understand that the Tathāgata is skilled in means. He deeply knows that living beings have dispositions and desires inclined toward lesser teachings, are attached to the five sense objects, and are obscured by the five turbidities. The Buddha therefore first teaches the three vehicles, enabling them to break through the obscuration and escape danger, and then teaches the One Vehicle.
十六王子在佛入定後覆說《法華》，使無量眾生發起菩提心。若只看到這一刻，結緣似乎已經完成；可是智者隨即把法說結緣分成昔日、中間、今日三段。昔日發心以後，眾生還會退轉、只聞小法，甚至要到佛滅度後才得道。結緣因此不是一場法會留下的一次記憶，而是一段能在身分變化、教法轉折與久遠時節中繼續發生作用的關係。
本段的重心也由此顯出：發心是真實的開始，卻不等於一切人都已同時走到究竟。佛入定、王子覆說、大眾得益、佛起稱歎，先建立結緣；中間三種逢值，再顯出同一法緣如何依眾生所受、所退、所聞而呈現不同進程；今日會古今、還說《法華》，則使昔日建立的關係再次成為眼前可聞、可入的佛道。
一、佛入定，為什麼反而使說法繼續
昔日共結緣先列四件事：佛入定，王子覆講，大眾得益，佛從定中起而稱歎。入定在這裡不是說法的中止，反而為十六王子覆說本經開出位置。
智者說，佛知道一期教化將要結束，不再親自在這一段使這批人成熟，所以令王子與他們結緣；又知道他們最後必須由王子的因緣究竟得度，所以久定不出。佛不親自宣說的時間，並沒有成為法的空白。十六王子登座覆說，使大眾與未來成佛的老師建立長遠關係。
這也使老師的意義不只落在當下講了多少。王子在佛入定時承接說法，後來又在世世所生中與眾生相遇；昔日覆講與中間逢值，是同一教化因緣的前後兩面。
二、當下所說的度，與究竟得度有何不同
大眾聽十六王子說法而得利益，本論隨即解釋：他們全都發菩提心，所以稱作度。初發心時立願成佛，已超過世間，因此說度七方便彼岸。
可是前文又說，這批人必由王子究竟得度。兩處合讀，便能看見同一個度字所牽出的長程：發菩提心已是真實越出，究竟成就是這一初心後續所向。若把發心看成毫無實義，便抹去了本論當下稱度的判語；若把當下發心看成所有人都已走完全程，又無法說明中間三種逢值。
所以，本段並不以未究竟否定已發心，也不以已發心取消後續教化。起步與成就各有位置，法緣正是在兩者之間持續。
三、三種逢值，顯出三種教化進程
第一種人每次相逢都接受大乘，在中間時期已經成就，不必延至今日。第二種人曾從大乘退轉，王子仍以小乘接引；他在中間時期尚未完全成就，今日得以再聞大乘。第三種人在中間只遇小乘而沒有遇大乘，到今日才開始受大，甚至有人延至佛滅度後得道。
三種都出自同一昔日結緣，進程卻不整齊。有人持續受大，有人退大後由小法接住，有人長時只遇小法。王子的教化沒有因眾生退轉便斷裂，也沒有因暫時只受小法便把最初法緣作廢。
其中第二種最能顯出接引的作用。退大之後，仍有小法可以承接；小法使人不致完全失去道路，而今日再聞大乘，則使先前尚未完成的法緣重新展開。第三種又把這條時間線拉得更長：今日初受大，也未必今日即完成，滅後得道仍在法說結緣所攝的範圍內。
四、佛道究竟是長，還是短
看到久遠相值而今日才得羅漢，有人反問：無生法忍哪裡容易登上？這句話所表的是難階，不是容易。
本論所錄一說，沒有只選長或只選短。對厭倦佛道長遠的人說短，使他不因疲厭而退；對佛道生起輕易想的人說長，使他不因輕忽而失去用功。長、短在這裡都不是供人計算一條固定時程，而是大聖依眾生當下偏失而說。
同一答文又說，長短之說有時使宿世善根發生，有時隨順世間所欲，有時使人聞說長短便入第一義。於是，話語的作用不只在描述未來還有多少時間，也在眼前使善根發動、使人願意受教，乃至使人由長短之言進入不受長短所限的第一義。
結尾以權行四悉檀引諸實行入道，將長短之說放回教化目的。無論說長、說短，若能把人由厭倦或輕忽帶回入道，它便完成當下的作用。
五、昔日十六沙彌，今日是誰
今日還說《法華》以前，先要會合古今。會合老師時，昔日十六沙彌如今已在八個方位成佛。八方說的是方位，不是佛數；昔日覆講的十六王子，今日已成為在十方國土說法的諸佛。
接著會合弟子。現在弟子中，不退者住於無上正等菩提；退轉者今日住於聲聞地；經文再解釋其所以退住，最後指出昔日所化眾生就是今日比丘及佛滅後的未來聲聞弟子。
老師與弟子的身分都已改變，法緣卻使古今相認。昔日老師如今成佛，昔日所化者有人住菩提、有人住聲聞、有人尚在未來。會古今不是把所有人說成已在同一位次，而是指出這些不同位次仍同屬昔日所結之緣。
六、未來弟子入滅度，法緣是否就此終止
疑問是：現在弟子聽佛說《法華》而入一道，可以說是結緣之流；未來弟子沒有聽聞本經而入滅度，怎能捨小入一？
回答落在餘國聞經。即使他生起滅度之想，終究仍會在佛於餘國成佛時聽聞此經。本論又說，三乘通教有餘國；經文所說除諸如來方便說，是要斷除疑問：三乘是方便施設，究竟並沒有三種不同的乘。
這一回答說明，入滅度並不截斷法緣。雖然滅度，佛的教化因緣仍沒有窮盡；今日未聞，也不等於永遠無聞。昔日結緣可以越過此土、此名與此生的界線，在餘國再次成為聞經之緣。
七、時眾清淨為何有兩種解釋
會合古今以後，今日還說《法華》分成三項：時眾清淨、正式說經、解釋先前開三之意。說經以前先說大眾清淨，表示法將宣說，也須有能信、能解、能受的時機。
第一種解釋從智、斷說。清淨是斷德；信是四不壞信，解是無漏正解；了達真諦、具諸禪定，使智與斷成立。到了這時，大眾已堪受大道，聞法便能信受。
第二種解釋依先前受教的三段利益說。大眾由三藏教得益而免難，在方等教中心相體信，又由般若教於空法心得了達。這一釋把清淨、信解、了達放進受教次第，顯出眼前能聞《法華》不是突然生起的能力。
兩釋所照不同：一釋說明智斷具足，一釋說明先前教益如何使大眾走到今日。它們共同回答的仍是同一件事：為何此時的大眾已經堪聞、能信。
八、既然只有一乘，為什麼先說三乘
機緣成熟以後，佛召集菩薩與聲聞而說本經。本論回指先前窮子譬，把菩薩會作親族，把聲聞會作其子；親族與其子都在眼前法會中被召集。
接著有人問：世間既沒有二乘能究竟滅度，如來為什麼先說權教？本論的回答沒有離開眾生：佛深知眾生有偏向小法的根性與欲求，又著於五塵、受五濁遮蔽，所以先說三乘，使他們破除遮蔽、免離困難，然後再說一乘。
先三後一不是把先前所說全部推翻。對退大者，小法曾使他不致失去接引；對小性欲而受蔽者，三乘又使他先能破蔽免難。可是止息與免難仍不是究竟，所以後說一乘，使方便所救護的人不把中途所得誤作終點。
整段至此回到結緣的本義：昔日發心，中間屢次相遇，今日再聞一乘。法緣的力量不在保證所有人同時完成，而在眾生每一次退轉、停住或自以為已足時，仍有因緣把他帶回佛道。
文句記之眼
鏡的起筆其實比本段直錨更早。湛然先承前段八萬四千劫，說定期因眾機與十六王子結緣的齊限而定〔T34n1719 0298b01〕，又記《正法華》作三十萬劫，並評其數有乖〔0298b03〕。這兩筆是由前界通向本段的橋，不可倒寫成智者在本相對定期另作的解釋。
湛然的直接鏡照從逢值三種開始。祂說第三種人的中間，是相對最初結小緣而言〔T34n1719 0298b05〕，並補出未曾聞大、中間唯習小、今日先聞小的次第〔0298b06〕。這使第三種與前兩種的差別更明白；它仍是鏡中展釋，不改成本論已逐字寫出。
對長短問答，湛然明列「先對治，次為人，次樂欲，次第一義」〔0298b12〕，又以龍女、〈法師品〉、六根五品、《普賢觀》與常不輕等處照明長短赴機。祂另下「雖實教中有長有短，若依實道定短為正」〔0298b25〕的判語，再以勤修收束〔0298b29〕。次第、例證與定短之判都屬鏡釋，不能無署名地變成本論自說。
餘國一段，湛然以教對土，說橫向看土體與教相當，豎向看一土所用教法多少〔0298c01–0298c04〕；又分彼土已成通人與此土重入通教兩種情形〔0298c04–0298c06〕。這些補足本論一句三乘通教有餘國所含的讀法，但根經的餘國二字本身仍不直接等於橫豎二對。
對時眾清淨，湛然先把教道訓作化道〔0298c07〕，再以化道欲畢、眾機成熟統攝第一釋〔0298c08〕。祂把清淨、正解、了達與諸禪分繫智斷〔0298c09–0298c11〕，又說第一釋以鹿苑對涅槃時，第二釋傳述漸中二味，並分配到不同品意〔0298c17–0298c19〕。這些品目與時教配屬只在鏡中成立。
末後無二乘問答，湛然把問意重述為會必歸大而何用施三〔0298c20〕，續說「世言入者，但自謂耳。」〔0298c22〕，又以不可必立定性作結〔0298c23〕。祂由此照出自謂滅度與究竟歸大的張力；本論自己的答法則仍守小性欲、五塵、五濁與先三後一。鏡與本論同照一處，語層各不相混。
After the Buddha entered samādhi, the sixteen princes explained the Lotus again and caused immeasurable living beings to arouse the aspiration for awakening. If one sees only this moment, the formation of the connection may appear complete. Yet Zhiyi immediately divides its prose account into the past, the intervening period, and today. After arousing aspiration in the past, living beings could still retreat, hear only lesser teachings, or even attain the Way only after the Buddha’s extinction. A Dharma connection is therefore not a single memory left by one assembly, but a relationship that continues to act through changes in identity, turns in the teaching, and distant stretches of time.
The emphasis of the passage consequently becomes clear: arousing aspiration is a genuine beginning, but it does not mean that everyone has reached the ultimate at the same time. The Buddha’s entry into samādhi, the princes’ renewed exposition, the assembly’s benefit, and the Buddha’s emergence and praise first establish the connection. The three kinds of encounter in the intervening period then show how the same connection takes different courses according to what living beings receive, retreat from, and hear. Finally, identifying past and present and teaching the Lotus again today make the relationship formed in the past once more a Buddha Way that can be heard and entered here and now.
I. Why the Buddha’s Entry into Samādhi Allows the Teaching to Continue
Four events first constitute the shared formation of the connection in the past: the Buddha enters samādhi; the princes explain the teaching again; the assembly gains benefit; and the Buddha emerges from samādhi and praises them. Samādhi is not a cessation of teaching here, but opens a place in which the sixteen princes can explain this scripture again.
Zhiyi says that the Buddha knew this period of transformation was nearing its end and that He would not personally bring this group to maturity within the present passage; He therefore caused the princes to form a connection with them. He also knew that they must ultimately be delivered through their connection with the princes, and therefore remained in samādhi for a long time without emerging. The period in which the Buddha did not teach in person did not become an absence of Dharma. By ascending the Dharma seats and explaining the teaching again, the sixteen princes established a long relationship between the assembly and the teachers who would later become buddhas.
This also means that a teacher’s significance is not exhausted by how much was taught at the first encounter. The princes received the task of teaching while the Buddha was in samādhi and later met these living beings again in successive lives. Their renewed exposition in the past and their encounters in the intervening period are the earlier and later faces of one transforming connection.
II. How Deliverance at That Moment Differs from Ultimate Deliverance
The assembly gained benefit from hearing the sixteen princes teach, and the root treatise immediately explains that because they all aroused the aspiration for awakening, they are said to have been delivered. When they first aroused the aspiration and vowed to become buddhas, they had already passed beyond the world; this is described as crossing beyond the seven kinds of skillful means and reaching the farther shore.
Yet the preceding passage also says that this group must ultimately be delivered through the princes. Read together, the two passages reveal the long course drawn by the same word “deliverance”: arousing the aspiration for awakening is a genuine crossing beyond, while ultimate accomplishment is the destination toward which that first thought continues. To regard aspiration as having no real meaning would erase the root treatise’s judgment that they were delivered at that moment. To regard that moment as the completion of everyone’s entire course would make the three kinds of intervening encounter unintelligible.
This passage therefore neither denies aspiration because the ultimate has not yet been reached nor cancels subsequent transformation because aspiration has already arisen. Beginning and accomplishment each have their place, and the Dharma connection continues between them.
III. Three Kinds of Encounter Reveal Three Courses of Transformation
The first kind of person receives the Great Vehicle at every encounter and reaches accomplishment during the intervening period without having to wait until today. The second retreats from the Great Vehicle and is nevertheless guided by the princes through lesser teachings; this person is not fully accomplished in the intervening period but is able to hear the Great Vehicle again today. The third encounters only lesser teachings, not the Great Vehicle, during the intervening period and begins to receive the Great only today; some among this group do not attain the Way until after the Buddha’s extinction.
All three proceed from the same connection formed in the past, yet their courses are uneven. Some continuously receive the Great; some retreat from it and are caught by lesser teachings; some long encounter only the Lesser. The princes’ transforming work is not severed when living beings retreat, nor does temporarily receiving only lesser teachings annul the original Dharma connection.
The second kind shows the receiving function of guidance most clearly. Even after retreat from the Great, a lesser teaching can still support the person and keep the path from being lost altogether; hearing the Great Vehicle again today allows the unfinished connection to open anew. The third kind lengthens the timeline further: beginning to receive the Great today does not guarantee completion today, and attainment after the Buddha’s extinction still falls within establishing the connection through prose.
IV. Is the Buddha Way Long or Short?
Seeing that people meet the teaching across a distant span yet attain arhatship only today, someone asks in reply: how could patience regarding the nonarising of dharmas be an easy stage to ascend? The statement asserts the difficulty of the stage, not its ease.
One explanation recorded by the root treatise does not choose only length or only brevity. Shortness is taught to those wearied by the long duration of the Buddha Way so that they do not retreat from fatigue; length is taught to those who conceive the Buddha Way to be easy so that they do not neglect their effort through contempt. Long and short do not provide a fixed timetable to calculate. The Great Sage teaches each in response to the deviation presently affecting living beings.
The same answer further says that teachings of length and brevity may cause wholesome roots from past lives to arise, accord with what beings in the world desire, or enable people who hear of long and short to enter ultimate meaning. Speech therefore does more than describe how much time remains in the future. In the present it can activate wholesome roots, make people willing to receive instruction, and even lead them through words of long and short into an ultimate meaning not confined by either.
The conclusion says that provisional practice of the four siddhāntas guides those who practice the real into the Way, returning both length and brevity to their transforming purpose. Whether the teaching says long or short, it fulfills its present function when it leads a person back from weariness or contempt into the Way.
V. Who Are the Sixteen Novices of the Past Today?
Before the Lotus is taught again today, past and present must first be identified. In identifying the teachers, the sixteen novices of the past have now become buddhas in eight directions. The eight refer to directions, not to the number of buddhas: the sixteen princes who once explained the teaching again have now become buddhas teaching in lands throughout the ten directions.
The disciples are then identified. Among the present disciples, those who did not retreat abide in unsurpassed complete awakening, while those who retreated now abide at the stage of śrāvakas. The scripture next explains why they retreated and remained there, and finally identifies the living beings transformed in the past as the bhikṣus of today and the future śrāvaka disciples after the Buddha’s extinction.
The identities of teachers and disciples have both changed, yet their Dharma connection lets past and present recognize one another. The teachers of the past are now buddhas; among those once transformed, some abide in awakening, some as śrāvakas, and some still belong to the future. Identifying past and present does not place everyone at one stage. It shows that these different stages still belong to the connection formed in the past.
VI. Does the Dharma Connection End When Future Disciples Enter Extinction?
The question is this: present disciples hear the Buddha teach the Lotus and enter the one Way, so they may be called part of the stream of those who formed the connection. Future disciples do not hear this scripture and enter extinction; how can they abandon the Lesser and enter the One?
The answer lies in hearing the scripture in another land. Even if a disciple conceives the thought of extinction, he will ultimately hear this scripture when the Buddha attains buddhahood in another land. The root treatise further says that the Shared Teaching of the three vehicles has another land. The scripture’s words “apart from the teachings through skillful means of the tathāgatas” remove the doubt: the three vehicles are skillful establishments, while ultimately there are not three different vehicles.
This answer explains that entering extinction does not sever the Dharma connection. Although the disciple enters extinction, the Buddha’s conditions for transformation are not exhausted; not hearing today does not mean never hearing. The connection formed in the past can cross the boundaries of this land, this name, and this life, and become once again the condition for hearing the scripture in another land.
VII. Why Are There Two Explanations of the Assembly’s Purity?
After identifying past and present, teaching the Lotus again today has three items: the assembly at that time is pure; the scripture is formally taught; and the intention behind previously opening the three is explained. Stating the assembly’s purity before teaching shows that when the Dharma is to be proclaimed, there must also be an occasion in which it can be believed, understood, and received.
The first explanation proceeds through wisdom and severance. Purity is the virtue of severance; faith is the four kinds of unbreakable faith and understanding is correct uncontaminated understanding. Thorough comprehension of the true truth and possession of the meditative concentrations establish wisdom and severance. At this point the assembly is capable of receiving the great Way and can accept it in faith upon hearing it.
The second explanation proceeds through three stages of benefit from preceding teachings. The assembly gained benefit and escaped danger through the Tripiṭaka Teaching, came to mutual understanding and trust through the Vaipulya teaching, and attained comprehension in mind of the Dharma of emptiness through the Prajñāpāramitā teaching. By placing purity, faith and understanding, and comprehension within the sequence of received teachings, this explanation shows that the present capacity to hear the Lotus did not arise suddenly.
The two explanations illuminate different things. One shows the completion of wisdom and severance; the other shows how benefits from preceding teachings brought the assembly to the present. Both answer the same question: why is the assembly at this moment capable of hearing and believing?
VIII. If There Is Only One Vehicle, Why Were Three Vehicles Taught First?
Once the conditions mature, the Buddha gathers bodhisattvas and śrāvakas and teaches this scripture. The root treatise refers back to the preceding parable of the poor son, identifying the gathering of bodhisattvas with the relatives and the gathering of śrāvakas with the son. Relatives and son alike are assembled in the present Dharma assembly.
Someone then asks: since the two vehicles cannot attain ultimate extinction in the world, why did the Tathāgata first teach the provisional? The root treatise’s answer remains with living beings: the Buddha deeply knows their dispositions and desires inclined toward lesser teachings, their attachment to the five sense objects, and their obscuration by the five turbidities. He therefore first teaches the three vehicles so that they may break through the obscuration and escape danger, and only afterward teaches the One Vehicle.
Teaching three before one does not simply overturn everything previously taught. For those who retreated from the Great, lesser teachings kept guidance from being lost; for those with dispositions and desires inclined toward the Lesser and covered by obscuration, the three vehicles first enabled them to break through and escape. Yet rest and escape are still not ultimate. The One Vehicle is therefore taught afterward so that those protected by skillful means will not mistake an intermediate attainment for the end.
The passage thus returns to the meaning of forming a connection: aspiration in the past, repeated encounters in the intervening period, and hearing the One Vehicle again today. The power of a Dharma connection does not lie in guaranteeing that everyone finishes at once, but in ensuring that whenever living beings retreat, stop, or suppose themselves satisfied, conditions remain that can lead them back to the Buddha Way.
Through the Eye of the Wenjuji
The Mirror’s opening actually precedes this unit’s direct anchor. Zhanran first carries forward the preceding eighty-four thousand eons, explaining that the duration of the samādhi was set by the limit at which the capacities of beings formed connections with the sixteen princes〔T34n1719 0298b01〕. He then records the True Dharma Lotus as reading three hundred thousand eons and observes that its number diverges〔0298b03〕. These two remarks form a bridge from the preceding boundary into this unit and cannot be recast as a separate explanation by Zhiyi within the present relative domain.
Zhanran’s direct illumination begins with the three kinds of encounter. He says that the “intervening period” for the third kind is stated relative to the initial formation of a lesser connection〔T34n1719 0298b05〕, and supplies the sequence in which they had never heard the Great, practiced only the Lesser in the intervening period, and first hear the Lesser today〔0298b06〕. This makes the third kind’s difference from the first two clearer, but it remains elaboration in the Mirror and does not become wording already written verbatim by the root treatise.
For the question and answer on long and short, Zhanran explicitly lists “first counteraction, next the person, next delight and desire, and next ultimate meaning”〔0298b12〕. He then uses the dragon girl, the “Dharma Teacher” chapter, the six faculties and five grades, the Sutra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra, and Never Disparaging to illuminate how length and brevity respond to capacities. He further gives the judgment “although the real teaching contains both long and short, if one follows the real Way, short is definitively correct”〔0298b25〕 and closes by urging diligent cultivation〔0298b29〕. The sequence, examples, and judgment establishing shortness all belong to the Mirror and cannot become the root treatise’s own statements without attribution.
In the passage on another land, Zhanran correlates teaching and land: viewed horizontally, the substance of a land corresponds to its teaching; viewed vertically, one considers how many teachings are used in a single land〔0298c01–0298c04〕. He further distinguishes those who have already become persons of the Shared Teaching in that land from those who reenter the Shared Teaching in this land〔0298c04–0298c06〕. These points unfold possible readings contained in the root treatise’s single statement that the Shared Teaching of the three vehicles has another land, but the root scripture’s two graphs “another land” do not themselves directly equal the horizontal and vertical pair.
Regarding the purity of the assembly, Zhanran first glosses the Way of teaching as the Way of transformation〔0298c07〕, then gathers the first explanation under the transformation nearing completion and the capacities of the assembly becoming mature〔0298c08〕. He assigns purity, correct understanding, comprehension, and the meditations respectively across wisdom and severance〔0298c09–0298c11〕. He further says that the first explanation pairs the Deer Park with the time of nirvāṇa, while the second transmits the two intervening flavors of the gradual teaching and allocates them to the meanings of different chapters〔0298c17–0298c19〕. These chapter names and period-teaching assignments are established only in the Mirror.
In the final question and answer on the absence of two vehicles, Zhanran restates the question as: if the assembly must return to the Great, why establish the three〔0298c20〕? He continues, “When people in the world speak of entering, it is only what they themselves suppose”〔0298c22〕, and concludes that a fixed nature cannot necessarily be established〔0298c23〕. He thereby illuminates the tension between self-assumed extinction and ultimate return to the Great. The root treatise’s own answer, however, still rests upon dispositions and desires inclined toward the Lesser, the five sense objects, the five turbidities, and teaching three before one. Mirror and root treatise illuminate the same point without confusing their levels of speech.
考據Apparatus
本單元進入正結緣的法說段。智者先依昔日、中間、今日三時分科：昔日十六王子覆說《法華》，中間所化眾生有三種逢值，今日再會師弟古今而說《法華》。段末以時眾清淨的兩釋及先三後一的問答，說明今日重說本經的機緣。下一單元才轉入化城譬說。
一、科判定位
嚴格域為 T34n1718〔0099c11–0100b19〕，起於「「是時十六菩薩知佛入室」下，第二，正結緣。」〔0099c11〕，止於「故先說三令破蔽免難，後說一也。」〔0100b18〕。同一〔0100b19〕所起「「譬如五百」下，第二譬者，有開、有合。」已轉下一單元，不納入本域。
本單元位於迹門〈化城喻品〉。本文先以法說、譬說二分正結緣，本域只含法說。法說又依本論自科分成三段：
| 次第 | 行域 | 本論內容 |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | 0099c13–0099c28 | 昔日共結緣：知佛入定、王子覆講、眾得利益、佛起稱歎勸信 |
| 二 | 0099c28–0100a13 | 中間更相值遇：逢值三種，以及無生法忍難階、四悉長短的問答 |
| 三 | 0100a13–0100b19 | 今日還說《法華》：先會師弟古今，後明時眾清淨、正說本經、釋先前開三之意 |
第一段的昔日四科，本文明列為「第一有四：一者知佛入定，二者王子覆講，三者眾得利益，四佛從定起稱歎菩薩。」〔0099c15〕。第四科又分正稱歎、勸親近；勸親近再分勸近與釋勸意。
第二段的三種逢值，依原次序為常受大乘而中間已成就、退大後仍以小乘接引而今日再聞大、以及中間只遇小而今日才開始受大。三種是本論自分的教化情形，不是三家異說。
第三段先以師、弟子兩科會古今。師是昔日十六沙彌、今日八方作佛；弟子再分現在與未來。現在四科為不退、退轉、釋退住、正結古今；未來二科為正會與釋疑。今日還說《法華》又有三科：「就此復三：一、時眾清淨，二、正說《法華》，三、釋前開三意。」〔0100b01〕。
《法華文句記》在本域前有八萬四千劫的橋接釋〔T34n1719 0298a29–0298b04〕，其形式回接上一單元末句，內容前瞻十六子結緣。直接對位則從「「逢值有三種」者，前二可知。」〔0298b04〕開始，止於「經文既云無有二乘而得滅度，豈可必立定性者耶？」〔0298c23〕；同一〔0298c24〕以後已轉譬說。
二、成立與傳本
本帙卷端神逈序記本文「迺是灌頂法師私記，合二十卷」〔T34n1718 0001a23〕，又記唐天寶戊子朗和尚治定時「方始條倫」，且「非苟求同異輒有增減」〔0001a25 起〕。現行各半卷仍單署天台智者大師說。故義說歸智者，文字傳錄歸灌頂及後世治定；神逈、灌頂、朗和尚與湛然的語層各自分明，不互相倒署。
本域有三組大正本、甲本校異及一枚正文夾註，足見現行文字有可考異存；但原序次沒有另一套傳本可逐項對勘，不能由三組校記推定天寶治定以前的完整文字形態。正文守大正本，甲本異讀並列不判。
三、所帖經文與所引
（一）根經六段
本單元逐句所消的根經，完整落在本倉封印本〈化城喻品〉第一百四十六至一百五十一行，對應 T09n0262〔0025b05–0025c26〕。六段從十六菩薩知佛入室起，到聞方便說便能信受止；下一句譬如五百已屬譬說。
甲、十六菩薩知佛入室、覆講與眾得利益
〔T09n0262 0025b05〕
是時十六菩薩沙彌，知佛入室寂然禪定，各昇法座，亦於八萬四千劫，為四部眾廣說分別妙法華經。一一皆度六百萬億那由他恒河沙等眾生，示教利喜，令發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。
本論以知佛入定、王子覆講、眾得利益三科消此段，又把「度」釋為皆發菩提心〔T34n1718 0099c23〕。根經作各昇法座，本論所帖作各升法座，兩層字形分存。
乙、佛從定起、稱歎勸信
〔T09n0262 0025b10〕
大通智勝佛過八萬四千劫已，從三昧起，往詣法座安詳而坐，普告大眾：「是十六菩薩沙彌甚為希有，諸根通利，智慧明了，已曾供養無量千萬億數諸佛。於諸佛所，常修梵行，受持佛智，開示眾生，令入其中。汝等皆當數數親近而供養之。所以者何？若聲聞、辟支佛及諸菩薩，能信是十六菩薩所說經法，受持不毀者，是人皆當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提、如來之慧。」
本論把這一段分成正稱歎菩薩與勸物親近；勸物親近又分先勸親近、後釋勸意。
丙、中間常相值遇
〔T09n0262 0025b18〕
佛告諸比丘：「是十六菩薩常樂說是妙法蓮華經。一一菩薩所化六百萬億那由他恒河沙等眾生，世世所生與菩薩俱，從其聞法，悉皆信解，以此因緣，得值四百萬億諸佛世尊，于今不盡。
本論依中間所受教法及成就進度開出三種逢值，再以四悉長短問答疏通歷時久遠而今始得果的疑難。
丁、會師古今：十六沙彌於十方作佛
〔T09n0262 0025b23〕
諸比丘！我今語汝：『彼佛弟子十六沙彌，今皆得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於十方國土現在說法，有無量百千萬億菩薩、聲聞以為眷屬。其二沙彌，東方作佛，一名阿閦，在歡喜國，二名須彌頂；東南方二佛，一名師子音，二名師子相；南方二佛，一名虛空住，二名常滅；西南方二佛，一名帝相，二名梵相；西方二佛，一名阿彌陀，二名度一切世間苦惱；西北方二佛，一名多摩羅跋栴檀香神通，二名須彌相；北方二佛，一名雲自在，二名雲自在王；東北方佛，名壞一切世間怖畏，第十六我釋迦牟尼佛於娑婆國土成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』
根經在十方列十六佛；本論所說八方作佛，是八個方位，不是八尊佛。
戊、會弟子古今、餘國聞經與唯一佛乘
〔T09n0262 0025c07〕
諸比丘！我等為沙彌時，各各教化無量百千萬億恒河沙等眾生，從我聞法，為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。此諸眾生，于今有住聲聞地者，我常教化阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是諸人等，應以是法漸入佛道。所以者何？如來智慧，難信難解。爾時所化無量恒河沙等眾生者，汝等諸比丘，及我滅度後未來世中聲聞弟子是也。我滅度後，復有弟子不聞是經，不知不覺菩薩所行，自於所得功德生滅度想，當入涅槃。我於餘國作佛，更有異名。是人雖生滅度之想入於涅槃，而於彼土求佛智慧，得聞是經，唯以佛乘而得滅度，更無餘乘，除諸如來方便說法。
本論以會現在、會未來兩科消此段，又以餘國疏通未來弟子終能聞經的疑問。根經只說餘國；三乘通教有餘國是本論自說；教土橫豎二對則是《文句記》後釋。
己、涅槃時到、時眾清淨、說一開三
〔T09n0262 0025c20〕
諸比丘！若如來自知涅槃時到，眾又清淨、信解堅固、了達空法、深入禪定，便集諸菩薩及聲聞眾，為說是經。世間無有二乘而得滅度，唯一佛乘得滅度耳。比丘當知！如來方便，深入眾生之性，知其志樂小法，深著五欲，為是等故說於涅槃。是人若聞，則便信受。
本論依此開時眾清淨、正說《法華》、釋開三意三科。第一科並列兩釋；第三科以小性欲、五塵、五濁說先三後一。五塵、五濁是本論展釋，不冒作根經逐字。
（二）根經與本論六段對位
| 根經行域 | 本論行域 | 本論自科 |
|---|---|---|
| T09 0025b05–0025b10 | T34 0099c15–0099c24 | 昔日四科之前三科 |
| T09 0025b10–0025b18 | T34 0099c24–0099c28 | 佛起稱歎、勸近、釋勸 |
| T09 0025b18–0025b23 | T34 0099c28–0100a13 | 中間三種逢值與四悉問答 |
| T09 0025b23–0025c07 | T34 0100a13–0100a17 | 會師古今 |
| T09 0025c07–0025c20 | T34 0100a17–0100a29 | 會弟子現在、未來，餘國與方便說三 |
| T09 0025c20–0025c26 | T34 0100a29–0100b19 | 今日還說《法華》三科 |
（三）本論同書回指
本單元明言回指先前窮子譬的親族、其子：
| 本相原錄 | 同書前文 | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|
| 「上釋親族法身大士影嚮眾，以此文驗之，其義明也。」〔0100b12〕 | 「今明十方法身菩薩影響者為親族」〔0087c02〕 | 本相以今日集菩薩驗前釋親族 |
| 「「集諸菩薩」是會親族，「及聲聞眾」是命其子也。」〔0100b14〕 | 「「而命其子」下，第二，聚眾，即是二萬億佛所受化之徒，名之為子」〔0087b16〕 | 菩薩、聲聞與親族、其子成對 |
| 同上 | 「影響之眾多是釋迦昔日同業，並共如來於二萬億佛所共開化之」〔0087c03〕 | 前文續釋親族，本相未重述此整段 |
涅槃時到另有兩組同書及同宗平行：
| 本相原錄 | 前文或平行 | 對讀 |
|---|---|---|
| 「如迦葉佛、日月燈明等，說此經竟即入涅槃」〔0100b03〕 | 「昔說《法華》即唱入滅，亦如迦葉佛〔云云〕」〔T34n1718 0034c16〕 | 同書前文並舉燈明與迦葉佛 |
| 同上 | 「久遠諸佛，如燈明、迦葉佛等，皆於法華即入涅槃。」〔T33n1716 0765c12〕 | 《法華玄義》平行 |
| 「釋迦說《法華》竟仍唱當滅。」〔0100b04〕 | 「今佛說〈寶塔品〉中，明如來不久當入涅槃」〔T34n1718 0034c17〕 | 本論前文自指〈寶塔品〉 |
（四）鏡內古引：原錄與今本並讀
以下均是湛然《法華文句記》所引或所舉，不回填成智者自說。
甲、《正法華經》的入定時量
鏡錄：
《正法華》云「入定經三十萬劫」，不知法護所以所譯其數頓乖。〔T34n1719 0298b03〕
現行 T09n0263 作「即入靜室精思閑定，四十萬劫三昧正受。」〔0092a01〕。鏡錄三十萬，今本作四十萬；兩本並錄，不判數字何由而異。
乙、龍女短時之例
鏡問「此經何文赴其樂短？」並答「龍女是」〔T34n1719 0298b13〕。根經可見三個相接場景：
- 「不信此女於須臾頃、便成正覺。」〔T09n0262 0035b25〕
- 「女言：「以汝神力，觀我成佛，復速於此。」」〔0035c15〕
- 「當時眾會，皆見龍女忽然之間變成男子」〔0035c16〕，繼而「坐寶蓮華，成等正覺」〔0035c18〕。
龍女作樂短之例是鏡釋；根經只各守上述語句。
丙、〈法師品〉的一念隨喜
鏡說「〈法師品〉中雖無時節，計應非遠。」〔T34n1719 0298b13〕。今本相應句為「聞妙法華經一偈一句，乃至一念隨喜者，我皆與授記，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」〔T09n0262 0030c05〕。經文明列一偈一句、一念隨喜與授記，未在此句標從授記到成佛的時量；計應非遠是鏡的推計。
丁、六十百劫、三無數劫與《金光明經》
鏡說「小乘教中尚乃秖云六十百劫出界」〔T34n1719 0298b14〕。本論同品後文作「二乘極久唯六十劫、或百劫」〔T34n1718 0101a05〕；鏡本句未標單一經論題名。
鏡又說「應知權教一向說長，如《婆沙》三秖及諸大乘經無量劫，此則定不可短。」〔T34n1719 0298b24〕。現行《阿毘達磨大毘婆沙論》作「諸佛皆經三無數劫修習六種波羅蜜多得圓滿故」〔T27n1545 0479c26〕；三秖、三無數劫並錄。
鏡舉「故實教中六根五品一世可期，乃至《金光明經》一生十地」〔T34n1719 0298b16〕。現行 T16n0664 可見：
- 「依於此身得發初心，修行中心而得顯現、不退地心亦皆得現，一生補處心」〔0364a03〕。
- 「破掉悔心已，入於初地」〔0364b09〕。
- 「依此九地破六通障，破六通障已入於十地」〔0364b19〕。
今本分見一生補處心及初地至十地，未見一生十地四字連文；不把分處文字拼成一條今本直引。
戊、《普賢觀》的三生
鏡說「故南嶽用《普賢觀》意，云六根極遲不出三生」〔T34n1719 0298b17〕。今本先說「樂得六根清淨者，當學是觀。」〔T09n0277 0389c21〕，再列「一日至三七日得見普賢」〔0389c23〕及「復有重者一生得見、復有重者二生得見、復有重者三生得見」〔0389c24〕。鏡以最遲三生撮義，今本的一日、三七日與一、二、三生各守原序。
己、〈常不輕菩薩品〉的兩個二千億佛
鏡說「如常不輕輕毀之眾，秖經四千億佛皆悉得度」〔T34n1719 0298b26〕。根經今本先說「命終之後，得值二千億佛，皆號日月燈明」〔T09n0262 0051a12〕，後說「復值二千億佛，同號雲自在燈王」〔0051a14〕。鏡合計作四千億；經文此處主語是常不輕菩薩，鏡語另稱輕毀之眾皆悉得度，兩層不可互換。
庚、《俱舍論》四證淨
鏡先錄頌：
證淨有四種，謂佛、法、僧、戒，見三得法戒，見道兼佛僧，法謂三諦全，菩薩獨覺道，信戒二為體，四皆唯無漏。〔T34n1719 0298c12〕
現行 T29n1558 作：
證淨有四種，謂佛法僧戒，見三得法戒，見道兼佛僧，法謂三諦全，菩薩獨覺道，信戒二為體，四皆唯無漏。〔0133b11〕
鏡頌增頓號，核心字次相合。鏡又錄：
《論》云「經說有四證淨，謂佛等四，四是所證，見三諦時得法界二，見道諦時兼得佛僧。」〔T34n1719 0298c15〕
今本作「論曰：經說證淨總有四種：一於佛證淨、二於法證淨、三於僧證淨、四聖戒證淨。」〔T29n1558 0133b15〕，續作「且見道位見三諦時，一一唯得法戒證淨。見道諦位兼得佛僧」〔0133b16〕。今本是法戒，鏡的壓縮釋文是法界，並錄不判。
（五）鏡內來源索引
| 鏡內來源 | 鏡文位置 | 本單元處理 |
|---|---|---|
| 《正法華》 | 0298b03 | 原錄三十萬劫與今本四十萬劫並讀 |
| 〈法師品〉 | 0298b13 | 今本授記句照錄；計應非遠留在鏡層 |
| 小乘教六十百劫 | 0298b14 | 與本論同品後文並讀；不強立單一出處 |
| 《金光明經》一生十地 | 0298b16 | 分錄一生補處心及初地至十地，不拼句 |
| 《普賢觀》 | 0298b17 | 一日、三七日及一至三生全錄 |
| 《婆沙》三秖 | 0298b24 | 與三無數劫並錄 |
| 諸大乘經無量劫 | 0298b24 | 泛稱，未改造成單一引文 |
| 〈常不輕菩薩品〉 | 0298b26 | 兩個二千億佛段分錄 |
| 《止觀》 | 0298c01 | 鏡以有餘國教土橫豎回指，未冒作本論自說 |
| 《淨名疏》 | 0298c01 | 同上，只誌鏡中源指 |
| 《俱舍》二十五 | 0298c12–0298c17 | 頌與釋文逐層並讀 |
四、文句記釋要〔鏡〕
湛然沒有逐句重釋本單元所有科目。祂的直接鏡照集中在逢值第三類、四悉長短、餘國、時眾清淨與無二乘五組；昔日四科、會師古今及親族、其子等處，鏡中沒有另作逐科解釋。
（一）久定與逢值第三類
前導橋接說「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〕。這是湛然以物機與十六子結緣齊限解久定，不是 T34n1718 原句。
對第三類，鏡說「第三既云但論遇小中間之言，自望元初結小緣者耳。」〔0298b05〕，又補出初聞小、中間唯習小、今日先聞小的時序〔0298b06〕，並以「永滅無發」作所駁之見〔0298b09〕。這些皆屬鏡釋。
（二）四悉長短
鏡說「次問答，答中約四悉說，文少不次，先對治，次為人，次樂欲，次第一義。」〔0298b11〕，據此疏通本論短、宿善、世欲、第一義的次第。祂又舉龍女、〈法師品〉、六根五品、《金光明經》、《普賢觀》、《婆沙》及常不輕等例，最後說「既長短約人，但不篤自勤，何須論他時長短耶？」〔0298b29〕。
其中「雖實教中有長有短，若依實道定短為正」〔0298b25〕是湛然所下判語，不能改寫成本論自己在四悉問答中已作此判。
（三）餘國
鏡以「「三乘通教有餘國」者，一家明義以土對教，具如《止觀》及《淨名疏》。」〔0298c01〕開釋，續說橫論土體與教相當、豎論約土用教多少〔0298c02〕，並分彼土成通人與此土重入通教兩種情形〔0298c04–0298c06〕。橫豎二對、彼此二類全屬鏡中展釋。
（四）時眾清淨兩釋
鏡先訓「「教道」者化道也，教為化道故云「教道」。」〔0298c07〕，再以化道欲畢、眾機成熟統攝本論第一釋〔0298c08〕。祂把清淨解作煩惱盡，把正解、了達真諦配智，又說諸禪之義通於智、斷〔0298c09–0298c11〕。
對兩釋的層位，鏡說第一釋全從小釋，以鹿苑對涅槃時〔0298c17〕；第二釋傳述漸中二味〔0298c18〕，並配前釋應〈方便〉、〈譬喻品〉，次釋應〈信解品〉〔0298c19〕。這些時教、品目配屬均是鏡釋，不倒灌到本論兩段原句。
（五）無二乘
鏡先重述本論問意：「「若世無二乘」等者，問意者準理，世無一人合永入滅，會必歸大，何用施三？」〔0298c20〕，再說「世言入者，但自謂耳。」〔0298c22〕，末以不可必立定性作結〔0298c23〕。本論自己的回答仍是小性欲、五塵、五濁與先三後一；自謂、定性之語只署鏡。
五、諸家異釋
本域未見有人云、或言、舊云、解者不同；明標歸屬語只有一云一項。另有時眾清淨的復次一釋，是本論並列的第二讀法，不與一云混為同一類。
（一）一云：四悉說長短
本論先問：「問：如上塵數多許時節，今始得羅漢，當知無生法忍何易可階。」〔0100a05〕
所錄一說為：
一云，大聖善巧，依四悉檀作如是說，或說佛道長遠，或說佛易得，對治厭道長者說短，於道生輕易想者說長，或為發生宿善，或隨世間所欲，或為聞說長短即得入第一義，當知言如許劫方今得羅漢者，此是權行四悉檀，引諸實行令入道耳。〔0100a07〕
本相未續列二云。段內多個或說、或為是同一答文的四悉分支，不拆成數家異說。
（二）時眾清淨的兩釋
第一釋：
「眾又清淨」者，即斷德也。「信解堅固」者，信即四不壞信，解即無漏正解。了達真諦具諸禪定，此智斷立也。爾時堪教大道，聞必信受也。〔0100b05〕
第二釋：
復次「眾又清淨」者，得三藏教益免難也。「信解堅固」者，於方等教心相體信也。「了達空法」，聞般若教說法，於空法中心得了達，即轉教意也。〔0100b08〕
第一釋以斷德、四不壞信、無漏正解、真諦、禪定合明智斷；第二釋依三藏、方等、般若三段次第。兩釋各守其配當，不以其中一釋抹去另一釋。
逢值三種是本論自分三種情形；未來弟子、開三意兩處疑答則是本論自設問答，均不另立為諸家異說。
六、術語
| 詞語 | 本段義位 |
|---|---|
| 正結緣 | 承前一單元結緣之由，轉入結緣本事 |
| 法說、譬說 | 正結緣二分；本單元只含法說，譬說從下一單元起 |
| 昔日、中間、今日 | 法說三科的時間次第，不壓成同一事件 |
| 覆講、覆說 | 十六王子在佛入定後再次講說《法華》 |
| 度 | 本論當處以皆發菩提心作解，不提前改成究竟滅度 |
| 七方便彼岸 | 初發菩提心、誓願作佛而超過世間的語境；本域未逐列七方便名目 |
| 逢值三種 | 常受大、退大接小、但遇小，依原序保存 |
| 四悉檀 | 本論以說長、說短、發生宿善、隨世所欲、入第一義疏通長短 |
| 權行、實行 | 本句成對出現；同書另有權者、實行者的人格用法，語法岔口誌而不決 |
| 會古今 | 先會師古今，再會弟子古今 |
| 八方作佛 | 八個方位中成十六佛，不是八佛 |
| 住三菩提 | 不退者所住；三菩提是無上正等菩提音譯尾段的略稱 |
| 餘國 | 根經字面；三乘通教有餘國是本論解，橫豎二對是鏡釋 |
| 涅槃時到 | 本論解為諸佛出世教道將畢之時 |
| 四不壞信 | 本論第一釋對信的配當；鏡另引《俱舍》展釋 |
| 智斷 | 第一釋以清淨為斷德，以正解、真諦、禪定合明智、斷成立 |
| 親族、其子 | 本論把菩薩配親族、聲聞配其子，是回指前釋，不是根經字面 |
| 小性欲、五塵、五濁 | 本論解先說三乘所對的機情與蔽難，三項不縮成一項 |
| 先三後一 | 先說三破蔽免難，後說一乘，次序不可反轉 |
本域未見五時八教、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。這只記固定字串未出現，不由零見推論本段沒有教判或開權之義。
七、譬喻・互讀・承衍
本單元尚在法說，真正的化城譬喻從下一句譬如五百開始。法說自身以結緣、逢值、還聞構成一條清楚的教化線：昔日王子覆說使眾發心，中間三種逢值顯出受教與成就並不齊一，今日則由會古今說明昔日師弟仍在同一佛乘因緣中相逢。這三時是本論自科，不另加第四個時間框架。
長短問答以厭道長者、輕易想者兩種相反情形，說明同一修道時量之說如何隨所對而長、而短。其後的會古今又把十六沙彌、八方諸佛、現在與未來弟子逐層相接；人物身分雖變，昔日所結之緣沒有中斷。
與本倉〈化城喻品〉根經互讀，法說六段恰在譬如五百之前完整閉合。下一單元的五百由旬、化城與寶所將把疲極、止息、再進顯成譬喻；本單元只保留其法說前提，不把合譬所配之法倒寫成這六段根經已經自說。
與同書〈方便品〉釋迦章互讀，本單元末問同樣落在何以先說權教；本處回答以小性欲、五塵、五濁而先三後一，〈方便品〉則廣說五濁、揀偽敦真與餘佛決了。兩處互相照明，仍各守本段科序。
與《法華玄義》互讀，燈明、迦葉佛等於《法華》後入涅槃有同宗平行〔T33n1716 0765c12〕；與《摩訶止觀》及《淨名疏》的互讀，只由《文句記》有餘國段所明源指進入，不把橫豎二對冒作智者在本單元已逐字展開。《法華玄贊》是同釋根經的一部古疏，可作另一鏡照；本單元不以一疏裁另一疏。
本段承衍至下一單元時，法說已立昔日、中間、今日三科，譬說須依自己的開、合次第展開；法與譬可以互相照明，不能把譬中長者、道路、化城、寶所的配釋提前塞入法說原句。
八、校本定位
（一）大正本、甲本三組異讀
| 行錨 | 類型 | 【大】 | 【甲】 | 短境 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0099c27 | 數字錨 beg0099007 | 又 | 甲本缺 | 勸物親近中又二 |
| 0099c28 | 數字錨 beg0099008 | 一 | 二 | 第一、釋勸意 |
| 0099c28 | 數字錨 beg0099009 | 諸 | 甲本缺 | 佛告諸比丘 |
三組均為直接對舉式；本域沒有星號校回指，沒有與這三組分離的單邊校記，也沒有以首末字及字數壓縮表示的省略式校記。三枚校勘註與三組異讀一一對應，不另計成三組新異文。
（二）所傳夾註與外字
本域正文只有一枚所傳夾註：「又知此等必由王子究竟得度，所以入定久而不出也〔云云〕。」〔0099c19〕。〔0099c11〕在本域起詞以前另有上一單元末句的云云，不併入本域分母。
本域正文沒有外字標記，鏡中直接對位域也沒有外字；這只表示本域無待解算外字，不推出全帙無外字。
（三）目錄與頁錨
全帙一級目錄題有兩形：〈序品〉不冠釋字，其餘二十七品作釋某品。法說結緣是〈化城喻品〉內的品內次級切分，不另占一品。
讀者原典依原始段落分行，以換頁一枚、段首行內精錨標示頁欄轉換。本域現有〔T34 0099c11〕與〔T34 0100a05〕兩枚頁錨；考據中的每一則逐字引文仍另依首字前最近的大正藏行標定位，不能以讀者頁錨代替精確引文行錨。
This unit enters the prose account of directly establishing the connection. Zhiyi first divides it through three times—past, intervening period, and today: in the past the sixteen princes explained the Lotus again; in the intervening period the living beings they transformed encountered them in three ways; today teachers and disciples are identified across past and present and the Lotus is taught again. At the end of the passage, two explanations of the assembly’s purity and a question and answer on teaching three before one explain the occasion for teaching the scripture again today. The next unit turns to establishing the connection by means of the conjured-city parable.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
The strict domain is T34n1718〔0099c11–0100b19〕. It begins with 「「是時十六菩薩知佛入室」下，第二，正結緣。」 tr. “from ‘at that time the sixteen bodhisattvas knew that the Buddha had entered the chamber’ onward comes the second division, directly establishing the connection”〔0099c11〕 and ends with 「故先說三令破蔽免難，後說一也。」 tr. “therefore He first teaches three, enabling them to break through obscuration and escape danger, and afterward teaches one”〔0100b18〕. On the same 〔0100b19〕 line, 「「譬如五百」下，第二譬者，有開、有合。」 tr. “from ‘suppose there were five hundred’ onward comes the second, the parable, which has an opening and an application,” has already turned to the next unit and is excluded.
This unit lies within the Trace Gate’s “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter. The root treatise first divides the direct establishment of the connection into prose and parable; the present domain contains only the prose. The root treatise further divides that prose into three passages:
| Sequence | Line Domain | Content of the Root Treatise |
|---|---|---|
| I | 0099c13–0099c28 | Shared formation of the connection in the past: knowing that the Buddha has entered samādhi, the princes explaining again, the assembly gaining benefit, and the Buddha emerging to praise them and exhort faith |
| II | 0099c28–0100a13 | Further encounters in the intervening period: three kinds of encounter and the question and answer on the difficult stage of patience regarding nonarising and long and short according to the four siddhāntas |
| III | 0100a13–0100b19 | Teaching the Lotus again today: first identifying teachers and disciples across past and present, then explaining the assembly’s purity, directly teaching the scripture, and explaining the prior opening of the three |
The four items of the first passage are expressly listed as 「第一有四：一者知佛入定，二者王子覆講，三者眾得利益，四佛從定起稱歎菩薩。」 tr. “the first has four: knowing that the Buddha has entered samādhi; the princes explaining again; the assembly gaining benefit; and the Buddha emerging from samādhi and praising the bodhisattvas”〔0099c15〕. The fourth is further divided into direct praise and exhortation to draw near; the exhortation is divided again into the exhortation and its explanation.
The second passage’s three kinds of encounter, in their original sequence, are constant reception of the Great Vehicle followed by accomplishment in the intervening period; retreat from the Great followed by guidance through the Lesser and renewed hearing of the Great today; and encounter only with the Lesser in the intervening period followed by beginning to receive the Great today. These are three transforming situations distinguished by the root treatise, not explanations of three different schools.
The third passage first identifies past and present through two sections, teacher and disciples. The teachers are the sixteen novices of the past who are buddhas in eight directions today. The disciples are further divided into present and future. The four items concerning the present are nonretreat, retreat, explaining retreat and abiding, and directly joining past and present; the two concerning the future are direct identification and explanation of a doubt. Teaching the Lotus again today also has three items: 「就此復三：一、時眾清淨，二、正說《法華》，三、釋前開三意。」 tr. “this has three further parts: the assembly at that time is pure; the Lotus is directly taught; and the intention behind previously opening the three is explained”〔0100b01〕.
Before this domain, the Fahua Wenjuji has a bridging explanation of the eighty-four thousand eons〔T34n1719 0298a29–0298b04〕. Its form refers back to the preceding unit’s final sentence, while its content looks forward to the connection formed by the sixteen princes. Direct correspondence begins with 「「逢值有三種」者，前二可知。」 tr. “as for ‘encounters are of three kinds,’ the first two may be understood”〔0298b04〕 and ends with 「經文既云無有二乘而得滅度，豈可必立定性者耶？」 tr. “since the scripture says that no one attains extinction through the two vehicles, how could one necessarily establish a fixed nature?”〔0298c23〕. From the same 〔0298c24〕 line onward, the Mirror has already turned to the parable.
II. Formation and Transmission
The preface by Shenjiong at the beginning of the fascicle records that this text 「迺是灌頂法師私記，合二十卷」 tr. “was privately recorded by Dharma Master Guanding and comprised twenty fascicles”〔T34n1718 0001a23〕. It also says that when Master Lang settled the text in the wuxu year of Tianbao in the Tang, 「方始條倫」 tr. “only then was it put into ordered sequence,” and that 「非苟求同異輒有增減」 tr. “differences were not sought frivolously, nor were additions or omissions made rashly”〔from 0001a25〕. Each half-fascicle in the received text remains attributed only to the Tiantai Master Zhiyi as speaker. The doctrinal exposition therefore belongs to Zhiyi, while the wording was recorded by Guanding and settled by later hands; the levels of Shenjiong, Guanding, Master Lang, and Zhanran remain distinct and are not reassigned to one another.
This domain has three Taishō / witness-A variants and one transmitted inline annotation. They demonstrate collatable variation within the received wording, but the prefatory sequence supplies no second complete textual witness for item-by-item comparison, so the three notes cannot establish the full wording before the Tianbao settlement. The body follows the Taishō, while witness-A readings are recorded alongside it without adjudication.
III. Sutra Passages Explained and Works Cited
1. Six Root-Scripture Passages
The root scripture explained phrase by phrase in this unit falls entirely within lines 146–151 of the repository’s sealed “Parable of the Conjured City,” corresponding to T09n0262〔0025b05–0025c26〕. The six passages begin when the sixteen bodhisattvas know that the Buddha has entered the chamber and end when those who hear the teaching through skillful means are able to believe and accept. The next sentence, beginning “suppose there were five hundred,” already belongs to the parable.
A. The Sixteen Bodhisattvas Know That the Buddha Has Entered the Chamber, Explain Again, and Bring Benefit
〔T09n0262 0025b05〕
是時十六菩薩沙彌，知佛入室寂然禪定，各昇法座，亦於八萬四千劫，為四部眾廣說分別妙法華經。一一皆度六百萬億那由他恒河沙等眾生，示教利喜，令發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。 — tr. “At that time, the sixteen bodhisattva novices knew that the Buddha had entered the chamber and was dwelling silently in meditation. Each ascended a Dharma seat and, likewise for eighty-four thousand eons, broadly taught and explained the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma to the fourfold assembly. Each brought to liberation six hundred myriads of koṭis of nayutas of living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, revealing, teaching, benefiting, and gladdening them, and causing them to arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed complete awakening.”
The root treatise explains this through three sections: knowing that the Buddha has entered samādhi, the princes explaining again, and the assembly gaining benefit. It further explains 「度」 tr. “deliverance” as all of them arousing the aspiration for awakening〔T34n1718 0099c23〕. The root scripture reads 各昇法座, while the cited wording in the root treatise reads 各升法座; the two graphic forms remain in their respective layers.
B. The Buddha Emerges from Samādhi, Praises Them, and Exhorts Faith
〔T09n0262 0025b10〕
大通智勝佛過八萬四千劫已，從三昧起，往詣法座安詳而坐，普告大眾：「是十六菩薩沙彌甚為希有，諸根通利，智慧明了，已曾供養無量千萬億數諸佛。於諸佛所，常修梵行，受持佛智，開示眾生，令入其中。汝等皆當數數親近而供養之。所以者何？若聲聞、辟支佛及諸菩薩，能信是十六菩薩所說經法，受持不毀者，是人皆當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提、如來之慧。」 — tr. “After eighty-four thousand eons, the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence emerged from samādhi, went to the Dharma seat, and sat down serenely. He proclaimed to the entire assembly: ‘These sixteen bodhisattva novices are exceedingly rare. Their faculties are penetrating and keen, and their wisdom is clear. In the past they have already made offerings to immeasurable myriads of koṭis of buddhas. In the presence of those buddhas, they constantly cultivated the pure life, received and upheld buddha-wisdom, revealed it to living beings, and caused them to enter it. All of you should draw near and make offerings to them again and again. Why is this? If śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, or bodhisattvas can believe the scripture-Dharma taught by these sixteen bodhisattvas and receive and uphold it without damaging it, all such people shall attain unsurpassed complete awakening and the wisdom of the Tathāgata.’”
The root treatise divides this passage into directly praising the bodhisattvas and exhorting beings to draw near. The exhortation is further divided into first exhorting them to draw near and then explaining the intention behind the exhortation.
C. Constantly Encountering One Another in the Intervening Period
〔T09n0262 0025b18〕
佛告諸比丘：「是十六菩薩常樂說是妙法蓮華經。一一菩薩所化六百萬億那由他恒河沙等眾生，世世所生與菩薩俱，從其聞法，悉皆信解，以此因緣，得值四百萬億諸佛世尊，于今不盡。 — tr. “The Buddha told the bhikṣus: ‘These sixteen bodhisattvas constantly delighted in teaching the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma. The six hundred myriads of koṭis of nayutas of living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges whom each bodhisattva transformed were born together with that bodhisattva, life after life. Hearing the Dharma from him, they all came to believe and understand. Through this cause and condition, they encountered four hundred myriads of koṭis of buddhas, World-Honored Ones, and this has not yet come to an end even now.’”
The root treatise opens three kinds of encounter according to the teachings received and the progress toward accomplishment during the intervening period, then uses the question and answer on long and short according to the four siddhāntas to resolve the difficulty of such a long duration followed by attainment only today.
D. Identifying the Teachers in Past and Present: The Sixteen Novices Become Buddhas in the Ten Directions
〔T09n0262 0025b23〕
諸比丘！我今語汝：『彼佛弟子十六沙彌，今皆得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，於十方國土現在說法，有無量百千萬億菩薩、聲聞以為眷屬。其二沙彌，東方作佛，一名阿閦，在歡喜國，二名須彌頂；東南方二佛，一名師子音，二名師子相；南方二佛，一名虛空住，二名常滅；西南方二佛，一名帝相，二名梵相；西方二佛，一名阿彌陀，二名度一切世間苦惱；西北方二佛，一名多摩羅跋栴檀香神通，二名須彌相；北方二佛，一名雲自在，二名雲自在王；東北方佛，名壞一切世間怖畏，第十六我釋迦牟尼佛於娑婆國土成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。』 — tr. “Bhikṣus, I now tell you: ‘Those sixteen novices, disciples of that buddha, have all now attained unsurpassed complete awakening. They presently teach the Dharma in lands throughout the ten directions, with immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas as their retinues. Two of the novices became buddhas in the east: the first is named Akṣobhya and dwells in the Land of Joy; the second is named Sumeru-Peak. In the southeast are two buddhas, Lion-Voice and Lion-Mark. In the south are Space-Dwelling and Ever-Cessation. In the southwest are Imperial-Mark and Brahmā-Mark. In the west are Amitābha and Liberator from All the Sufferings and Afflictions of the World. In the northwest are Tamālapatra-Sandalwood-Fragrance-Supernormal-Power and Sumeru-Mark. In the north are Cloud-Sovereign and Cloud-Sovereign-King. In the northeast is Destroyer of All Worldly Fear. The sixteenth is I, Śākyamuni Buddha, who attained unsurpassed complete awakening in the Sahā land.’”
The root scripture lists sixteen buddhas throughout the ten directions. The root treatise’s statement that they become buddhas in eight directions refers to eight directions, not eight buddhas.
E. Identifying the Disciples, Hearing the Scripture in Another Land, and the Sole Buddha Vehicle
〔T09n0262 0025c07〕
諸比丘！我等為沙彌時，各各教化無量百千萬億恒河沙等眾生，從我聞法，為阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。此諸眾生，于今有住聲聞地者，我常教化阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是諸人等，應以是法漸入佛道。所以者何？如來智慧，難信難解。爾時所化無量恒河沙等眾生者，汝等諸比丘，及我滅度後未來世中聲聞弟子是也。我滅度後，復有弟子不聞是經，不知不覺菩薩所行，自於所得功德生滅度想，當入涅槃。我於餘國作佛，更有異名。是人雖生滅度之想入於涅槃，而於彼土求佛智慧，得聞是經，唯以佛乘而得滅度，更無餘乘，除諸如來方便說法。 — tr. “Bhikṣus, when we were novices, each of us transformed immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of living beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. They heard the Dharma from me for the sake of unsurpassed complete awakening. Among these living beings are some who now abide at the stage of śrāvakas. I constantly teach and transform them through unsurpassed complete awakening. Through this Dharma, these people should gradually enter the Buddha Way. Why is this? The Tathāgata’s wisdom is difficult to believe and difficult to understand. The immeasurable beings as numerous as the sands of the Ganges whom I transformed at that time are you bhikṣus, as well as my śrāvaka disciples in future ages after my extinction. After my extinction, there will also be disciples who do not hear this scripture, who neither know nor awaken to the practice of bodhisattvas. Regarding the qualities they themselves have attained, they will conceive the thought of extinction and will be about to enter nirvāṇa. I will become a buddha in another land under a different name. Although these people conceive the thought of extinction and enter nirvāṇa, in that land they will seek buddha-wisdom and come to hear this scripture. Only through the Buddha Vehicle may extinction be attained; there is no other vehicle, apart from the Dharma taught through the skillful means of the tathāgatas.”
The root treatise explains this through identifying present and future disciples and uses another land to resolve the doubt about future disciples ultimately hearing the scripture. The root scripture says only 餘國 tr. “another land”; the statement that the Shared Teaching of the three vehicles has another land belongs to the root treatise, while the horizontal and vertical pairs concerning teaching and land belong to the later explanation in the Wenjuji.
F. The Time of Nirvāṇa, the Assembly’s Purity, and Teaching One after Opening Three
〔T09n0262 0025c20〕
諸比丘！若如來自知涅槃時到，眾又清淨、信解堅固、了達空法、深入禪定，便集諸菩薩及聲聞眾，為說是經。世間無有二乘而得滅度，唯一佛乘得滅度耳。比丘當知！如來方便，深入眾生之性，知其志樂小法，深著五欲，為是等故說於涅槃。是人若聞，則便信受。 — tr. “Bhikṣus, when a tathāgata himself knows that the time of his nirvāṇa has arrived, and when the assembly is pure, firm in faith and understanding, thoroughly comprehends the Dharma of emptiness, and has entered deeply into meditative concentration, he gathers the bodhisattvas and the śrāvaka assembly and teaches them this scripture. In the world, there are no two vehicles by which extinction may be attained; only through the One Buddha Vehicle may extinction be attained. Bhikṣus, you should understand! The Tathāgata’s skillful means penetrate deeply into the natures of living beings. He knows that their aspirations delight in lesser teachings and that they are deeply attached to the five desires. For the sake of such people, he teaches nirvāṇa. When they hear of it, they are then able to believe and accept it.”
The root treatise opens this passage into the assembly’s purity, directly teaching the Lotus, and explaining the intention behind opening the three. The first has two parallel explanations; in the third, the root treatise explains teaching three before one through dispositions and desires inclined toward the Lesser, the five sense objects, and the five turbidities. The five sense objects and five turbidities are the root treatise’s elaboration and are not presented as verbatim wording of the root scripture.
2. Correspondence between the Six Root-Scripture Passages and the Root Treatise
| Root-Scripture Domain | Root-Treatise Domain | Root Treatise’s Own Division |
|---|---|---|
| T09 0025b05–0025b10 | T34 0099c15–0099c24 | First three of the four sections concerning the past |
| T09 0025b10–0025b18 | T34 0099c24–0099c28 | The Buddha emerges and praises; exhortation to draw near; explanation of the exhortation |
| T09 0025b18–0025b23 | T34 0099c28–0100a13 | Three kinds of encounter in the intervening period and the question and answer through the four siddhāntas |
| T09 0025b23–0025c07 | T34 0100a13–0100a17 | Identifying the teachers in past and present |
| T09 0025c07–0025c20 | T34 0100a17–0100a29 | Identifying present and future disciples, another land, and teaching the three through skillful means |
| T09 0025c20–0025c26 | T34 0100a29–0100b19 | Three sections in teaching the Lotus again today |
3. Intratextual References within the Root Treatise
This unit expressly refers back to the relatives and the son in the preceding poor-son parable:
| Present Passage | Earlier Passage in the Same Work | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 「上釋親族法身大士影嚮眾，以此文驗之，其義明也。」 tr. “Above, the relatives were explained as the influential assembly of great beings of the Dharma-body; verified by the present passage, that meaning is clear”〔0100b12〕 | 「今明十方法身菩薩影響者為親族」 tr. “the present explanation takes Dharma-body bodhisattvas of the ten directions who serve as the influential assembly to be the relatives”〔0087c02〕 | The present gathering of bodhisattvas verifies the preceding explanation of the relatives |
| 「「集諸菩薩」是會親族，「及聲聞眾」是命其子也。」 tr. “‘Gathering the bodhisattvas’ is assembling the relatives; ‘and the śrāvaka assembly’ is summoning His child”〔0100b14〕 | 「「而命其子」下，第二，聚眾，即是二萬億佛所受化之徒，名之為子」 tr. “from ‘and summoned his son’ onward comes the second, gathering the assembly: those transformed at the place of two myriads of koṭis of buddhas are called the child”〔0087b16〕 | Bodhisattvas and śrāvakas correspond to relatives and child |
| Same as above | 「影響之眾多是釋迦昔日同業，並共如來於二萬億佛所共開化之」 tr. “most of the influential assembly shared former activities with Śākyamuni and were transformed together with the Tathāgata in the presence of two myriads of koṭis of buddhas”〔0087c03〕 | The preceding passage continues its explanation of the relatives; the present passage does not restate the whole account |
The arrival of the time of nirvāṇa has two further sets of parallels within the same work and school:
| Present Passage | Earlier Passage or Parallel | Cross-Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 「如迦葉佛、日月燈明等，說此經竟即入涅槃」 tr. “Kāśyapa Buddha, Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiance, and others entered nirvāṇa immediately after teaching this scripture”〔0100b03〕 | 「昔說《法華》即唱入滅，亦如迦葉佛〔云云〕」 tr. “in the past, after teaching the Lotus, [the buddha] immediately announced extinction; it was likewise so with Kāśyapa Buddha [and so forth]”〔T34n1718 0034c16〕 | The earlier passage in the same work names both Lamp Radiance and Kāśyapa Buddha |
| Same as above | 「久遠諸佛，如燈明、迦葉佛等，皆於法華即入涅槃。」 tr. “buddhas of the distant past, such as Lamp Radiance and Kāśyapa Buddha, all entered nirvāṇa immediately after the Lotus”〔T33n1716 0765c12〕 | Parallel in the Fahua Xuanyi |
| 「釋迦說《法華》竟仍唱當滅。」 tr. “after Śākyamuni taught the Lotus, He likewise announced that He would enter extinction”〔0100b04〕 | 「今佛說〈寶塔品〉中，明如來不久當入涅槃」 tr. “in the present Buddha’s teaching in the ‘Jeweled Stūpa’ chapter, it is explained that the Tathāgata will enter nirvāṇa before long”〔T34n1718 0034c17〕 | The root treatise’s earlier self-reference to the “Jeweled Stūpa” chapter |
4. Ancient Citations within the Mirror: Reading the Citation beside the Received Text
All the following are citations or examples given by Zhanran in the Fahua Wenjuji. They are not carried back into Zhiyi’s own voice.
A. Duration of Samādhi in the True Dharma Lotus Sutra
The Mirror records:
《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 the number translated by Dharmarakṣa differs so abruptly.”〔T34n1719 0298b03〕
The received T09n0263 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”〔0092a01〕. The Mirror records three hundred thousand while the received text reads four hundred thousand; both are recorded without adjudicating why the numbers differ.
B. The Dragon Girl as an Example of Short Duration
The Mirror asks 「此經何文赴其樂短？」 tr. “what passage in this scripture responds to delight in short duration?” and answers 「龍女是」 tr. “the dragon girl”〔T34n1719 0298b13〕. Three connected scenes appear in the root scripture:
- 「不信此女於須臾頃、便成正覺。」 tr. “[They] did not believe that this girl could accomplish perfect awakening in the space of a moment”〔T09n0262 0035b25〕.
- 「女言：「以汝神力，觀我成佛，復速於此。」」 tr. “The girl said: ‘Through your supernormal power, watch me become a buddha even more quickly than this’”〔0035c15〕.
- 「當時眾會，皆見龍女忽然之間變成男子」 tr. “the entire assembly then saw the dragon girl suddenly transform into a man”〔0035c16〕, followed by 「坐寶蓮華，成等正覺」 tr. “seated upon a jeweled lotus, [she] accomplished perfect awakening”〔0035c18〕.
The dragon girl as an example responding to delight in short duration is the Mirror’s explanation; the root scripture itself preserves only the statements above.
C. A Single Thought of Rejoicing in the “Dharma Teacher” Chapter
The Mirror says 「〈法師品〉中雖無時節，計應非遠。」 tr. “although the ‘Dharma Teacher’ chapter gives no duration, one may infer that it is not distant”〔T34n1719 0298b13〕. The corresponding received text reads 「聞妙法華經一偈一句，乃至一念隨喜者，我皆與授記，當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提」 tr. “those who hear a single verse or sentence of the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, or even rejoice in it for a single thought, I predict shall attain unsurpassed complete awakening”〔T09n0262 0030c05〕. The scripture expressly lists a verse, a sentence, a single thought of rejoicing, and prediction, but this sentence does not state the duration between prediction and buddhahood; the inference that it is not distant belongs to the Mirror.
D. Sixty or One Hundred Eons, Three Incalculable Eons, and the Golden Light Sutra
The Mirror says 「小乘教中尚乃秖云六十百劫出界」 tr. “even in Lesser-Vehicle teachings it says only that one leaves the realm after sixty or one hundred eons”〔T34n1719 0298b14〕. Later in the same chapter the root treatise reads 「二乘極久唯六十劫、或百劫」 tr. “for the two vehicles, the longest is only sixty eons or one hundred eons”〔T34n1718 0101a05〕; the Mirror’s sentence does not name a single scripture or treatise.
The Mirror further says 「應知權教一向說長，如《婆沙》三秖及諸大乘經無量劫，此則定不可短。」 tr. “one should understand that provisional teachings uniformly speak of length, as in the three incalculable eons of the Vibhāṣā and the immeasurable eons of the various Great Vehicle scriptures; these definitively cannot be short”〔T34n1719 0298b24〕. The received Abhidharma Mahāvibhāṣā Treatise reads 「諸佛皆經三無數劫修習六種波羅蜜多得圓滿故」 tr. “all buddhas pass through three incalculable eons cultivating the six perfections until they reach completion”〔T27n1545 0479c26〕; “three incalculable eons” and the abbreviated “three incalculables” are recorded together.
The Mirror gives the example 「故實教中六根五品一世可期，乃至《金光明經》一生十地」 tr. “therefore in the real teaching, the six faculties and five grades may be expected within one life, up through the Golden Light Sutra’s ten grounds in one life”〔T34n1719 0298b16〕. In the received T16n0664 one finds:
- 「依於此身得發初心，修行中心而得顯現、不退地心亦皆得現，一生補處心」 tr. “relying upon this body, the initial mind arises; the mind amid cultivation becomes manifest; the mind of the irreversible ground likewise becomes manifest; [and] the mind of one birth remaining”〔0364a03〕.
- 「破掉悔心已，入於初地」 tr. “after destroying the mind of agitation and regret, one enters the first ground”〔0364b09〕.
- 「依此九地破六通障，破六通障已入於十地」 tr. “relying upon these nine grounds, one destroys the obstructions to the six higher knowledges; after destroying them, one enters the tenth ground”〔0364b19〕.
The received text has “the mind of one birth remaining” and passages from the first through the tenth ground in separate places; it does not contain the four graphs “ten grounds in one life” as a continuous phrase. The separated passages are not spliced into a fabricated direct quotation from the received text.
E. Three Lives in the Sutra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra
The Mirror says 「故南嶽用《普賢觀》意，云六根極遲不出三生」 tr. “therefore Nanyue uses the meaning of the Contemplation of Samantabhadra and says that purification of the six faculties, at the slowest, does not exceed three lives”〔T34n1719 0298b17〕. The received text first says 「樂得六根清淨者，當學是觀。」 tr. “those who delight in attaining purification of the six faculties should train in this contemplation”〔T09n0277 0389c21〕, then lists 「一日至三七日得見普賢」 tr. “from one day through three periods of seven days, one sees Samantabhadra”〔0389c23〕 and 「復有重者一生得見、復有重者二生得見、復有重者三生得見」 tr. “those with heavier obstructions see Him in one life; those with still heavier obstructions see Him in two lives; and those with yet heavier obstructions see Him in three lives”〔0389c24〕. The Mirror summarizes the slowest duration as three lives; the received text’s one day, three periods of seven days, and one, two, and three lives remain in their original sequence.
F. The Two Sets of Two Thousand Koṭis of Buddhas in the “Never Disparaging” Chapter
The Mirror says 「如常不輕輕毀之眾，秖經四千億佛皆悉得度」 tr. “as with the assembly that slighted and reviled Never Disparaging: after passing through only four thousand koṭis of buddhas, they were all delivered”〔T34n1719 0298b26〕. The received root scripture first says 「命終之後，得值二千億佛，皆號日月燈明」 tr. “after his death, he encountered two thousand koṭis of buddhas, all named Sun-Moon-Lamp Radiance”〔T09n0262 0051a12〕 and then 「復值二千億佛，同號雲自在燈王」 tr. “he again encountered two thousand koṭis of buddhas, all named Cloud-Sovereign-Lamp-King”〔0051a14〕. The Mirror totals these as four thousand koṭis. The grammatical subject in this root-scripture passage is the bodhisattva Never Disparaging, while the Mirror separately says that the assembly who reviled him were all delivered; the two levels are not interchanged.
G. The Four Purities of Realization in the Abhidharmakośa
The Mirror first records the verse:
證淨有四種，謂佛、法、僧、戒，見三得法戒，見道兼佛僧，法謂三諦全，菩薩獨覺道，信戒二為體，四皆唯無漏。 — tr. “There are four purities of realization: Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and discipline. On seeing three truths one gains purity regarding Dharma and discipline; on seeing the path, Buddha and Saṅgha are gained as well. Dharma means the three truths in full, together with the paths of bodhisattvas and solitary buddhas. Faith and discipline are their two substances; all four are only uncontaminated.”〔T34n1719 0298c12〕
The received T29n1558 reads:
證淨有四種，謂佛法僧戒，見三得法戒，見道兼佛僧，法謂三諦全，菩薩獨覺道，信戒二為體，四皆唯無漏。 — tr. “There are four purities of realization: Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and discipline. On seeing three truths one gains purity regarding Dharma and discipline; on seeing the path, Buddha and Saṅgha are gained as well. Dharma means the three truths in full, together with the paths of bodhisattvas and solitary buddhas. Faith and discipline are their two substances; all four are only uncontaminated.”〔0133b11〕
The Mirror’s verse adds punctuation, while the sequence of its core graphs agrees. The Mirror further records:
《論》云「經說有四證淨，謂佛等四，四是所證，見三諦時得法界二，見道諦時兼得佛僧。」 — tr. “The treatise says: ‘The scripture teaches four purities of realization, namely the four beginning with Buddha. The four are what is realized. When seeing three truths, one gains the two concerning Dharma-realm; when seeing the truth of the path, one additionally gains those concerning Buddha and Saṅgha.’”〔T34n1719 0298c15〕
The received text reads 「論曰：經說證淨總有四種：一於佛證淨、二於法證淨、三於僧證淨、四聖戒證淨。」 tr. “The treatise says: the scripture teaches four purities of realization in all: purity of realization concerning the Buddha; purity concerning the Dharma; purity concerning the Saṅgha; and purity concerning noble discipline”〔T29n1558 0133b15〕. It continues, 「且見道位見三諦時，一一唯得法戒證淨。見道諦位兼得佛僧」 tr. “at the stage of seeing the path, when one sees the three truths, in each case one gains only purity concerning Dharma and discipline; when seeing the truth of the path, one additionally gains those concerning Buddha and Saṅgha”〔0133b16〕. The received text has 法戒, “Dharma and discipline,” while the Mirror’s compressed explanation has 法界, “Dharma-realm”; both are recorded side by side without adjudication.
5. Sources Cited within the Mirror
| Source within the Mirror | Mirror Location | Treatment in This Unit |
|---|---|---|
| True Dharma Lotus | 0298b03 | Records the original reading “three hundred thousand eons” together with the received text’s “four hundred thousand eons” |
| “Dharma Teacher” chapter | 0298b13 | Records the received text’s prediction passage as it stands; “should not reckon [the time] as distant” remains on the Mirror layer |
| Sixty or one hundred eons in the Lesser Vehicle teaching | 0298b14 | Read together with a later passage in the same chapter of the root treatise; no single source is forcibly assigned |
| One life and ten grounds in the Golden Light Sutra | 0298b16 | Records separately the mind of one birth remaining and the passages from the first through the tenth ground; no splicing |
| Contemplation of Samantabhadra | 0298b17 | Records in full one day, three periods of seven days, and one through three lives |
| Three incalculable eons in the Vibhāṣā | 0298b24 | Recorded together with the three incalculable eons |
| Limitless eons in various Great Vehicle scriptures | 0298b24 | A general reference, not remade into a quotation from one text |
| “Never Disparaging Bodhisattva” chapter | 0298b26 | Records separately the two passages concerning two thousand koṭis of buddhas |
| Great Calming and Contemplation | 0298c01 | The Mirror points back to the horizontal and vertical relation of teaching and land in another land with remainder; it is not presented as the root treatise’s own statement |
| Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sutra | 0298c01 | As above; only the source pointer within the Mirror is registered |
| Abhidharmakośa, chapter 25 | 0298c12–0298c17 | The verse and explanatory prose are read layer by layer |
IV. Essential Explanations from the Wenjuji [the Mirror]
Zhanran does not separately explain every division in this unit line by line. His direct mirroring concentrates on five groups: the third kind of encounter, long and short through the four siddhāntas, another land, the purity of the assembly at that time, and the absence of two vehicles. The Mirror gives no separate item-by-item explanation of the four divisions concerning the past, the identification of ancient and present teachers, or relatives and their children.
A. The Long Samādhi and the Third Kind of Encounter
The preceding bridge says 「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。」 tr. “When have buddhas ever not been accompanied by samādhi? It is only because the capacities of beings reached their limit in forming connections with the sixteen princes that the duration was as stated; the details are as described in the following text”〔T34n1719 0298b01〕. Here Zhanran explains the long samādhi through the capacities of beings and the limit of their connections with the sixteen princes; this is not a sentence from T34n1718.
Of the third kind, the Mirror says 「第三既云但論遇小中間之言，自望元初結小緣者耳。」 tr. “Since the third says that it discusses only encountering the lesser teaching, the expression ‘in the intervening period’ is relative to those who initially formed a connection with the lesser teaching”〔0298b05〕. It further supplies the sequence of initially hearing the lesser teaching, practicing only the lesser teaching in the intervening period, and first hearing the lesser teaching today〔0298b06〕, and takes 「永滅無發」 tr. “permanent cessation with no further arising” as the view being refuted〔0298b09〕. All of these belong to the Mirror’s explanation.
B. Long and Short through the Four Siddhāntas
The Mirror says 「次問答，答中約四悉說，文少不次，先對治，次為人，次樂欲，次第一義。」 tr. “Next comes a question and answer. The answer explains in terms of the four siddhāntas; the text is brief and not in sequence: first counteraction, next adaptation to the person, next responsiveness to desires, and next the ultimate meaning”〔0298b11〕. On this basis it clarifies the root treatise’s sequence of short duration, past wholesome roots, worldly desires, and ultimate meaning. It also cites the dragon girl, the “Dharma Teacher” chapter, purification of the six faculties and the five grades, the Golden Light Sutra, the Contemplation of Samantabhadra, the Vibhāṣā, Never Disparaging, and other examples, concluding, 「既長短約人，但不篤自勤，何須論他時長短耶？」 tr. “Since long and short depend upon the person, if one merely fails to practice diligently oneself, why discuss whether another’s time is long or short?”〔0298b29〕.
Within this discussion, 「雖實教中有長有短，若依實道定短為正」 tr. “although the real teaching contains both long and short, if one relies upon the real Way, the shorter duration is certainly correct”〔0298b25〕 is Zhanran’s judgment. It cannot be rewritten as though the root treatise itself had already made this judgment in its question and answer on the four siddhāntas.
C. Another Land
The Mirror opens its explanation with 「「三乘通教有餘國」者，一家明義以土對教，具如《止觀》及《淨名疏》。」 tr. “‘The three vehicles share the teaching in another land with remainder’: in explaining the meaning, our tradition correlates lands with teachings, as set forth fully in the Great Calming and Contemplation and the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sutra”〔0298c01〕. It continues by saying that horizontally the substance of the land corresponds to the teaching, while vertically the analysis concerns how many teachings are used in a land〔0298c02〕, and distinguishes two situations: persons of the shared teaching in that land and those in this land who reenter the shared teaching〔0298c04–0298c06〕. The horizontal and vertical pair and the two classes concerning that land and this land are entirely elaborations within the Mirror.
D. Two Explanations of the Purity of the Assembly at That Time
The Mirror first glosses 「「教道」者化道也，教為化道故云「教道」。」 tr. “‘The course of teaching’ means the course of transformation; because teaching is the course of transformation, it is called ‘the course of teaching’”〔0298c07〕. It then gathers the root treatise’s first explanation under the transformation’s nearing completion and the maturation of the assembly’s capacities〔0298c08〕. It explains purity as the exhaustion of afflictions, correlates correct understanding and comprehension of the true truth with wisdom, and says that the meaning of the meditations extends through both wisdom and severance〔0298c09–0298c11〕.
Regarding the levels of the two explanations, the Mirror says that the first is explained wholly from the Lesser Vehicle, with Deer Park set against the time of nirvana〔0298c17〕; the second transmits the two intervening flavors within the gradual teaching〔0298c18〕. It correlates the earlier explanation with the “Skillful Means” and “Parable” chapters and the next explanation with the “Faith and Understanding” chapter〔0298c19〕. These assignments of teaching periods and chapter titles are all explanations in the Mirror and are not backfilled into the two original passages of the root treatise.
E. The Absence of Two Vehicles
The Mirror first restates the purport of the root treatise’s question: 「「若世無二乘」等者，問意者準理，世無一人合永入滅，會必歸大，何用施三？」 tr. “Concerning ‘if there were no two vehicles in the world’ and so forth: according to principle, the question means that not one person in the world should enter cessation forever; all assemblies must return to the Great Vehicle, so why provisionally establish three?”〔0298c20〕. It then says 「世言入者，但自謂耳。」 tr. “Those in the world who say they have entered merely think so themselves”〔0298c22〕, and closes by saying that fixed nature cannot necessarily be established〔0298c23〕. The root treatise’s own answer remains dispositions and desires inclined to the lesser teaching, the five sense objects, the five turbidities, and three before one; the language of merely thinking so oneself and of fixed nature is attributed only to the Mirror.
V. Explanations of Various Masters
This domain contains no markers corresponding to “someone says,” “perhaps it is said,” “an older explanation says,” or “explanations differ.” Its only explicitly attributed expression is one item marked 一云 tr. “one explanation says.” The further, second explanation of the purity of the assembly at that time is a parallel second reading in the root treatise and is not conflated with this “one explanation” as though both belonged to the same category.
A. One Explanation: Long and Short through the Four Siddhāntas
The root treatise first asks: 「問：如上塵數多許時節，今始得羅漢，當知無生法忍何易可階。」 tr. “Question: after the dust-particle number of such long periods described above, they have only now attained arhatship; one should know how difficult it is to ascend to the patient acceptance of the nonarising of dharmas”〔0100a05〕.
The recorded explanation is:
一云，大聖善巧，依四悉檀作如是說，或說佛道長遠，或說佛易得，對治厭道長者說短，於道生輕易想者說長，或為發生宿善，或隨世間所欲，或為聞說長短即得入第一義，當知言如許劫方今得羅漢者，此是權行四悉檀，引諸實行令入道耳。 — tr. “One explanation says: through His skillful means, the Great Sage speaks in this way according to the four siddhāntas. He may say that the Buddha Way is long and distant, or that buddhahood is easily attained. As counteraction, He speaks of a short duration to those weary of the Way because it is long; to those who form the careless thought that the Way is easy, He speaks of a long duration. He may do so to generate past wholesome roots, to accord with what people in the world desire, or so that, on hearing long and short explained, they immediately enter the ultimate meaning. One should know that the statement that only after so many eons have they now attained arhatship is a provisional enactment of the four siddhāntas, guiding those engaged in real practice to enter the Way.”〔0100a07〕
The received form does not continue with a “second explanation says.” Its several expressions “perhaps it is said” and “perhaps it is for” are branches of the four siddhāntas within the same answer and are not divided into explanations by several masters.
B. Two Explanations of the Purity of the Assembly at That Time
The first explanation:
「眾又清淨」 tr. “the assembly was also pure” 者，即斷德也。「信解堅固」者，信即四不壞信，解即無漏正解。了達真諦具諸禪定，此智斷立也。爾時堪教大道，聞必信受也。 — tr. “‘The assembly was also pure’ means the virtue of severance. ‘Their faith and understanding were firm’: faith is the four kinds of unbreakable faith, and understanding is correct uncontaminated understanding. Comprehending the true truth and possessing the meditations—here wisdom and severance are established. At that time they were capable of being taught the great Way and, upon hearing it, would certainly believe and accept it.”〔0100b05〕
The second explanation:
復次「眾又清淨」 tr. “the assembly was also pure” 者，得三藏教益免難也。「信解堅固」 tr. “their faith and understanding were firm” 者，於方等教心相體信也。「了達空法」，聞般若教說法，於空法中心得了達，即轉教意也。 — tr. “Furthermore, ‘the assembly was also pure’ means that they gained the benefit of the Tripiṭaka teaching and escaped difficulties. ‘Their faith and understanding were firm’ means that within the Vaipulya teaching their minds mutually embodied faith. ‘Comprehended the Dharma of emptiness’ means that on hearing the Prajñā teaching explain the Dharma, their minds attained comprehension within the Dharma of emptiness; this is the meaning of transmitting the teaching.”〔0100b08〕
The first explanation jointly clarifies wisdom and severance through the virtue of severance, the four kinds of unbreakable faith, correct uncontaminated understanding, the true truth, and meditations. The second follows the sequence of the Tripiṭaka, Vaipulya, and Prajñā teachings. Each explanation preserves its own correlation; neither is used to erase the other.
The three kinds of encounter are three situations distinguished by the root treatise itself. The questions and answers concerning future disciples and the purpose of opening three teachings are likewise posed by the root treatise itself and are not separately established as explanations of various masters.
VI. Terminology
| Term | Meaning in This Passage |
|---|---|
正結緣 tr. “direct establishment of the connection” | Carries forward the reason for establishing the connection from the preceding unit and turns to the events through which the connection itself was established |
法說、譬說 tr. “prose account, parabolic account” | The two divisions of direct establishment of the connection; this unit contains only the prose account, while the parabolic account begins with the next unit |
昔日、中間、今日 tr. “in the past, in the intervening period, today” | The temporal sequence of the prose account’s three divisions; they are not compressed into one event |
覆講、覆說 tr. “renewed exposition, teaching it again” | The sixteen princes teach the Lotus again after the Buddha enters samādhi |
度 tr. “deliverance” | Here the root treatise explains it as all giving rise to the mind of awakening; it is not prematurely changed into final extinction |
七方便彼岸 tr. “the farther shore of the seven kinds of skillful means” | The context is first giving rise to the mind of awakening, vowing to become buddhas, and passing beyond the world; this domain does not enumerate the names of the seven kinds |
逢值三種 tr. “three kinds of encounter” | Always receiving the Great Vehicle; retreating from the Great Vehicle and then receiving the lesser teaching; and encountering only the lesser teaching—preserved in the original sequence |
四悉檀 tr. “four siddhāntas” | The root treatise clarifies long and short through speaking of long duration, speaking of short duration, generating past wholesome roots, according with worldly desires, and entry into the ultimate meaning |
權行、實行 tr. “provisional practice, real practice” | The terms occur as a pair in this sentence; elsewhere in the same work they also have personal usages referring to provisional and real practitioners, and the grammatical fork is registered without adjudication |
會古今 tr. “identifying ancient and present” | First identifies ancient and present teachers, then ancient and present disciples |
八方作佛 tr. “becoming buddhas in the eight directions” | Sixteen buddhas arise in eight directions, not eight buddhas |
住三菩提 tr. “abiding in complete awakening” | Where those who do not retreat abide; “three-bodhi” abbreviates the transliterated ending of unsurpassed complete awakening |
餘國 tr. “another land” | The root scripture’s literal wording; “the three vehicles share the teaching in another land with remainder” is the root treatise’s explanation, while the horizontal and vertical pair belongs to the Mirror |
涅槃時到 tr. “the arrival of the time of nirvana” | The root treatise explains it as the time when the buddhas’ course of teaching in the world is nearing completion |
四不壞信 tr. “four kinds of unbreakable faith” | The first explanation in the root treatise correlates this with faith; the Mirror further explains it by citing the Abhidharmakośa |
智斷 tr. “wisdom and severance” | The first explanation treats purity as the virtue of severance and jointly establishes wisdom and severance through correct understanding, the true truth, and meditation |
親族、其子 tr. “relatives, their children” | The root treatise correlates bodhisattvas with relatives and voice-hearers with their children; this points back to the preceding explanation and is not the literal wording of the root scripture |
小性欲、五塵、五濁 tr. “dispositions and desires inclined to the lesser teaching, five sense objects, five turbidities” | The root treatise first explains the dispositions and obstructions addressed by the three vehicles; the three items are not compressed into one |
先三後一 tr. “three before one” | First teach three to break through obstructions and escape difficulties, then teach the One Vehicle; the sequence cannot be reversed |
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 records only the absence of the fixed strings and does not infer from zero occurrence that the passage lacks meanings concerning classification of teachings or opening the provisional.
VII. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
This unit remains within the prose account; the actual parable of the conjured city begins with the next phrase, “suppose five hundred.” The prose account itself forms a clear line of teaching and transformation through establishing the connection, encounter, and hearing again: in the past, the princes’ renewed exposition caused the assembly to arouse the mind; in the intervening period, the three kinds of encounter disclose that the reception of teaching and attainment were not uniform; today, identifying the ancient and present explains that teachers and disciples from the past still meet within the same conditions of the One Buddha Vehicle. These three times are divisions made by the root treatise itself; no fourth temporal framework is added.
The question and answer on long and short addresses two opposed situations—those wearied because the Way is long and those who conceive it carelessly as easy—and explains how the duration of the same path of practice is described as long or short according to those addressed. The subsequent identification of ancient and present then connects, layer by layer, the sixteen novices, the buddhas of the eight directions, and present and future disciples. Although the persons’ identities change, the connections formed in the past are not interrupted.
Read with the repository’s root scripture for the “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter, the prose account’s six passages close completely before “suppose five hundred.” The next unit’s five hundred yojanas, conjured city, and place of jewels will disclose weariness, rest, and renewed advance through the parable. This unit preserves only the premise stated in prose and does not backfill the Dharma correlated with the applied parable as though these six root-scripture passages had already said it themselves.
Read with the Śākyamuni passage in the “Skillful Means” chapter of the same work, the final question in this unit likewise concerns why provisional teachings are given first. Here the answer is dispositions and desires inclined to the lesser teaching, the five sense objects, and the five turbidities, followed by three before one; the “Skillful Means” chapter explains more broadly the five turbidities, distinguishing the false and exhorting the true, and the decisive clarification by other buddhas. The two passages illuminate each other while each preserves its own sequence.
Read with the Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra, the entry into nirvana by Lamp Radiance, Kāśyapa Buddha, and others after the Lotus has a parallel within the same tradition〔T33n1716 0765c12〕. Cross-reading with the Great Calming and Contemplation and the Commentary on the Vimalakīrti Sutra enters only through the source pointers stated in the Wenjuji passage on another land; the horizontal and vertical pair is not presented as though Zhiyi had already unfolded it word for word in this unit. The Profound Praise of the Lotus Sutra is another ancient commentary on the root scripture and may serve as another mirror; this unit does not use one commentary to adjudicate another.
As this passage carries forward into the next unit, the prose account has already established the three divisions of past, intervening period, and today; the parabolic account must unfold according to its own opening and application sequence. Prose and parable may illuminate each other, but the elder, road, conjured city, and place of jewels from the parable’s interpretation cannot be inserted prematurely into the original sentences of the prose account.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
A. Three Taishō / Witness-A Variants
| Line Anchor | Type | Taishō | Witness A | Short Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0099c27 | Numeric anchor beg0099007 | 又 tr. “again” | Witness A lacks the graph | Within “exhorting beings to draw near,” two further parts |
| 0099c28 | Numeric anchor beg0099008 | 一 tr. “one; first” | 二 tr. “two; second” | First, explaining the intent of the exhortation |
| 0099c28 | Numeric anchor beg0099009 | 諸 tr. plural marker, “all” | Witness A lacks the graph | The Buddha told the bhikṣus |
All three are directly paired variants. This domain contains no asterisk critical cross-reference, no one-sided critical note separate from these three pairs, and no abbreviated critical note represented by its first and last graph together with a graph count. The three critical notes correspond one-to-one with the three variants and are not counted separately as three additional variants.
B. Transmitted Inline Annotation and Gaiji
The root text in this domain contains only one transmitted inline annotation: 「又知此等必由王子究竟得度，所以入定久而不出也〔云云〕。」 tr. “One further knows that these beings must ultimately be delivered through the princes; therefore He remained in samādhi for a long time without emerging〔and so forth〕”〔0099c19〕. The 〔云云〕 at 〔0099c11〕 belongs to the final sentence of the preceding unit before this domain’s opening phrase and is not included in this domain’s denominator.
The root text in this domain has no gaiji marker, and neither does the directly corresponding domain in the Mirror. This means only that this domain has no gaiji awaiting resolution; it does not imply that the entire work has none.
C. Contents and Page Anchors
The work’s first-level contents contain two title forms: the “Introduction” chapter lacks the prefix “Explanation of,” while the remaining twenty-seven chapters are titled “Explanation of [chapter].” Establishing the connection in prose is a secondary internal division of the “Parable of the Conjured City” chapter and does not occupy a separate chapter.
The reader’s source text follows the original paragraphation, marking page-column transitions with one page-turn anchor and a precise inline anchor at the start of a paragraph. This domain currently has two page anchors, 〔T34 0099c11〕 and 〔T34 0100a05〕. Each exact quotation in the apparatus is instead located by the nearest preceding Taishō line marker before its first graph; reader page anchors cannot replace exact line anchors for quotations.