妙法蓮華經文句 壽量品 · 偈頌
偈頌先說，佛久遠以來常常說法，為度眾生而示現涅槃；祂實際不曾滅度，常住於此。可是，顛倒眾生即使離得很近，仍然看不見。
不見，不一定是佛不在。
經中甚至把兩幅相反的景象放在一起。眾生看見劫盡火燒，佛卻說自己的國土安隱，園林、堂閣、寶樹、伎樂仍然充滿。不是先選一幅，再把另一幅刪掉；偈頌接著追問的是：眾生以什麼因緣不見，又以什麼因緣得見？
罪業眾生因惡業長久不聞三寶之名。修習功德、柔和質直的人，則能看見佛身，聽祂說法。真正隔開兩幅景象的，未必是距離，而可能是自己的業與心。
因此，佛有時不現身，使眾生生起渴仰；等到他們心生戀慕，祂才出現說法。這不是把眾生丟下，而是不讓一次又一次的相見，變成憍慢、放逸與貪著的理由。
良醫的譬喻把這件事說得更直白。醫者實際仍在，卻為治狂子而說自己已死。若只抓住『說死』兩字，方便看來像虛妄；若看見狂子因此醒悟、服藥、病癒，便知道醫者從未離開救子的本意。
佛也如此。祂作世間之父，知道眾生有沒有行道，隨著他們所應得度的因緣，宣說種種法。示現滅度不是停止救護，而是救護所採取的一種方便。
最後，佛每每自問：要用什麼方法，才能使眾生進入無上智慧，迅速成就佛身？
這才是本偈收束示現生滅之意的中心：不只問佛何時出現、何時隱沒，更要問祂的出現與隱沒，是否都在把眾生帶向佛道。
所以，讀壽量偈最要緊的問題，也許不是『佛究竟在哪裡』，而是：我正在使自己成為不能得見的人，還是修習功德、柔和質直，成為能夠見佛聞法的人？
The verse first says that since the distant past the Buddha has constantly taught the Dharma, manifesting nirvāṇa in order to liberate beings. In reality he has never entered extinction but constantly abides here. Yet deluded beings, even when very near, still do not see him.
Not seeing does not necessarily mean that the Buddha is absent.
The sutra even places two contrary scenes side by side. Beings see the kalpa ending in fire, while the Buddha says that his own land is peaceful and secure, still filled with gardens, halls, jeweled trees, and music. The verse does not select one scene and delete the other. It next asks: Through what conditions do beings fail to see, and through what conditions do they come to see?
Beings burdened by wrongdoing, because of their evil karma, long fail to hear even the names of the Three Jewels. Those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright can see the Buddha’s body and hear him teach the Dharma. What truly separates the two scenes may not be distance, but one’s own karma and mind.
The Buddha therefore sometimes does not manifest his body, causing beings to thirst and look up to him. Only when their hearts are filled with longing does he emerge and teach the Dharma. This does not abandon beings; it prevents encounter after encounter from becoming a reason for arrogance, negligence, and attachment.
The good-physician parable says this even more directly. The physician is actually still present, yet to cure his deranged children he says that he has died. If one grasps only the words shuosi (“says he has died”), the skillful means appears false. If one sees that the children thereby awaken, take the medicine, and recover, one knows that the physician never departed from his intent to rescue them.
The Buddha is the same. As father of the world, he knows whether beings practice the Way and teaches various dharmas according to the conditions through which they can be liberated. Manifesting extinction is not an end to rescue, but one skillful means adopted by rescue.
Finally, the Buddha repeatedly asks himself: By what means can I enable beings to enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body?
This is the center in which the verse gathers the meaning of manifested birth and extinction: it asks not only when the Buddha appears or disappears, but whether both his appearance and disappearance are leading beings toward the Buddha Way.
Perhaps the most important question when reading the Lifespan verse is therefore not “Where is the Buddha ultimately?” but this: Am I making myself into someone unable to see, or am I cultivating qualities, gentleness, and uprightness and becoming someone able to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma?
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 0135c11〕。段/行首〔T34 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T34 0135c11〕偈二十五行半，頌上法譬。初二十行半，頌法說；次五行，頌譬說。上法說有二，今頌亦二：初十九行半，頌三世益物；次，一行，頌皆實不虛。初四行，頌過去世益物為三：初一行，頌上成道已久；次「常說法」下，第二，一行，頌上中間益物；次「為度眾生」下，第三，二行，頌上住處。次「眾見我」下，第二，五行，頌現在。上文有二：初二行半，頌非生現生；次「我時語」下，第二，二行半，頌非滅現滅。次「我見諸」下，第三，十行半，頌上未來。上但寄「常住不滅」四字，今頌則廣。文為四：初「我見」下一行半，明未來機應。次「神通力如是」下，第二，四行，頌上常住不滅。「常在靈鷲山」，此謂實報土也，「及餘諸住處」者，謂方便有餘土也，即上餘國義也。「天人充滿」者，三十心是「人」，十地是「天」。「擊天鼓」者，無問自說也。「曼陀羅華」者，說賢聖位也。次「我淨土」下，第三，二行，明不見因緣。次「諸有修功德」下，第四，三行，明得見因緣。次「汝等有智」下，第二，一行，頌上利益不虛也。 〔T34 0136a01〕次，五行，頌譬，為二：一行頌開譬，為三：初一句，頌過去；「為治」下二句，頌現在，不頌未來也，「無能說」下，第三，一句，頌不虛。「後我亦為」下，第二，四行，頌合譬。上合中本不合未來，今初半行頌合過去；次「凡夫」下，第二，二行半，頌合現在；後「每自作」下，第三，一行，頌合不虛，開三顯一、開近顯遠，欲令眾生速入佛道，此事必得不虛也。
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.
一、二十五行半先分法說、譬說
這一段共有二十五行半偈，重頌前面長行中的法說與譬說。最初二十行半重頌法說，其後五行重頌譬說。
前面的法說分成兩部分，現在的偈頌也分成兩部分：最初十九行半重頌佛在過去、現在、未來三世利益眾生；其後一行重頌前面所說的利益全都真實不虛。
二、過去世利益眾生有三層
重頌過去世利益眾生的共有四行，又分成三層。
第一，最初一行重頌佛成道以來已經非常久遠。
第二，從『常常說法教化』以下一行，重頌佛在久遠成道以後、直到現在的中間時期持續利益眾生。
第三，從『為了度化眾生』以下兩行，重頌佛利益眾生時所在之處。
三、現在世以非生現生、非滅現滅分二
從『眾人看見我滅度』以下五行，是第二大段，重頌現在世利益眾生。前面的長行分成兩層，這裡也分成兩層。
最初二行半，重頌佛本來不是新近出生，卻為眾生示現出生。眾生看見佛滅度，供養舍利，心中戀慕渴仰；等到他們信受調伏、心地質直柔軟，一心想見佛而不惜身命，佛便與眾僧一同出現在靈鷲山。
其次，從『我那時告訴眾生』以下二行半，重頌佛本來不曾滅盡，卻為眾生示現滅度。佛告訴眾生，祂常在此處而不滅，只因方便之力，才示現有滅與不滅；其他國土若有恭敬信樂的眾生，祂也在其中為他們宣說無上之法。眾生沒有聽見這件事，才只以為佛已滅度。
四、未來世十行半分成四層
從『我看見眾生』以下，是第三大段，以十行半偈重頌未來世利益眾生。前面的長行只用『常住不滅』四個字寄託這層意思，現在的偈頌則把它廣為展開，共分四層。
第一，從『我看見眾生』以下一行半，說明未來眾生的根機與佛的回應。佛看見眾生沉沒在苦惱中，暫時不為他們現身，使他們生起渴仰；等到他們心生戀慕，佛才出現而為他們說法。
第二，從『神通力就是如此』以下四行，重頌常住不滅。經文說佛常在靈鷲山，這裡判為實報土；經文又說祂也在其他住處，這裡判為方便有餘土，也就是前文所說的餘國之義。
『天、人充滿』一句中，三十心稱作『人』，十地稱作『天』。『擊響天鼓』，表示不待有人發問而自行說法；『曼陀羅華』，表示宣說賢聖的階位。
第三，從『我的淨土』以下兩行，說明眾生不能得見的因緣。佛的淨土本來不毀，罪業眾生卻因惡業看見它被燒盡，長久處在憂怖苦惱中，甚至聽不到三寶之名。
第四，從『凡有修習功德的人』以下三行，說明眾生能夠得見的因緣。修習功德、柔和質直的人能看見佛身，聽佛說法；佛有時為眼前大眾宣說壽命無量，有時對久後才見佛的人宣說佛極難值遇，最後說佛的智慧之光與無數劫壽命都是長久修行所得。
五、法說最後一行結為利益不虛
從『你們這些有智慧的人』以下一行，是法說的第二部分，重頌前面所說的利益真實不虛。佛勸有智慧的人不要對此生疑，應當把疑惑斷除到永遠窮盡；佛所說的話確實不虛。
六、譬說五行先開譬、再合譬
其次五行重頌譬說，分成開譬與合譬兩部分。
開譬共有一行，又分成三層。最初一句『良醫善用方便』，重頌過去；從『為了醫治狂亂的兒子』以下兩句，重頌現在，不重頌未來；從『沒有人能說這是虛妄』以下最後一句，重頌良醫的話並不虛妄。良醫實際仍在，卻為治療狂子而說自己已死，因此不能把他的方便說成虛妄。
從『其後，我也作世間之父』以下四行，是第二部分，重頌合譬。
前面的長行合譬原本沒有配合未來世。現在最初半行重頌合於過去：佛作世間眾生之父，救拔種種苦患。
其次，從『因為凡夫顛倒』以下二行半，重頌合於現在。佛實際仍在，卻為顛倒凡夫示現滅度；眾生若常常看見佛，便會生起驕慢放縱之心，貪著五欲而墮入惡道。佛常知眾生有沒有行道，隨著他們各自所應得度的因緣，為他們宣說種種法。
最後，從『每每自己作這樣的思量』以下一行，重頌合於不虛。佛常常思量，應當用什麼方法使眾生進入無上智慧，迅速成就佛身。這裡同時結出開三顯一、開近顯遠；佛要使眾生迅速進入佛道，這件事必定真實不虛。
I. The Twenty-Five and a Half Lines Are First Divided into Dharma Teaching and Teaching by Parable
This passage contains twenty-five and a half lines of verse, recapitulating the Dharma teaching and teaching by parable in the preceding prose. The first twenty and a half lines recapitulate the Dharma teaching; the next five recapitulate the teaching by parable.
The preceding Dharma teaching had two parts, and the present verse likewise has two. The first nineteen and a half lines recapitulate the Buddha’s benefit to beings in the past, present, and future; the following line recapitulates that all the benefit taught above is real and not false.
II. Benefiting Beings in the Past Has Three Levels
Four lines recapitulate the benefit to beings in the past, and they are further divided into three levels.
First, the initial line recapitulates that it has been an exceedingly long time since the Buddha attained the Way.
Second, the line beginning with “constantly teaching the Dharma and transforming” recapitulates the Buddha’s continuous benefit to beings during the intervening period from distant attainment until the present.
Third, the two lines beginning with “in order to liberate beings” recapitulate the places where the Buddha abides while benefiting beings.
III. The Present Is Divided into Manifesting Birth Without Originally Being Born and Manifesting Extinction Without Originally Becoming Extinct
The five lines beginning with “beings see me enter extinction” are the second major part and recapitulate benefit to beings in the present. The preceding prose had two levels, and this passage likewise has two.
The first two and a half lines recapitulate how the Buddha, though not newly born, manifests birth for beings. Beings see the Buddha enter extinction, make offerings to his relics, and cherish longing and thirst. Once they are subdued through faith, upright and gentle in mind, and single-mindedly wish to see the Buddha without sparing their lives, the Buddha and the saṅgha appear together on Vulture Peak.
Next, the two and a half lines beginning with “at that time I tell the beings” recapitulate how the Buddha, though never extinguished, manifests extinction for beings. The Buddha tells beings that he constantly abides here without extinction, and only through the power of skillful means manifests extinction and non-extinction. In other lands where beings revere, trust, and delight, he also teaches them the unsurpassed Dharma. Because beings have not heard this, they suppose only that the Buddha has entered extinction.
IV. The Ten and a Half Lines Concerning the Future Have Four Levels
Beginning with “I see the beings,” the third major part recapitulates benefit to beings in the future in ten and a half lines. The preceding prose lodged this meaning only in the four characters “constantly abiding without extinction;” the present verse unfolds it extensively in four levels.
First, the line and a half beginning with “I see the beings” explains future beings’ capacities and the Buddha’s response. The Buddha sees beings sunk in suffering and temporarily does not manifest his body, causing them to thirst and look up to him. When their hearts are filled with longing, the Buddha emerges and teaches them the Dharma.
Second, the four lines beginning with “such is the power of supernormal penetration” recapitulate constant abiding without extinction. The sutra says that the Buddha constantly abides on Vulture Peak, which is judged here to be the land of true recompense; it also says that he abides in other dwelling places, judged here to be the land of expedient means with remainder, the same meaning as the other lands mentioned above.
In “devas and humans fill it,” the thirty minds are called “humans” and the ten grounds “devas.” “beating the heavenly drums” signifies spontaneous teaching without awaiting a question, while “māndārava flowers” signifies teaching the stages of sages and noble ones.
Third, the two lines beginning with “my pure land” explain the conditions through which beings cannot see. The Buddha’s pure land is originally not destroyed, but beings burdened by wrongdoing see it consumed because of their evil karma, long remain amid fear and suffering, and even fail to hear the names of the Three Jewels.
Fourth, the three lines beginning with “those who cultivate qualities” explain the conditions through which beings can see. Those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright can see the Buddha’s body and hear him teach. The Buddha sometimes teaches his immeasurable lifespan to the present assembly and sometimes tells those who see him only after a long interval that a buddha is exceedingly difficult to encounter. Finally, he says that the radiance of his wisdom and lifespan through innumerable kalpas were gained through long cultivation.
V. The Final Line of the Dharma Teaching Concludes That the Benefit Is Not False
The line beginning with “you who possess wisdom” is the second part of the Dharma teaching and recapitulates that the preceding benefit is real and not false. The Buddha exhorts those with wisdom not to doubt but to end their doubts forever; the words spoken by the Buddha are indeed not false.
VI. The Five Lines of Teaching by Parable First Open and Then Apply the Parable
The next five lines recapitulate the teaching by parable and are divided into opening and applying the parable.
Opening the parable occupies one line and has three levels. The first phrase, “a good physician skillfully uses a method,” recapitulates the past. The two phrases beginning with “in order to treat his deranged children” recapitulate the present and do not recapitulate the future. The final phrase beginning with “no one can say this is false” recapitulates that the good physician’s words are not false. Though actually alive, the physician says that he has died in order to treat his deranged children, and his skillful means therefore cannot be called false.
The four lines beginning with “then I too become father of the world” are the second part and recapitulate the application of the parable.
The preceding prose application originally did not correlate the parable with the future. The first half-line here recapitulates application to the past: the Buddha is father of the beings of the world and rescues them from every painful affliction.
Next, the two and a half lines beginning with “because ordinary beings are deluded” recapitulate application to the present. Though actually present, the Buddha manifests extinction for deluded ordinary beings. If beings constantly saw him, they would become arrogant and unrestrained, cling to the five desires, and fall into evil destinies. The Buddha constantly knows whether beings practice the Way and teaches various dharmas according to the conditions through which each can be liberated.
Finally, the line beginning with “repeatedly forming this thought” recapitulates application to non-falsehood. The Buddha constantly considers what means will enable beings to enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body. This simultaneously concludes opening the three to reveal the One and opening the near to reveal the distant. The Buddha seeks to enable beings to enter the Buddha Way swiftly, and this matter is necessarily real and not false.
〈如來壽量品〉末後的偈頌，一面說佛久遠成道、常住說法，一面又說眾生見佛滅度、佛以方便示現滅度；一面說淨土不毀，一面又說眾生看見大火燒盡。這些句子若各自分讀，彷彿彼此牴觸；智者卻用法說與譬說、三世益物與利益不虛，把它們收進同一條次第。
偈頌不是把前面長行換成韻文再說一次。它把長行中只略寄的未來義廣為展開，又用良醫與世父之譬，回答示現生滅為何仍是真實不虛。
一、二十五行半，為何先只分成兩段？
全偈有二十五行半。前二十行半是法說，後五行是譬說。法說先直接說佛如何利益眾生，譬說再以良醫與父子把同一件事顯明。兩段不是兩套答案：法說立其義，譬說使方便與不虛的關係可見。
法說本身又只有兩分。前十九行半說三世益物，最後一行說利益不虛。三世益物回答佛的利益如何貫通過去、現在、未來；利益不虛則回答，如此久遠而又隨機示現，是否可信。偈末先以佛語實不虛收束法說，隨即以良醫無能說虛妄承接，兩邊前後扣合。
譬說五行也只分開譬、合譬。開譬先說良醫，合譬再說佛為世父。兩段各自依過去、現在、不虛配合，卻都不另配未來。這並非漏掉未來，因為未來義已在法說十行半中廣說；本論只是如實標出譬頌本身取了哪些部分。
二、三世益物，是否只是把一件事排成三段？
過去世四行先分三層。第一層說成道已久，先立佛果的久遠；第二層說中間益物，表明久遠成道以後一直說法教化；第三層說住處，把方便現涅槃、實不滅度、常住說法與眾生雖近不見連在一起。久遠不是一個孤立的年代，而是持續利益眾生的起點。
現在世五行分作非生現生、非滅現滅。眾生見佛滅度，因供養舍利而生戀慕渴仰；待到信伏、質直柔軟、一心欲見，佛與眾僧便出靈鷲山。接著，佛又明說祂常在此而不滅，只以方便示現有滅與不滅，並在餘國為恭敬信樂者說法。
因此，非生現生不是把本來的久遠成佛抹去，非滅現滅也不是把示現的滅說成全無。兩個短語各保留兩面：非生而能現生，非滅而能現滅。若只取其中一面，便不能解釋眾生為何因戀慕而得見，也不能解釋佛為何仍在餘國說法。
未來世十行半又把這個關係向後展開。最初一行半說機與應：佛見眾生沉沒苦惱，暫不現身，使其生起渴仰；等到心生戀慕，才出而說法。先不現與後出現不是兩個互相否定的決定，而是依眾生根機前後相應。
三、常住不滅，為何既有安隱佛土，又有劫火燒盡？
未來第二分以四行廣說常住不滅。常在靈鷲山，本論判為實報土；餘諸住處，判為方便有餘土，又回到上文餘國之義。這是本論自己對經句所作的土義分判。
接下來，根經把眾生所見與佛土實況並列：眾生看見劫盡、大火焚燒，佛卻說自己的國土安隱，天、人充滿，園林、堂閣、寶樹、伎樂都在。兩幅景象沒有被合成一幅。本論再釋天、人，把三十心配作人、十地配作天；又以擊天鼓表無問自說，以曼陀羅華表賢聖位，使安隱國土中的眾生與說法次第更為分明。
這裡最值得追問的，不是兩幅景象哪一幅被取消，而是眾生為何只能看見其中一幅。偈頌隨即從國土景象轉入不見與得見的因緣，答案因此不離眾生自己的業與行。
四、不見與得見，差別落在哪裡？
不見因緣只有兩行，經句卻說得很重：淨土本來不毀，罪業眾生因惡業看見燒盡，憂怖苦惱充滿，長久聽不到三寶之名。所見的燒盡沒有反過來證成淨土也已毀壞；它顯出罪業眾生被什麼境界包圍。
得見因緣有三行。修功德、柔和、質直的人能見佛身，聽佛說法；有時佛為大眾說壽命無量，有時對久後才見佛者說佛難值。最後，智慧光明與無數劫壽命都收在久修所得。
若把本偈放回本品前文，本論已用法身、報身、應身詮量如來壽命，並明說三身皆有非滅唱滅之義。本偈承此而轉入眾生所見：佛久遠益物、常住不滅，又依根機現生、現滅。得見因緣末後所說的智慧光明、無數劫壽命與久修所得，本品前文又判為報身如來的智慧命。三身之義由此落在三世益物的行動中。
於是，得見不是偶然撞見一個本來不在的佛，不見也不是佛從此永遠消失。偈文把兩者的差別落在惡業與修功德、顛倒與柔和質直之間。佛是否現前，始終與眾生此刻能否承受說法相連。
五、佛語既然不虛，為何還需要良醫作證？
法說最後一行先勸有智者不要生疑，要把疑惑永遠斷盡，因為佛語實不虛。可是，前面明明反覆說佛現涅槃、示現滅度，疑問仍然可能留下：實在不滅而說滅，怎能稱作不虛？
良醫譬正面回答這一問。醫者善用方便，為治狂子，自己實在仍活著，卻說自己已死；最後沒有人能指責他的話虛妄。關鍵不是抹去醫者所說的死，而是把這句話放回狂子拒藥、必須受治的場景。說死是方便，治病是所為，醫者實在仍在則守住事實的根底。
合譬把良醫換成世父。佛久遠以來救護苦患眾生；為顛倒凡夫，實在而示現滅度。若眾生常見佛，便會生憍恣、放逸著欲，甚至墮入惡道。佛常知眾生行道與否，依所應得度而說種種法，所以示滅與說法同樣屬於救護。
譬喻因此沒有把方便說成與真實相反。正因佛實在不滅，祂才可能依眾生所需而現滅；也正因所願始終是救苦、令入佛道，這一方便才以利益不虛收束。
六、末後一行，為何並列開三顯一與開近顯遠？
合譬最後一行說，佛每每自問如何使眾生進入無上智慧、迅速成就佛身。本論在此並列開三顯一與開近顯遠。前者收攝三乘而顯一佛乘，後者開示近時成佛的方便而顯久遠成佛；兩項各有自己的所開、所顯，不能壓成同一個名稱。
但兩項在這一偈有共同收束：都為令眾生速入佛道。法說的佛語不虛、開譬的無能說虛妄、合譬的此事必得不虛，到這裡連成一線。所謂不虛，不只是一句話沒有欺誑，更是佛長久所作的利益終將使眾生入無上慧。
七、承衍：壽量說完，為何緊接分別功德？
本單元止在願眾生入無上慧、速成佛身。下一品便由大眾聽聞佛壽命長遠所生的利益接續。讀路由佛如何久遠益物，轉向眾生聽聞以後如何得益；前一品顯說者的壽量與方便，後一品承接聞者所起的功德。
這個接續也使本偈的得見因緣不只停在景象。修功德、柔和質直而見佛聞法，已把聞者帶到下一品門前。佛壽久遠之說若只成為一個宏大數目，功德便無從發生；當它使疑惑斷盡、使眾生願入佛道，壽量之說才真正落在受法之人身上。
文句記之眼
湛然的直接鏡釋沒有重新解遍二十五行半，而是從靈鷲山與報土的關係切入。他先依餘國、有餘土之義，把報土指向他受用；又依常在二字，把它指向自受用；再依寶莊嚴之文，提出非自土即本時他的一路，並以《華嚴》多明他受用作泛引。這三路都是鏡中對土義的細判，本論本身在此只直說實報土。
對餘諸住處，湛然先說上餘國所指的是我於餘國之文，又把通義擴到十方若淨若穢。如此，方便有餘土不被讀成只限一處；然而十方淨穢的展開仍屬鏡釋，不能倒寫成本論已明列。
對得見因緣，湛然以緣、了具足解諸有修功德者，又把或時為此眾配作初地初住，把久乃見佛配作五濁重者，把我智力如是讀作總結大勢力。這些語句使根機、階位與總結更為細密，卻都在本論只標得見因緣之後才加入。
鏡中另引經作則皆見我身實報土，今本根經則作在此而說法；考據把兩邊字面並列，不以一邊靜默修正另一邊。這一處尤其顯出鏡的作用：它能保存一條古德讀路，也能照出傳文之異；但鏡中所見仍須署名為鏡，不回填成根經或智者已逐字說出。
本段以前，湛然又說長行法說的未來義只寄常住不滅四字，偈中從我見諸眾生以下十行半才廣為展開。這一上游鏡釋照明本單元為何突然加重未來文：不是另立新義，而是把長行所寄之義在偈頌中展開。直接鏡段對過去、現在、良醫開合諸段沒有另釋，則仍由本論自己的科判與根經偈句承擔。
The verse at the end of the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter says both that the Buddha attained the Way in the distant past and constantly abides teaching the Dharma, and that beings see the Buddha enter extinction and that he manifests extinction through skillful means. It says both that the pure land is not destroyed and that beings see it consumed by great fire. Read separately, these statements seem to conflict. Zhizhe, however, gathers them into one sequence through teaching by Dharma and teaching by parable, benefiting beings in the three periods and the non-falsehood of that benefit.
The verse does not simply replace the preceding prose with metrical restatement. It extensively unfolds the future meaning only briefly lodged in the prose, then uses the parables of the good physician and the father of the world to answer why manifested birth and extinction nevertheless remain real and not false.
I. Why Are the Twenty-Five and a Half Lines First Divided into Only Two Parts?
The complete verse has twenty-five and a half lines. The first twenty and a half are teaching by Dharma, and the final five are teaching by parable. The Dharma teaching directly explains how the Buddha benefits beings; the parable then makes the same matter visible through the good physician and the relation of father and children. The two parts are not two answers: the Dharma teaching establishes the meaning, while the parable makes visible the relation between skillful means and non-falsehood.
The Dharma teaching itself has only two divisions. The first nineteen and a half lines teach benefit to beings in the three periods, while the final line teaches that this benefit is not false. Benefit in the three periods answers how the Buddha’s activity extends through past, present, and future. Non-falsehood answers whether such distant attainment and capacity-responsive manifestation can be trusted. The verse first closes the Dharma teaching with the Buddha’s words being real and not false, then immediately continues with the impossibility of calling the good physician false. The two parts interlock.
The five lines of teaching by parable are likewise divided only into opening and applying the parable. Opening first speaks of the good physician; application then speaks of the Buddha as father of the world. Both passages correlate separately with the past, present, and non-falsehood, but neither separately correlates with the future. The future has not been omitted, because it has already been extensively taught in the ten and a half lines of Dharma teaching. The root treatise simply identifies exactly which portions the parable verse takes up.
II. Is Benefiting Beings in the Three Periods Merely One Matter Arranged in Three Sections?
The four lines concerning the past are first divided into three levels. The first says that attainment of the Way occurred long ago, establishing the distant duration of the Buddha fruit. The second concerns benefiting beings in the intervening period, showing that since attaining the Way in the distant past the Buddha has continually taught and transformed. The third concerns the places of his activity, joining manifested nirvāṇa through skillful means, actual non-extinction, constant teaching, and beings’ failure to see although they are near. The distant past is not an isolated age, but the starting point of continuous benefit.
The five lines concerning the present are divided into manifesting birth without originally being born and manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct. Beings see the Buddha enter extinction and, through making offerings to his relics, generate longing and thirst. Once they are subdued by faith, upright and gentle, single-mindedly wishing to see the Buddha without sparing their lives, the Buddha and the saṅgha emerge together from Vulture Peak. The Buddha then states plainly that he constantly abides here without extinction, and only through the power of skillful means manifests both extinction and non-extinction; in other lands, too, he teaches the Dharma to those who revere, trust, and delight in it.
Thus manifesting birth without originally being born does not erase buddhahood attained in the distant past, and manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct does not render manifested extinction wholly nonexistent. Each phrase preserves both sides: though unborn, he can manifest birth; though unextinguished, he can manifest extinction. Taking only one side would explain neither how longing enables beings to see him nor how the Buddha continues teaching in other lands.
The ten and a half lines concerning the future extend this relation onward. The first line and a half concern capacity and response: seeing beings sunk in suffering, the Buddha temporarily does not manifest his body, causing them to thirst and look up to him; only when their hearts fill with longing does he emerge and teach the Dharma. First not appearing and later appearing are not mutually contradictory decisions, but successive responses to beings’ capacities.
III. Why Does Constant Abiding Without Extinction Include Both a Peaceful Buddha Land and Destruction by the Kalpa Fire?
The second future division extensively explains constant abiding without extinction in four lines. Constantly abiding on Vulture Peak is judged by the root treatise to be the land of true recompense; the other dwelling places are judged to be the land of expedient means with remainder and are connected back to the earlier meaning of other lands. These are the root treatise’s own classifications of the lands in the sutra passage.
The root sutra next places what beings see beside the actual condition of the Buddha land: beings see the kalpa ending and great fire burning, while the Buddha says that his land is peaceful and secure, filled with devas and humans, gardens, halls, jeweled trees, and music. The two scenes are not merged. The root treatise further explains devas and humans by correlating the thirty minds with humans and the ten grounds with devas. It takes the beating of heavenly drums as spontaneous teaching without a question and the māndārava flowers as the stages of sages and noble ones, making both the beings within the peaceful land and the sequence of teaching more distinct.
The question that most deserves pursuit here is not which of the two scenes is canceled, but why beings can see only one. The verse immediately turns from the scene of the land to the conditions for not seeing and seeing; the answer therefore remains inseparable from beings’ own karma and practice.
IV. Where Does the Difference Between Not Seeing and Seeing Lie?
The conditions for not seeing occupy only two lines, but the sutra speaks with great weight: the pure land is originally not destroyed, yet because of evil karma beings burdened by wrongdoing see it consumed, are surrounded by fear and suffering, and long fail to hear the names of the Three Jewels. The destruction they see does not in turn prove that the pure land itself has been destroyed; it discloses the domain that encloses beings burdened by wrongdoing.
The conditions for seeing occupy three lines. Those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright can see the Buddha’s body and hear him teach. At times the Buddha teaches the immeasurability of his lifespan to the present assembly; at times, to those who see him only after a long interval, he teaches that a buddha is difficult to encounter. Finally, the radiance of wisdom and lifespan throughout innumerable kalpas are both gathered into what is gained through long cultivation.
Read against the preceding part of the chapter, the root treatise has already measured the Tathāgata’s lifespan through Dharma, reward, and response bodies and stated explicitly that all three possess the meaning of announcing extinction without originally becoming extinct. The present verse continues from that teaching and turns toward what beings see: the Buddha benefits beings from the distant past, constantly abides without extinction, and yet manifests birth and extinction according to capacities. The radiance of wisdom, lifespan of innumerable kalpas, and attainment through long cultivation at the end of the conditions for seeing were also identified earlier in this chapter as the wisdom-life of the reward-body Tathāgata. The three bodies thus take concrete form in the activity of benefiting beings through the three periods.
Seeing is therefore not a chance encounter with a Buddha who was previously absent, nor does not seeing mean that the Buddha has vanished forever. The verse locates the difference between the two in evil karma and cultivation of qualities, delusion and gentle uprightness. Whether the Buddha appears remains connected throughout with beings’ present ability to receive the teaching.
V. If the Buddha’s Words Are Not False, Why Is the Good Physician Still Needed as Proof?
The final line of the Dharma teaching first exhorts those with wisdom not to doubt but to end their doubts forever, because the Buddha’s words are real and not false. Yet a question may remain after the repeated statements that the Buddha manifests nirvāṇa and extinction: how can one speak of extinction while actually remaining unextinguished and still call the words not false?
The good-physician parable answers directly. The physician skillfully employs a method: to cure his deranged children he says that he has died while in reality remaining alive, and in the end no one can accuse him of falsehood. The key is not to erase the death he announces, but to restore the words to the situation in which the children refuse the medicine and must be treated. Saying he has died is the skillful means, healing the illness is its purpose, and the physician’s actual continued presence preserves the factual ground.
The application replaces the good physician with the father of the world. Since the distant past the Buddha has rescued beings afflicted by suffering; for deluded ordinary beings, though actually present he manifests extinction. If beings constantly saw the Buddha, they would become arrogant, unrestrained, negligent, attached to desires, and might even fall into evil destinies. The Buddha constantly knows whether beings practice the Way and teaches various dharmas according to how they can be liberated. Manifested extinction and teaching the Dharma thus equally belong to rescue.
The parable therefore does not make skillful means the opposite of truth. Precisely because the Buddha is actually unextinguished can he manifest extinction according to what beings need. And because his intent remains throughout to rescue from suffering and lead beings into the Buddha Way, this skillful means closes with benefit that is not false.
VI. Why Does the Final Line Place Opening the Three to Reveal the One Beside Opening the Near to Reveal the Distant?
In the final line of the application, the Buddha repeatedly asks himself how he can enable beings to enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body. The root treatise here places opening the three to reveal the One beside opening the near to reveal the distant. The former gathers the three vehicles to disclose the One Buddha Vehicle; the latter opens the skillful teaching of recent attainment to disclose attainment in the distant past. Each has what it opens and what it reveals and cannot be compressed into a single name.
Yet in this verse both share one conclusion: enabling beings swiftly to enter the Buddha Way. The Buddha’s words being not false in the Dharma teaching, the inability to call the physician false in the opening parable, and the certainty that this matter is not false in the application form one continuous line. “Not false” means not only that the words do not deceive, but that the benefit continuously carried out by the Buddha will ultimately enable beings to enter unsurpassed wisdom.
VII. Carrying Forward: Why Does “Distinctions in Benefits” Immediately Follow the Completion of the Lifespan Teaching?
This unit ends with the wish that beings enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body. The next chapter immediately continues with the benefits that arise in the assembly upon hearing the great duration of the Buddha’s lifespan. The reading path moves from how the Buddha benefits beings from the distant past to how beings benefit after hearing. The preceding chapter reveals the lifespan and skillful means of the speaker; the following chapter takes up the qualities generated in those who hear.
This succession also keeps the conditions for seeing in the present verse from remaining only a scene. Cultivating qualities, becoming gentle and upright, and seeing the Buddha and hearing the Dharma already bring the hearer to the threshold of the next chapter. If the teaching of the Buddha’s distant lifespan became only a magnificent number, no benefit could arise. Only when it ends doubt and causes beings to aspire to the Buddha Way does the Lifespan teaching truly take root in the person receiving the Dharma.
Through the Eye of the Wenjuji
Zhanran’s directly corresponding Mirror passage does not explain all twenty-five and a half lines anew, but begins with the relation between Vulture Peak and the land of recompense. First, on the basis of the meaning of other lands and the land with remainder, he identifies the recompense land with the other-enjoyment land. Then, on the basis of the words “constantly abiding,” he identifies it with the self-enjoyment land. Finally, on the basis of the jeweled adornments in the verse, he proposes a reading in which it is either not one’s own land or belongs to others at the time of the Origin, generally citing the Flower Garland Sutra as frequently explaining other-enjoyment. All three are detailed Mirror judgments concerning the lands; the root treatise itself directly states here only the land of true recompense.
Concerning the other dwelling places, Zhanran first says that “the other lands above” points to the words “I am in other lands,” then extends the general meaning to pure and impure lands throughout the ten directions. The land of expedient means with remainder is thereby not read as restricted to a single place. Its extension through the pure and impure lands of the ten directions nevertheless remains Mirror exegesis and cannot be rewritten as though the root treatise had explicitly listed it.
Concerning the conditions for seeing, Zhanran explains those who cultivate qualities as possessing both conditioning and discernment causes, correlates “at times for this assembly” with the first ground and first abode, correlates “those who see the Buddha only after a long interval” with beings heavily burdened by the five turbidities, and reads “such is the power of my wisdom” as a general conclusion of great power. These expressions make the capacities, stages, and conclusion more precise, but each is added only after the root treatise has identified the passage simply as the conditions for seeing.
The Mirror also cites the sutra as saying “then all see my body, the land of true recompense,” whereas the received root sutra reads “then all see my body, teaching the Dharma here.” The apparatus places the two wordings side by side and does not silently correct one from the other. This place especially reveals the Mirror’s function: it can preserve an ancient master’s reading path and illuminate a difference in transmission, but what is seen in the Mirror must still be attributed to it and cannot be filled back into the root sutra or Zhizhe’s words.
Earlier, Zhanran also says that the future meaning in the prose Dharma teaching was lodged only in the four characters “constantly abiding without extinction,” while the ten and a half lines beginning with “I see the many beings” in the verse unfold it extensively. This upstream Mirror explanation illuminates why the future suddenly receives greater weight in this unit: it is not a new meaning, but an unfolding in verse of what was lodged in the prose. The direct Mirror passage adds no separate explanation for the past, present, or the good physician’s opening and application, which therefore continue to rest on the root treatise’s own divisions and the root-sutra verse.
考據Apparatus
本單元消釋〈如來壽量品〉末後二十五行半偈頌。智者先以法說、譬說統攝全段，再把法說依過去、現在、未來三世益物與利益不虛分判，把譬說依開譬、合譬及過去、現在、不虛逐層配對。嚴格域起於「偈二十五行半，頌上法譬」〔T34n1718 0135c11〕，止於「此事必得不虛也」〔T34n1718 0136a08–0136a09〕。
一、科判定位
本單元位於本門〈如來壽量品〉正說末段，承前長行法說與良醫譬，以偈頌重宣。根經今本分作五十一個十字偈行；本論以每兩個偈行計為一行，故判作二十五行半。其分層與行數如下：
| 層次 | 本論逐字與首字實位 | 根經偈行 |
|---|---|---|
| 總攝 | 「偈二十五行半，頌上法譬。」〔T34n1718 0135c11〕 | 一至五十一 |
| 法說、譬說 | 「初二十行半，頌法說；次五行，頌譬說。」〔T34n1718 0135c12〕 | 一至四十一；四十二至五十一 |
| 法說二分 | 「上法說有二，今頌亦二：初十九行半，頌三世益物；次，一行，頌皆實不虛。」〔T34n1718 0135c13〕 | 一至三十九；四十至四十一 |
| 過去三分 | 「初四行，頌過去世益物為三：初一行，頌上成道已久；」〔T34n1718 0135c14〕 | 一至八 |
| 過去一 | 「初一行，頌上成道已久；」〔T34n1718 0135c15〕 | 一至二 |
| 過去二 | 「次「常說法」下，第二，一行，頌上中間益物；」〔T34n1718 0135c15〕 | 三至四 |
| 過去三 | 「次「為度眾生」下，第三，二行，頌上住處。」〔T34n1718 0135c16〕 | 五至八 |
| 現在 | 「次「眾見我」下，第二，五行，頌現在。」〔T34n1718 0135c17〕 | 九至十八 |
| 現在一 | 「上文有二：初二行半，頌非生現生；」〔T34n1718 0135c18〕 | 九至十三 |
| 現在二 | 「次「我時語」下，第二，二行半，頌非滅現滅。」〔T34n1718 0135c19〕 | 十四至十八 |
| 未來 | 「次「我見諸」下，第三，十行半，頌上未來。」〔T34n1718 0135c20〕 | 十九至三十九 |
| 未來總說 | 「上但寄「常住不滅」四字，今頌則廣。」〔T34n1718 0135c21〕 | 十九至三十九 |
| 未來一 | 「文為四：初「我見」下一行半，明未來機應。」〔T34n1718 0135c21〕 | 十九至二十一 |
| 未來二 | 「次「神通力如是」下，第二，四行，頌上常住不滅。」〔T34n1718 0135c22〕 | 二十二至二十九 |
| 未來三 | 「次「我淨土」下，第三，二行，明不見因緣。」〔T34n1718 0135c27〕 | 三十至三十三 |
| 未來四 | 「次「諸有修功德」下，第四，三行，明得見因緣。」〔T34n1718 0135c28〕 | 三十四至三十九 |
| 法說收束 | 「次「汝等有智」下，第二，一行，頌上利益不虛也。」〔T34n1718 0135c29〕 | 四十至四十一 |
| 譬說二分 | 「次，五行，頌譬，為二：一行頌開譬，為三：」〔T34n1718 0136a01〕 | 四十二至五十一 |
| 開譬一 | 「初一句，頌過去；」〔T34n1718 0136a02〕 | 四十二前句 |
| 開譬二 | 「「為治」下二句，頌現在，不頌未來也，」〔T34n1718 0136a02〕 | 四十二後句至四十三前句 |
| 開譬三 | 「「無能說」下，第三，一句，頌不虛。」〔T34n1718 0136a03〕 | 四十三後句 |
| 合譬 | 「「後我亦為」下，第二，四行，頌合譬。」〔T34n1718 0136a04〕 | 四十四至五十一 |
| 合譬一 | 「上合中本不合未來，今初半行頌合過去；」〔T34n1718 0136a05〕 | 四十四 |
| 合譬二 | 「次「凡夫」下，第二，二行半，頌合現在；」〔T34n1718 0136a06〕 | 四十五至四十九 |
| 合譬三 | 「後「每自作」下，第三，一行，頌合不虛，開三顯一、開近顯遠，欲令眾生速入佛道，此事必得不虛也。」〔T34n1718 0136a06〕 | 五十至五十一 |
數目相合：法說三世益物三十九個偈行，加利益不虛二個，成四十一個；譬說開譬二個，加合譬八個，成十個；合計五十一個偈行。
《法華文句記》直接對位段起於〔T34n1719 0340c10〕同一行後半的「常在靈山為報土」，止於〔0340c20〕「總結大勢力也」；下一行〔0340c21〕已起釋〈分別功德品〉。它只對土義及得見因緣中的若干句另作鏡釋，其餘科段沒有逐句重釋。
二、成立與傳本
本單元沿用全帙卷端所記的三層傳承：義說歸天台智者，文字由灌頂私記，傳世次第又經唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫治定。神逈序記「灌頂法師私記，合二十卷」〔T34n1718 0001a23〕；本單元所在半卷仍署智者說。故本論科判與判語歸智者，湛然《法華文句記》的後出解說另列為鏡，不倒入本文。
嚴格域由兩個相連段落構成，跨大正藏〔0135c11–0136a09〕。正文有三組【大】／【甲】異讀，均為甲本缺字；沒有星號校、單邊校記、省略式校記、行內夾註或缺字圖形。這些傳本事實只支持現行字面有三處異存，不據以判定哪一本較勝。
三、所帖經文與所引
（一）根經偈頌
根經先說「爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：」〔T09n0262 0043b10–0043b11〕。下表依五十一個十字偈行的原次第列出今本 T09n0262，並標本論科位：
| 偈行 | T09n0262 今本逐字 | 首字實位 | 本論科位 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 「自我得佛來，所經諸劫數，」 | 0043b12 | 法說・過去・成道已久 |
| 二 | 「無量百千萬，億載阿僧祇，」 | 0043b13 | 法說・過去・成道已久 |
| 三 | 「常說法教化，無數億眾生，」 | 0043b14 | 法說・過去・中間益物 |
| 四 | 「令入於佛道。爾來無量劫，」 | 0043b15 | 法說・過去・中間益物 |
| 五 | 「為度眾生故，方便現涅槃，」 | 0043b16 | 法說・過去・住處 |
| 六 | 「而實不滅度，常住此說法。」 | 0043b17 | 法說・過去・住處 |
| 七 | 「我常住於此，以諸神通力，」 | 0043b18 | 法說・過去・住處 |
| 八 | 「令顛倒眾生，雖近而不見。」 | 0043b19 | 法說・過去・住處 |
| 九 | 「眾見我滅度，廣供養舍利，」 | 0043b20 | 法說・現在・非生現生 |
| 十 | 「咸皆懷戀慕，而生渴仰心。」 | 0043b21 | 法說・現在・非生現生 |
| 十一 | 「眾生既信伏，質直意柔軟，」 | 0043b22 | 法說・現在・非生現生 |
| 十二 | 「一心欲見佛，不自惜身命。」 | 0043b23 | 法說・現在・非生現生 |
| 十三 | 「時我及眾僧，俱出靈鷲山，」 | 0043b24 | 法說・現在・非生現生 |
| 十四 | 「我時語眾生：『常在此不滅，」 | 0043b25 | 法說・現在・非滅現滅 |
| 十五 | 「以方便力故，現有滅不滅。』」 | 0043b26 | 法說・現在・非滅現滅 |
| 十六 | 「餘國有眾生，恭敬信樂者，」 | 0043b27 | 法說・現在・非滅現滅 |
| 十七 | 「我復於彼中，為說無上法。」 | 0043b28 | 法說・現在・非滅現滅 |
| 十八 | 「汝等不聞此，但謂我滅度。」 | 0043b29 | 法說・現在・非滅現滅 |
| 十九 | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」 | 0043c01 | 法說・未來・機應 |
| 二十 | 「故不為現身，令其生渴仰，」 | 0043c02 | 法說・未來・機應 |
| 二十一 | 「因其心戀慕，乃出為說法。」 | 0043c03 | 法說・未來・機應 |
| 二十二 | 「神通力如是，於阿僧祇劫，」 | 0043c04 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十三 | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」 | 0043c05 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十四 | 「眾生見劫盡，大火所燒時，」 | 0043c06 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十五 | 「我此土安隱，天人常充滿。」 | 0043c07 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十六 | 「園林諸堂閣，種種寶莊嚴，」 | 0043c08 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十七 | 「寶樹多花菓，眾生所遊樂。」 | 0043c09 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十八 | 「諸天擊天鼓，常作眾伎樂，」 | 0043c10 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 二十九 | 「雨曼陀羅花，散佛及大眾。」 | 0043c11 | 法說・未來・常住不滅 |
| 三十 | 「我淨土不毀，而眾見燒盡，」 | 0043c12 | 法說・未來・不見因緣 |
| 三十一 | 「憂怖諸苦惱，如是悉充滿。」 | 0043c13 | 法說・未來・不見因緣 |
| 三十二 | 「是諸罪眾生，以惡業因緣，」 | 0043c14 | 法說・未來・不見因緣 |
| 三十三 | 「過阿僧祇劫，不聞三寶名。」 | 0043c15 | 法說・未來・不見因緣 |
| 三十四 | 「諸有修功德，柔和質直者，」 | 0043c16 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 三十五 | 「則皆見我身，在此而說法。」 | 0043c17 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 三十六 | 「或時為此眾，說佛壽無量，」 | 0043c18 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 三十七 | 「久乃見佛者，為說佛難值。」 | 0043c19 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 三十八 | 「我智力如是，慧光照無量，」 | 0043c20 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 三十九 | 「壽命無數劫，久修業所得。」 | 0043c21 | 法說・未來・得見因緣 |
| 四十 | 「汝等有智者，勿於此生疑，」 | 0043c22 | 法說・利益不虛 |
| 四十一 | 「當斷令永盡，佛語實不虛。」 | 0043c23 | 法說・利益不虛 |
| 四十二 | 「如醫善方便，為治狂子故，」 | 0043c24 | 開譬・過去；現在 |
| 四十三 | 「實在而言死，無能說虛妄。」 | 0043c25 | 開譬・現在；不虛 |
| 四十四 | 「我亦為世父，救諸苦患者，」 | 0043c26 | 合譬・過去 |
| 四十五 | 「為凡夫顛倒，實在而言滅。」 | 0043c27 | 合譬・現在 |
| 四十六 | 「以常見我故，而生憍恣心，」 | 0043c28 | 合譬・現在 |
| 四十七 | 「放逸著五欲，墮於惡道中。」 | 0043c29 | 合譬・現在 |
| 四十八 | 「我常知眾生，行道不行道，」 | 0044a01 | 合譬・現在 |
| 四十九 | 「隨所應可度，為說種種法。」 | 0044a02 | 合譬・現在 |
| 五十 | 「每自作是意，以何令眾生，」 | 0044a03 | 合譬・不虛 |
| 五十一 | 「得入無上慧，速成就佛身。」 | 0044a04 | 合譬・不虛 |
（二）本論帖語與今本對讀
本論以起語標出偈段。下列二十一組各守原本字面，異處並列不判：
| T34n1718 本論帖語 | T09n0262 今本 | 字面關係 |
|---|---|---|
| 「次「常說法」下，第二，一行，頌上中間益物；」〔0135c15〕 | 「常說法教化，無數億眾生，」〔0043b14〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「為度眾生」下，第三，二行，頌上住處。」〔0135c16〕 | 「為度眾生故，方便現涅槃，」〔0043b16〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「眾見我」下，第二，五行，頌現在。」〔0135c17〕 | 「眾見我滅度，廣供養舍利，」〔0043b20〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「我時語」下，第二，二行半，頌非滅現滅。」〔0135c19〕 | 「我時語眾生：『常在此不滅，」〔0043b25〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「我見諸」下，第三，十行半，頌上未來。」〔0135c20〕 | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」〔0043c01〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「上但寄「常住不滅」四字，今頌則廣。」〔0135c21〕 | 長行「壽命無量阿僧祇劫，常住不滅。」〔0042c20〕 | 四字在偈前長行，不是五十一句中的連文 |
| 「文為四：初「我見」下一行半，明未來機應。」〔0135c21〕 | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」〔0043c01〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「神通力如是」下，第二，四行，頌上常住不滅。」〔0135c22〕 | 「神通力如是，於阿僧祇劫，」〔0043c04〕 | 字面同 |
| 「「常在靈鷲山」，此謂實報土也，」〔0135c23〕 | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」〔0043c05〕 | 本論引前句並加判語 |
| 「「及餘諸住處」者，謂方便有餘土也，即上餘國義也。」〔0135c24〕 | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」〔0043c05〕 | 本論引後句並加判語 |
| 「「天人充滿」者，三十心是「人」，十地是「天」。」〔0135c25〕 | 「我此土安隱，天人常充滿。」〔0043c07〕 | 今本在天人與充滿之間有常 |
| 「「擊天鼓」者，無問自說也。」〔0135c26〕 | 「諸天擊天鼓，常作眾伎樂，」〔0043c10〕 | 本論所帖為今本內部連文 |
| 「「曼陀羅華」者，說賢聖位也。」〔0135c26〕 | 「雨曼陀羅花，散佛及大眾。」〔0043c11〕 | 今本前有雨，末字作花 |
| 「次「我淨土」下，第三，二行，明不見因緣。」〔0135c27〕 | 「我淨土不毀，而眾見燒盡，」〔0043c12〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「次「諸有修功德」下，第四，三行，明得見因緣。」〔0135c28〕 | 「諸有修功德，柔和質直者，」〔0043c16〕 | 字面同 |
| 「次「汝等有智」下，第二，一行，頌上利益不虛也。」〔0135c29〕 | 「汝等有智者，勿於此生疑，」〔0043c22〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
| 「「為治」下二句，頌現在，不頌未來也，」〔0136a02〕 | 「如醫善方便，為治狂子故，」〔0043c24〕 | 本論所帖為今本內部連文 |
| 「「無能說」下，第三，一句，頌不虛。」〔0136a03〕 | 「實在而言死，無能說虛妄。」〔0043c25〕 | 本論所帖為今本內部連文 |
| 「「後我亦為」下，第二，四行，頌合譬。」〔0136a04〕 | 「我亦為世父，救諸苦患者，」〔0043c26〕 | 後是本論次序連詞，今本直接起我亦為世父 |
| 「次「凡夫」下，第二，二行半，頌合現在；」〔0136a06〕 | 「為凡夫顛倒，實在而言滅。」〔0043c27〕 | 本論所帖為今本內部連文 |
| 「後「每自作」下，第三，一行，頌合不虛，開三顯一、開近顯遠，欲令眾生速入佛道，此事必得不虛也。」〔0136a06〕 | 「每自作是意，以何令眾生，」〔0044a03〕 | 本論所帖為今本前綴 |
（三）上餘國義
本單元說餘住處「即上餘國義也」〔T34n1718 0135c25〕。《文句記》只明指上文起語為我於餘國。根經此前有兩個候選：
| 根經逐字 | 首字實位 | 本論既有對讀 |
|---|---|---|
| 「我於餘國作佛，更有異名。」 | T09n0262 0025c16 | 本論前品對此句釋作方便有餘之土〔T34n1718 0093c06–0093c09〕 |
| 「我於餘國遣化人為其集聽法眾」 | T09n0262 0031c29 | 語境為遣化人集合聽法之眾 |
前一候選另有本論明文相接，後一候選亦確有同一起語；此處保存兩個磁碟所見，不把後出鏡語擴成唯一裁斷。
（四）鏡引與今本
《法華文句記》在直接鏡段中四次稱《經》；其中一處與今本文字不同：
| T34n1719 鏡引 | T09n0262 今本 | 登記 |
|---|---|---|
| 「《經》云「則皆見我身實報土」也。」〔0340c17〕 | 「則皆見我身，在此而說法。」〔0043c17〕 | 前六字相同；後半各守其本 |
| 「《經》云「或時為此眾」等者，亦初地初住也。」〔0340c18〕 | 「或時為此眾，說佛壽無量，」〔0043c18〕 | 起語同；階位是鏡釋 |
| 「《經》云「久乃見佛」者，即指五濁重者。」〔0340c19〕 | 「久乃見佛者，為說佛難值。」〔0043c19〕 | 起語同；機類是鏡釋 |
| 「《經》云「我智力如是」，總結大勢力也。」〔0340c20〕 | 「我智力如是，慧光照無量，」〔0043c20〕 | 起語同；總結語是鏡釋 |
（五）他引
T34n1718 本單元沒有具名他引；除所帖〈如來壽量品〉偈頌外，未另標經論名。《法華文句記》有一條具名泛引：「如華嚴中多明他受用耳。」〔T34n1719 0340c14〕。它沒有卷品、起語或逐字經句，故只登記為鏡層泛引，不補造《華嚴經》原句。
四、文句記釋要〔鏡〕
《法華文句記》直接對位只有一個段落。下表依其原次第列出鏡釋，並與本論自說分層：
| 本論節點 | 《法華文句記》逐字與首字實位 | 層限 |
|---|---|---|
| 靈鷲山、實報土 | 「「常在靈山為報土」者，若準餘國指有餘土者，報土須指他受用也。」〔T34n1719 0340c10〕 | 依餘國作他受用，是鏡釋 |
| 同上 | 「據「常在」之言，即屬自受用土；」〔0340c12〕 | 依常在作自受用，是鏡釋 |
| 寶莊嚴 | 「若準頌文寶莊嚴言，則非自土即本時他也，如華嚴中多明他受用耳。」〔0340c13〕 | 本論本單元未另釋寶莊嚴 |
| 上餘國義 | 「「即上餘國義也」者，指上「我於餘國」文也。」〔0340c14〕 | 只明所指起語 |
| 餘住處 | 「此且指於報土之外，通則亦遍十方若淨若穢。」〔0340c15〕 | 十方淨穢是鏡釋 |
| 得見因緣 | 「「諸有修功德」等者，即指緣、了具足者也，」〔0340c16〕 | 緣、了具足是鏡釋 |
| 得見我身 | 「《經》云「則皆見我身實報土」也。」〔0340c17〕 | 鏡引與今本後半有異 |
| 或時為此眾 | 「《經》云「或時為此眾」等者，亦初地初住也。」〔0340c18〕 | 初地初住是鏡釋 |
| 久乃見佛 | 「《經》云「久乃見佛」者，即指五濁重者。」〔0340c19〕 | 五濁重者是鏡釋 |
| 我智力如是 | 「《經》云「我智力如是」，總結大勢力也。」〔0340c20〕 | 大勢力是鏡釋 |
直接鏡段以前另有三處上游互文。其一，以「開顯文二：先誡信；次正答，又二：長行、偈頌。」〔T34n1719 0332c07〕確認長行與偈頌同級。其二，鏡文說「法說中未來語少」只指長行寄常住不滅四字，又說偈法說從我見諸眾生以下十行半，故偈中文廣〔0333a21–0333a25〕。其三，鏡文再釋「寄此四字」為常住不滅，並以不滅之益至未來〔0337a28–0337a29〕。三處都是鏡釋上游互文，不改寫成本單元原句。
直接鏡段沒有另釋過去益物三分、現在非生現生與非滅現滅、未來機應、不見因緣、利益不虛及開合二譬的大部分句段。此處的無另釋只是鏡段實況，不表示本論或根經缺義。
五、諸家異釋
本單元嚴格域未見『有人云』『或言』『舊云』『解者不同』『一云』，也未見或云、有云、舊人、一解、二解、私謂、舊師等另列異解的標記。因此，本論自錄異釋為零條，本目據實不虛列。
《法華文句記》對報土、餘住處、得見條件、階位與機類所作的分判，均屬鏡釋，已列入目四；它們不是本論在本單元自錄的諸家異說。
六、術語
| 詞語 | 本單元義位 |
|---|---|
| 法說、譬說 | 二十五行半偈的兩大段；法說二十行半，譬說五行 |
| 三世益物 | 法說前十九行半，依過去、現在、未來次第分判 |
| 成道已久 | 過去益物第一分，對根經最初兩句 |
| 中間益物 | 過去益物第二分，對久遠以來常說法教化 |
| 住處 | 過去益物第三分，對現涅槃、實不滅度、常住說法與近而不見 |
| 非生現生 | 現在段前二行半；本論以眾生戀慕而佛與眾僧出靈鷲山為其偈段 |
| 非滅現滅 | 現在段後二行半；根經並說常在不滅與方便示現滅度 |
| 未來機應 | 未來十行半第一分；先不現身令生渴仰，因其戀慕乃出說法 |
| 常住不滅 | 未來第二分；長行只寄四字，偈頌展為四行 |
| 實報土 | 本論以常在靈鷲山判之；是本論判語，不冒充根經原句 |
| 方便有餘土 | 本論以餘諸住處判之；又回指上餘國義 |
| 三十心、十地 | 本論把天人充滿中的人配三十心，把天配十地，次序不可倒置 |
| 無問自說 | 本論以擊天鼓釋之 |
| 賢聖位 | 本論以曼陀羅華釋之 |
| 不見因緣 | 未來第三分；根經說淨土不毀，而罪眾生因惡業久不聞三寶 |
| 得見因緣 | 未來第四分；根經說修功德、柔和質直者得見佛身與說法 |
| 利益不虛 | 法說末一行，告有智者斷盡疑惑，結佛語實不虛 |
| 開譬、合譬 | 譬說五行的兩分；開譬一行，合譬四行 |
| 開三顯一、開近顯遠 | 合譬末一行並列的兩項，目的都收在令眾生入無上慧、速成佛身，不合併為一項 |
本單元嚴格域沒有五時八教、化儀、化法、藏通別圓、迹門十妙、本門十妙、一念三千等後世約詞。這一零見只限定本單元字面，不用來推斷經義有無。
七、譬喻・互讀・承衍
法說中的意象依偈次第展開：久遠成道與持續教化先立時間；現涅槃而實不滅、常住而眾生不見，隨即把方便與真實並置；眾生戀慕、佛與眾僧出靈鷲山，又把不見轉為得見。未來段中，同一國土呈現兩幅景象：眾生見劫火燒盡，佛土卻安隱，園林、堂閣、寶樹、天鼓、伎樂與曼陀羅花俱在。接著，不見與得見分繫惡業因緣、修功德與柔和質直，使景象回到眾生能否得見的因緣。
譬說以良醫和世父承接法說。良醫實在而說死，為治狂子；佛實在而示滅，為救顛倒凡夫。開譬只取過去、現在與不虛，不另頌未來；合譬亦只配過去、現在、不虛。本論兩次明記不合未來，不能因法說確有未來十行半，便把不同父層的數目混為一表。
與本版《妙法蓮華經》〈如來壽量品〉互讀，五十一個偈行正是本單元逐段所帖的根經底；前一長行良醫譬可與本帙壽量品長行譬說互讀，後一〈分別功德品〉則承接眾會聞佛壽命長遠所得之益。與《法華文句》本品前文互讀，常住不滅四字先在長行法說中略寄，到本偈才展為十行半未來文；這是本論自身明說的前後承接。
本單元末句並列開三顯一與開近顯遠，再以令眾生速入佛道、此事必得不虛收束。它把法說的利益不虛、良醫譬的無能說虛妄與合譬的佛語目的扣在一起；其後承衍至〈分別功德品〉時，讀路由壽量之說轉入聞說後的得益，不另在本單元補寫下一品的功德名目。
八、校本定位
（一）T34n1718 三組【大】／【甲】
| 首字實位 | 【大】 | 【甲】 | 所在短境 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0135c22 | 通 | 甲本缺 | 神通力如是 |
| 0135c27 | 說 | 甲本缺 | 說賢聖位也 |
| 0135c27 | 次 | 甲本缺 | 次我淨土下 |
三組均為直接對舉式校記。嚴格域沒有星號校的對應式，沒有另立的單邊校記，也沒有以首末字與字數表示的省略式校記。正文守【大】，只並錄甲本缺字，不判增刪。
（二）T09n0262 偈頌五組異讀
| 首字實位 | 【大】 | 異讀 |
|---|---|---|
| 0043c09 | 菓 | 果【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【敦】【敦丙】 |
| 0043c25 | 死 | 化【敦】【敦方】 |
| 0043c27 | 滅 | 死【敦】【敦丙】 |
| 0044a02 | 所應 | 應所【敦】【敦丙】 |
| 0044a04 | 慧 | 道【敦丙】 |
五組皆在根經五十一句內，只作所帖經文的校勘見證，不反向改動《法華文句》的科語。
（三）外字、段落與頁錨
T34n1718 嚴格域沒有缺字圖形，根經五十一個偈行也沒有缺字圖形。T1718 只有三處空讀，均是上述甲本缺字，不是正文無法辨識。
讀者原典依 raw XML 的兩個段落分成兩行。頁錨採換頁一枚、段首行內精錨：第一段起〔T34 0135c11〕，跨頁後第二段起〔T34 0136a01〕；不逐欄重標，也不在句中插錨。考據中的每一引文另以首字前最近的大正藏行標定位；若引文跨行，範圍起錨仍取首字實位。
This unit explains the final twenty-five and a half lines of verse in the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter. Zhizhe first gathers the entire passage under teaching by Dharma and teaching by parable. He then divides the Dharma teaching according to benefiting beings in the past, present, and future and the non-falsehood of that benefit, while correlating the teaching by parable level by level with opening and applying the parable and with past, present, and non-falsehood. The strict domain begins with 「偈二十五行半，頌上法譬」 tr. “The twenty-five and a half lines of verse recapitulate the preceding Dharma teaching and parable” at T34n1718 〔0135c11〕 and ends with 「此事必得不虛也」 tr. “This matter is necessarily not false” at T34n1718 〔0136a08–0136a09〕.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
This unit lies at the end of the main teaching in the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter of the Origin Gate, following and recapitulating the preceding prose Dharma teaching and good-physician parable. The received root sutra has fifty-one ten-character verse lines. The root treatise counts every two verse lines as one line and therefore calls the passage twenty-five and a half lines. Its divisions and counts are as follows:
| Level | Exact root-treatise wording and first-character locus | Root-sutra verse lines |
|---|---|---|
| General compass | 「偈二十五行半，頌上法譬。」 tr. “The twenty-five and a half lines of verse recapitulate the Dharma teaching and parable above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c11〕 | One through fifty-one |
| Dharma teaching and parable | 「初二十行半，頌法說；次五行，頌譬說。」 tr. “The first twenty and a half lines recapitulate the Dharma teaching; the next five recapitulate the teaching by parable.” 〔T34n1718 0135c12〕 | One through forty-one; forty-two through fifty-one |
| Two divisions of the Dharma teaching | 「上法說有二，今頌亦二：初十九行半，頌三世益物；次，一行，頌皆實不虛。」 tr. “The Dharma teaching above had two parts, and the present verse likewise has two: the first nineteen and a half lines recapitulate benefiting beings in the three periods; the next line recapitulates that all is real and not false.” 〔T34n1718 0135c13〕 | One through thirty-nine; forty through forty-one |
| Three divisions of the past | 「初四行，頌過去世益物為三：初一行，頌上成道已久；」 tr. “The first four lines recapitulate benefiting beings in the past in three parts: the first line recapitulates that attainment of the Way occurred long ago.” 〔T34n1718 0135c14〕 | One through eight |
| Past I | 「初一行，頌上成道已久；」 tr. “The first line recapitulates that attainment of the Way occurred long ago.” 〔T34n1718 0135c15〕 | One through two |
| Past II | 「次「常說法」下，第二，一行，頌上中間益物；」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘constantly teaching the Dharma,’ the second part, one line, recapitulates benefiting beings in the intervening period above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c15〕 | Three through four |
| Past III | 「次「為度眾生」下，第三，二行，頌上住處。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘in order to liberate beings,’ the third part, two lines, recapitulates the dwelling places above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c16〕 | Five through eight |
| Present | 「次「眾見我」下，第二，五行，頌現在。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘beings see me,’ the second part, five lines, recapitulates the present.” 〔T34n1718 0135c17〕 | Nine through eighteen |
| Present I | 「上文有二：初二行半，頌非生現生；」 tr. “The text above had two parts: the first two and a half lines recapitulate manifesting birth without originally being born.” 〔T34n1718 0135c18〕 | Nine through thirteen |
| Present II | 「次「我時語」下，第二，二行半，頌非滅現滅。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘at that time I tell,’ the second part, two and a half lines, recapitulates manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct.” 〔T34n1718 0135c19〕 | Fourteen through eighteen |
| Future | 「次「我見諸」下，第三，十行半，頌上未來。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘I see the many,’ the third part, ten and a half lines, recapitulates the future above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c20〕 | Nineteen through thirty-nine |
| General statement of the future | 「上但寄「常住不滅」四字，今頌則廣。」 tr. “Above the meaning was lodged only in the four characters ‘constantly abiding without extinction’; the present verse is extensive.” 〔T34n1718 0135c21〕 | Nineteen through thirty-nine |
| Future I | 「文為四：初「我見」下一行半，明未來機應。」 tr. “The text is fourfold: first, the line and a half beginning with ‘I see’ explains future capacity and response.” 〔T34n1718 0135c21〕 | Nineteen through twenty-one |
| Future II | 「次「神通力如是」下，第二，四行，頌上常住不滅。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘such is the power of supernormal penetration,’ the second part, four lines, recapitulates constant abiding without extinction above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c22〕 | Twenty-two through twenty-nine |
| Future III | 「次「我淨土」下，第三，二行，明不見因緣。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘my pure land,’ the third part, two lines, explains the conditions for not seeing.” 〔T34n1718 0135c27〕 | Thirty through thirty-three |
| Future IV | 「次「諸有修功德」下，第四，三行，明得見因緣。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘those who cultivate qualities,’ the fourth part, three lines, explains the conditions for seeing.” 〔T34n1718 0135c28〕 | Thirty-four through thirty-nine |
| Conclusion of the Dharma teaching | 「次「汝等有智」下，第二，一行，頌上利益不虛也。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘you who possess wisdom,’ the second part, one line, recapitulates the unfailing benefit above.” 〔T34n1718 0135c29〕 | Forty through forty-one |
| Two divisions of the teaching by parable | 「次，五行，頌譬，為二：一行頌開譬，為三：」 tr. “Next, five lines recapitulate the parable in two parts: one line recapitulates opening the parable in three parts.” 〔T34n1718 0136a01〕 | Forty-two through fifty-one |
| Opening I | 「初一句，頌過去；」 tr. “The first phrase recapitulates the past.” 〔T34n1718 0136a02〕 | First phrase of forty-two |
| Opening II | 「「為治」下二句，頌現在，不頌未來也，」 tr. “The two phrases beginning with ‘in order to treat’ recapitulate the present and do not recapitulate the future.” 〔T34n1718 0136a02〕 | Final phrase of forty-two through first phrase of forty-three |
| Opening III | 「「無能說」下，第三，一句，頌不虛。」 tr. “Beginning with ‘no one can say,’ the third part, one phrase, recapitulates non-falsehood.” 〔T34n1718 0136a03〕 | Final phrase of forty-three |
| Applying the parable | 「「後我亦為」下，第二，四行，頌合譬。」 tr. “Beginning with ‘then I too become,’ the second part, four lines, recapitulates applying the parable.” 〔T34n1718 0136a04〕 | Forty-four through fifty-one |
| Application I | 「上合中本不合未來，今初半行頌合過去；」 tr. “The application above originally did not apply to the future; the first half-line here recapitulates application to the past.” 〔T34n1718 0136a05〕 | Forty-four |
| Application II | 「次「凡夫」下，第二，二行半，頌合現在；」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘ordinary beings,’ the second part, two and a half lines, recapitulates application to the present.” 〔T34n1718 0136a06〕 | Forty-five through forty-nine |
| Application III | 「後「每自作」下，第三，一行，頌合不虛，開三顯一、開近顯遠，欲令眾生速入佛道，此事必得不虛也。」 tr. “Finally, beginning with ‘repeatedly forming,’ the third part, one line, recapitulates application to non-falsehood: opening the three to reveal the One and opening the near to reveal the distant, seeking to enable beings swiftly to enter the Buddha Way. This matter is necessarily not false.” 〔T34n1718 0136a06〕 | Fifty through fifty-one |
The arithmetic agrees: the thirty-nine verse lines concerning benefit in the three periods plus the two concerning non-falsehood make forty-one in the Dharma teaching; the two that open the parable plus the eight that apply it make ten in the teaching by parable; together they make fifty-one verse lines.
The directly corresponding Wenjuji passage begins in the latter half of the line at T34n1719 〔0340c10〕 with 「常在靈山為報土」 tr. “constantly abiding on Vulture Peak is the recompense land” and ends at 〔0340c20〕 with 「總結大勢力也」 tr. “a general conclusion of great power.” The next line, 〔0340c21〕, already begins the explanation of the “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter. This Mirror passage separately explains only the classification of lands and several phrases within the conditions for seeing; it does not re-explain the remaining divisions phrase by phrase.
II. Formation and Transmission
This unit inherits the threefold transmission recorded at the head of the work: the doctrinal discourse belongs to the Great Master Zhizhe of Tiantai, the wording was privately recorded by Guanding, and the received sequence was later arranged by Monk Lang in the wuxu year of the Tianbao era. Shenjiong’s preface records 「灌頂法師私記，合二十卷」 tr. “Dharma Master Guanding privately recorded it and combined it into twenty fascicles” at T34n1718 〔0001a23〕; the half-fascicle containing this unit still bears the attribution to Zhizhe. The root treatise’s divisions and judgments therefore belong to Zhizhe, while Zhanran’s later explanations in the Fahua Wenjuji are separately presented as the Mirror and are not poured into the root text.
The strict domain consists of two adjacent paragraphs spanning Taishō 〔0135c11–0136a09〕. The text has three variant readings between 【Taishō】 and 【Edition A】, all characters absent in Edition A. It has no asterisk note, one-sided note, omission-count note, inline annotation, or missing-character form. These transmission facts establish only that three variant positions exist in the received witnesses and do not determine which witness is superior.
III. Sutra Passages Explained and Works Cited
A. Root-Sutra Verse
The root sutra first says 「爾時世尊欲重宣此義，而說偈言：」 tr. “At that time the World-Honored One, wishing to restate this meaning, spoke in verse” at T09n0262 〔0043b10–0043b11〕. The following table presents the fifty-one ten-character verse lines of the received T09n0262 in their original order and marks the root treatise’s divisions:
| Verse line | Exact received T09n0262 text | First-character locus | Root-treatise division |
|---|---|---|---|
| One | 「自我得佛來，所經諸劫數，」 tr. “Since I attained buddhahood, the number of kalpas that have passed” | 0043b12 | Dharma teaching · past · attainment long ago |
| Two | 「無量百千萬，億載阿僧祇，」 tr. “is immeasurable hundreds of thousands of myriads, millions, and asaṃkhyeyas.” | 0043b13 | Dharma teaching · past · attainment long ago |
| Three | 「常說法教化，無數億眾生，」 tr. “I constantly teach the Dharma and transform innumerable millions of beings,” | 0043b14 | Dharma teaching · past · intervening benefit |
| Four | 「令入於佛道。爾來無量劫，」 tr. “causing them to enter the Buddha Way. Throughout the immeasurable kalpas since then,” | 0043b15 | Dharma teaching · past · intervening benefit |
| Five | 「為度眾生故，方便現涅槃，」 tr. “in order to liberate beings, I skillfully manifest nirvāṇa,” | 0043b16 | Dharma teaching · past · dwelling places |
| Six | 「而實不滅度，常住此說法。」 tr. “yet in reality do not enter extinction, constantly abiding here and teaching the Dharma.” | 0043b17 | Dharma teaching · past · dwelling places |
| Seven | 「我常住於此，以諸神通力，」 tr. “I constantly abide here and, through powers of supernormal penetration,” | 0043b18 | Dharma teaching · past · dwelling places |
| Eight | 「令顛倒眾生，雖近而不見。」 tr. “cause deluded beings, though near, not to see me.” | 0043b19 | Dharma teaching · past · dwelling places |
| Nine | 「眾見我滅度，廣供養舍利，」 tr. “When beings see me enter extinction, they make extensive offerings to my relics,” | 0043b20 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested birth without original birth |
| Ten | 「咸皆懷戀慕，而生渴仰心。」 tr. “all cherish longing and generate hearts that thirst and look up.” | 0043b21 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested birth without original birth |
| Eleven | 「眾生既信伏，質直意柔軟，」 tr. “Once beings are subdued through faith, upright and gentle in mind,” | 0043b22 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested birth without original birth |
| Twelve | 「一心欲見佛，不自惜身命。」 tr. “and single-mindedly wish to see the Buddha without sparing their own lives,” | 0043b23 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested birth without original birth |
| Thirteen | 「時我及眾僧，俱出靈鷲山，」 tr. “then I and the saṅgha emerge together on Vulture Peak.” | 0043b24 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested birth without original birth |
| Fourteen | 「我時語眾生：『常在此不滅，」 tr. “At that time I tell the beings: ‘I constantly abide here without extinction;” | 0043b25 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested extinction without original extinction |
| Fifteen | 「以方便力故，現有滅不滅。』」 tr. “through the power of skillful means I manifest extinction and non-extinction.’” | 0043b26 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested extinction without original extinction |
| Sixteen | 「餘國有眾生，恭敬信樂者，」 tr. “In other lands, where beings revere, trust, and delight,” | 0043b27 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested extinction without original extinction |
| Seventeen | 「我復於彼中，為說無上法。」 tr. “I again teach the unsurpassed Dharma among them.” | 0043b28 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested extinction without original extinction |
| Eighteen | 「汝等不聞此，但謂我滅度。」 tr. “You have not heard this and suppose only that I have entered extinction.” | 0043b29 | Dharma teaching · present · manifested extinction without original extinction |
| Nineteen | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」 tr. “I see the many beings sunk in painful distress,” | 0043c01 | Dharma teaching · future · capacity and response |
| Twenty | 「故不為現身，令其生渴仰，」 tr. “and therefore do not manifest my body for them, causing them to thirst and look up.” | 0043c02 | Dharma teaching · future · capacity and response |
| Twenty-one | 「因其心戀慕，乃出為說法。」 tr. “Because their hearts are filled with longing, I then emerge and teach the Dharma.” | 0043c03 | Dharma teaching · future · capacity and response |
| Twenty-two | 「神通力如是，於阿僧祇劫，」 tr. “Such is the power of my supernormal penetration: throughout asaṃkhyeya kalpas,” | 0043c04 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-three | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」 tr. “I constantly abide on Vulture Peak and in other dwelling places.” | 0043c05 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-four | 「眾生見劫盡，大火所燒時，」 tr. “When beings see the kalpa end and everything consumed by great fire,” | 0043c06 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-five | 「我此土安隱，天人常充滿。」 tr. “this land of mine is peaceful and secure, constantly filled with devas and humans.” | 0043c07 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-six | 「園林諸堂閣，種種寶莊嚴，」 tr. “Its gardens, halls, and pavilions are adorned with every kind of jewel,” | 0043c08 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-seven | 「寶樹多花菓，眾生所遊樂。」 tr. “its jeweled trees abound in flowers and fruits, and beings roam there in delight.” | 0043c09 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-eight | 「諸天擊天鼓，常作眾伎樂，」 tr. “The devas beat heavenly drums and constantly make many kinds of music,” | 0043c10 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Twenty-nine | 「雨曼陀羅花，散佛及大眾。」 tr. “raining māndārava flowers upon the Buddha and the great assembly.” | 0043c11 | Dharma teaching · future · constant abiding without extinction |
| Thirty | 「我淨土不毀，而眾見燒盡，」 tr. “My pure land is not destroyed, yet beings see it consumed,” | 0043c12 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for not seeing |
| Thirty-one | 「憂怖諸苦惱，如是悉充滿。」 tr. “completely filled in this way with fear and every painful distress.” | 0043c13 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for not seeing |
| Thirty-two | 「是諸罪眾生，以惡業因緣，」 tr. “Because of the conditions of evil karma, these beings burdened by wrongdoing” | 0043c14 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for not seeing |
| Thirty-three | 「過阿僧祇劫，不聞三寶名。」 tr. “pass asaṃkhyeya kalpas without hearing the names of the Three Jewels.” | 0043c15 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for not seeing |
| Thirty-four | 「諸有修功德，柔和質直者，」 tr. “Those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright” | 0043c16 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Thirty-five | 「則皆見我身，在此而說法。」 tr. “all see my body, teaching the Dharma here.” | 0043c17 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Thirty-six | 「或時為此眾，說佛壽無量，」 tr. “At times I teach this assembly that the Buddha’s lifespan is immeasurable;” | 0043c18 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Thirty-seven | 「久乃見佛者，為說佛難值。」 tr. “to those who see the Buddha only after a long interval, I teach that a buddha is difficult to encounter.” | 0043c19 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Thirty-eight | 「我智力如是，慧光照無量，」 tr. “Such is the power of my wisdom; its radiance illumines without measure.” | 0043c20 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Thirty-nine | 「壽命無數劫，久修業所得。」 tr. “My lifespan is innumerable kalpas, attained through long cultivation.” | 0043c21 | Dharma teaching · future · conditions for seeing |
| Forty | 「汝等有智者，勿於此生疑，」 tr. “You who possess wisdom should not generate doubt concerning this,” | 0043c22 | Dharma teaching · unfailing benefit |
| Forty-one | 「當斷令永盡，佛語實不虛。」 tr. “but should sever it and end it forever. The Buddha’s words are real and not false.” | 0043c23 | Dharma teaching · unfailing benefit |
| Forty-two | 「如醫善方便，為治狂子故，」 tr. “Like a physician skillful in means, in order to treat his deranged children,” | 0043c24 | Opening the parable · past; present |
| Forty-three | 「實在而言死，無能說虛妄。」 tr. “though actually alive he says that he has died; no one can say this is false.” | 0043c25 | Opening the parable · present; non-falsehood |
| Forty-four | 「我亦為世父，救諸苦患者，」 tr. “I too am father of the world, rescuing those afflicted by suffering.” | 0043c26 | Applying the parable · past |
| Forty-five | 「為凡夫顛倒，實在而言滅。」 tr. “For deluded ordinary beings, though actually present I speak of extinction.” | 0043c27 | Applying the parable · present |
| Forty-six | 「以常見我故，而生憍恣心，」 tr. “Because they constantly see me, they generate arrogance and an unrestrained mind,” | 0043c28 | Applying the parable · present |
| Forty-seven | 「放逸著五欲，墮於惡道中。」 tr. “become negligent and attached to the five desires, and fall into evil destinies.” | 0043c29 | Applying the parable · present |
| Forty-eight | 「我常知眾生，行道不行道，」 tr. “I constantly know whether beings practice the Way or do not,” | 0044a01 | Applying the parable · present |
| Forty-nine | 「隨所應可度，為說種種法。」 tr. “and according to how they can be liberated, teach them various dharmas.” | 0044a02 | Applying the parable · present |
| Fifty | 「每自作是意，以何令眾生，」 tr. “I repeatedly form this thought: by what means can I enable beings” | 0044a03 | Applying the parable · non-falsehood |
| Fifty-one | 「得入無上慧，速成就佛身。」 tr. “to enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body?” | 0044a04 | Applying the parable · non-falsehood |
B. Root-Treatise Lemmas Compared with the Received Text
The root treatise marks verse sections by their opening words. The following twenty-one pairs each preserve their witness’s wording; differences are recorded side by side without adjudication:
| T34n1718 root-treatise lemma | Received T09n0262 text | Verbal relation |
|---|---|---|
| 「次「常說法」下，第二，一行，頌上中間益物；」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘constantly teaching the Dharma,’ the second part, one line, recapitulates benefiting beings in the intervening period above.” 〔0135c15〕 | 「常說法教化，無數億眾生，」 tr. “I constantly teach the Dharma and transform innumerable millions of beings.” 〔0043b14〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「為度眾生」下，第三，二行，頌上住處。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘in order to liberate beings,’ the third part, two lines, recapitulates the dwelling places above.” 〔0135c16〕 | 「為度眾生故，方便現涅槃，」 tr. “In order to liberate beings, I skillfully manifest nirvāṇa.” 〔0043b16〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「眾見我」下，第二，五行，頌現在。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘beings see me,’ the second part, five lines, recapitulates the present.” 〔0135c17〕 | 「眾見我滅度，廣供養舍利，」 tr. “Beings see me enter extinction and make extensive offerings to my relics.” 〔0043b20〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「我時語」下，第二，二行半，頌非滅現滅。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘at that time I tell,’ the second part, two and a half lines, recapitulates manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct.” 〔0135c19〕 | 「我時語眾生：『常在此不滅，」 tr. “At that time I tell the beings: ‘I constantly abide here without extinction.’” 〔0043b25〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「我見諸」下，第三，十行半，頌上未來。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘I see the many,’ the third part, ten and a half lines, recapitulates the future above.” 〔0135c20〕 | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」 tr. “I see the many beings sunk in painful distress.” 〔0043c01〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「上但寄「常住不滅」四字，今頌則廣。」 tr. “Above the meaning was lodged only in the four characters ‘constantly abiding without extinction’; the present verse is extensive.” 〔0135c21〕 | Prose: 「壽命無量阿僧祇劫，常住不滅。」 tr. “The lifespan is immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, constantly abiding without extinction.” 〔0042c20〕 | The four characters occur in the prose before the verse, not as a continuous phrase within the fifty-one lines |
| 「文為四：初「我見」下一行半，明未來機應。」 tr. “The text is fourfold: first, the line and a half beginning with ‘I see’ explains future capacity and response.” 〔0135c21〕 | 「我見諸眾生，沒在於苦惱，」 tr. “I see the many beings sunk in painful distress.” 〔0043c01〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「神通力如是」下，第二，四行，頌上常住不滅。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘such is the power of supernormal penetration,’ the second part, four lines, recapitulates constant abiding without extinction above.” 〔0135c22〕 | 「神通力如是，於阿僧祇劫，」 tr. “Such is the power of my supernormal penetration: throughout asaṃkhyeya kalpas.” 〔0043c04〕 | The wording agrees |
| 「「常在靈鷲山」，此謂實報土也，」 tr. “‘Constantly abiding on Vulture Peak’: this means the land of true recompense.” 〔0135c23〕 | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」 tr. “I constantly abide on Vulture Peak and in other dwelling places.” 〔0043c05〕 | The root treatise cites the first phrase and adds a judgment |
| 「「及餘諸住處」者，謂方便有餘土也，即上餘國義也。」 tr. “‘And in other dwelling places’ means the land of expedient means with remainder, namely the meaning of the other lands above.” 〔0135c24〕 | 「常在靈鷲山，及餘諸住處。」 tr. “I constantly abide on Vulture Peak and in other dwelling places.” 〔0043c05〕 | The root treatise cites the latter phrase and adds a judgment |
| 「「天人充滿」者，三十心是「人」，十地是「天」。」 tr. “‘Filled with devas and humans’: the thirty minds are ‘humans,’ and the ten grounds are ‘devas.’” 〔0135c25〕 | 「我此土安隱，天人常充滿。」 tr. “This land of mine is peaceful and secure, constantly filled with devas and humans.” 〔0043c07〕 | The received text has “constantly” between “devas and humans” and “filled” |
| 「「擊天鼓」者，無問自說也。」 tr. “‘Beating the heavenly drums’ means spontaneous teaching without a question.” 〔0135c26〕 | 「諸天擊天鼓，常作眾伎樂，」 tr. “The devas beat heavenly drums and constantly make many kinds of music.” 〔0043c10〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a continuous internal phrase in the received text |
| 「「曼陀羅華」者，說賢聖位也。」 tr. “‘Māndārava flowers’ means teaching the stages of sages and noble ones.” 〔0135c26〕 | 「雨曼陀羅花，散佛及大眾。」 tr. “Māndārava flowers rain upon the Buddha and the great assembly.” 〔0043c11〕 | The received text has “rain” before the phrase and uses 花 for the final character |
| 「次「我淨土」下，第三，二行，明不見因緣。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘my pure land,’ the third part, two lines, explains the conditions for not seeing.” 〔0135c27〕 | 「我淨土不毀，而眾見燒盡，」 tr. “My pure land is not destroyed, yet beings see it consumed.” 〔0043c12〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「次「諸有修功德」下，第四，三行，明得見因緣。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘those who cultivate qualities,’ the fourth part, three lines, explains the conditions for seeing.” 〔0135c28〕 | 「諸有修功德，柔和質直者，」 tr. “Those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright.” 〔0043c16〕 | The wording agrees |
| 「次「汝等有智」下，第二，一行，頌上利益不虛也。」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘you who possess wisdom,’ the second part, one line, recapitulates the unfailing benefit above.” 〔0135c29〕 | 「汝等有智者，勿於此生疑，」 tr. “You who possess wisdom should not generate doubt concerning this.” 〔0043c22〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
| 「「為治」下二句，頌現在，不頌未來也，」 tr. “The two phrases beginning with ‘in order to treat’ recapitulate the present and do not recapitulate the future.” 〔0136a02〕 | 「如醫善方便，為治狂子故，」 tr. “Like a physician skillful in means, in order to treat his deranged children.” 〔0043c24〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a continuous internal phrase in the received text |
| 「「無能說」下，第三，一句，頌不虛。」 tr. “Beginning with ‘no one can say,’ the third part, one phrase, recapitulates non-falsehood.” 〔0136a03〕 | 「實在而言死，無能說虛妄。」 tr. “Though actually alive he says that he has died; no one can say this is false.” 〔0043c25〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a continuous internal phrase in the received text |
| 「「後我亦為」下，第二，四行，頌合譬。」 tr. “Beginning with ‘then I too become,’ the second part, four lines, recapitulates applying the parable.” 〔0136a04〕 | 「我亦為世父，救諸苦患者，」 tr. “I too am father of the world, rescuing those afflicted by suffering.” 〔0043c26〕 | “Then” is the root treatise’s sequential connective; the received text begins directly with “I too am father of the world” |
| 「次「凡夫」下，第二，二行半，頌合現在；」 tr. “Next, beginning with ‘ordinary beings,’ the second part, two and a half lines, recapitulates application to the present.” 〔0136a06〕 | 「為凡夫顛倒，實在而言滅。」 tr. “For deluded ordinary beings, though actually present I speak of extinction.” 〔0043c27〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a continuous internal phrase in the received text |
| 「後「每自作」下，第三，一行，頌合不虛，開三顯一、開近顯遠，欲令眾生速入佛道，此事必得不虛也。」 tr. “Finally, beginning with ‘repeatedly forming,’ the third part, one line, recapitulates application to non-falsehood: opening the three to reveal the One and opening the near to reveal the distant, seeking to enable beings swiftly to enter the Buddha Way. This matter is necessarily not false.” 〔0136a06〕 | 「每自作是意，以何令眾生，」 tr. “I repeatedly form this thought: by what means can I enable beings” 〔0044a03〕 | The root-treatise lemma is a prefix of the received text |
C. Meaning of “Other Lands Above”
This unit says that the other dwelling places 「即上餘國義也」 tr. “are precisely the meaning of the other lands above” at T34n1718 〔0135c25〕. The Wenjuji specifies only that the earlier opening words were “I am in other lands.” The root sutra has two prior candidates:
| Exact root-sutra wording | First-character locus | Existing root-treatise cross-reading |
|---|---|---|
| 「我於餘國作佛，更有異名。」 tr. “I become a buddha in other lands and have other names.” | T09n0262 0025c16 | In an earlier chapter the root treatise explains this phrase as the land of expedient means with remainder 〔T34n1718 0093c06–0093c09〕 |
| 「我於餘國遣化人為其集聽法眾」 tr. “In other lands I send a conjured person to gather for him an assembly to hear the Dharma.” | T09n0262 0031c29 | The context is sending a conjured person to gather an assembly that will hear the Dharma |
The former candidate has an additional explicit connection in the root treatise, while the latter genuinely has the same opening words. Both on-disk candidates are preserved here; the later Mirror wording is not expanded into an exclusive adjudication.
D. Mirror Citations and Received Text
The directly corresponding passage of the Fahua Wenjuji introduces the sutra four times. One of these citations differs from the received text:
| T34n1719 Mirror citation | Received T09n0262 text | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 「《經》云「則皆見我身實報土」也。」 tr. “The sutra says, ‘then all see my body, the land of true recompense.’” 〔0340c17〕 | 「則皆見我身，在此而說法。」 tr. “Then all see my body, teaching the Dharma here.” 〔0043c17〕 | The first six characters agree; each latter half remains with its witness |
| 「《經》云「或時為此眾」等者，亦初地初住也。」 tr. “Where the sutra says, ‘at times for this assembly,’ and so forth, this is also the first ground and first abode.” 〔0340c18〕 | 「或時為此眾，說佛壽無量，」 tr. “At times I teach this assembly that the Buddha’s lifespan is immeasurable.” 〔0043c18〕 | The opening words agree; the stage assignment is Mirror exegesis |
| 「《經》云「久乃見佛」者，即指五濁重者。」 tr. “Where the sutra says, ‘those who see the Buddha only after a long interval,’ it points to those heavily burdened by the five turbidities.” 〔0340c19〕 | 「久乃見佛者，為說佛難值。」 tr. “To those who see the Buddha only after a long interval, I teach that a buddha is difficult to encounter.” 〔0043c19〕 | The opening words agree; the type of capacity is Mirror exegesis |
| 「《經》云「我智力如是」，總結大勢力也。」 tr. “The sutra says, ‘such is the power of my wisdom,’ a general conclusion of great power.” 〔0340c20〕 | 「我智力如是，慧光照無量，」 tr. “Such is the power of my wisdom; its radiance illumines without measure.” 〔0043c20〕 | The opening words agree; the concluding phrase is Mirror exegesis |
E. Other Citations
T34n1718 has no named external citation in this unit. Apart from the verses of the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter explained here, it names no other sutra or treatise. The Fahua Wenjuji has one named general reference: 「如華嚴中多明他受用耳。」 tr. “As the Flower Garland frequently explains other-enjoyment” at T34n1719 〔0340c14〕. It supplies no fascicle, chapter, opening words, or exact scriptural sentence, and is therefore recorded only as a general Mirror-layer reference; no source sentence from the Flower Garland Sutra is fabricated.
IV. Essential Explanations from the Wenjuji [the Mirror]
The directly corresponding Fahua Wenjuji material consists of a single paragraph. The following table presents its Mirror explanations in their original order and keeps them separate from the root treatise’s own statements:
| Root-treatise node | Exact Fahua Wenjuji wording and first-character locus | Layer limit |
|---|---|---|
| Vulture Peak and the land of true recompense | 「「常在靈山為報土」者，若準餘國指有餘土者，報土須指他受用也。」 tr. “‘Constantly abiding on Vulture Peak is the recompense land’: if, on the basis of the other lands, this refers to the land with remainder, the recompense land must refer to other-enjoyment.” 〔T34n1719 0340c10〕 | Identifying it as other-enjoyment on the basis of other lands is Mirror exegesis |
| Same | 「據「常在」之言，即屬自受用土；」 tr. “According to the words ‘constantly abiding,’ it belongs to the self-enjoyment land.” 〔0340c12〕 | Identifying it as self-enjoyment on the basis of constant abiding is Mirror exegesis |
| Jeweled adornments | 「若準頌文寶莊嚴言，則非自土即本時他也，如華嚴中多明他受用耳。」 tr. “If based on the verse’s jeweled adornments, then if it is not one’s own land it belongs to others at the time of the Origin, as the Flower Garland frequently explains other-enjoyment.” 〔0340c13〕 | The root treatise does not separately explain the jeweled adornments in this unit |
| Meaning of the other lands above | 「「即上餘國義也」者，指上「我於餘國」文也。」 tr. “‘Precisely the meaning of the other lands above’ points to the earlier words ‘I am in other lands.’” 〔0340c14〕 | It specifies only the opening words referred to |
| Other dwelling places | 「此且指於報土之外，通則亦遍十方若淨若穢。」 tr. “This provisionally points beyond the recompense land; in its general meaning it also pervades the pure and impure lands of the ten directions.” 〔0340c15〕 | Pure and impure lands of the ten directions is Mirror exegesis |
| Conditions for seeing | 「「諸有修功德」等者，即指緣、了具足者也，」 tr. “‘Those who cultivate qualities,’ and so forth, points to those who possess both conditioning and discernment causes.” 〔0340c16〕 | Possession of conditioning and discernment causes is Mirror exegesis |
| Seeing the Buddha’s body | 「《經》云「則皆見我身實報土」也。」 tr. “The sutra says, ‘then all see my body, the land of true recompense.’” 〔0340c17〕 | The Mirror citation’s latter half differs from the received text |
| At times for this assembly | 「《經》云「或時為此眾」等者，亦初地初住也。」 tr. “Where the sutra says, ‘at times for this assembly,’ and so forth, this is also the first ground and first abode.” 〔0340c18〕 | First ground and first abode are Mirror exegesis |
| Seeing the Buddha only after a long interval | 「《經》云「久乃見佛」者，即指五濁重者。」 tr. “Where the sutra says, ‘those who see the Buddha only after a long interval,’ it points to those heavily burdened by the five turbidities.” 〔0340c19〕 | Those heavily burdened by the five turbidities is Mirror exegesis |
| Such is the power of my wisdom | 「《經》云「我智力如是」，總結大勢力也。」 tr. “The sutra says, ‘such is the power of my wisdom,’ a general conclusion of great power.” 〔0340c20〕 | Great power is a Mirror conclusion |
Three upstream cross-readings occur before this directly corresponding Mirror paragraph. First, 「開顯文二：先誡信；次正答，又二：長行、偈頌。」 tr. “The text opening and revealing has two parts: first the admonition to believe; next the main reply, itself twofold, prose and verse” at T34n1719 〔0332c07〕 confirms that prose and verse stand at the same level. Second, the Mirror says that 「法說中未來語少」 tr. “little in the Dharma teaching concerns the future” refers only to the prose’s four characters “constantly abiding without extinction,” while the verse’s ten and a half lines beginning with “I see the many beings” make the future extensive 〔0333a21–0333a25〕. Third, it again explains 「寄此四字」 tr. “lodged in these four characters” as constant abiding without extinction and says that because there is no extinction, the benefit extends into the future 〔0337a28–0337a29〕. All three are upstream Mirror cross-readings and are not rewritten as this unit’s root text.
The directly corresponding Mirror paragraph gives no separate explanation of the three past divisions, manifesting birth without originally being born and extinction without originally becoming extinct in the present, future capacity and response, the conditions for not seeing, the non-falsehood of benefit, or most of the opening and application of the parable. The absence of a further Mirror explanation describes only this passage’s actual scope; it does not imply that the root treatise or root sutra lacks the meaning.
V. Explanations of Various Masters
Within the strict domain this unit has no occurrence of 『有人云』 tr. “someone says,” 『或言』 tr. “another says,” 『舊云』 tr. “an old account says,” 『解者不同』 tr. “the interpreters differ,” or 『一云』 tr. “one account says.” Nor does it contain the expanded markers “some say,” “there is an account,” “earlier people,” “one explanation,” “two explanations,” “my private view,” or “an old master.” The root treatise therefore records zero explanations of other masters in this unit, and this section states that fact without creating an empty list.
The Fahua Wenjuji’s classifications concerning the recompense land, other dwelling places, conditions for seeing, stages, and kinds of capacity are all Mirror exegesis and have been presented in Section IV. They are not explanations of other masters recorded by the root treatise in this unit.
VI. Terminology
| Term | Doctrinal position in this unit |
|---|---|
| Dharma teaching · teaching by parable | The two major divisions of the twenty-five and a half lines: twenty and a half lines of Dharma teaching and five lines of teaching by parable |
| Benefiting beings in the three periods | The first nineteen and a half lines of the Dharma teaching, divided in the order past, present, and future |
| Attainment of the Way long ago | The first division of past benefit, corresponding to the first two root-sutra lines |
| Benefit in the intervening period | The second division of past benefit, corresponding to constant teaching and transformation since the distant past |
| Dwelling places | The third division of past benefit, corresponding to manifested nirvāṇa, actual non-extinction, constant teaching, and beings’ failure to see although near |
| Manifesting birth without originally being born | The first two and a half lines of the present section; the root treatise assigns to it beings’ longing and the Buddha’s emergence with the saṅgha on Vulture Peak |
| Manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct | The latter two and a half lines of the present section; the root sutra states both constant abiding without extinction and skillfully manifested extinction |
| Future capacity and response | The first division of the ten and a half future lines; first the Buddha does not manifest his body and causes thirst, then because of longing emerges to teach |
| Constant abiding without extinction | The second future division; the prose lodges the meaning in four characters, while the verse develops it in four lines |
| Land of true recompense | The root treatise’s judgment concerning constant abiding on Vulture Peak; it is a root-treatise judgment and is not presented as root-sutra wording |
| Land of expedient means with remainder | The root treatise’s judgment concerning the other dwelling places, also connected back to the meaning of the other lands above |
| Thirty minds · ten grounds | The root treatise correlates humans in “filled with devas and humans” with the thirty minds and devas with the ten grounds; the order cannot be reversed |
| Spontaneous teaching without a question | The root treatise’s explanation of beating the heavenly drums |
| Stages of sages and noble ones | The root treatise’s explanation of māndārava flowers |
| Conditions for not seeing | The third future division; the root sutra says that the pure land is not destroyed, while because of evil karma beings burdened by wrongdoing long fail to hear the Three Jewels |
| Conditions for seeing | The fourth future division; the root sutra says that those who cultivate qualities and are gentle and upright see the Buddha’s body and hear the teaching |
| Unfailing benefit | The final line of the Dharma teaching, telling those with wisdom to end doubt and concluding that the Buddha’s words are real and not false |
| Opening · applying the parable | The two divisions of the five lines of teaching by parable: one line opens and four lines apply the parable |
| Opening the three to reveal the One · opening the near to reveal the distant | Two items placed side by side in the final line of the application. Both aim to enable beings to enter unsurpassed wisdom and swiftly accomplish a buddha-body, but they are not merged into one item |
The strict domain of this unit contains none of the later summary terms “five periods and eight teachings,” “modes of transformation,” “teachings of transformation,” “Tripiṭaka/shared/distinct/perfect,” “ten wonders of the Trace Gate,” “ten wonders of the Origin Gate,” or “three thousand in one thought-moment.” This zero result is limited to the wording of the unit and is not used to infer the presence or absence of a doctrinal meaning.
VII. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
The imagery of the Dharma teaching unfolds in verse order. Distant attainment and continuous transformation first establish time. Manifested nirvāṇa together with actual non-extinction, and constant abiding together with beings’ failure to see, then place skillful means beside truth. Beings’ longing and the Buddha’s emergence with the saṅgha on Vulture Peak turn not seeing into seeing. In the future section, the same land presents two scenes: beings see it consumed by the kalpa fire, while the Buddha land remains peaceful and secure, with gardens, halls, jeweled trees, heavenly drums, music, and māndārava flowers. The conditions for not seeing and seeing are then connected respectively to evil karma and to cultivating qualities with gentleness and uprightness, returning the scenes to the conditions through which beings can or cannot see.
The teaching by parable carries the Dharma teaching forward through the good physician and father of the world. Though actually alive, the physician says that he has died in order to treat his deranged children; though actually present, the Buddha manifests extinction in order to rescue deluded ordinary beings. Opening the parable takes only past, present, and non-falsehood and does not separately recapitulate the future; applying the parable likewise correlates only with past, present, and non-falsehood. The root treatise twice records the absence of application to the future; the existence of ten and a half future lines in the Dharma teaching must not be used to mix denominators from different parent divisions into one table.
Cross-read with this edition’s Lotus Sutra, the fifty-one verse lines are precisely the root-sutra substrate explained section by section in this unit. The preceding prose good-physician parable can be cross-read with the prose teaching by parable in this work’s “Lifespan” chapter, while the following “Distinctions in Benefits” chapter continues with the benefits obtained when the assembly hears of the distant duration of the Buddha’s lifespan. Cross-read with the preceding part of this Fahua Wenju chapter, the prose Dharma teaching first lodges the future in the four characters “constantly abiding without extinction”; only in the present verse is it developed into ten and a half lines. This succession is explicitly stated by the root treatise itself.
The final sentence of this unit places opening the three to reveal the One and opening the near to reveal the distant side by side, then concludes with enabling beings swiftly to enter the Buddha Way and the certainty that this matter is not false. It joins the Dharma teaching’s unfailing benefit, the good-physician parable’s inability to be called false, and the purpose expressed in the application. When the reading continues into “Distinctions in Benefits,” it turns from the teaching of lifespan to the benefits that arise after hearing; the names of those benefits are not supplied prematurely in this unit.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
A. Three T34n1718 Comparisons Between 【Taishō】 and 【Edition A】
| First-character locus | 【Taishō】 | 【Edition A】 | Short context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0135c22 | 通 | absent in Edition A | power of supernormal penetration is such |
| 0135c27 | 說 | absent in Edition A | teaching the stages of sages and noble ones |
| 0135c27 | 次 | absent in Edition A | next, beginning with my pure land |
All three are direct comparison notes. The strict domain has no corresponding asterisk note, no independently established one-sided note, and no omission-count note expressed through first and last characters plus a number. The body text follows 【Taishō】 and records only the absence of the character in Edition A, without adjudicating addition or omission.
B. Five Variant Readings in the T09n0262 Verse
| First-character locus | 【Taishō】 | Variant reading |
|---|---|---|
| 0043c09 | 菓 | 果【Song】【Yuan】【Ming】【Gong】【Dunhuang】【Dunhuang C】 |
| 0043c25 | 死 | 化【Dunhuang】【Dunhuang Fang】 |
| 0043c27 | 滅 | 死【Dunhuang】【Dunhuang C】 |
| 0044a02 | 所應 | 應所【Dunhuang】【Dunhuang C】 |
| 0044a04 | 慧 | 道【Dunhuang C】 |
All five occur within the fifty-one root-sutra verse lines. They serve only as textual-critical witnesses to the sutra text being explained and do not retroactively alter the divisions of the Fahua Wenju.
C. Missing Characters, Paragraphs, and Page Anchors
The strict T34n1718 domain has no missing-character form, and the fifty-one root-sutra verse lines likewise have no missing-character form. T1718 has only three empty readings, all the Edition A absences recorded above, not illegible characters in the body text.
Following the raw XML, the reader source divides the two paragraphs into two lines. Page anchors use one marker at the page change and an inline precise anchor at the paragraph opening: the first paragraph begins at 〔T34 0135c11〕 and the second after the page break begins at 〔T34 0136a01〕. Anchors are not repeated for every column or inserted within sentences. Each apparatus quotation is separately located by the nearest Taishō line before its first character; where a quotation crosses lines, the beginning of the range remains its first-character locus.