妙法蓮華經文句 釋普賢菩薩勸發品
《法華經》二十八品，講到最後一品。
法會其實已經結束了。塔開過又閉上，記都授完了，該散的也散了。
這時候，普賢菩薩從東方趕來。
他來晚了。
本論解釋他為什麼還要來，用了三個字：
戀法之辭。
他在很遠的地方把這部經從頭到尾聽完了，捨不得就這樣結束。所以他趕過來，再請佛說一次。
不是為了自己再聽一遍。是為了讓這件事「永永無已」——自己修，也讓別人修，一直下去。
那麼佛怎麼回答他的？
只有四句話。
佛所護念。植眾德本。入正定聚。發救一切眾生之心。
就這四句。
而本論做的事情是：把這四句，接連配了三次。
配開示悟入——迹門十四品的要領，這四句收盡了。
配入如來室、著如來衣、坐如來座——弘經的三軌，也是這四句。
配四安樂行——修行的四門，還是這四句。
配完之後，本論寫下一句話：
一個回答酬答了兩重請問；舉出四法，把整部經罩在下面。
一部二十八品的經，最後收在四句話裡。
而這四句其實是連鎖的。
被護念，是因為你轉向了。轉向了，智慧就照明，那是植德本。照明了，心就安住不亂不味，那是入正定聚。安住了，就自然溢出去，那是發救眾生。
不是四件要分頭做的事。是一件事的四個階段。
——那麼「必得是經」是什麼意思？
舊的說法是：能行四法的人，來世常常拿得到這部經卷。
本論說：不是這樣。
它說《法華》真正的體，是「諸法實相義」；能行四法必定得到那個理解——
而那個理解，就叫作經。
拿得到書，不等於得到經。
所以最後這一品其實在回答一個很實際的問題：這部經聽完了，我帶走的是什麼？
不是那一卷紙。
是那四句話走完一遍之後，心裡留下的東西。
而全部《文句》二十卷，最後停在四個字上——
令一切聞。
The Lotus Sūtra has twenty-eight chapters. The teaching reaches its final chapter.
In fact, the Dharma assembly has already ended. The stūpa opened and closed again, every prediction was conferred, and those who were to disperse have dispersed.
At this moment the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra hurries here from the east.
He is late.
The root treatise explains why he still comes in three Chinese characters:
Words of longing for the Dharma.
In a distant land he heard this scripture from beginning to end, and he could not bear to let it end there. So he hurried over and asked the Buddha to teach it once more.
Not so that he himself could hear it again, but so that this might be “forever without ceasing”—practicing it himself, enabling others to practice it, and carrying it on without end.
How, then, did the Buddha answer him?
With only four statements.
To be kept in mind and protected by the buddhas. To plant the roots of many virtues. To enter the group fixed in rightness. To arouse the mind that rescues all living beings.
Only these four.
What the root treatise then does is align those four statements three times in succession.
It aligns them with opening, revealing, awakening to, and entering—the essentials of the Trace Gate’s fourteen chapters are exhausted by these four.
It aligns them with entering the Tathāgata’s room, wearing the Tathāgata’s robe, and sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat—the three tracks for propagating the scripture are also these four.
It aligns them with the four peaceful practices—the four gates of practice are still these same four.
After completing the alignments, the root treatise writes one sentence:
One answer repaid two levels of questioning; four dharmas were raised to canopy the entire scripture beneath them.
A scripture of twenty-eight chapters is finally gathered into four statements.
And these four statements are really a chain.
You are protected because you have turned around. Once you turn, wisdom shines—that is planting the roots of virtue. Once it shines, the mind abides without confusion or savoring—that is entering the group fixed in rightness. Once it abides, it naturally overflows outward—that is arousing the mind to rescue living beings.
They are not four things to be done separately. They are four stages of one thing.
—Then what does “will certainly obtain this scripture,” mean?
The older explanation says that one who can practice the four dharmas will often obtain a scroll of this scripture in future lives.
The root treatise says: that is not what it means.
It says that the true substance of the Lotus is “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas.” One who can practice the four dharmas will certainly attain that understanding—
And that understanding is what is called the scripture.
Obtaining the book is not the same as obtaining the scripture.
So this final chapter is really answering a very practical question: when I have finished hearing this scripture, what do I take away?
Not that scroll of paper.
What remains within the mind after those four statements have completed their course.
And all twenty fascicles of the Wenju finally come to rest on four words—
Cause all to hear.
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 0147c28〕。段/行首〔T34 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T34 0147c28〕釋普賢菩薩勸發品 《大論》、《觀經》同名遍吉，此經稱「普賢」，皆漢語，梵音邲輸颰陀，此云普賢。《悲華》云「我誓於穢惡世界，行菩薩道使得嚴淨，我行要當勝諸菩薩。寶藏佛言：『以是因緣今改汝字名為普賢。』」此即三悉檀意，復是因緣解釋，又是行願得名。由來從於念處至四善根，通稱為普賢。別約世第一法隣真近聖，稱之為賢，此三藏中說耳。今明伏道之頂，其因周遍曰「普」，斷道之後隣于極聖曰「賢」。若十信是伏道之始，非頂、非周，隣于初聖之初，非後、非極，乃至第十地亦非周極，況前諸位乎？今論等覺之位，居眾伏之頂，伏道周遍故名為「普」，斷道纔盡所較無幾，隣終際極故名為「賢」，《釋論》引十四夜月如十五夜月，斯義明矣。此約圓教位，釋後位普賢也。「勸發」者，戀法之辭也，遙在彼國具聞此經始末既周，欲令自行化他永永無已，故自東自西而來勸發，具四悉檀意〔云云〕。文云「我為供養《法華經》故自現其身，若見我身甚大歡喜〔其一〕；已見我故轉復精進，即得三昧及陀羅尼〔其二〕；得是陀羅尼故，無有非人能破壞者，亦復不為女人之所惑亂〔其三〕；三千大千世界微塵菩薩具普賢道〔其四〕。」如此明文即四悉檀，而來勸發也。上判流通為三：從十九行偈已後三品半，舉經力大以勸流通；〈藥王品〉下五品，舉菩薩化道力大以勸流通；此一品舉普賢誓願力大以勸流通。 〔T34 0148a27〕分文為四：一、發來；二、勸發；三、述發；四、發益。初經家敘發來，為三：一、上供；二、下化；三、修敬。「自在」者理一也，「神通」者行一也，「威德」者人一也，「名聞」者教一也。又「自在」者常也，「神通」者樂也，「威德」者我也，「名聞」者淨也，言說如此，即一而四，德無不備，自在義焉。淨力故雨花，樂力故奏伎，神通故動地。自在力故隨意而雨，隨去隨雨，隨動隨奏。譬如大龍飛行不息，身邊雲雨流起無窮。普賢及眷屬，以菩薩身、用四德力來。勸發四：一、所逕歷處自行上供，其事如此。從「又與諸天龍」下，所逕歷處下化利益，隨他所宜現八部像，略用二力隨所堪任，其事如此。三者、修敬，身旋面禮，如文。 勸發為二：一、請問勸發；二、誓願勸發。有問、有答。問者，遙聞經竟，戀法無已，遠來之志，志在勸發，是故更請。正說勸發自行，更請流通勸發化他，如來若許，二途再演光光無極，是故雙請也。佛答，先總、次別、三結。別列四法名，如文。其既雙請，如來巧答，略舉四以蔽諸。何者？四法之要該括正、通。何者？佛雖無偏，若能遠惡從善，反迷還正，開權知見，顯佛知見者，則稱可聖心，諸佛護念；若佛知見開，則般若照明，是植眾德本；亦是入正定聚，不亂、不味，不取、不捨；亦是發救眾生。當知此四與開權顯實，名異體同，無二無別。又「佛護念」者，是開佛知見；「植眾德本」是示佛知見；「發救眾生」是悟佛知見；「入正定聚」是入佛知見。迹門之要，此四收矣。又迹則有本，從本開示悟入，故有迹中開示悟入。今開迹即顯本，本迹無二無別，以四法答其請正，於義明矣。 以四法答請流通，流通之方，唯三唯四，「發救眾生」是入如來室；「入正定聚、佛所護念」是著如來衣；「植眾德本」是坐如來座。是弘宣之要，即四而三。「發救眾生」是誓願安樂行；「入正定聚」是意安樂行；「植眾德本」是口安樂行；「護念」是身安樂行，當知後四即前四也。一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經，《法華》之重演，斯經之再宣，遠來之勸發，其義如此。 三、結者，於如來滅後必得是經。舊云：「能行四法於未來世，常手得是經。」今謂不爾，上文云「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」，又云「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」。蓋《法華》之正體，能行四法必得此解，名解為經，此結其請正之問，若能運此解，行傳與他人，他人得斯信解成初依人，能得真解成第二、第三、第四依人，此結其請流通之問，此意不見，浪作餘說耶？ 「白佛」下，第二，誓願勸發。文為二：一、護人，二、護法。護人為六：一、攘其外難，初、總攘其難，故言「使無伺求得其便」者是也。次、別攘其難，舉十二非是也。二、教其內法，凡三番教訓，初、行立讀誦，乘六牙白象安慰其心；次、坐思惟，復乘六牙教示其經，與其三昧也。「陀羅尼」旋假入空也，「百千旋」者，旋空出假也，「方便」者，二為方便道，得入中道第一義諦也。後、三七一心精進，復乘六牙示教利喜說呪，如文。三、覆以神力，若聞、若持莫非神力，如文。四、示勝因，若能五種法師，即三世佛所為種，為熟為脫，此人同未來諸佛得脫，故言「同普賢行」。此人已於先佛植善，故言「深種善根」。此人為現佛所熟，故言「手摩其頭」。五、示近果，但能書寫近在忉利，具五法師次在兜率，如文。六、總結，「是故智者」下是也。 〔T34 0149a03〕從「世尊我今神力」下，是第二、誓願護法，如文。 第三、述發者，即是如來舉勝述成其劣，增進行者勇銳弘宣。先述護法，云汝能如是外多利益，內積慈悲，又久劫已來作如此護，我亦以佛之神力守護是法，況復汝耶？如文。從「若有人」下，述其護人，雖不次第，述成意足。「當知是人則見釋迦牟尼佛」者，述其示身教法，其尚見我萬德果身，況汝因中六牙白象？其尚從佛口具足聞經，況汝所教忘失章句？其尚為佛口讚、手摩、佛衣所覆，況汝因人陀羅尼覆耶？從「不貪著世樂」下，述其舉因。廣舉因中無諸過惡，少欲知足修普賢行，述勝因也。從「若如來滅後」下，述其舉近果也。其人當詣道場必成遠果，況近果耶？亦於現世得其近果，不但生天也。從「若人輕毀」下，述其能攘外難。佛廣示毀者之罪，令知過必改不相惱亂，非但持經者難滅，亦乃欲毀者福生，無毀、無難彼此安樂，曠濟無偏，慈之至也。從「應起遠迎當如敬佛」述其結信者功德。 第四、從「說是」下，發益之文也。一、聞品益，「旋陀羅尼」是初地位，「具普賢道」是十地位；二、聞經益，「大眾歡喜」是也。「歡喜」如前說。此中云何猶稱聲聞？乃是經家存其本位耳。又經家稱其是大乘聲聞，以佛道聲令一切聞，斯義彌顯也。 妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下
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、釋名：梵漢與《悲華》
《大論》與《觀經》同樣名為「遍吉」，此經稱為「普賢」，都是漢語；梵音是「邲輸颰陀」，此地譯作普賢。
《悲華》說：『我發誓在穢惡的世界中行菩薩道，使它得以嚴淨；我的行持一定要勝過諸位菩薩。寶藏佛說：以這個因緣，如今改你的字，名為普賢。』
這就是三悉檀之意，又是因緣的解釋，又是從行願而得名。
二、判位：從三藏之舊釋到圓教等覺
由來從四念處到四善根，通通稱為普賢；別就世第一法臨近真理、接近聖位，稱之為賢——這是三藏之中的說法。
如今說明：伏道之頂，它的因周遍，所以叫「普」；斷道剛剛窮盡，所差無幾，臨近終際而至於極，所以叫「賢」。
若十信是伏道的開始，那就不是頂、不是周遍；臨近初聖之初，那就不是後、不是極；乃至第十地也不是周、不是極，何況前面諸位？
如今所論的是等覺之位：居於眾伏之頂，伏道周遍所以名為「普」；斷道剛盡而所差無幾，臨近終際而至於極所以名為「賢」。《釋論》引十四夜的月如同十五夜的月，這個義理就明白了。
這是就圓教之位，解釋後位的普賢。
三、釋「勸發」
「勸發」是戀慕法的言辭。
他遙遠地在那個國土，完整聽聞此經的始末既然周備，想要使自行化他永永無有休止，所以自東而西前來勸發——具足四悉檀之意〔云云〕。
經文說：『我為了供養《法華經》的緣故自現其身，若見我身甚大歡喜〔其一〕；已經見我的緣故轉而更加精進，就得三昧以及陀羅尼〔其二〕；得這陀羅尼的緣故，沒有非人能夠破壞，也不再為女人所惑亂〔其三〕；三千大千世界微塵數的菩薩具足普賢之道〔其四〕。』
像這樣的明文就是四悉檀，而前來勸發。
四、流通三分之判
上面判流通為三：從十九行偈以後三品半，舉經力之大以勸流通；〈藥王品〉以下五品，舉菩薩化道之力大以勸流通；這一品舉普賢誓願之力大以勸流通。
五、分文為四與發來
分文為四：一是發來，二是勸發，三是述發，四是發益。
起初經家敘述發來，分為三：一是上供，二是下化，三是修敬。
「自在」是理一，「神通」是行一，「威德」是人一，「名聞」是教一。又，「自在」是常，「神通」是樂，「威德」是我，「名聞」是淨——說起來如此，即一而四，德無不備，自在的意義就在這裡。
淨的力量所以雨花，樂的力量所以奏伎樂，神通所以動地。自在的力量所以隨意而雨，隨去隨雨，隨動隨奏。譬如大龍飛行不息，身邊的雲雨流起而無窮。
普賢與眷屬，以菩薩之身、用四德之力而來。
勸發分四：一是所經歷之處自行上供，其事如此。從「又與諸天龍」以下，是所經歷之處下化利益，隨他所宜而現八部之像，略用二力隨其所堪任，其事如此。三是修敬，身旋而面禮，如經文所說。
六、勸發：請問與佛答
勸發分為二：一是請問勸發，二是誓願勸發。有問、有答。
問——遙遠聽聞經已說完，戀慕法而不止；遠來的志向，志在勸發，所以再度請問。正說是勸發自行，再請流通是勸發化他；如來若許可，兩條路再度演說，光光無極，所以是雙請。
佛答：先總、次別、三結。別列四法之名，如經文所說。
他既然是雙請，如來巧妙地回答，略舉四法以概括其餘。為什麼？四法的要領該括了正說與流通。為什麼？佛雖然沒有偏私，若能遠離惡而從善、反迷還正、開權知見而顯佛知見，那就稱可聖心，是諸佛護念；若佛知見開了，那麼般若照明，這是植眾德本；也是入正定聚，不亂不味、不取不捨；也是發起救度眾生之心。
應當知道這四法與開權顯實，名異而體同，無二無別。
又，「佛護念」是開佛知見，「植眾德本」是示佛知見，「發救眾生」是悟佛知見，「入正定聚」是入佛知見——迹門的要領，這四法就收盡了。
又，迹則有本；從本而開示悟入，所以有迹中的開示悟入。如今開迹就顯本，本與迹無二無別。以四法回答他所請的正說，於義理是明白的。
七、四法配三軌與四安樂行
以四法回答所請的流通：流通的方法，唯有三、唯有四。
「發救眾生」是入如來室；「入正定聚、佛所護念」是著如來衣；「植眾德本」是坐如來座——這是弘宣的要領，即四而三。
「發救眾生」是誓願安樂行；「入正定聚」是意安樂行；「植眾德本」是口安樂行；「護念」是身安樂行——應當知道後四就是前四。
一個回答酬答他的兩重請問，舉四法而冠罩一經。《法華》的重演、這部經的再宣、遠來者的勸發，它的義理就是這樣。
八、三結：駁舊云
三、結——在如來滅後必定得到這部經。
舊說：『能行四法於未來世，常常親手得到這部經。』
如今說不是這樣。上文說「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」，又說「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」——這是《法華》的正體。能行四法必定得到這個理解，就名這個理解為經。這是結他所請的正說之問。
若能運用這個理解，行而傳與他人；他人得到這樣的信解而成為初依之人，能得真解而成為第二、第三、第四依之人——這是結他所請的流通之問。
這個意思若看不出來，豈不是浪費工夫作出其餘的說法嗎？
九、誓願勸發：護人六
「白佛」以下是第二，誓願勸發。文分為二：一是護人，二是護法。
護人分為六：
一、攘除他的外難。起初總攘其難，所以說「使無伺求得其便」就是；其次別攘其難，舉十二種非法就是。
二、教他內法。共有三番教訓：起初是行立讀誦，乘六牙白象而安慰他的心；其次是坐而思惟，又乘六牙教示他的經，給與他三昧——「陀羅尼」是旋假入空，「百千旋」是旋空出假，「方便」是以二者為方便道而得入中道第一義諦；最後是三七日一心精進，又乘六牙示教利喜而說呪，如經文所說。
三、覆以神力。若聞、若持，莫非神力，如經文所說。
四、示勝因。若能作五種法師，就是三世諸佛所為之種、為熟、為脫；此人同於未來諸佛得脫，所以說「同普賢行」。此人已經在先佛處植善，所以說「深種善根」。此人為現在佛所成熟，所以說「手摩其頭」。
五、示近果。但能書寫，近在忉利天；具足五種法師，其次在兜率天，如經文所說。
六、總結。「是故智者」以下就是。
十、誓願護法
從「世尊我今神力」以下，是第二、誓願護法，如經文所說。
十一、述發
第三、述發，就是如來舉勝以陳述成就他的劣，增進行者而勇銳弘宣。
先陳述護法：說你能這樣外多利益、內積慈悲，又久劫以來作這樣的護持；我尚且以佛的神力守護此法，何況是你呢？如經文所說。
從「若有人」以下，陳述他的護人，雖然不依次第，陳述成就之意已足。
「當知是人則見釋迦牟尼佛」——這是陳述他示身教法：那人尚且見我萬德的果身，何況你因中的六牙白象？那人尚且從佛口具足聞經，何況你所教的忘失章句？那人尚且為佛口所讚、手所摩、佛衣所覆，何況你因人的陀羅尼所覆呢？
從「不貪著世樂」以下，陳述他所舉的因：廣舉因中沒有種種過惡，少欲知足而修普賢行——這是陳述勝因。
從「若如來滅後」以下，陳述他所舉的近果：那人當前往道場而必成遠果，何況近果？也在現世得到那近果，不只是生天而已。
從「若人輕毀」以下，陳述他能攘除外難：佛廣示毀謗者的罪，使他們知過必改而不相惱亂——不只是持經者的難得以消滅，也使想要毀謗的人生福；沒有毀、沒有難，彼此安樂，曠濟而無偏——慈之至極。
從「應起遠迎當如敬佛」，陳述他所結信者的功德。
十二、發益
第四、從「說是」以下，是發益之文。
一、聞品之益——「旋陀羅尼」是初地之位，「具普賢道」是十地之位。
二、聞經之益——「大眾歡喜」就是。「歡喜」如前面所說。
這裡為什麼還稱聲聞？乃是經家保存他們的本位罷了。
又，經家稱他們是大乘聲聞——以佛道之聲令一切人聽聞，這個義理就更顯明了。
〔妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下〕
I. Explanation of the Name: Sanskrit, Chinese, and the Compassionate Flower
The Great Treatise and the Contemplation Sūtra alike name him “Universally Auspicious,” while this scripture calls him “Universally Worthy”; both are Chinese. The Sanskrit sound is “Bishubatuo,” which is translated here as Samantabhadra.
The Compassionate Flower Sūtra says: “I vow to practice the bodhisattva path in a defiled and evil world and cause it to become adorned and pure; my practice must surpass that of all bodhisattvas. Treasure-Store Buddha said: ‘For this reason, I now change your name and call you Samantabhadra.’”
This is the meaning of three siddhāntas, an explanation through causes and conditions, and a name obtained from practice and vows.
II. Determining the Stage: From an Older Tripiṭaka-Teaching Explanation to Equal Awakening in the Perfect Teaching
According to the traditional explanation, all the stages from the four foundations of mindfulness through the four wholesome roots are called Samantabhadra. More particularly, the highest mundane dharma, being adjacent to truth and near the noble stage, is called worthy—this is the account within the Tripiṭaka Teaching.
The present explanation says: at the summit of the path of subduing, its causes are all-pervading, and it is therefore called “universal”; just after the path of severance has been exhausted, little remains, and being adjacent to the final limit and reaching the utmost, it is called “worthy.”
If the ten faiths are the beginning of the path of subduing, they are neither its summit nor all-pervading. Being at the beginning of proximity to the first noble stage, they are neither later nor ultimate. Even the tenth ground is neither all-pervading nor ultimate—how much less any of the preceding stages?
What is discussed here is the stage of Equal Awakening: dwelling at the summit of all subduing, the path of subduing is all-pervading and is therefore called “universal”; the path of severance has just been exhausted and little remains, so being adjacent to the final limit and reaching the utmost, it is called “worthy.” The Explanatory Treatise compares the moon on the fourteenth night to the moon on the fifteenth; this makes the meaning clear.
This explains the later-stage Samantabhadra in terms of the stages of the Perfect Teaching.
III. Explanation of “Encouragement”
“encouragement” is a phrase expressing longing for the Dharma.
In that distant land he had heard the beginning and end of this scripture completely. Wishing his own practice and the transformation of others to continue forever without ceasing, he came westward from the east to encourage them—fully possessing the meaning of the four siddhāntas. [And so forth.]
The scripture says: “For the sake of making offerings to the Lotus Sūtra, I manifest my own body; those who see my body greatly rejoice [first]. Because they have seen me, they turn and become still more diligent, and then attain samādhis and dhāraṇīs [second]. Because they attain this dhāraṇī, no nonhuman being can harm them, nor will they be confused by women [third]. Bodhisattvas as numerous as the dust particles of a three-thousand-great-thousand world fully possess the path of Samantabhadra [fourth].”
Such explicit wording is the four siddhāntas by which he comes to encourage.
IV. The Threefold Classification of Circulation
Above, circulation was classified in three parts: from the nineteen-line verse onward, three and a half chapters raise the great power of the scripture to encourage its circulation; the five chapters from “The Former Affairs of Medicine King” onward raise the great power of the bodhisattvas’ path of transformation to encourage circulation; this chapter raises the great power of Samantabhadra’s vows to encourage circulation.
V. Dividing the Text into Four and the Coming Forth
The text divides into four: first, coming forth; second, encouragement; third, affirmation of the encouragement; fourth, benefits produced by the encouragement.
At the outset, the compiler of the scripture narrates the coming forth in three parts: first, making offerings above; second, transforming below; third, showing reverence.
“sovereignty” is the one principle; “supernormal power” is the one practice; “majestic virtue” is the one person; “renown” is the one teaching. Again, “sovereignty” is permanence; “supernormal power” is bliss; “majestic virtue” is self; “renown” is purity. Though spoken in this way, the one is four, no virtue is incomplete, and this is the meaning of sovereignty.
The power of purity therefore rains flowers; the power of bliss therefore produces music; supernormal power therefore moves the earth. The power of sovereignty therefore causes rain at will: wherever he goes it rains, wherever he moves music sounds. It is like a great dragon flying without rest, while clouds and rain stream forth without end around its body.
Samantabhadra and his retinue come in bodhisattva bodies, employing the power of the four virtues.
The coming forth has four aspects. First, wherever he passes he personally makes offerings above; this is as stated. From “together also with gods and dragons” onward, wherever he passes he transforms below and brings benefit, manifesting forms of the eight classes according to what suits others and briefly using two powers according to what they can bear; this is as stated. Third is showing reverence: his body turns while his face bows, as stated in the scripture.
VI. Encouragement: The Question and the Buddha’s Answer
Encouragement divides into two: first, encouragement through a question; second, encouragement through vows. There is a question and an answer.
The question: having heard from afar that the scripture had been completely taught, he longed for the Dharma without ceasing. His purpose in coming from afar was to encourage, and so he asked again. The main teaching encourages his own practice, while the renewed request for circulation encourages transforming others. If the Tathāgata permits it, both paths will be proclaimed again, their light without limit; hence this is a double request.
The Buddha answers first generally, next separately, and third with a conclusion. The separate explanation lists the names of the four dharmas, as stated in the scripture.
Because his was a double request, the Tathāgata answered skillfully, briefly raising four dharmas to encompass all the rest. Why? The essentials of the four dharmas include both the main teaching and circulation. Why? Although the Buddha is impartial, if one can leave evil and follow good, turn from delusion and return to the right, open provisional views and reveal the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, then one accords with the noble mind and is kept in mind and protected by all buddhas. When the Buddha’s knowledge and vision open, prajñā shines forth: this is planting the roots of many virtues. It is also entering the group fixed in rightness—neither confused nor savoring, neither grasping nor rejecting. It is also arousing the mind to rescue living beings.
Know that these four dharmas and opening the provisional to reveal the real differ in name but are the same in substance, without duality or distinction.
Again, “being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas” is opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; “planting the roots of many virtues” is revealing the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; “arousing the mind to rescue living beings” is awakening to the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; “entering the group fixed in rightness” is entering the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. The essentials of the Trace Gate are exhausted by these four dharmas.
Again, wherever there is Trace, there is Origin. Opening, revealing, awakening, and entering in the Trace occur because they are opened from the Origin. Now opening the Trace itself reveals the Origin; Origin and Trace are without duality or distinction. It is therefore clear in meaning that the four dharmas answer his request concerning the main teaching.
VII. Aligning the Four Dharmas with the Three Tracks and Four Peaceful Practices
The four dharmas answer his request concerning circulation: the method of circulation consists solely of three and solely of four.
“arousing the mind to rescue living beings” is entering the Tathāgata’s room; “entering the group fixed in rightness and being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas” is wearing the Tathāgata’s robe; “planting the roots of many virtues” is sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. These are the essentials of propagation: four that are three.
“arousing the mind to rescue living beings” is the peaceful practice of vows; “entering the group fixed in rightness” is the peaceful practice of mind; “planting the roots of many virtues” is the peaceful practice of speech; “being kept in mind and protected” is the peaceful practice of body. Know that the latter four are precisely the former four.
One answer repays his two requests, raising four dharmas to canopy the entire scripture. The Lotus is performed again, this scripture is proclaimed anew, and the one who came from afar gives encouragement: such is the meaning.
VIII. The Third Conclusion: Refuting the Older Explanation
Third, the conclusion: after the Tathāgata’s extinction, one will certainly obtain this scripture.
The older explanation says: “One who can practice the four dharmas will often obtain this scripture in hand in a future life.”
The present explanation says that this is not so. Above, the scripture says “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas has already been taught for you,” and again “cause all living beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision.” This is the true substance of the Lotus. One who can practice the four dharmas will certainly attain this understanding, and this understanding is called the scripture. This concludes his question concerning the main teaching.
If one can employ this understanding, practice it, and transmit it to others, others attain such faith and understanding and become persons of the first reliance; attaining true understanding, they become persons of the second, third, and fourth reliances. This concludes his question concerning circulation.
If one cannot see this meaning, would it not be wasted effort to devise other explanations?
IX. Encouragement through Vows: Six Ways of Protecting People
From “addressed the Buddha” onward is the second part, encouragement through vows. The text divides in two: first, protecting people; second, protecting the Dharma.
Protecting people divides into six:
First, removing their external difficulties. At the outset he removes difficulties generally; hence “let none who watch for an opportunity find one” is this. Next he removes difficulties separately by listing twelve unlawful things.
Second, teaching them the inner Dharma. There are three rounds of instruction. First, while they walk or stand and read or recite, he rides a white elephant with six tusks and comforts their minds. Next, while they sit and contemplate, he again rides the six-tusked elephant, teaches them the scripture, and gives them samādhis: “dhāraṇī” turns from the provisional and enters emptiness; “a hundred thousand turns” turns from emptiness and enters the provisional; “skillful means” takes those two as the path of skillful means and thereby enters the ultimate truth of the Middle Way. Finally, for three periods of seven days they are single-minded and diligent, and he again rides the six-tusked elephant, shows, teaches, benefits, and delights them, and speaks the spell, as stated in the scripture.
Third, covering them with supernormal power. Whether they hear or uphold, nothing is outside this supernormal power, as stated in the scripture.
Fourth, showing the superior cause. Those who can perform the five kinds of Dharma teacher are what the buddhas of the three times plant, mature, and liberate. These people attain liberation together with future buddhas, hence “sharing the practice of Samantabhadra.” They have planted good before past buddhas, hence “deeply planted wholesome roots.” They are matured by present buddhas, hence “a hand strokes their heads.”
Fifth, showing the proximate result. Those who can merely copy the scripture are near to birth in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; those who fully practice the five kinds of Dharma teacher are next born in Tuṣita Heaven, as stated in the scripture.
Sixth, the general conclusion. This begins from “therefore the wise” onward.
X. The Vow to Protect the Dharma
From “World-Honored One, I now by my supernormal power” onward is the second part, the vow to protect the Dharma, as stated in the scripture.
XI. Affirming the Encouragement
Third, affirming the encouragement: the Tathāgata raises what is superior to affirm its lesser counterpart, advancing practitioners and making them brave and keen in propagation.
First he affirms protection of the Dharma: you are able in this way to bring much benefit externally, amass compassion internally, and have provided such protection for long kalpas. I too protect this Dharma with the Buddha’s supernormal power—how much more do you? This is as stated in the scripture.
From “if there is a person” onward, he affirms the protection of people. Although it is not sequential, the intended affirmations are complete.
“know that this person sees Śākyamuni Buddha” affirms his manifestation of a body and teaching of the Dharma. That person even sees my fruit-body of ten thousand virtues—how much more your six-tusked white elephant at the causal stage? That person even hears the scripture completely from the Buddha’s mouth—how much more the passages and phrases forgotten from your teaching? That person is even praised by the Buddha’s mouth, stroked by his hand, and covered by his robe—how much more can your dhāraṇī at the causal stage cover that person?
From “not greedily attached to worldly pleasures” onward, he affirms the causes he raised: extensively listing the absence of many transgressions among the causes, having few desires, being content, and cultivating the practice of Samantabhadra. This affirms the superior cause.
From “if after the Tathāgata’s extinction” onward, he affirms the proximate result he raised. That person will go to the place of awakening and certainly accomplish the distant result—how much more the proximate result? The person also attains that proximate result in the present world and does not merely gain heavenly birth.
From “if a person disparages” onward, he affirms the removal of external difficulties. The Buddha extensively reveals the offenses of disparagers, causing them to recognize their faults, certainly reform, and cease troubling one another. Not only are difficulties removed for those who uphold the scripture; blessings also arise for those who wish to disparage it. With neither disparagement nor difficulty, both sides are at ease; his rescue is vast and impartial—the utmost of compassion.
From “one should rise and greet them from afar as one would honor the Buddha” onward, he affirms the merit of believers in his conclusion.
XII. Benefits Produced by the Encouragement
Fourth, from “when this was spoken” onward is the passage on benefits produced by the encouragement.
First, the benefit from hearing the chapter: “turning dhāraṇī” is the stage of the first ground, while “fully possessing the path of Samantabhadra” is the stage of the tenth ground.
Second, the benefit from hearing the scripture: this is “the great assembly rejoiced.” “rejoicing” is as explained above.
Why are śrāvakas still named here? The compiler of the scripture merely preserves their original position.
Again, the compiler calls them Great-Vehicle śrāvakas—through the voice of the Buddha’s path they cause all people to hear. The meaning becomes still clearer.
[End of Fascicle Ten, Part Two, of Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma]
一部二十八品的經，講到最後一品。
普賢菩薩從東方遠道而來。他來得很晚——經已經說完了，塔也閉了，該授的記都授了。
他來做什麼？
本論給「勸發」二字下的解釋是三個字：戀法之辭。
他在遙遠的國土聽完了這部經的始末，捨不得就這樣結束，所以趕來，再請佛說一次——不是為了自己聽，是為了「令自行化他永永無已」。
而佛的回答，只有四句話。
一、四法：一句回答，酬了兩個請求
普賢的請問其實有兩層：一層問正說（我該怎麼修），一層問流通（別人該怎麼傳）。本論稱之為「雙請」。
佛的答案是四法：佛所護念、植眾德本、入正定聚、發救一切眾生之心。
四句話，本論說它「該括正、通」——正說與流通都在裡面了。
然後本論做了一件在全帙裡分量最重的事：它把這四法，連配三次。
第一配，配開示悟入。佛護念是開佛知見，植眾德本是示，發救眾生是悟，入正定聚是入。配完之後本論下一句斷語：「迹門之要，此四收矣」——迹門十四品的要領，這四句就收盡了。
第二配，配室衣座。發救眾生是入如來室，入正定聚與佛所護念是著如來衣，植眾德本是坐如來座。本論說這叫「即四而三」——四法就是三軌。
第三配，配四安樂行。發救眾生是誓願安樂行，入正定聚是意安樂行，植眾德本是口安樂行，護念是身安樂行。本論收一句：「當知後四即前四也」。
三配之後，本論給了全帙裡最有氣魄的一句話：
「一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經」。
一個回答酬答了兩重請問；舉出四法，把整部經罩在下面。
二、為什麼是這四句？
本論在配之前先解釋了為什麼四法就夠。
它的理路很簡單：佛雖然沒有偏私，可是若一個人能遠惡從善、反迷還正、開權知見而顯佛知見——那就「稱可聖心」，於是諸佛護念他。
佛知見一開，般若就照明，那就是植眾德本；也就是入正定聚，不亂不味、不取不捨；也就是發起救度眾生之心。
四法其實是一件事的四個階段，而且是連鎖的。護念是佛那邊來的，德本是自己這邊起的，正定聚是心安住了，發救眾生是溢出去了。
所以本論說：「當知此四與開權顯實，名異體同，無二無別」。
這四句話與整部經的宗旨，是同一件事的兩個說法。
三、「名解為經」——本論駁掉了一種讀法
三結一段，本論駁了一家舊說。
經文說：能行四法的人，於如來滅後必得是經。舊說解作：能行四法的人，未來世常常親手拿到這部經卷。
本論說：不是這樣。
它的理由在經文自身。上文說「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」，又說「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」——那才是《法華》的正體。所以「必得是經」的意思是：能行四法必定得到這個理解，而這個理解就叫作經。
本論的原話是四個字：「名解為經」。
然後它把這個讀法接下去：若能運用這個理解、行而傳與他人；他人得到信解成為初依之人，能得真解成為第二、第三、第四依之人——這才是回答「流通」那一請。
末了一句相當不客氣：「此意不見，浪作餘說耶」——看不出這層意思，就只好白費工夫去說別的了。
這一駁很能說明本帙的性格。舊說並不算錯得離譜——常常拿得到經卷，也是好事。可是那樣讀，佛的回答就只答了半邊：手上有經，不等於傳得下去。而本論把「經」讀成「解」之後，兩個請求就都被回答了：得解是正說，傳解是流通。
四、四德與一條龍
發來一段有一組很漂亮的配釋。
經文形容普賢有自在、神通、威德、名聞。本論配作四一：自在是理一，神通是行一，威德是人一，名聞是教一。
然後它換一個角度再配一次：自在是常，神通是樂，威德是我，名聞是淨。
同樣四個字，一次配四一，一次配四德。本論說：「言說如此，即一而四，德無不備」。
而接下來的敘述最見文采。淨的力量所以雨花，樂的力量所以奏樂，神通所以動地；自在的力量所以隨意而雨——隨去隨雨，隨動隨奏。
然後是那個比喻：
「譬如大龍飛行不息，身邊雲雨流起無窮」。
一條大龍在天上飛，牠不必先積雲、也不必先蓄水；牠飛到哪裡，雲雨就在哪裡生起。
鏡層在這裡補了一句更準的話：不是先積蓄然後才下雨，不是先儲備然後才奏樂，所以才拿龍雨來譬喻。
這個比喻說的是「不作意」。普賢的利益不是計劃出來的，是走過去就有了。
而本論在配四德之前，先配了四一——自在是理一、神通是行一、威德是人一、名聞是教一。四一是《法華》全經之綱：理、行、人、教各唯一。普賢一個人的四種形容，就把整部經的四一裝在身上了。
隨後它換成四德再配一次。同樣四個字，一次是經之綱，一次是涅槃之德。本論說這叫「即一而四，德無不備」——說起來是四樣，其實是一樣；而正因為是一樣，四樣才都不缺。
五、他的位次，在最後一個台階上
本論釋「普賢」二字時，做了一次很嚴格的定位。
先是舊釋：三藏之中，從四念處到四善根通稱普賢，而別就世第一法臨近真理、接近聖位稱之為賢。
本論不採。它說：「今明伏道之頂，其因周遍曰「普」」——伏道到了頂，因周遍了，才叫普；「斷道纔盡所較無幾，隣終際極故名為「賢」」——斷道剛剛窮盡，所差無幾，臨近終際而至於極，才叫賢。
然後它一級一級往下排除：十信是伏道的開始，不是頂、不是周；臨近初聖之初，不是後、不是極；乃至第十地也還不是周、不是極——何況更前面的位次？
所以普賢是等覺。是成佛前的最後一級。
而它引的證據是《釋論》十四夜的月——快圓，還沒圓。
這個定位對讀者有一層很實際的意味：這一品之所以由普賢來勸發，不是因為他名氣大，是因為他站在最後一個台階上。再上去就是佛了。一個已經走到那裡的人，回過頭來說『你們別停』——那句話的重量與別人不同。
而他來的方式也對得上。經文說他從東方來、乘六牙白象、放光動地——本論說那是「以菩薩身、用四德力來」。用的是菩薩之身，帶的是佛之德。
六、六牙白象與三七日
誓願勸發一段，普賢說了三次乘六牙白象而來。
本論注意到那三次的處境不同：第一次是行立讀誦的時候，來安慰他的心；第二次是坐而思惟的時候，來教示他的經、與他三昧；第三次是三七日一心精進的時候，來示教利喜而說呪。
三次來，一次比一次深。
而第二次那個與他三昧，本論拆得極細：「陀羅尼」是旋假入空，「百千旋」是旋空出假，「方便」是以這二者為方便道而得入中道第一義諦。
空、假、中三步，藏在三個經文的詞裡。
至於三七日，這是《法華》行法的根據所在。而鏡層在這裡說了一段全書中最動情也最嚴的話（見下）。
七、護人六事：從擋災到給果
誓願勸發之下，普賢說的是他要怎麼護持持經的人。本論分了六事，而這六事的次序自成一條線。
一是攘外難。先總說「使無伺求得其便」——不讓任何伺機而動的東西找到空隙；再別說十二種非法。
二是教內法。就是前面說的三番乘象而來。
三是覆以神力。無論是聞是持，沒有一樣不是神力所覆。
四是示勝因。能作五種法師的人，就是三世諸佛所種、所熟、所脫；此人同於未來諸佛得脫，所以說「同普賢行」；已在先佛處植善，所以說「深種善根」；為現在佛所成熟，所以說「手摩其頭」。
五是示近果。但能書寫的，近在忉利天；具足五種法師的，其次在兜率天。
六是總結。
六事讀下來會發現一個很體貼的安排：先擋掉外面的，再給裡面的；先給法，再給力；先說因，再說果。
而第四事那個「三世」的配法尤其細——同普賢行是未來，深種善根是過去，手摩其頭是現在。一個持經的人，同時被三世的佛看著。
護持不是臨時來救，是一直都在。
而述發一段，佛把普賢所說的每一項都接了下去，接法一律是『舉勝以述其劣』——那人尚且見我萬德的果身，何況你因中的六牙白象？那人尚且從佛口具足聞經，何況你所教的忘失章句？那人尚且為佛口所讚、手所摩、佛衣所覆，何況你因人的陀羅尼所覆？
三句「何況」，把普賢的誓願一句一句地加倍。
佛不是說『你說得對』，佛是說『還不只如此』。
八、承衍：全經的最後一句
本品之末，本論處理了一個小疑問。
經文說到最後，大眾歡喜，而其中仍然稱「聲聞」。可是這部經不是已經開權顯實、聲聞都作佛了嗎？為什麼還叫聲聞？
本論的回答是：「乃是經家存其本位耳」——那是結集經文的人保存他們原來的位次罷了。
然後它補了一層，而這一層是整部《文句》的最後一句：
又，經家稱他們是大乘聲聞——以佛道之聲令一切人聽聞，這個意義就更顯明了。
「聲聞」二字被翻轉了。不是聽聞聲教而止於小果的人，是以佛道之聲令一切人聽聞的人。
一部二十八品的經，一部二十卷的釋，最後停在「令一切聞」四個字上。
文句記之眼
鏡層在這一品的最後，寫下了整部《文句記》的結尾——而那一段是湛然全書中唯一一次談他自己。
在此之前，它還是照例做完了該做的事。
它判本論釋名為三悉檀，並斷古人以三藏釋普賢者為誤：「故知三教釋於普賢並謬」。它設問答通《華嚴》「普賢菩薩依於如如，不依佛土」與本品「從東方來」之矛盾——那是就應迹所從說，這是就所證自體說；既然是等覺，還有一分報土之身在。它辨四法配三軌時的能所歸屬。
然後它談到了三七日行法。
有人在這裡引出了「行有五法」「應有六法」的一長串條目。鏡層的責問很重：你解釋一整部經都沒有一處講到怎麼啟心、怎麼投想，到了這裡才引《普賢觀經》？
接著是那四句，可以當作天台一家的自我定位來讀：
「非《玄》文無以導，非《止觀》無以達，非此疏無以持，非一家無以進。」
沒有《玄義》就沒有引導，沒有《止觀》就沒有通達，沒有這部疏就持不住，不依一家就進不去。
它並記了一件當時的事：東京安國寺有一位尼師慧忍設了法華道場，天下爭相仿效卻迷失了根本——不知道那位尼師是有所依憑而親感普賢的。鏡層歎道：如今講經的人還想輕忽這個教法，正因為不知道教旨。
而全書真正的結尾，是一段旅途的記錄。
湛然說：我曾與江淮四十多位僧人前往禮拜五臺山，遇見不空三藏的門人含光奉敕在山中修造，他說曾與不空三藏一同遊歷天竺。
在那裡，有一位僧人問他：
「大唐有天台教迹，最堪簡邪正曉偏圓，可能譯之將至此土耶？」
——聽說大唐有天台的教門，最能分辨邪正、明白偏圓；能不能把它翻譯出來，帶到我們這裡？
湛然寫下一句：豈非中國失法求之四維？
佛法的源頭在那邊，可是那邊反過來向這邊求。
然後他寫下自己：
「余省躬揣見自覺多慚，迫以眾緣彊復疏出」——我反省自己、掂量自己的見地，覺得很慚愧；是被種種因緣所迫，勉強把它疏解出來。
「縱有立破為樹圓乘，使同志者開佛知見，終無偏黨而順臆度」——縱然有所立有所破，都是為了樹立圓乘，使同志的人開佛知見；始終沒有偏袒黨同而順著臆測去說。
最後是他的迴向：
一句染入心神，都能資助到彼岸；思惟修習，永遠當作舟航。隨喜見聞的，恆常互為主伴；無論取或捨，經過耳朵就結成緣；無論順或違，終究因此而得解脫。
願解脫的那一天，依報正報常常宣說妙經，一剎一塵無非利益眾生。
唯願諸佛冥中熏習加被，一切菩薩暗中借與威靈；在在還沒有說的地方都為之勸請，凡有說法之處都親自承事供養。
一句一偈增進菩提，一色一香永無退轉。
——《法華文句記》至此終。
而本論的最後四個字是「令一切聞」，記的最後八個字是「一色一香永無退轉」。
一個講聲音，一個講色與香。
A scripture of twenty-eight chapters reaches its final chapter.
The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra comes from afar in the east. He arrives very late—the scripture has already been completely taught, the stūpa has closed, and all the predictions to be conferred have been conferred.
What has he come to do?
The root treatise explains the two characters quanfa (“encouragement”) in three Chinese characters: words of longing for the Dharma.
In a distant land he heard the beginning and end of this scripture. He could not bear to let it finish there, so he hurried over and asked the Buddha to teach it once more—not for his own hearing, but to “cause his own practice and the transformation of others to continue forever without ceasing.”
And the Buddha’s answer consists of only four statements.
I. Four Dharmas: One Answer Repays Two Requests
Samantabhadra’s question actually has two levels: one asks about the main teaching—how should I practice?—and the other asks about circulation—how should others transmit it? The root treatise calls this a “double request.”
The Buddha answers with four dharmas: being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas; planting the roots of many virtues; entering the group fixed in rightness; and arousing the mind to rescue all living beings.
The root treatise says that these four statements “include both the main teaching and circulation”—both are contained within them.
Then the root treatise does something of the greatest weight anywhere in the work: it aligns these four dharmas three times in succession.
The first alignment is with opening, revealing, awakening, and entering. Being protected and kept in mind by the buddhas is opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; planting the roots of many virtues is revealing; arousing the mind to rescue beings is awakening; entering the group fixed in rightness is entering. After this alignment, the root treatise gives its judgment: “The essentials of the Trace Gate are exhausted by these four.”
The second alignment is with room, robe, and seat. Arousing the mind to rescue beings is entering the Tathāgata’s room; entering the group fixed in rightness and being protected and kept in mind by the buddhas is wearing the Tathāgata’s robe; planting the roots of many virtues is sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. The root treatise calls this “four that are three”—the four dharmas are precisely the three tracks.
The third alignment is with the four peaceful practices. Arousing the mind to rescue beings is the peaceful practice of vows; entering the group fixed in rightness is the peaceful practice of mind; planting the roots of many virtues is the peaceful practice of speech; protection and mindfulness is the peaceful practice of body. The root treatise concludes: “Know that the latter four are precisely the former four.”
After these three alignments, the root treatise gives one of the most sweeping statements in the entire work:
“One answer repays his two requests; four are raised to canopy the entire scripture.”
One answer repays the two levels of questioning; four dharmas are raised to place the entire scripture beneath their canopy.
II. Why These Four Statements?
Before making the alignments, the root treatise first explains why four dharmas suffice.
Its reasoning is simple: although the Buddha is impartial, if someone can leave evil and follow good, turn from delusion and return to the right, open provisional views and reveal the Buddha’s knowledge and vision, then that person “accords with the noble mind” and is therefore kept in mind and protected by all buddhas.
When the Buddha’s knowledge and vision open, prajñā shines forth—that is planting the roots of many virtues. It is also entering the group fixed in rightness, neither confused nor savoring, neither grasping nor rejecting. It is also arousing the mind to rescue living beings.
The four dharmas are really four linked stages of one thing. Protection and mindfulness come from the Buddha’s side; the roots of virtue arise on one’s own side; the group fixed in rightness is the mind coming to rest; rescuing living beings is that rest overflowing outward.
Thus the root treatise says: “Know that these four and opening the provisional to reveal the real differ in name but are the same in substance, without duality or distinction.”
These four statements and the central aim of the entire scripture are two ways of speaking of the same thing.
III. “The Name Explained as the Scroll”—The Root Treatise Refutes One Reading
In the passage on the third conclusion, the root treatise refutes one older explanation.
The scripture says that one who can practice the four dharmas will certainly obtain this scripture after the Tathāgata’s extinction. The older explanation takes this to mean that one who can practice the four dharmas will often physically obtain a scroll of this scripture in future lives.
The root treatise says: that is not what it means.
Its reason lies in the scripture itself. Above, it says “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas has already been taught for you,” and again “cause all living beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision.” That is the true substance of the Lotus. Thus “will certainly obtain this scripture” means that one who can practice the four dharmas will certainly attain this understanding, and that understanding is what is called the scripture.
The root treatise’s exact words are four characters: “name the understanding the scripture.”
It then carries this reading forward: if one can employ this understanding, practice it, and transmit it to others, others attain faith and understanding and become persons of the first reliance; attaining true understanding, they become persons of the second, third, and fourth reliances. This is what answers the request concerning “circulation.”
Its closing sentence is remarkably blunt: “If this meaning is not seen, would it not be wasted effort to devise other explanations?”
This refutation reveals the character of the whole work. The older explanation is not wildly wrong—often obtaining a scripture scroll is itself a good thing. But read that way, the Buddha’s answer covers only half the question: possessing the “scripture” in one’s hands does not mean it can be transmitted. Once the root treatise reads “scripture” as jie (“understanding”), however, both requests are answered: attaining understanding is the main teaching, and transmitting understanding is circulation.
IV. The Four Virtues and a Great Dragon
The passage on his coming forth contains a beautiful set of alignments.
The scripture describes Samantabhadra as possessing sovereignty, supernormal power, majestic virtue, and renown. The root treatise aligns these with the four ones: sovereignty is the one principle; supernormal power, the one practice; majestic virtue, the one person; renown, the one teaching.
It then aligns them again from another angle: sovereignty is permanence; supernormal power, bliss; majestic virtue, self; renown, purity.
The same four expressions are once aligned with the four ones and once with the four virtues. The root treatise says: “Though spoken in this way, the one is four, and no virtue is incomplete.”
The narrative that follows displays its finest literary grace. The power of purity therefore rains flowers; the power of bliss therefore produces music; supernormal power therefore moves the earth; and the power of sovereignty therefore rains at will—wherever he goes it rains, wherever he moves music sounds.
Then comes the simile:
“It is like a great dragon flying without rest, while clouds and rain stream forth without end around its body.”
A great dragon flies through the sky. It need not first gather clouds or first store water; wherever it flies, clouds and rain arise.
At this point the mirror layer adds an even more exact statement: the rain does not fall only after first being accumulated, and the music does not sound only after first being stored. That is why dragon-rain serves as the simile.
This simile speaks of “not forming an intention.” Samantabhadra’s benefit is not something planned; wherever he passes, it is already present.
Before aligning the four virtues, the root treatise first aligns the four ones—sovereignty as the one principle, supernormal power as the one practice, majestic virtue as the one person, and renown as the one teaching. The four ones are the guiding framework of the entire Lotus: principle, practice, person, and teaching are each one. The four descriptions of Samantabhadra alone place the entire scripture’s four ones upon his body.
It then changes to the four virtues and makes the alignment again. The same four expressions are once the framework of the scripture and once the virtues of nirvāṇa. The root treatise calls this “the one is four, and no virtue is incomplete”—spoken as four, they are really one; precisely because they are one, none of the four is lacking.
V. His Stage Is the Final Step
When explaining the two characters puxian (“Samantabhadra”), the root treatise makes a stringent determination of his stage.
First comes the older explanation: within the Tripiṭaka Teaching, the stages from the four foundations of mindfulness through the four wholesome roots are all called Samantabhadra, while the highest mundane dharma in particular is called worthy because it is adjacent to truth and near the noble stage.
The root treatise does not adopt this. It says: “The present explanation takes the summit of the path of subduing: because its causes are all-pervading, it is called ‘universal.’” And: “The path of severance has just been exhausted and little remains; because it is adjacent to the final limit and reaches the utmost, it is called ‘worthy.’”
Then it excludes the stages one by one: the ten faiths are the beginning of the path of subduing, not its summit and not all-pervading; being at the beginning of proximity to the first noble stage is neither later nor ultimate; even the tenth ground is not yet all-pervading or ultimate—how much less any earlier stage?
Samantabhadra is therefore at Equal Awakening, the final stage before buddhahood.
Its evidence is the moon on the fourteenth night cited from the Explanatory Treatise—almost full, but not yet full.
This determination has a very practical meaning for the reader: Samantabhadra encourages in this chapter not because he is famous, but because he stands on the final step. One step higher is buddhahood. When someone who has already walked that far turns back and says, “Do not stop,” those words carry a different weight.
The manner of his coming corresponds to this. The scripture says that he comes from the east, rides a six-tusked white elephant, emits light, and moves the earth. The root treatise says that he came “in a bodhisattva body, employing the power of the four virtues.” The body he uses is a bodhisattva’s; what he carries are a buddha’s virtues.
VI. The Six-Tusked White Elephant and Three Periods of Seven Days
In the passage on encouragement through vows, Samantabhadra says three times that he will come riding a six-tusked white elephant.
The root treatise notices that the circumstances differ each time: first, while the practitioner walks or stands and reads or recites, he comes to comfort the practitioner’s mind; second, while the practitioner sits and contemplates, he comes to teach the scripture and give samādhi; third, while the practitioner is single-minded and diligent for three periods of seven days, he comes to show, teach, benefit, and delight, and to speak the spell.
Each of the three arrivals goes deeper than the last.
The root treatise analyzes the samādhi given on the second occasion with exceptional precision: “dhāraṇī” turns from the provisional and enters emptiness; “a hundred thousand turns” turns from emptiness and enters the provisional; “skillful means” takes these two as the path of skillful means and thereby enters the ultimate truth of the Middle Way.
The three steps of emptiness, the provisional, and the Middle are concealed within three terms from the scripture.
As for the three periods of seven days, this is the scriptural basis for the Lotus practice method. Here the mirror layer gives one of the most moving and stringent statements in the entire work (see below).
VII. Six Ways of Protecting People: From Blocking Calamity to Giving a Result
Under encouragement through vows, Samantabhadra explains how he will protect people who uphold the scripture. The root treatise divides this into six matters, and their sequence forms a line of its own.
First is removing external difficulties. It begins with the general statement “let none who watch for an opportunity find one”—allowing nothing that lies in wait to find an opening. It then separately lists twelve unlawful things.
Second is teaching the inner Dharma. These are the three rounds of arriving on the elephant described above.
Third is covering them with supernormal power. Whether one hears or upholds, nothing is outside the cover of this power.
Fourth is showing the superior cause. Those able to perform the five kinds of Dharma teacher are what the buddhas of the three times plant, mature, and liberate. These people attain liberation together with future buddhas and are therefore said to “share the practice of Samantabhadra”; they planted good before past buddhas and are therefore said to “have deeply planted wholesome roots”; they are matured by present buddhas and are therefore said to have a “hand stroking their heads.”
Fifth is showing the proximate result. Those who can merely copy the scripture are near to birth in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; those who fully practice the five kinds of Dharma teacher are next born in Tuṣita Heaven.
Sixth is the general conclusion.
Reading through the six reveals a deeply considerate arrangement: first block what is outside, then give what is inside; first give the Dharma, then give power; first speak of the cause, then speak of the result.
The alignment with “the three times” in the fourth matter is especially fine: sharing Samantabhadra’s practice is future; deeply planting wholesome roots is past; the hand stroking the head is present. A person who upholds the scripture is watched over by the buddhas of all three times at once.
Protection is not a temporary rescue. It has always been present.
In the passage affirming the encouragement, the Buddha takes up every item Samantabhadra has stated. His method is always to “raise the superior to affirm its lesser counterpart”: that person even sees my fruit-body of ten thousand virtues—how much more your six-tusked white elephant at the causal stage? That person even hears the scripture completely from the Buddha’s mouth—how much more the passages and phrases forgotten from your teaching? That person is even praised by the Buddha’s mouth, stroked by his hand, and covered by his robe—how much more your dhāraṇī at the causal stage?
Three statements of “how much more” double Samantabhadra’s vows one by one.
The Buddha does not say, “You are right.” The Buddha says, “It is more than this.”
VIII. Carrying Forward: The Final Sentence of the Entire Scripture
At the end of the chapter, the root treatise handles a small question.
At the scripture’s conclusion, the great assembly rejoices, but “śrāvakas” are still named among them. Yet has this scripture not already opened the provisional to reveal the real, with every śrāvaka destined for buddhahood? Why are they still called śrāvakas?
The root treatise answers: “The compiler of the scripture merely preserves their original position.”
It then adds a further layer, which is the final sentence of the entire Wenju:
Again, the compiler calls them Great-Vehicle “śrāvakas”—through the voice of the Buddha’s path they cause all people to hear, and this meaning becomes still clearer.
The two characters “śrāvaka” are turned around. They no longer mean people who hear the voiced teaching and stop at a Lesser-Vehicle fruit; they mean people who, through the voice of the Buddha’s path, “cause all to hear.”
A scripture of twenty-eight chapters and an explanation of twenty fascicles finally come to rest on the four words “cause all to hear.”
Through the Eye of the Wenjuji
At the end of this chapter, the mirror layer writes the conclusion of the entire Wenjuji—and that passage is the only place in the whole work where Zhanran speaks about himself.
Before reaching it, the mirror completes its customary work.
It judges the root treatise’s explanation of the name to belong to three siddhāntas and declares the ancient Tripiṭaka-Teaching explanation of Samantabhadra mistaken: “Thus one knows that the three teachings’ explanations of Samantabhadra are all erroneous.” It frames a question and answer to reconcile the Flower Garland statement “the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra relies on suchness itself and does not rely on a buddha land” with this chapter’s statement that he came “from the east.” Coming from the east speaks from the responsive traces from which he came; relying on suchness speaks of the self-substance he realizes. Since he is at Equal Awakening, one portion of a reward-land body still remains. The mirror also distinguishes active and passive aspects when aligning the four dharmas with the three tracks.
Then it turns to the practice method of three periods of seven days.
Someone introduces here a long list under “practice has five dharmas” and “there should be six dharmas.” The mirror’s challenge is severe: throughout your explanation of the whole scripture, nowhere have you spoken of how to initiate the mind or cast the thought; only here do you cite the Sūtra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra?
Then come four statements that may be read as Tiantai’s own account of itself:
“Without the text of the Profound Meaning, there is no guidance; without Calming and Contemplation, there is no penetration; without this commentary, there is no upholding; without this one tradition, there is no entry.”
Without the Profound Meaning there is no guidance; without Calming and Contemplation there is no penetration; without this commentary one cannot uphold; without relying upon the one tradition one cannot enter.
The mirror also records an event of its own time: at Anguo Monastery in the eastern capital, a nun named Huiren established a Lotus practice site. People throughout the realm rushed to imitate her but lost the basis, not knowing that the nun had relied upon something and personally experienced Samantabhadra. The mirror laments that lecturers today still wish to slight this teaching precisely because they do not know the teaching’s purport.
The true ending of the whole work is a record of a journey.
Zhanran says: I once went with more than forty monks from the Jiang and Huai regions to pay reverence at Mount Wutai. There we met Hanguang, a disciple of the Tripiṭaka Master Amoghavajra, who was carrying out construction on the mountain by imperial command. He said that he had traveled in India together with the Tripiṭaka Master Amoghavajra.
There, a monk asked him:
“In the Great Tang there is the teaching tradition of Tiantai, supremely capable of distinguishing wrong from right and clarifying the partial and perfect. Could it be translated and brought to this land?”
—We hear that the Great Tang possesses Tiantai’s teaching tradition, which best distinguishes wrong from right and comprehends the partial and perfect. Could it be translated and brought here?
Zhanran writes one sentence: Could this not be China losing the Dharma and seeking it in the four directions?
The source of the Buddha-Dharma was there, yet those there in turn sought it from here.
Then he writes of himself:
“Examining myself and measuring my own understanding, I feel deeply ashamed; pressed by many conditions, I have forced myself to set out this commentary.”
“Even where I establish or refute, it is to erect the Perfect Vehicle and enable companions in aspiration to open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; never have I favored a faction and followed my own conjectures.”
Finally comes his dedication:
May even a single phrase permeating mind and spirit assist all toward the further shore; may reflection and cultivation forever serve as boat and passage. May those who rejoice in what they see and hear always become one another’s host and companion. Whether accepting or rejecting, once it passes through the ear it forms a connection; whether compliant or contrary, ultimately through it one attains liberation.
On the day of liberation, may both dependent and primary recompense constantly proclaim the Wondrous Scripture; may every instant and every mote of dust bring benefit to living beings.
May the buddhas invisibly perfume and empower us, and all bodhisattvas secretly lend their majestic force. Wherever the teaching has not yet been spoken, may they request it; wherever Dharma is taught, may they personally attend and make offerings.
May every phrase and verse advance awakening; may every form and fragrance be forever without retreat.
—The Fahua Wenjuji ends here.
The root treatise’s final four words are “cause all to hear”; the Record’s final eight are “every form and fragrance forever without retreat.”
One speaks of sound; the other, of form and fragrance.
考據Apparatus
本品為全經之末，亦為本帙之終。本論先以三悉檀與行願釋「普賢」之名，並判其位為等覺（伏道之頂曰普、斷道之後隣于極聖曰賢）；次判本品於流通中之位（舉普賢誓願力大以勸流通）；後半以四法為骨——佛所護念・植眾德本・入正定聚・發救一切眾生之心——一一配開示悟入、配室衣座、配四安樂行，末結「一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經」。所引三家：《大論》《觀經》（同名遍吉）・《悲華》・《釋論》。
一、科判定位
本品屬本門（15–28）流通之末段，為化他流通五品之第六，亦為全經二十八品之終。本論自判其位：「上判流通為三：從十九行偈已後三品半，舉經力大以勸流通；〈藥王品〉下五品，舉菩薩化道力大以勸流通；此一品舉普賢誓願力大以勸流通」〔0148a23–0148a27〕。前品已判本品「以神通乘乘」〔0143b05〕。
嚴格域為 T34n1718〔0147c28–0149a29〕：起於品題「釋普賢菩薩勸發品」〔0147c28〕，止於卷末題「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」〔0149a29〕。全域實有一千八百八十一個漢字。本單元止於全帙之末——卷第十下訖於此，其下即本書之終。卷末題依 Rule 11(b) 照錄。
| 次第 | 本論自科 | 行域與內容 |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | 釋名·梵漢 | 《大論》《觀經》同名遍吉；梵音邲輸颰陀，此云普賢〔0147c28–0147c29〕 |
| 二 | 釋名·引《悲華》 | 我誓於穢惡世界行菩薩道；寶藏佛言今改汝字名為普賢〔0148a01–0148a04〕 |
| 三 | 釋名·三悉檀與行願 | 此即三悉檀意，復是因緣解釋，又是行願得名〔0148a04–0148a05〕 |
| 四 | 判位·三藏之舊釋 | 由來從念處至四善根通稱普賢；別約世第一法隣真近聖稱賢〔0148a05–0148a07〕 |
| 五 | 判位·今明圓教等覺 | 伏道之頂其因周遍曰普；斷道纔盡隣終際極曰賢；引《釋論》十四夜月〔0148a07–0148a14〕 |
| 六 | 釋「勸發」 | 戀法之辭；自東自西而來勸發，具四悉檀意；引根經四句以證〔0148a14–0148a24〕 |
| 七 | 流通三分之判 | 三品半舉經力・五品舉菩薩化道力・本品舉普賢誓願力〔0148a23–0148a27〕 |
| 八 | 分文為四 | 發來・勸發・述發・發益〔0148a27–0148a28〕 |
| 九 | 發來三 | 上供・下化・修敬；自在理一・神通行一・威德人一・名聞教一；又配常樂我淨〔0148a28–0148b12〕 |
| 十 | 勸發·請問勸發 | 雙請（正說勸發自行・更請流通勸發化他）；佛答先總次別三結〔0148b12–0148b21〕 |
| 十一 | 四法配開示悟入 | 佛護念＝開・植眾德本＝示・發救眾生＝悟・入正定聚＝入；迹門之要此四收矣〔0148b21–0148b28〕 |
| 十二 | 四法配三軌 | 發救眾生＝入室・入正定聚與護念＝著衣・植眾德本＝坐座〔0148b28–0148c02〕 |
| 十三 | 四法配四安樂行 | 發救＝誓願・入正定＝意・植德本＝口・護念＝身；後四即前四〔0148c02–0148c06〕 |
| 十四 | 三結·駁舊云 | 舊云能行四法常手得是經；今謂不爾——名解為經〔0148c06–0148c15〕 |
| 十五 | 誓願勸發·護人六 | 攘外難・教內法（三番）・覆以神力・示勝因・示近果・總結〔0148c15–0149a03〕 |
| 十六 | 誓願護法 | 從「世尊我今神力」下，如文〔0149a03–0149a04〕 |
| 十七 | 述發 | 先述護法，次述護人（示身教法・舉因・舉近果・攘外難・結信者功德）〔0149a04–0149a24〕 |
| 十八 | 發益 | 聞品益（旋陀羅尼初地・具普賢道十地）・聞經益；「乃是經家存其本位耳」〔0149a24–0149a29〕 |
《文句記》對位：T34n1719〔0359a03–0360a05〕，起於品題「釋普賢品」〔0359a03〕，訖於湛然自撰之迴向文「一色一香永無退轉」〔0360a04–0360a05〕，其下即卷末題「法華文句記卷第十下」〔0360a06〕。記與本論同終於此。
二、成立與傳本
卷端序記灌頂法師私記、合二十卷〔0001a23–0001a24〕，又記唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫。義說歸智者，記錄歸灌頂，現行文字又經條倫治定；神逈序、朗和尚治定語與湛然《文句記》皆屬傳本或鏡釋層，不改作智者正文。
本單元卷末題「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」〔0149a29〕即全書之終。該題本身即有一枚校記：大正本作「妙法蓮華經」而甲本作「法華」（詳第八目）。
三、所帖經文與所引
（一）所帖根經：〈普賢菩薩勸發品〉
| 本論所標 | 根經逐字 | 行錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 「我為供養《法華經》故自現其身」 | 「為供養法華經故」 | T09n0262〔0061b02〕 |
| 「已見我故轉復精進」 | 「轉復精進」 | 〔0061b06〕 |
| 「亦復不為女人之所惑亂」 | 「女人之所惑亂」 | 〔0061b16〕 |
| 「使無伺求得其便」 | 「使無伺求得其便者」 | 〔0061a24〕 |
| 「陀羅尼」・「百千旋」 | 「旋陀羅尼」 | 〔0061b07〕 |
| 「深種善根」 | 「深種善根」 | 〔0061c03〕 |
| 「手摩其頭」 | 「手摩其頭」 | 〔0061c04〕 |
| 「同普賢行」・「具普賢道」 | 「具普賢道」 | 〔0062a27〕 |
| 「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」 | 「諸法實相義」 | 〔0005a10〕〈序品〉 |
本論所引「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」〔0148c10–0148c11〕，今本連文零命中；今本〈方便品〉作「欲令眾生開佛知見」〔0007a24〕——本論係撮而合之，並錄不判。本論所引「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」出〈序品〉而非本品，是跨品追引。
（二）本論所引：《大論》《觀經》——同名遍吉
「《大論》、《觀經》同名遍吉，此經稱「普賢」，皆漢語，梵音邲輸颰陀，此云普賢」〔0147c28–0147c29〕。本論舉二書之譯名而不徵其文；「邲輸颰陀」為本論自出之梵音音寫，今本大藏以標記容錯法檢零命中，據實誌之，不代擬。
（三）本論所引：《悲華經》——逐字命中
「《悲華》云「我誓於穢惡世界，行菩薩道使得嚴淨，我行要當勝諸菩薩。寶藏佛言：『以是因緣今改汝字名為普賢。』」」〔0148a01–0148a04〕。今本《悲華經》T03n0157 逐字命中：「今改汝字名為普賢」〔0192b14〕。其上「我誓於穢惡世界」「我行要當勝諸菩薩」二語今本連文零命中，本論係撮其願文，並錄不判。
（四）本論所引：《大智度論》——十四夜月
「《釋論》引十四夜月如十五夜月，斯義明矣」〔0148a13–0148a14〕。今本 T25n1509 作「亦如十四日月，雖有光明，猶不如十五日」〔0273b15–0273b16〕——二處出入須誌：其一，今本作「十四日月」而本論作「十四夜月」；其二，今本之義為「猶不如」十五日，而本論引之以明等覺「隣終際極」，取其相隣而幾近之意。並錄不判。
《文句記》於此云「次引《釋論》以證圓極，《論》引《大經》文也」〔T34n1719 0359a25〕——鏡指《釋論》此語復本於《大經》，據實誌之。
四、文句記釋要〔鏡〕
本品之鏡釋見 T34n1719〔0359a03–0360a05〕，為記之終。其要有五。
其一·三悉之判與「普賢」之古釋。鏡判本論釋名為三悉檀〔0359a04〕，並謂古人以三藏釋普賢者為由從來作此釋，斷曰「故知三教釋於普賢並謬」〔0359a12–0359a14〕。
其二·《華嚴》之問答。鏡自設問：「《華嚴》云：「普賢菩薩依於如如，不依佛土」，今何故云從東方來？」〔0359a16–0359a17〕答曰「此據應迹所從，彼明所證自體」〔0359a17–0359a18〕，並謂既云等覺猶有一分報土身在〔0359a18–0359a19〕。
其三·四法之配屬辨。鏡判本論四法之配：初句法身、二三般若、第四解脫〔0359b08–0359b09〕；復辨室衣座之配——「前文釋衣等三，皆通兩句各有能所；今從一邊則以空座為般若，所覆為法身，能覆為解脫」〔0359b13–0359b15〕。
其四·三七日行法之申並斥師心。鏡於本論「三番教訓」處，駁有人於此引「行有五法」「應有六法」之列目〔0359b26–0359c02〕，責其「解釋一經都無啟心投想之地，至此乃引《普賢觀經》」〔0359c02–0359c04〕；隨即申一總則——「非《玄》文無以導，非《止觀》無以達，非此疏無以持，非一家無以進」〔0359c07–0359c08〕。復記一時事：東京安國寺尼慧忍置法華道場，天下仿效而迷其本，「不知此尼依憑有在而親感普賢」〔0359c09–0359c11〕，並歎「況今講者而欲輕略斯教，良由不知教旨故也」〔0359c12–0359c13〕。
其五·含光之問與湛然之迴向〔0359c13–0360a05〕。鏡自記一事：與江淮四十餘僧往禮臺山，見不空三藏門人含光奉勅在山修造，云與不空親遊天竺；彼有僧問曰：「大唐有天台教迹，最堪簡邪正曉偏圓，可能譯之將至此土耶？」〔0359c16–0359c17〕鏡因歎「豈非中國失法求之四維？」〔0359c18〕。末乃自陳撰述之志並發願迴向：「余省躬揣見自覺多慚，迫以眾緣彊復疏出，縱有立破為樹圓乘，使同志者開佛知見，終無偏黨而順臆度」〔0359c24–0359c26〕；「一句染神咸資彼岸，思惟修習永用舟航」〔0359c27–0359c28〕；「一句一偈增進菩提，一色一香永無退轉」〔0360a04–0360a05〕。此段為《文句記》全書之終，亦為湛然自述其撰述立場之唯一處。
五、諸家異釋
本單元錄有一家，本論自錄：
舊云：「能行四法於未來世，常手得是經。」〔0148c07–0148c08〕本論判之曰「今謂不爾」〔0148c08–0148c09〕，並自出其釋——上文云「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」，又云「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」，蓋《法華》之正體；能行四法必得此解，名解為經〔0148c08–0148c13〕；末乃斥曰「此意不見，浪作餘說耶」〔0148c15〕。
鏡層所錄並駁：有人於此引「行有五法」「應有六法」之列目〔T34n1719 0359b26–0359c02〕——鏡駁其解一經而無啟心投想之地，至此始引《普賢觀經》〔0359c02–0359c04〕。此駁為鏡自出，不倒寫為本論所錄。
六、術語
| 語 | 釋 |
|---|---|
| 普賢 | 伏道之頂，其因周遍曰「普」；斷道纔盡所較無幾，隣終際極故名為「賢」——約圓教等覺位釋〔0148a07–0148a13〕。 |
| 勸發 | 戀法之辭；遙在彼國具聞此經始末既周，欲令自行化他永永無已，故自東自西而來勸發〔0148a15–0148a17〕。 |
| 四一 | 「自在」者理一・「神通」者行一・「威德」者人一・「名聞」者教一；又自在常・神通樂・威德我・名聞淨〔0148a29–0148b03〕。 |
| 四法 | 佛所護念・植眾德本・入正定聚・發救一切眾生之心；「當知此四與開權顯實，名異體同，無二無別」〔0148b21–0148b23〕。 |
| 四法配開示悟入 | 佛護念＝開佛知見・植眾德本＝示・發救眾生＝悟・入正定聚＝入；「迹門之要，此四收矣」〔0148b23–0148b26〕。 |
| 四法配三軌 | 發救眾生＝入如來室・入正定聚與佛所護念＝著如來衣・植眾德本＝坐如來座；「即四而三」〔0148c02–0148c03〕。 |
| 名解為經 | 《法華》之正體是諸法實相義；能行四法必得此解，名此解為經〔0148c11–0148c13〕。 |
| 旋陀羅尼·百千旋 | 「陀羅尼」旋假入空・「百千旋」旋空出假・「方便」二為方便道得入中道第一義諦〔0148c22–0148c24〕。 |
七、譬喻・互讀・承衍
本單元之譬凡二，皆為釋「發來」而設：大龍飛行——「譬如大龍飛行不息，身邊雲雨流起無窮」〔0148b05–0148b06〕，以釋普賢隨去隨雨、隨動隨奏之自在；十四夜月——引《釋論》以明等覺隣于極聖〔0148a13–0148a14〕。第二喻與 25_pumen 十雙之末以十四夜月釋智德〔0145a20–0145a21〕同用一喻而取義各異：彼取光之將滿以配智德，此取位之將極以配等覺，並讀可見本帙用喻之不拘。
本品之骨為「四法」，而其手法是三重疊配：四法先配開示悟入（迹門之要），次配室衣座三軌（弘經之要），再配四安樂行（行門之要）。三配之後本論收一句：「一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經」〔0148c05–0148c06〕。一組四法，同時答了正宗與流通兩問，並把全經罩在其下——此為本帙釋一經之總收。
與〈法師品〉互讀：本品四法配室衣座，所用即 10_fashi 所立之三軌〔0108a16–0108a24〕；十品之後於此重演，本論自云「《法華》之重演，斯經之再宣」〔0148c06〕。
與〈安樂行品〉互讀：四法配四安樂行〔0148c02–0148c05〕，所配即 14 系三子之四行；本論明言「後四即前四也」〔0148c04–0148c05〕。
與〈方便品〉互讀：四法配開示悟入，而經初四釋亦以開示悟入為綱；鏡於此指出「經初存其開等四句而為四釋，今至此經末又示開等還須四釋，故知始末並是此經體宗用也」〔T34n1719 0359b23–0359b25〕。一經之始與終同用一組四句。
承衍：本單元止於卷末題〔0149a29〕，全書終。〈普賢菩薩勸發品〉之後別無他品，故此處無下接之讀路；本論以「經家存其本位」釋品末猶稱聲聞之疑〔0149a26〕，末云「以佛道聲令一切聞，斯義彌顯也」〔0149a28–0149a29〕——全帙以「令一切聞」四字終。
八、校本定位
本單元嚴格域內有二十四個校勘正文位置：二十枚以單邊校記繫之，四枚以星號回指繫之；皆為【大】【甲】對舉之內容，無省略字數式校記，亦無 CBETA 校改。本單元校記之數為全帙單一單元之次多（僅次於 10_fashi 之四十枚）。
| 次 | 位置 | 【大】 | 【甲】 | 次 | 位置 | 【大】 | 【甲】 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 0148a06 | 普 | 甲本缺 | 十三 | 0148c12 | 解 | 甲本缺 |
| 二 | 0148a09 | 于 | 甲本缺 | 十四 | 0148c22 | 也 | 甲本缺 |
| 三 | 0148a19 | 已 | 以 | 十五 | 0148c28 | 同 | 同行 |
| 四 | 0148a24 | 三 | 五 | 十六 | 0148c29★ | 植 | 殖 |
| 五 | 0148b07 | 所 | 甲本缺 | 十七 | 0149a07★ | 已 | 以 |
| 六 | 0148b08 | 歷 | 歷之 | 十八 | 0149a09 | 人 | 甲本缺 |
| 七 | 0148b09 | 逕 | 經 | 十九 | 0149a11 | 其 | 其當 |
| 八 | 0148b12 | 發 | 發初文 | 二十 | 0149a17 | 必 | 亦 |
| 九 | 0148b19 | 反 | 及 | 廿一 | 0149a23 | 佛 | 佛下 |
| 十 | 0148b24 | 植 | 殖 | 廿二 | 0149a24 | 旋 | 從 |
| 十一 | 0148c02★ | 植 | 殖 | 廿三 | 0149a29 | 妙法蓮華經 | 法華 |
| 十二 | 0148c04★ | 植 | 殖 | 廿四 | 0149a29 | 下 | 甲本缺 |
（★＝星號回指式，餘為單邊校記式。）
其中三事值得誌明。「植／殖」一形本單元四見（第十、十一、十二、十六枚，其中三枚為星號回指），皆落在四法之「植眾德本」——本論此段以四法為骨而反覆稱之，甲本一律作「殖」，二形並錄。第四枚〔0148a24〕落在流通三分之判「從十九行偈已後三品半」之「三」，甲本作「五」——三品半與五品半之數相去甚遠，而此句正是本論判流通結構之關鍵，二本異數並錄不判。第廿三枚〔0149a29〕落在卷末題：大正本作「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」而甲本作「法華」（法華文句卷第十下）——全書最末一行之題名二本不同，並錄不判。
本單元嚴格域內無通用字庫外字。品題兩形之例（「序品」無釋冠、餘二十七品作「釋Ｘ品」）於本品見「釋普賢菩薩勸發品」〔0147c28〕。至此二十八品之品題兩形之例遍檢已竟：「序品」一品無釋冠，餘二十七品皆作「釋Ｘ品」，與 mulu 逐字相合。
This chapter is the end of the entire scripture and the conclusion of this work. The root treatise first explains the name 「普賢」 tr. “Samantabhadra” through three siddhāntas and practice and vows, and determines his stage as Equal Awakening (the summit of the path of subduing is called universal; after the path of severance, proximity to the ultimate noble one is called worthy). It next determines this chapter’s place within circulation (raising the great power of Samantabhadra’s vows to encourage circulation). The latter half takes the four dharmas as its frame—being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas, planting the roots of many virtues, entering the group fixed in rightness, and arousing the mind to rescue all living beings—and aligns each in turn with opening/revealing/awakening/entering, with room/robe/seat, and with the four peaceful practices, finally concluding: 「一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經」 tr. “One answer repays his two requests; four are raised to canopy the entire scripture.” Three authorities are cited: the Great Treatise and the Contemplation Sūtra (both naming him Universally Auspicious), the Compassionate Flower Sūtra, and the Explanatory Treatise.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
This chapter belongs to the final circulation segment of the Origin Gate (15–28), is the sixth in the five chapters of circulation through transforming others, and is also the end of the scripture’s twenty-eight chapters. The root treatise itself determines its place: 「上判流通為三：從十九行偈已後三品半，舉經力大以勸流通；〈藥王品〉下五品，舉菩薩化道力大以勸流通；此一品舉普賢誓願力大以勸流通」 tr. “Above, circulation was classified in three parts: from the nineteen-line verse onward, three and a half chapters raise the great power of the scripture to encourage circulation; the five chapters from ‘The Former Affairs of Medicine King’ onward raise the great power of the bodhisattvas’ path of transformation to encourage circulation; this chapter raises the great power of Samantabhadra’s vows to encourage circulation”〔0148a23–0148a27〕. The preceding chapter already classified this chapter as 「以神通乘乘」 tr. “riding the vehicle through supernormal powers”〔0143b05〕.
Its strict domain is T34n1718〔0147c28–0149a29〕: it begins with the chapter heading 「釋普賢菩薩勸發品」 tr. “Explanation of the Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Chapter”〔0147c28〕 and ends with the fascicle-end title 「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」 tr. “Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Ten, Part Two”〔0149a29〕. The complete domain contains 1,881 Han characters. This unit ends at the end of the entire work—Fascicle Ten, Part Two concludes here, and what follows is the end of the book. The fascicle-end title is transcribed in accordance with Rule 11(b).
| Sequence | Root-treatise division | Domain and content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explanation of the name · Sanskrit and Chinese | The Great Treatise and Contemplation Sūtra both name him Universally Auspicious; the Sanskrit sound is Bishubatuo, translated here as Samantabhadra〔0147c28–0147c29〕 |
| 2 | Explanation of the name · citing the Compassionate Flower | I vow to practice the bodhisattva path in a defiled and evil world; Treasure-Store Buddha says that he now changes his name to Samantabhadra〔0148a01–0148a04〕 |
| 3 | Explanation of the name · three siddhāntas and practice and vows | This is the meaning of three siddhāntas, an explanation through causes and conditions, and a name obtained from practice and vows〔0148a04–0148a05〕 |
| 4 | Determining the stage · older Tripiṭaka-Teaching explanation | From the foundations of mindfulness through the four wholesome roots, all are called Samantabhadra; particularly, the highest mundane dharma is called worthy because it is adjacent to truth and near the noble stage〔0148a05–0148a07〕 |
| 5 | Determining the stage · present explanation of Equal Awakening in the Perfect Teaching | The summit of the path of subduing, whose causes are all-pervading, is called universal; just after the path of severance is exhausted, proximity to the final limit is called worthy; cites the fourteenth-night moon in the Explanatory Treatise〔0148a07–0148a14〕 |
| 6 | Explanation of 「勸發」 tr. “encouragement” | Words of longing for the Dharma; coming westward from the east to encourage, fully possessing the meaning of the four siddhāntas; cites four statements from the root scripture as proof〔0148a14–0148a24〕 |
| 7 | Threefold classification of circulation | Three and a half chapters raise the scripture’s power; five chapters raise the power of the bodhisattvas’ path of transformation; this chapter raises the power of Samantabhadra’s vows〔0148a23–0148a27〕 |
| 8 | Dividing the text into four | Coming forth, encouragement, affirmation of the encouragement, and benefits produced by the encouragement〔0148a27–0148a28〕 |
| 9 | Three aspects of coming forth | Making offerings above, transforming below, and showing reverence; sovereignty = one principle, supernormal power = one practice, majestic virtue = one person, renown = one teaching; also aligned with permanence, bliss, self, and purity〔0148a28–0148b12〕 |
| 10 | Encouragement · encouragement through a question | Double request (the main teaching encourages one’s own practice; renewed request for circulation encourages transforming others); the Buddha’s answer is first general, next separate, and third a conclusion〔0148b12–0148b21〕 |
| 11 | Aligning the four dharmas with opening, revealing, awakening, and entering | Buddha protection = opening; planting roots of virtue = revealing; rescuing beings = awakening; entering the group fixed in rightness = entering; the essentials of the Trace Gate are exhausted by these four〔0148b21–0148b28〕 |
| 12 | Aligning the four dharmas with the three tracks | Rescuing beings = entering the room; the group fixed in rightness and protection = wearing the robe; planting roots of virtue = sitting on the seat〔0148b28–0148c02〕 |
| 13 | Aligning the four dharmas with the four peaceful practices | Rescuing = vows; entering right concentration = mind; planting roots of virtue = speech; protection and mindfulness = body; the latter four are the former four〔0148c02–0148c06〕 |
| 14 | Third conclusion · refuting the older explanation | The older explanation says that one who practices the four dharmas always obtains the scripture in hand; the present explanation says otherwise—name the understanding the scripture〔0148c06–0148c15〕 |
| 15 | Encouragement through vows · six ways of protecting people | Removing external difficulties; teaching the inner Dharma (three rounds); covering with supernormal power; showing the superior cause; showing the proximate result; general conclusion〔0148c15–0149a03〕 |
| 16 | Vow to protect the Dharma | From 「世尊我今神力」 tr. “World-Honored One, I now by my supernormal power” onward, as stated in the scripture〔0149a03–0149a04〕 |
| 17 | Affirming the encouragement | First affirming protection of the Dharma, then protection of people (manifesting a body and teaching Dharma; raising causes; raising the proximate result; removing external difficulties; concluding the merit of believers)〔0149a04–0149a24〕 |
| 18 | Benefits produced by the encouragement | Benefit from hearing the chapter (turning dhāraṇī = first ground; possessing Samantabhadra’s path = tenth ground) and benefit from hearing the scripture; 「乃是經家存其本位耳」 tr. “the compiler of the scripture merely preserves their original position”〔0149a24–0149a29〕 |
The aligned Wenjuji passage is T34n1719〔0359a03–0360a05〕, beginning with the chapter heading 「釋普賢品」 tr. “Explanation of the Samantabhadra Chapter”〔0359a03〕 and ending with Zhanran’s own dedication 「一色一香永無退轉」 tr. “every form and fragrance forever without retreat”〔0360a04–0360a05〕. What follows is the fascicle-end title 「法華文句記卷第十下」 tr. “Record of the Words and Phrases of the Lotus, Fascicle Ten, Part Two”〔0360a06〕. The Record and the root treatise both end here.
II. Formation and Transmission
The fascicle-opening preface records that the Dharma Master Guanding made private notes and combined them into twenty fascicles〔0001a23–0001a24〕; it also records Monk Lang’s ordering and redaction in the wuxu year of the Tianbao era under the Tang. The doctrinal exposition is attributed to Zhiyi, the record to Guanding, and the received wording was subsequently ordered and redacted by Monk Lang. Shenjiong’s preface, Lang’s redactional statement, and Zhanran’s Wenjuji belong to the transmission or mirror layers and are not retroactively attributed to Zhiyi’s root text.
The fascicle-end title in this unit, 「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」 tr. “Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Ten, Part Two”〔0149a29〕, is the end of the entire book. The title itself bears one critical note: the Taishō reads 「妙法蓮華經」 tr. “Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma,” while edition A reads 「法華」 tr. “Lotus” (see section VIII).
III. Sutra Passages Explained and Works Cited
A. Root Scripture Explained: The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra
| Root-treatise marker | Root-sūtra wording | Locus |
|---|---|---|
| 「我為供養《法華經》故自現其身」 tr. “For the sake of making offerings to the Lotus Sūtra, I manifest my own body” | 「為供養法華經故」 tr. “for the sake of making offerings to the Lotus Sūtra” | T09n0262〔0061b02〕 |
| 「已見我故轉復精進」 tr. “because they have seen me, they turn and become still more diligent” | 「轉復精進」 tr. “turn and become still more diligent” | 〔0061b06〕 |
| 「亦復不為女人之所惑亂」 tr. “nor will they be confused by women” | 「女人之所惑亂」 tr. “confused by women” | 〔0061b16〕 |
| 「使無伺求得其便」 tr. “let none who watch for an opportunity find one” | 「使無伺求得其便者」 tr. “let none who watch for an opportunity find one” | 〔0061a24〕 |
| 「陀羅尼」 tr. “dhāraṇī (retention)” · 「百千旋」 tr. “a hundred thousand turns” | 「旋陀羅尼」 tr. “turning dhāraṇī” | 〔0061b07〕 |
| 「深種善根」 tr. “deeply planted wholesome roots” | 「深種善根」 tr. “deeply planted wholesome roots” | 〔0061c03〕 |
| 「手摩其頭」 tr. “a hand strokes their heads” | 「手摩其頭」 tr. “a hand strokes their heads” | 〔0061c04〕 |
| 「同普賢行」 tr. “sharing the practice of Samantabhadra” · 「具普賢道」 tr. “fully possessing the path of Samantabhadra” | 「具普賢道」 tr. “fully possessing the path of Samantabhadra” | 〔0062a27〕 |
| 「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」 tr. “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas has already been taught for you” | 「諸法實相義」 tr. “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas” | 〔0005a10〕, “Introduction” |
The root treatise cites 「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」 tr. “cause all living beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision”〔0148c10–0148c11〕, which yields zero matches as continuous wording in the received text. The received “Skillful Means” chapter reads 「欲令眾生開佛知見」 tr. “wishing to cause living beings to open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision”〔0007a24〕—the root treatise condenses and combines the expression, and both are recorded side by side without adjudication. The citation 「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」 tr. “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas has already been taught for you” comes from the “Introduction” rather than this chapter and is a backward cross-chapter citation.
B. Root-Treatise Citations: The Great Treatise and the Contemplation Sūtra—The Same Name, Universally Auspicious
「《大論》、《觀經》同名遍吉，此經稱「普賢」，皆漢語，梵音邲輸颰陀，此云普賢」 tr. “The Great Treatise and the Contemplation Sūtra alike name him Universally Auspicious, while this scripture calls him Samantabhadra; both are Chinese. The Sanskrit sound is Bishubatuo, which is translated here as Samantabhadra”〔0147c28–0147c29〕. The root treatise gives the translated names from the two works without citing their wording. 「邲輸颰陀」 tr. “Bishubatuo” is the root treatise’s own phonetic transcription of the Sanskrit sound; a markup-tolerant search of the received canon yields zero matches. This is recorded as the evidence stands, without supplying a reconstructed form.
C. Root-Treatise Citation: The Compassionate Flower Sūtra—Verbatim Match
「《悲華》云「我誓於穢惡世界，行菩薩道使得嚴淨，我行要當勝諸菩薩。寶藏佛言：『以是因緣今改汝字名為普賢。』」」 tr. “The Compassionate Flower says: ‘I vow to practice the bodhisattva path in a defiled and evil world and cause it to become adorned and pure; my practice must surpass that of all bodhisattvas. Treasure-Store Buddha said: “For this reason, I now change your name and call you Samantabhadra”’”〔0148a01–0148a04〕. The received Compassionate Flower Sūtra, T03n0157, contains a verbatim match for 「今改汝字名為普賢」 tr. “I now change your name and call you Samantabhadra”〔0192b14〕. The two preceding expressions 「我誓於穢惡世界」 tr. “I vow in a defiled and evil world” and 「我行要當勝諸菩薩」 tr. “my practice must surpass that of all bodhisattvas” yield zero continuous matches in the received text; the root treatise condenses the vow passage, and both are recorded side by side without adjudication.
D. Root-Treatise Citation: The Mahāprajñāpāramitā Treatise—The Fourteenth-Night Moon
「《釋論》引十四夜月如十五夜月，斯義明矣」 tr. “The Explanatory Treatise compares the moon on the fourteenth night to the moon on the fifteenth; this makes the meaning clear”〔0148a13–0148a14〕. Received T25n1509 reads 「亦如十四日月，雖有光明，猶不如十五日」 tr. “It is also like the moon on the fourteenth day: although it has light, it is still not equal to the fifteenth day”〔0273b15–0273b16〕—two differences must be recorded. First, the received text has 「十四日月」 tr. “the moon of the fourteenth day,” while the root treatise has 「十四夜月」 tr. “the moon of the fourteenth night.” Second, the received text says it is 「猶不如」 tr. “still not equal to” the fifteenth day, whereas the root treatise cites it to illuminate Equal Awakening’s 「隣終際極」 tr. “proximity to the final limit,” taking the sense of adjacency and near-completion. Both are recorded side by side without adjudication.
Here the Wenjuji says 「次引《釋論》以證圓極，《論》引《大經》文也」 tr. “Next it cites the Explanatory Treatise to prove the ultimate of the Perfect; that treatise cites wording from the Great Scripture”〔T34n1719 0359a25〕—the mirror indicates that this statement in the Explanatory Treatise in turn derives from the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra. This is recorded as the evidence stands.
IV. Essential Explanations from the Wenjuji [the Mirror]
The mirror explanation of this chapter is found in T34n1719〔0359a03–0360a05〕 and forms the end of the Record. Five essentials follow.
First: judgment through three siddhāntas and the ancient explanation of 「普賢」 tr. “Samantabhadra.” The mirror judges the root treatise’s explanation of the name to belong to three siddhāntas〔0359a04〕. It says that ancient people explained Samantabhadra through the Tripiṭaka Teaching because this explanation had been traditional, and concludes 「故知三教釋於普賢並謬」 tr. “Thus one knows that the three teachings’ explanations of Samantabhadra are all erroneous”〔0359a12–0359a14〕.
Second: a question and answer concerning the Flower Garland. The mirror frames the question 「《華嚴》云：「普賢菩薩依於如如，不依佛土」，今何故云從東方來？」 tr. “The Flower Garland says, ‘The Bodhisattva Samantabhadra relies on suchness itself and does not rely on a buddha land.’ Why, then, does the present text say that he came from the east?”〔0359a16–0359a17〕. It answers 「此據應迹所從，彼明所證自體」 tr. “This speaks from the responsive traces from which he came; that reveals the self-substance he realized”〔0359a17–0359a18〕, and adds that because he is said to be at Equal Awakening, one portion of a reward-land body still remains〔0359a18–0359a19〕.
Third: distinguishing the allocation of the four dharmas. The mirror assigns the first of the root treatise’s four dharmas to dharma-body, the second and third to prajñā, and the fourth to liberation〔0359b08–0359b09〕. It further distinguishes the alignment with room, robe, and seat: 「前文釋衣等三，皆通兩句各有能所；今從一邊則以空座為般若，所覆為法身，能覆為解脫」 tr. “The earlier explanation of robe and the other two extends each across two clauses, each with active and passive aspects. The present passage follows one side: it takes the empty seat as prajñā, what is covered as dharma-body, and what covers as liberation”〔0359b13–0359b15〕.
Fourth: developing the three-periods-of-seven-days practice method and rejecting self-derived interpretation. At the root treatise’s 「三番教訓」 tr. “three rounds of instruction,” the mirror refutes someone who cites lists here under 「行有五法」 tr. “practice has five dharmas” and 「應有六法」 tr. “there should be six dharmas”〔0359b26–0359c02〕. It reproaches this person: 「解釋一經都無啟心投想之地，至此乃引《普賢觀經》」 tr. “Throughout the explanation of the entire scripture there is nowhere to initiate the mind or cast the thought, yet only here is the Sūtra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra cited”〔0359c02–0359c04〕. It then states a general rule: 「非《玄》文無以導，非《止觀》無以達，非此疏無以持，非一家無以進」 tr. “Without the text of the Profound Meaning, there is no guidance; without Calming and Contemplation, there is no penetration; without this commentary, there is no upholding; without this one tradition, there is no entry”〔0359c07–0359c08〕. It also records a contemporary event: the nun Huiren of Anguo Monastery in the eastern capital established a Lotus practice site, which people throughout the realm imitated while losing its basis; they 「不知此尼依憑有在而親感普賢」 tr. “did not know that this nun relied upon something and personally experienced Samantabhadra”〔0359c09–0359c11〕. It laments: 「況今講者而欲輕略斯教，良由不知教旨故也」 tr. “How much more do lecturers today wish to slight this teaching? This is truly because they do not know the teaching’s purport”〔0359c12–0359c13〕.
Fifth: Hanguang’s question and Zhanran’s dedication〔0359c13–0360a05〕. The mirror records an event from Zhanran’s own life: with more than forty monks from the Jiang and Huai regions, he went to pay reverence at Mount Wutai and met Hanguang, a disciple of the Tripiṭaka Master Amoghavajra who was carrying out construction on the mountain by imperial command. Hanguang said that he had traveled in India with Amoghavajra, where a monk asked: 「大唐有天台教迹，最堪簡邪正曉偏圓，可能譯之將至此土耶？」 tr. “In the Great Tang there is the teaching tradition of Tiantai, supremely capable of distinguishing wrong from right and clarifying the partial and perfect. Could it be translated and brought to this land?”〔0359c16–0359c17〕. The mirror therefore laments 「豈非中國失法求之四維？」 tr. “Could this not be China losing the Dharma and seeking it in the four directions?”〔0359c18〕. At the end Zhanran states his authorial purpose and makes a dedication: 「余省躬揣見自覺多慚，迫以眾緣彊復疏出，縱有立破為樹圓乘，使同志者開佛知見，終無偏黨而順臆度」 tr. “Examining myself and measuring my own understanding, I feel deeply ashamed; pressed by many conditions, I have forced myself to set out this commentary. Even where I establish or refute, it is to erect the Perfect Vehicle and enable companions in aspiration to open the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; never have I favored a faction and followed my own conjectures”〔0359c24–0359c26〕; 「一句染神咸資彼岸，思惟修習永用舟航」 tr. “May even a single phrase permeating mind and spirit assist all toward the further shore; may reflection and cultivation forever serve as boat and passage”〔0359c27–0359c28〕; 「一句一偈增進菩提，一色一香永無退轉」 tr. “May every phrase and verse advance awakening; may every form and fragrance be forever without retreat”〔0360a04–0360a05〕. This passage is the end of the entire Wenjuji and the only place where Zhanran states his own authorial position.
V. Explanations of Various Masters
This unit records one explanation in the root treatise itself:
The older explanation says 「能行四法於未來世，常手得是經。」 tr. “One who can practice the four dharmas will often obtain this scripture in hand in a future life”〔0148c07–0148c08〕. The root treatise judges it with 「今謂不爾」 tr. “the present explanation says this is not so”〔0148c08–0148c09〕 and supplies its own explanation: above, the scripture says 「諸法實相義，已為汝等說」 tr. “the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas has already been taught for you,” and again 「咸令眾生開示悟入佛之知見」 tr. “cause all living beings to open, reveal, awaken to, and enter the Buddha’s knowledge and vision.” These constitute the true substance of the Lotus. One who can practice the four dharmas will certainly attain this understanding and names the understanding the scripture〔0148c08–0148c13〕. It finally rejects the older view with 「此意不見，浪作餘說耶」 tr. “If this meaning is not seen, would it not be wasted effort to devise other explanations?”〔0148c15〕.
Recorded and refuted by the mirror layer: someone cites lists under 「行有五法」 tr. “practice has five dharmas” and 「應有六法」 tr. “there should be six dharmas”〔T34n1719 0359b26–0359c02〕. The mirror refutes the person for explaining an entire scripture without any place to initiate the mind or cast the thought, then citing the Sūtra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra only here〔0359c02–0359c04〕. This refutation originates in the mirror and is not retroactively presented as an explanation recorded by the root treatise.
VI. Terminology
| Term | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Samantabhadra | At the summit of the path of subduing, because its causes are all-pervading, it is called 「普」 tr. “universal”; the path of severance has just been exhausted and little remains, and because it is adjacent to the final limit and reaches the utmost, it is called 「賢」 tr. “worthy”—an explanation through Equal Awakening in the Perfect Teaching〔0148a07–0148a13〕. |
| Encouragement | Words of longing for the Dharma; in that distant land he completely heard the beginning and end of this scripture, and, wishing his own practice and the transformation of others to continue forever without ceasing, he came westward from the east to encourage〔0148a15–0148a17〕. |
| Four ones | 「自在」 tr. “sovereignty” = one principle; 「神通」 tr. “supernormal power” = one practice; 「威德」 tr. “majestic virtue” = one person; 「名聞」 tr. “renown” = one teaching. Again, sovereignty = permanence; supernormal power = bliss; majestic virtue = self; renown = purity〔0148a29–0148b03〕. |
| Four dharmas | Being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas; planting the roots of many virtues; entering the group fixed in rightness; arousing the mind to rescue all living beings. 「當知此四與開權顯實，名異體同，無二無別」 tr. “Know that these four and opening the provisional to reveal the real differ in name but are the same in substance, without duality or distinction”〔0148b21–0148b23〕. |
| Four dharmas aligned with opening, revealing, awakening, and entering | Buddha protection = opening the Buddha’s knowledge and vision; planting the roots of many virtues = revealing; arousing the mind to rescue beings = awakening; entering the group fixed in rightness = entering. 「迹門之要，此四收矣」 tr. “The essentials of the Trace Gate are exhausted by these four”〔0148b23–0148b26〕. |
| Four dharmas aligned with the three tracks | Arousing the mind to rescue living beings = entering the Tathāgata’s room; entering the group fixed in rightness and being kept in mind and protected by the buddhas = wearing the Tathāgata’s robe; planting the roots of many virtues = sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. 「即四而三」 tr. “Four that are three”〔0148c02–0148c03〕. |
| Naming the understanding the scripture | The true substance of the Lotus is the meaning of the true mark of all dharmas; one who can practice the four dharmas will certainly attain this understanding, and this understanding is called the scripture〔0148c11–0148c13〕. |
| Turning dhāraṇī · a hundred thousand turns | 「陀羅尼」 tr. “dhāraṇī” turns from the provisional and enters emptiness; 「百千旋」 tr. “a hundred thousand turns” turns from emptiness and enters the provisional; 「方便」 tr. “skillful means” takes those two as the path of skillful means and thereby enters the ultimate truth of the Middle Way〔0148c22–0148c24〕. |
VII. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
This unit has two similes, both used in explaining 「發來」 tr. “coming forth.” The great dragon’s flight—「譬如大龍飛行不息，身邊雲雨流起無窮」 tr. “It is like a great dragon flying without rest, while clouds and rain stream forth without end around its body”〔0148b05–0148b06〕—explains Samantabhadra’s sovereignty: wherever he goes it rains, wherever he moves music sounds. The fourteenth-night moon is cited from the Explanatory Treatise to clarify Equal Awakening’s proximity to the ultimate noble stage〔0148a13–0148a14〕. The second simile and the last of the ten paired explanations in 25_pumen, which uses the fourteenth-night moon to explain the quality of wisdom〔0145a20–0145a21〕, use one simile while drawing different meanings: there the approaching fullness of light corresponds to wisdom; here the approaching final stage corresponds to Equal Awakening. Read together, they show that this work does not rigidly bind a simile to a single meaning.
The frame of this chapter is the 「四法」 tr. “four dharmas,” and its method is a triple superimposed alignment: the four dharmas first align with opening/revealing/awakening/entering (the essentials of the Trace Gate), next with the three tracks of room/robe/seat (the essentials of propagating the scripture), and then with the four peaceful practices (the essentials of the practice gate). After the three alignments, the root treatise concludes: 「一答酬其兩請，舉四冠罩一經」 tr. “One answer repays his two requests; four are raised to canopy the entire scripture”〔0148c05–0148c06〕. One set of four dharmas answers both the main-teaching and circulation questions and places the entire scripture beneath its canopy—this is the work’s final gathering of its explanation of the whole scripture.
Read with “The Dharma Teacher”: this chapter aligns the four dharmas with room, robe, and seat, precisely the three tracks established in 10_fashi〔0108a16–0108a24〕. Reperformed ten chapters later here, the root treatise itself calls it 「《法華》之重演，斯經之再宣」 tr. “the Lotus performed again, this scripture proclaimed anew”〔0148c06〕.
Read with “Peaceful Practices”: the four dharmas align with the four peaceful practices〔0148c02–0148c05〕, precisely the four practices in the three subunits of the unit-14 series. The root treatise expressly says 「後四即前四也」 tr. “the latter four are precisely the former four”〔0148c04–0148c05〕.
Read with “Skillful Means”: the four dharmas align with opening, revealing, awakening, and entering, while the fourfold interpretation at the scripture’s beginning also takes opening, revealing, awakening, and entering as its framework. Here the mirror points out: 「經初存其開等四句而為四釋，今至此經末又示開等還須四釋，故知始末並是此經體宗用也」 tr. “At the beginning of the scripture, the four statements beginning with ‘opening’ are preserved and made into the fourfold interpretation. Now at the end of the scripture, opening and the others are again revealed and still require the fourfold interpretation. Thus one knows that beginning and end alike are the substance, central aim, and function of this scripture”〔T34n1719 0359b23–0359b25〕. The beginning and end of one scripture use the same four statements.
Carrying forward: this unit ends with the fascicle-end title〔0149a29〕, and the entire work concludes. No chapter follows “The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra,” so there is no downstream reading path here. The root treatise uses 「經家存其本位」 tr. “the compiler of the scripture preserves their original position” to explain why śrāvakas are still named at the chapter’s end〔0149a26〕 and concludes 「以佛道聲令一切聞，斯義彌顯也」 tr. “through the voice of the Buddha’s path they cause all to hear, and this meaning becomes still clearer”〔0149a28–0149a29〕—the entire work ends with the four words 「令一切聞」 tr. “cause all to hear.”
VIII. Placement of the Editions
Within the strict domain of this unit are twenty-four critical-text positions: twenty are attached through one-sided notes and four through asterisk back-references. All juxtapose Taishō and edition A readings. There are no omission-count notes and no CBETA corrections. This unit has the second-largest number of critical notes among any single unit in the entire work (surpassed only by the forty in 10_fashi).
| No. | Position | Taishō | Edition A | No. | Position | Taishō | Edition A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0148a06 | universal | omitted in edition A | 13 | 0148c12 | understanding | omitted in edition A |
| 2 | 0148a09 | at | omitted in edition A | 14 | 0148c22 | is | omitted in edition A |
| 3 | 0148a19 | already | by means of | 15 | 0148c28 | together | shared practice |
| 4 | 0148a24 | three | five | 16 | 0148c29★ | plant | cultivate |
| 5 | 0148b07 | that which | omitted in edition A | 17 | 0149a07★ | already | by means of |
| 6 | 0148b08 | passed through | passed through it | 18 | 0149a09 | person | omitted in edition A |
| 7 | 0148b09 | pass through | pass through | 19 | 0149a11 | this | this person should |
| 8 | 0148b12 | encouragement | opening passage on encouragement | 20 | 0149a17 | certainly | also |
| 9 | 0148b19 | turn back | and | 21 | 0149a23 | Buddha | below “Buddha” |
| 10 | 0148b24 | plant | cultivate | 22 | 0149a24 | turning | from |
| 11 | 0148c02★ | plant | cultivate | 23 | 0149a29 | Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma | Lotus |
| 12 | 0148c04★ | plant | cultivate | 24 | 0149a29 | part two | omitted in edition A |
(★ = asterisk back-reference; all others are one-sided notes.)
Three matters warrant explicit record. The form 「植／殖」 tr. “plant/cultivate” occurs four times in this unit (positions 10, 11, 12, and 16, of which three are asterisk back-references). Each falls on 「植眾德本」 tr. “planting the roots of many virtues,” one of the four dharmas repeatedly named throughout this passage. Edition A consistently reads 「殖」 tr. “cultivate”; both forms are recorded. The fourth position〔0148a24〕 falls in the circulation classification 「從十九行偈已後三品半」 tr. “from the nineteen-line verse onward, three and a half chapters,” specifically on 「三」 tr. “three.” Edition A reads 「五」 tr. “five”—three and a half chapters and five and a half chapters differ substantially, and the sentence is central to the root treatise’s structure of circulation; the two numerical readings are recorded side by side without adjudication. The twenty-third position〔0149a29〕 falls in the fascicle-end title: the Taishō reads 「妙法蓮華經文句卷第十下」 tr. “Words and Phrases of the Sūtra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Ten, Part Two,” while edition A reads 「法華」 tr. “Lotus” (Words and Phrases of the Lotus, Fascicle Ten, Part Two)—the two editions differ in the title on the final line of the entire work and are recorded side by side without adjudication.
There are no characters outside the common character inventory within this unit’s strict domain. The two forms of chapter heading—「序品」 tr. “Introduction Chapter,” without an initial “explanation,” and the other twenty-seven chapters as 「釋Ｘ品」 tr. “Explanation of Chapter X”—appear here as 「釋普賢菩薩勸發品」 tr. “Explanation of the Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra Chapter”〔0147c28〕. The survey of the two heading forms across all twenty-eight chapters is now complete: one 「序品」 tr. “Introduction Chapter” lacks the initial “explanation,” while the other twenty-seven all take the form 「釋Ｘ品」 tr. “Explanation of Chapter X,” matching the mulu verbatim.