妙法蓮華經文句 白話全本 · 冊6

I. First Explaining the Chapter Title in Three Ways

The “Peaceful Practices” chapter can be explained in three ways: first in terms of circumstances, second by attaching the explanation to the text, and third in terms of the Dharma-gateway revealed.

First, in terms of circumstances: because the body is free from danger, it is called peaceful; because the mind is free from sorrow and distress, it is called at ease; because bodily peace and mental ease enable practice to advance, it is called practice.

Next, attaching the explanation to the text: the preceding chapter says that putting on the Tathāgata’s robe gives peace to the dharma-body, entering the Tathāgata’s chamber gives ease to the mind of liberation, and sitting upon the Tathāgata’s seat lets prajñā guide practice forward. This explanation attaches to the text of the preceding chapter. Attached to the present chapter, abiding on the ground of forbearance gives the body peace; gentleness without sudden violence gives the mind ease; and contemplating all dharmas in their true aspect lets practice advance.

II. Peace Is Nonmovement, Ease Is Non-Reception, and Practice Is Non-Practice

In terms of the Dharma-gateway, peace is named nonmovement, ease non-reception, and practice non-practice.

Nonmovement means that neither birth and death in the six paths nor the nirvāṇa of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas can move one. Because one does not condition oneself upon either extreme, the body is without wavering. The preceding passage says in substance that body, hands, and feet are quiet, peaceful, and unmoving, while the mind is constantly serene and has never been scattered. This is abiding peacefully and unmoving, like the summit of Mount Sumeru: the Dharma-gateway of permanent abiding and nonmovement.

Non-reception means not receiving the vast functioning of samādhi, not receiving the five kinds of feeling of ordinary beings, and not even receiving the views produced from the five feelings within the Perfect Teaching. Where there is reception there is suffering; where there is no reception there is no suffering. Only beyond the opposition of pain and pleasure is it called great ease.

Non-practice means that where something is received, something is practiced; where nothing is received, nothing is practiced. One practices neither the practices of ordinary beings nor those of worthies and sages, and therefore it is called non-practice. Yet one thereby practices the middle way, and so it is still named practice. This is the explanation of peaceful practice in terms of the Dharma-gateway.

III. An Expanded Explanation of Peaceful Practice through Cause and Fruit

We now expand the explanation in terms of circumstances. Peaceful ease is great nirvāṇa and is named from the fruit; practice is the path leading to nirvāṇa and is named from the cause.

Apart from peaceful practice, all other kinds of cause and fruit are painful as a whole. More particularly, there are three mixed patterns of pain and pleasure. First, both cause and fruit are painful: outsiders attached to eternalism perform painful austerities and still later obtain a painful fruit. Second, the cause is pleasant but the fruit painful: outsiders attached to annihilationism freely indulge their desires and later receive painful retribution. Third, the cause is painful but the fruit pleasant: those of the two vehicles who analyze dharmas exert themselves through the clumsy method of contemplating impermanence and only after hardship enter nirvāṇa. In the peaceful practice taught here, both cause and fruit are pleasant; this is the skillful crossing in accordance with reality taught in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sutra.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra means that those whose practice is invariably painful are ordinary beings; those whose practice mixes pain and pleasure are śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas; and those whose practice is invariably pleasant are bodhisattvas. In sum, all the coarse causes and coarse fruits of the seven expedients cannot be called peaceful practice. Only the wondrous cause and wondrous fruit taught here merit that name.

IV. The Three Virtues Are the Object; the Three Practices Are the Path

In an expanded explanation based upon the sutra, peaceful practice is the path leading to nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa has three meanings, called the secret treasury of the three virtues—dharma-body, prajñā, and liberation. Practice also has three meanings: the practice of calming, the practice of contemplation, and the practice of compassion.

The practice of calming makes all three modes of conduct—body, speech, and mind—gentle, bringing both opposition and compliance to quiescence. This practice embodies the dharma-body and is the Tathāgata’s robe described above.

The practice of contemplation illuminates everything with the wisdom of the true aspect, emitting a light free of discrimination. This practice embodies prajñā and is the Tathāgata’s seat described above.

The practice of compassion gives rise to the four universal vows and widely liberates all sentient beings. This practice embodies liberation and is the Tathāgata’s chamber described above.

Taken together, these three practices are the path to nirvāṇa. Taken together, the three virtues are the object toward which practice proceeds. The object is called peaceful ease; the path is called practice.

V. How the Three Practices Guide the Three Karmas to the Virtues of the Fruit

The passage recorded from the Great Treatise means that from the first generation of resolve a bodhisattva constantly contemplates nirvāṇa while practicing the path. At the causal stage, the bodhisattva uses calming, contemplation, and compassion to guide the three karmas of body, speech, and mind in practice. Purifying the three karmas is precisely purifying the six sense faculties; when the six faculties are pure, understanding in semblance arises and one enters the real. At the fruit, these are called the Buddha’s eyes, ears, and other faculties.

At the causal stage it is called the practice of calming; at the fruit, the virtue of severance. At the causal stage it is called the practice of contemplation; at the fruit, the virtue of wisdom. At the causal stage it is called the practice of compassion; at the fruit, the virtue of beneficence. Again, at the causal stage they are called the three karmas; at the fruit, the three mysteries. In the causal stage compassion guides the three karmas to benefit others; at the fruit, this is called the inconceivable transformation of the three wheels.

VI. All Dharmas Inherently Possess the Nature of Peaceful Ease

When one contemplates in this way, discrimination no longer remains: all dharmas possess the nature of peaceful ease; all sentient beings are themselves great nirvāṇa and cannot be extinguished again; by practicing what is ordinarily called a non-Buddhist path one can penetrate the Buddha’s path. This explains peaceful practice beyond every opposition. Such practice accords with the meaning of nirvāṇa.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra also says that there is another practice called the practice of the Tathāgata. Tathāgata names the person, while peaceful ease names the Dharma; the Tathāgata is the person of peaceful ease, and peaceful ease is the Tathāgata’s Dharma. In general their meanings do not differ; distinguished, they still do not differ.

The present treatise speaks of the patience of quiescent extinction, the seat of the emptiness of dharmas, and the Tathāgata’s chamber. The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra speaks of jeweled trees of gold and silver. Jeweled trees are a precious grove of the uncontaminated, and the uncontaminated accords with emptiness, quiescent extinction, and patience. It also speaks of a great golden-sand river flowing directly into the western sea, which accords with the wisdom of the one reality and the emptiness of all dharmas; and of an awakened woman free from deviousness, which accords with objectless great loving-kindness and the Tathāgata’s chamber. That sutra calls this the meaning without remainder; here it is called the unsurpassed path. The five practices taught there likewise accord with the meaning of robe, seat, and chamber.

VII. Why Do Attraction and Subjugation Appear Opposed?

Someone asks: the Great Nirvāṇa Sutra speaks of associating with kings, carrying bows and arrows, and subduing evil people, whereas the Lotus Sutra says to remain distant from the powerful and to be humble and kind. The former is forceful, the latter gentle. How can two teachings so different be said not to differ?

The answer is that although the Great Nirvāṇa Sutra emphasizes subjugation, it also says that bodhisattvas abide on the ground that regards all sentient beings as an only child—how could attraction be absent? Although the Lotus Sutra emphasizes attraction, it also says that an evil person’s head will split into seven parts—subjugation is not absent. Each sutra brings forward one side because it suits its time; in principle both necessarily possess four meanings.

First, choosing what is timely and fitting carries the meaning of the worldly siddhānta. Second, attracting sentient beings carries the siddhānta for the person. Third, subjugating faults carries the counteractive siddhānta. Fourth, causing realization of the path carries the siddhānta of ultimate meaning.

An expanded explanation through the Dharma-gateway ought further to set forth the gateway of nonmovement, the gateway of non-reception, and the gateway of non-practice. The root treatise only lists those three gateways here and leaves the explanation unrecorded.

VIII. For Whom Does This Chapter Come?

This chapter is the fourth purport in the transmission of the Trace Gate. The twenty thousand and the eighty koṭis of nayutas of bodhisattvas who received the charge to propagate the sutra deeply know the provisional and the real, widely understand the gradual and the sudden, comprehend capacities and conditions, and freely employ supernormal powers. The disturbances of a turbid world cannot obstruct their propagation of the sutra, so they do not need a further method to be shown.

But people at the beginning of reliance and resolve who wish to cultivate the perfect practice and enter the turbid world to propagate the sutra may be disturbed by that world, so that their own practice cannot stand and their transformative work cannot succeed. A method must therefore be shown to such people and peaceful practice explained. This is why the chapter comes.

IX. Does Peaceful Practice Ultimately Have an Order?

What sequence does peaceful practice have? In the perfect practice of the Lotus, a single practice contains immeasurable practices and is inconceivable. How could its earlier and later stages be fixed? Here only one thread is provisionally taken up for explanation.

In terms of the function of teaching, the “Dharma Teacher” chapter briefly reveals propagation of the sutra and takes benefiting others as its basis, so it first speaks of entering the Tathāgata’s chamber. The present chapter speaks of propagating the sutra in an evil age and first settles the many pressures and afflictions, so it begins with donning the Tathāgata’s robe. The two chapters mutually reveal what comes before and after.

In the explanatory sequence of actual practice, all dharmas have from the beginning constantly and naturally borne the mark of quiescent extinction. When one turns away from quiescence and gives rise to marks, one should first use prajñā to sweep away entanglements; thus one first sits upon the Tathāgata’s seat. Although all dharmas are unborn, prajñā is thereby born; moved by compassion grounded in shared embodiment, the bodhisattva pities sentient beings and practices the path, so next enters the Tathāgata’s chamber. Once compassion begins transforming the world, opposition and compliance will inevitably be encountered; one must therefore practice patient endurance, and next dons the Tathāgata’s robe.

Although the explanatory sequence is seat, chamber, robe, these are not separate stages at the time of practice. In actual practice, entering emptiness itself includes all dharmas. How, then, could compassion and forbearance be absent?

X. How Do Five Houses Explain the Essence of the Four Practices?

The root treatise first presents four houses’ explanations of what constitutes the essence of the four peaceful practices.

First, the old explanation takes the two emptinesses of the provisional and the real as the essence of the first practice, teaching the Dharma as the essence of the second, avoiding faults as the essence of the third, and compassion as the essence of the fourth.

Second, Master Ji takes emptiness as the first, freedom from arrogance as the second, removal of jealousy as the third, and great compassion as the fourth.

Third, Master Long takes bodily separation from various evils and gradual approach to the principle of emptiness as the first, removal of verbal faults as the second, removal of jealousy from the mind as the third, and the arising of compassion as the fourth.

Fourth, Master Nanyue takes unattached right wisdom as the first, not speaking of others’ faults as the second, respecting those above and guiding those below as the third, and great compassion as the fourth.

XI. Tiantai Uses Calming, Contemplation, and Compassion to Penetrate All Four Practices

The Tiantai master says that calming, contemplation, and compassion guide the three karmas of body, speech, and mind, as well as vow. The root text first takes bodily action as its example.

Because bodily action has calming, it leaves coarse bodily misconduct. Because it has contemplation, body cannot be apprehended, bodily action cannot be apprehended, and an agent capable of leaving bodily action cannot be apprehended. Since nothing at all is attained, it does not fall to the side of ordinary beings.

Because bodily action also has compassion, it diligently cultivates all bodily action, benefits sentient beings widely, and does not fall to the ground of the two vehicles. Because it has the practice of calming, it dons the robe of forbearance; because it has the practice of contemplation, it sits upon the Tathāgata’s seat; because it has compassion, it enters the Tathāgata’s chamber.

The practice of calming leaves faults and accomplishes the virtue of severance. The practice of contemplation is unattached and accomplishes the virtue of wisdom. Compassion benefits others and accomplishes the virtue of beneficence. Beneficence assists wisdom in being accomplished, and wisdom can penetrate severance. This is called the peaceful practice of bodily action. Verbal and mental action, as well as vow, likewise practice through calming, contemplation, and compassion.

I. From the Question about Deep Practice to the Sphere of Conduct and Sphere of Approach

The chapter’s sutra text contains both a question and an answer. The question first praises the bodhisattvas of deep practice described in the preceding chapter, who can bear every great difficulty and propagate this sutra; it then asks how bodhisattvas whose practice is shallower should proclaim it in an evil age.

The passage beginning when the Buddha addresses Mañjuśrī is the second part, the answer. The answer has three sections: first, it marks the headings of the four practices; second, it explains the methods of practice; third, it summarizes the marks present when practice is accomplished. The first marks the headings as the sutra states. The passage beginning “First, abiding” is the second, explanation of the methods, and explains each of the four practices separately. The first practice has two parts: explanation of the method, then a summary of its accomplishment. The method is given in prose and verse. The prose also has two parts: from “first” it marks the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach together; from “Mañjuśrī” it explains them separately. The separate explanation has two items, the sphere of conduct and the sphere of approach.

One explanation says that initial cultivation at the stage of inner ordinary beings is called the sphere of conduct; once long cultivation has become mature and one gradually draws near the principle to be realized, it is called the sphere of approach. It cites as an example the practice near the fruit of buddhahood in the preceding chapter.

Another explanation says that the sphere of conduct is spoken of in terms of cultivation of the cause, while the sphere of approach is spoken of in terms of the resulting fruit; the sphere of conduct reveals contemplating wisdom, while the sphere of approach reveals the contemplated object.

Master Yao says: “From the seventh abode upward, the essence of mind securely abides in principle, and this is called the sphere of conduct because segmented birth and death has already been transcended. Below the seventh abode, nonarising has not yet become present; one only gradually approaches principle, and this is called the sphere of approach, for one still remains within segmented birth and death. Both are beginnings of practice and together constitute one peaceful practice.”

Master Zhiyi comments: The first school judges conduct shallow, yet the Great Nirvāṇa Sutra says that bodhisattvas of the ten grounds still possess conduct and therefore do not yet see buddha-nature clearly. Conduct is thus not shallow. The latter school judges approach shallow, yet the Vimalakīrti Sutra speaks of approaching the Buddha’s sovereign wisdom without peer. Approach would therefore be the deeper.

If the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach are both judged deep, they become the sutra-propagating practice of the deeply practicing bodhisattvas in the preceding chapter rather than a method for those who have first generated resolve. If both are judged shallow, they would be only the practice of people of the seven expedients. How could this be a method of perfect practice? One therefore cannot explain them through partial attachment to depth or shallowness.

The name conduct means advancing; the name approach means drawing near and cultivating intimacy. Because one draws near and cultivates intimacy, one can advance; because one advances, one can draw nearer and cultivate more intimately. How could the two be rigidly divided into deep and shallow? Moreover, conduct and approach are the methods marked above: the sphere of conduct corresponds to the Tathāgata’s robe, and the sphere of approach to the Tathāgata’s seat. Since seat and robe cannot be judged one deep and one shallow, how could conduct and approach be ranked?

Forbearance must inwardly embrace the highest principle while outwardly bearing the many affairs encountered through conditions, and is therefore called conduct. The seat of the emptiness of dharmas must penetrate outward conditions and dwell in the true object, and is therefore called approach. Phenomena and principle become manifest in one another within both. How, then, could they be divided into deep and shallow?

Why, if this is so, still distinguish the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach? Directly reaching principle and explaining it briefly is called the sphere of conduct; broadly explaining it in connection with various phenomenal matters is called the sphere of approach. The two differ only because one explanation is broad and the other brief. The principle they reveal has neither depth nor shallowness.

II. Explaining the Sphere of Conduct through One Dharma: One Truth and Three Conducts

The sphere of conduct is now explained through three Dharma-gateways. First, it directly takes the one truth as its object. The one truth is the place to which all things return, the root from which all things arise, and that which pervades all without discrimination.

That to which all things return is the ground of forbearance. The ground is the middle way. Because all dharmas return here, it is called the ground; because all practices come to rest and abide here, it is called forbearance. This is conduct that does not fall into something conducted.

That which forms the root of all things is like the great earth from which the myriad things arise: all practices are accomplished in dependence upon principle. When this root of principle is obtained, one can be gentle before the hard and strong, compliant amid opposition, calming before violence, and settled amid alarm. Immeasurable merit arises from the ground of the middle way. This ground originally gives birth to nothing, yet it can give rise to merit: this is nonconduct that can conduct.

That which pervades all without discrimination means no longer discriminating the distinct marks of nonconduct and conduct. The sutra therefore says that one neither engages in contrivance nor discriminates. This is neither the conduct of ordinary beings nor the nonconduct of the two vehicles.

There are originally no three fixed kinds of conduct, yet three can be spoken according to meaning, and so it is called conduct. All three depend upon the one real truth, and so it is called a sphere. Explained in this way, the sphere of conduct accords with the preceding sutra text: the cessation of all practices accords with the Tathāgata’s robe; the arising of merit in response to conditions accords with the Tathāgata’s chamber; and pervading all without discrimination accords with the Tathāgata’s seat. This is explaining the sphere of conduct through one dharma, the method for propagating this sutra.

III. Explaining the Sphere of Conduct through Two Dharmas: Two Patiences, Two Emptinesses, and Four Patiences

Second, it is explained through two dharmas: patience toward sentient beings and patience toward dharmas. These two patiences are the emptiness of sentient beings and the emptiness of dharmas. The two emptinesses here differ from those practiced by the two vehicles. Why? The emptinesses of person and dharmas may be explained through true and conventional, provisional and actual, but the two emptinesses and two patiences revealed here both see the middle way and therefore differ from those of the two vehicles.

Unfolded further, they can be described as four patiences. In a scheme of five patiences, the word “good” in the sutra is separately assigned to the patience of faith; in a scheme of six, the word “harmonious” is separately assigned to the patience of harmonious conformity. Correlated with stages, they can be opened into forty-two patiences. If even one ground fully possesses the merit of the other forty-one grounds, how could one patience not fully possess the Dharma-meaning of the other forty-one? Here only four patiences are used to explain the sutra text: the patience of subjugation, conforming patience, the patience of nonarising, and the patience of quiescent extinction.

These four patiences differ from those taught in the Distinct Teaching. The Distinct Teaching takes the first two as patience toward sentient beings at shallower stages and the latter two as patience toward dharmas at deeper stages. Here, according to the perfect meaning, patience toward sentient beings and patience toward dharmas both penetrate beginning and end, as do all four patiences. Why? Because the principle of the two emptinesses is the middle way. From the first abode one cultivates the four patiences, enters the middle way, and sees the principle of the two emptinesses; even at the final single mind one still exhausts that principle. The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra says: “Between the first generation of resolve and ultimate accomplishment, the two minds do not differ.”

Without judging the four patiences through depth and shallowness, one perfectly subdues the five abiding afflictions from the first generation of resolve, and this remains the patience of subjugation through the vajra summit. Not opposing the true aspect from beginning to end is conforming patience. Not arousing a mind fixed on either extreme from beginning to end is the patience of nonarising. Bringing all practices to rest from beginning to end is the patience of quiescent extinction.

Hearing of birth and death, one does not suddenly fear its suffering. Hearing of nirvāṇa, one does not suddenly hurry to realize and seize its pleasure. Whether one hears that the Buddha is permanent or impermanent, that those of the two vehicles can or cannot become buddhas, that birth and death and nirvāṇa are different or not different, that the Buddha Way is long or short, difficult or easy—even neither long nor short, neither difficult nor easy—one is not startled, afraid, or terrified.

From beginning to end, a practitioner of this conduct patiently accepts all dharmas through the principle of the two emptinesses: this is wearing the Tathāgata’s robe. Abiding in the principle of the two emptinesses is sitting upon the Tathāgata’s seat. Pitying all sentient beings is entering the Tathāgata’s chamber. The two emptinesses and four patiences are called conduct; the principle of the two emptinesses is the sphere. This is explaining the sphere of conduct through two dharmas, the method for propagating this sutra.

IV. Explaining the Sphere of Conduct through Three Dharmas, and Master Long’s Alternate Explanation

Third, it is explained through three dharmas: the inconceivable true, conventional, and middle truths.

“Abiding on the ground of forbearance” is a general statement of the three truths, just as a ground on which one can abide must first exist before patient acceptance is possible. “Gentle and kindly compliant” means complying well with the true truth and bearing the pressure of delusive views and attachments as one bears cold and heat; hence it is called good compliance. “Neither suddenly violent, with a mind that is not startled” means abiding in the conventional truth. One accords with the differing faculties and conditions of sentient beings and teaches at the proper time, and therefore is not suddenly violent; one also patiently bears both adverse and favorable conditions, and therefore the mind is not startled.

“Acting upon nothing with respect to all dharmas” and the clauses that follow mean abiding in the middle truth. One can bear both extremes, and so is said to act upon nothing; one properly abides in the middle way, and so is said to contemplate the true aspect; one does not grasp even the true aspect of the middle way, and so is said not to discriminate. Thus the ground of the three truths is called the sphere, while bearing the pressure of the five abiding afflictions is called conduct.

Conduct also divides into three kinds. The practice of calming is conduct that does not fall into something conducted. The practice of contemplation is neither conduct nor nonconduct. Compassionate conduct is nonconduct that can conduct. These three conducts accord with the meanings of the Tathāgata’s robe, seat, and chamber given above. This is explaining the sphere of conduct through three dharmas and discerning the method for propagating the sutra.

Master Long gives an alternate explanation: “Abiding on the ground of forbearance generally marks patience toward sentient beings and patience toward dharmas; the following text explains the two separately. Gentleness and good compliance concern bodily action; freedom from sudden violence concerns verbal action; and a mind not startled concerns mental action. This is cultivating patience toward sentient beings through the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. Acting upon nothing with respect to all dharmas is not engaging with existent marks; contemplating the true aspect is acting in emptiness and equality; neither engaging in contrivance nor discriminating is not engaging with signlessness. Both the extremes of existence and nonexistence come to rest and converge in the middle way. These three clauses describe cultivation of patience toward dharmas. Attainment of both patiences is summarized as the sphere of conduct.”

Master Zhiyi comments: Although Master Long explains the two patiences, he does not know which teaching forms their basis. If they are the two patiences taught in the three teachings, they are wholly unlike the meaning of the Lotus Sutra here. If explained through the perfect meaning, the items should not be isolated so that they cannot interpenetrate one another. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

V. Three Gateways of the Sphere of Approach and Ten Things to Keep Distant

The passage beginning “What is called the sphere of association?” is the second item, the sphere of approach. The sutra text divides into three gateways.

First, distancing oneself from ten disturbances speaks of approach through distance: precepts assist right contemplation. Second, cultivating and gathering in one’s own mind speaks of approach through direct approach: concentration assists right contemplation. Third, contemplating all dharmas as empty speaks of approach through neither distance nor approach: wisdom assists right contemplation.

Previously the text only took principle directly as its object and abided on the ground of forbearance. The gateway of precepts now broadly lists conditions that can produce insult and disturbance and that should be kept distant. This does not mean taking up weapons in opposition or abandoning those sentient beings, but only distancing oneself from disturbance through right wisdom. Approach spoken through distance therefore broadly unfolds the earlier meaning of conducting what is not conducted.

Previously the text only directly said not to follow violence with violence and to remain settled amid alarm. The gateway of concentration now broadly explains the concentrated mind, the place of concentration, and the essential gateway of concentration. Through the power of concentration one can still bring calm amid violence and remain settled amid alarm. Approach spoken through direct approach therefore broadly unfolds the earlier meaning of nonconduct that conducts.

Previously the text only directly spoke of acting upon nothing with respect to all dharmas. Now it broadly contemplates all dharmas as empty, passing through objects that are immeasurable, boundless, without impediment, and without obstruction. Approach spoken through neither distance nor approach therefore broadly unfolds the earlier meaning of neither conduct nor nonconduct.

The first gateway contains ten disturbances to be kept distant: first, the powerful; second, wrong people and wrong teachings; third, dangerous games; fourth, caṇḍālas; fifth, the assemblies of the two vehicles; sixth, thoughts of desire; seventh, persons in the ancient category of non-males; eighth, danger and harm; ninth, suspicion; and tenth, keeping dependents and the like.

Lokāyata is translated as wrong discourse and also as refutational discourse. Anti-Lokāyata means discourse opposing one’s ruler or father. Again, Lokāyata may be explained as good discourse, in which a teacher refutes a disciple, and anti-Lokāyata as bad discourse, in which a disciple refutes a teacher.

Nārāyaṇa refers to difficult acrobatic entertainments at great heights. It may also refer to painting, to various bodily transformations, or to such arts as climbing tall poles, leaping, and tumbling.

The treatise also divides the ten between the two extremes of birth and death and nirvāṇa: nine belong to birth and death and one to nirvāṇa. Both extremes should be left behind, which is another name for quiescent extinction. Concerning an explanation of the ten through contemplation of the mind and the three meanings contained in direct approach, the treatise preserves only 〔the remainder is abbreviated〕.

Here Fascicle Eight, Part Two, of the Fahua Wenju ends. What follows is Fascicle Nine, Part One, still attributed to the Tiantai Master Zhiyi.

VI. Neither Distance nor Approach: From the General Statement of Object and Wisdom to Nineteen Clauses

In the third gateway, approach is explained through neither distance nor approach. The sutra text has three sections: first, a general statement of the contemplated object and contemplating wisdom; second, a separate explanation; third, a summary of accomplishment.

“Contemplating” is the contemplative wisdom of the middle way; “all dharmas” are the objects of the ten Dharma-realms. If wisdom were mentioned alone, it would have no object to contemplate. All dharmas are therefore adduced to reveal that they are wholly empty and quiescent.

The passage beginning “in accordance with the true” is the separate explanation. Because the two extremes and three truths have no fixed marks of identity or difference, it is called “accordance”; because it is not the object of the seven expedients, it is called “true”; because the real is taken as the mark of all dharmas, it is called “in accordance with their true aspect.”

“Not inverted” means without the eight inversions. “Not moving” means not moved by the two kinds of birth and death. “Not retreating” means that thought after thought is quiescent extinction, flowing into the ocean of all-knowledge. “Not turning” means neither revolving through birth and death like an ordinary being nor turning between the stages of ordinary being and sage like those of the two vehicles.

“Like empty space” means that there is only a name, while the name itself cannot be obtained. The contemplative wisdom of the middle way likewise has only a name; when its substance is sought, it cannot be obtained. “Without any existent self-nature” means possessing no fixed self-nature—whether own-nature, other-nature, shared nature, or causeless nature. “The paths of all language are cut off” means that this object is inconceivable.

“Not born” means that delusion, wisdom, and principle are all unborn. “Not emerging” means that the afflictions counteracted by the Tathāgata ultimately arise no more. “Not arising” means that various skillful means are wholly quiescent extinction. “Without name” means that names cannot name it. “Without mark” means that appearances cannot mark it. “Possessing nothing” means lacking the existence of the two extremes. “Immeasurable” means that it does not belong to countable dharmas. “Boundless” means that it has no spatial limit. “Without impediment and without obstruction” means that it pervades every place.

“They exist only through causes and conditions” is the summary. Previously only the contemplative wisdom of the middle way was explained; now it is further said to illuminate both extremes. The principle-nature is ultimately pure, as explained above, and is itself neither liberation nor delusion. Yet birth and death arise from the conditions of delusion, while nirvāṇa arises from the conditions of liberation. Again, what exists through causes and conditions can be nirvāṇa; arising from inversion, it becomes birth and death. In this way the meaning of illuminating both is revealed.

“Constantly delighting in contemplating dharmas such as these” means constantly delighting in contemplation of the three truths and other dharmas. Again, “they exist only through causes and conditions and arise from inversion” summarizes the object of the inconceivable three truths; “and therefore are spoken of” is the inconceivable teaching; and “constantly delighting in contemplating” summarizes the inconceivable three contemplations.

The treatise also gives another explanation: “Contemplating all dharmas as empty, in accordance with their true aspect” marks the essence of contemplation. The nine clauses from “not inverted” onward explain the marks of contemplation. Not being moved by the two extremes and eight inversions is called not inverted and not moving; not falling into the two stages of the two vehicles and ordinary beings is called not retreating and not turning. These two pairs reveal the functioning of wisdom that arises in dependence upon principle.

It does not belong to the future, and therefore is not born; it does not belong to the past, and therefore does not emerge; it does not belong to the present, and therefore does not arise. Fascicle Fifty-One of the Great Treatise says: “Like empty space, it has no mark of entering, emerging, or abiding.” The Mahāyānasaṃgraha is the same: there is no future place to enter, no past place from which to emerge, and no present place in which to abide. Fascicle Forty-Three also says: “Because the side of the cause does not arise, it is called not emerging; because the side of the condition does not arise, it is called not born.”

There are nineteen clauses in all. The first is a general statement, and the latter eighteen correspond to the eighteen emptinesses taught in the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sutra.

First, “in accordance with their true aspect” is the emptiness of ultimate meaning. Second, “not inverted” is inner emptiness, because within the six inner entrances there is neither self nor what belongs to self. Third, “not inverted and not moving” is outer emptiness, because outer objects are not drawn along and moved by the six sense objects. Fourth, “not retreating” is inner-and-outer emptiness: because the twelve entrances are empty, it is said not to retreat.

Fifth, “not turning” is the emptiness of emptiness. Emptiness can break all dharmas; all dharmas are what is broken, and emptiness is what breaks. Once all dharmas have been wholly broken, only emptiness remains; that emptiness itself is also empty, and so it is called the emptiness of emptiness. Once emptiness is itself empty, nothing remains capable of turning, and so it is called not turning.

Sixth, “like empty space” is great emptiness. Because grasping and conceptual construction concerning direction and place have been broken, it is said to be like empty space. Seventh, “without any existent self-nature” is ultimate emptiness. Because not the least remainder of any dharma exists, it is called ultimate emptiness; because it is ultimately empty, it has no fixed self-nature.

Eighth, “the paths of all language are cut off” is the emptiness of all dharmas. Because the emptiness of all cannot be expressed, the pathways of language are cut off. Ninth, “not born” is the emptiness of the conditioned. Conditioned dharmas are formed through the conjunction of causes and conditions; because no real conjunction exists, they are not born. Tenth, “not emerging” is the emptiness of the unconditioned. Both the name of escape and the dharma of escape are empty, and so it is called not emerging.

Eleventh, “not arising” is beginningless emptiness. Seeking an original first source, one cannot obtain it, and so there is no arising. Twelfth, “without name” is nature-emptiness. Thirteenth, “without mark” is mark-emptiness. Fourteenth, “in reality possessing nothing” is the emptiness of the unobtainable.

Fifteenth, “immeasurable” is the emptiness of existent dharmas. Where dharmas exist there is a measure by which they can be measured; because measure is empty, it is called immeasurable. Sixteenth, “boundless” is the emptiness of nonexistent dharmas. Nonexistent dharmas are indicated by taking existent dharmas as their boundary; now even this indication is empty, and so it is boundless.

Seventeenth, “without impediment” is the emptiness of existent and nonexistent dharmas. Because neither existent nor nonexistent dharmas can be obtained, it is called without impediment. Eighteenth, “without obstruction” is dispersed emptiness. Because every hindrance and obscuration is unobtainable, it is called without obstruction.

All eighteen emptinesses are the right wisdom of the middle way and are therefore all called empty. They are spoken of as eighteen only in accordance with eighteen kinds of contemplated object. The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra says: “The Tathāgata constantly cultivates the meaning of the eighteen emptinesses.” The treatise therefore uses the eighteen emptinesses to explain the latter eighteen clauses.

VII. The Verse Explains Them Together: Fourteen Lines on Phenomena and Eight on Contemplation of Principle

The verse has twenty-eight lines and three phrases, divided into three parts: the first line recapitulates the heading; the next twenty-two lines recapitulate cultivation; and the final five lines and three phrases explain the accomplishment of practice.

The prose explains the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach separately, whereas the verse recapitulates them together. Precisely because their general meaning is the same while separation and combination reveal one another, the broad and brief explanations can support each other. The prose gives three items each for the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach. The verse now explains them together and no longer follows the original order.

The fourteen lines beginning “They should enter the sphere of conduct” recapitulate distance and approach in terms of phenomena. The preceding prose lists ten things to keep distant; the verse states them briefly and not in order, as the text itself shows. These fourteen lines also recapitulate the sphere of conduct through the emptiness of sentient beings; according to their meaning, they further include the three levels of the sphere of approach. The verse therefore says: “This is called the sphere of conduct and sphere of approach.”

The verse says “constantly keeping distant from kings” because a bhikṣu’s approach to a king can implicate him in ten unlawful matters. First, he may be suspected of plotting against the king’s command. Second, the king may execute a minister. Third, treasure may go missing from a treasury he oversees. Fourth, a woman in the palace may become pregnant. Fifth, the king may be poisoned. Sixth, ministers may contend with one another. Seventh, two countries may go to war. Eighth, a miserly king may refuse to distribute wealth to the people. Ninth, the king may levy the people’s property. Tenth, if disease and epidemic spread through the kingdom, the bhikṣu may be accused of causing it through spells.

When any of these ten matters occurs, ministers and people may readily believe the bhikṣu responsible. If they therefore slander the bhikṣu, they also slander the right Dharma and the Buddha. The Buddha consequently does not permit a bhikṣu to approach a king.

Concerning the outsider brahmans mentioned in the verse, the Mātaṅga Sutra records that in the beginning a man named Brahmā composed one Veda. Next a man named Baijing transformed the one into four: first, the Veda of Recitation; second, Sacrifice; third, Chanting; fourth, Calamity-Aversion. Each contained 320,000 verses, making 1,280,000 verses in all and 1,700 fascicles.

Next a man named Fusha had twenty-five disciples, each of whom extensively distinguished one Veda, thereby forming twenty-five Vedas. Another man named Yingwu transformed one Veda into eighteen. Another man named Shandao had twenty-one disciples and transformed it into twenty-one Vedas. Through transformations such as these, there eventually came to be 1,206 Vedas.

Veda Treatise is translated into Chinese as “Treatise on Knowledge” and was composed by Poyesuō. It has four kinds. First, the Veda of the Power of Faith explains serving the fire god in order to extinguish wrongdoing. Second, the Yajur Veda explains that merit can be obtained by making offerings to brahmans. Third, the Sāma Veda explains how to bring two countries into harmony. Fourth, the Atharva Veda explains warfare. Readers of these four treatises call themselves people of all-knowledge.

Vyākaraṇa is translated into Chinese as “Treatise on Grammar.” Composed by Ponini, it explains various scriptures and many kinds of mixed language. The Vaiśeṣika Treatise was composed by Youliuqu. Youliuqu is translated into Chinese as “Supreme”; the present treatise records that he “appeared eight hundred years later.” His treatise explains six truths.

Kapila is translated into Chinese as “Yellow-Headed” and is also called “of the Tortoise Clan.” His treatise is named Sāṃkhya, translated into Chinese as “Without a Crown.” Because the treatise is named after its author, it is also called the Kapila Treatise. It teaches twenty-five truths.

Concerning the scholars of the Lesser Vehicle’s three treasuries mentioned in the verse, the treatise explains the conditions under which the three treasuries were first taught. At Vārāṇasī, the Buddha first taught the five men the sūtra treasury. At Rājagṛha, He first taught Sunati the vinaya treasury. At the Monkey Pond in Vaiśālī, He first taught the Vajjiputtakas the abhidharma treasury. During the first watch of the night, the five hundred arhats compiled the abhidharma treasury, the Sutra of Continuous Liberation. This is the study of the three treasuries.

Concerning deep attachment to the five desires in the verse, the treatise distinguishes the marks of desire at the various places of the desire realm. Humans of the four continents, nāgas, asuras, and the gods of the Four Kings engage through contact between the two sexual faculties. The Heaven of the Thirty-Three uses wind; the Yāma Heaven draws close; the Tuṣita Heaven holds hands; the Heaven of Delight in Transformation gazes; and the Heaven of Freely Enjoying Others’ Transformations engages by thought. All heavens above these have left desire.

Concerning widows and maidens in the verse, the treatise also cites Ānanda asking the Buddha how one should act upon seeing women after the Tathāgata’s extinction. The Buddha answers: do not see them; if one does see them, do not converse; if one converses, one should single-mindedly recollect the Buddha.

The verse also mentions persons in the various ancient categories of non-males. Among them, paṇḍaka is translated into Chinese as “yellow gate.” A yellow gate is someone with the form of a man or woman who cannot perform the sexual function of a man or woman.

VIII. The Sheep and the Lion, and Eight Kinds of Diligence and Laziness

When the verse speaks of entering a village to seek alms, the Saṃyukta Āgama uses the sheep and lion king as similes. A sheep goes to a dung heap and eats its fill, then returns to the flock and arrogantly boasts of obtaining fine food. A bhikṣu may act likewise: after obtaining the four requisites, he gives rise to attachment and thoughts of desire and does not understand escape; even before obtaining them, he continually longs to acquire them; after obtaining them, he exalts himself before other bhikṣus and disparages them, saying that he can obtain what others cannot. This is a bhikṣu who seeks alms like a sheep.

When the lion king meets a great animal, he eats without craving the taste or becoming attached; when he meets a small animal, he also eats without disdain or contempt. A bhikṣu may act likewise: receiving the four requisites, he neither attaches nor entertains thoughts of desire and himself understands the way of escape; even if he obtains no gain or support, he does not give rise to confused thoughts and his mind neither increases nor decreases. This is a bhikṣu who seeks alms like a lion king.

The four requisites, beginning with seeking alms, each have a time before and a time after the affair, making eight occasions in all. The treatise uses these eight occasions to explain eight kinds of diligence and eight kinds of laziness.

Take seeking alms as an example. Before seeking alms one should think that it is undertaken to treat the wound of hunger for the sake of cultivating the Way; while food and drink have not yet been obtained, one still does not abandon recollection and practice. After obtaining food and drink, one should remain mindful of the Way without cease in order to repay kindness. On both occasions, before and after the affair, one redoubles diligence. The same applies before and after each of the other three requisites; the opposite is called the eight kinds of laziness.

The Ratnamegha Sutra says that food obtained through alms should be divided into four shares: the first is given to companions in pure conduct, the second to beggars, the third to ghosts and spirits, and the fourth is eaten oneself.

The eight lines beginning “Further, not acting” recapitulate the sphere of approach in principle, explained through neither distance nor approach.

IX. Accomplishment of Practice and Peaceful Ease: No Outward Failure, No Inward Obstruction

The five lines and three phrases beginning “If there is a bhikṣu” explain the accomplishment of practice and divide into three sections. The first line and a half mark that accomplishment. Accomplishment in phenomena means no outward fault in dignified conduct; accomplishment in principle means no inward obstruction in the mind. The sutra therefore speaks of freedom from timidity.

Next, the three lines beginning “At times a bodhisattva” explain the peaceful ease obtained when practice is accomplished. The final line and phrase again recapitulate the prose conclusion.

The passage beginning “The bodhisattva enters a quiet chamber” explains the cause of attaining peaceful ease. Through cultivation of meditative concentration, one stills faults and harmful conduct and realizes the nonself of persons, so outwardly one does not harm others. Through cultivation of wisdom, one leaves every form of grasping and realizes the nonself of dharmas, so inwardly the mind is not inverted. The mind is therefore no longer timid; freedom from timidity is called peaceful ease.

The line and phrase beginning “Mañjuśrī” again recapitulate the prose conclusion. At this point the method of the peaceful practice of the body and the marks of its accomplishment have both been fully explained.

I. The Peaceful Practice of Speech: First Restraining Four Verbal Faults

Second is the peaceful practice of speech, which is also divided into prose and verse. The prose has two parts: first it marks the heading, and then it explains the practice. The practice is further divided into restraint and contemplation.

There are four restraints. First, one does not speak of faults in people or scriptures. Listeners may incur faults on account of a teaching, but how could the Dharma spoken by the Buddha itself be said to have faults? The seven expedient teachings were spoken by the Buddha in accord with sentient beings’ inclinations. Although called teachings of incomplete meaning, they remain the Buddha’s expedient teachings. Attacking these teachings will distress the people who receive them, which is not the character of a peaceful practice.

Second, one does not disparage. One may not rely on one’s own perfect practice to scorn partial approaches, nor honor only the real while belittling the provisional.

Third, one does not speak of others’ strengths and weaknesses. The sutra first refers generally to all people and then specifically names śrāvakas. People dislike hearing their faults discussed, so one must not speak of their weaknesses. Praising someone to their face may also make another person present feel condemned, so one must not speak of strengths. For example, one may not praise Zhao’s strengths before Zhang, causing Zhang to think that Zhao’s strengths are being used to mock Zhang’s weaknesses. Nor may one speak of Zhao’s weaknesses before Zhang, because Zhang will think: if this person can condemn Zhao behind his back before me, he can also condemn me behind my back before Zhao. For this reason, one stops speaking of both good and bad.

On not speaking of strengths and weaknesses, the treatise also cites the first chapter of the Rizang: reduce sleep during the first, middle, and last watches of night; diligently sit in meditation, recite scriptures, and cultivate the Way; turn away from birth and death and toward the road to nirvāṇa; do not speak of others’ shortcomings or proclaim one’s own strengths; remain humble and deferential without exalting oneself; be content with clothing and food, diligently cultivate ascetic practices, and avoid negligence; bind the mind to reflection and do not let it race outward; arouse loving-kindness and compassion for all sentient beings. It also cites the practice of emptiness taught in a sutra: recite it oneself and teach others to recite it; do not slander others, speak their faults, or proclaim one’s own strengths.

The capacities of śrāvakas are not yet fixed. Praising the Two Vehicles may cause some to retreat from the Great Vehicle and adopt the Lesser. Condemning the Two Vehicles may cause them to lose faith in both Great and Lesser, leaving them with neither. Not praising or condemning does not mean failing to distinguish the meaning of Dharma, but refusing to sever or wound another’s capacity to receive Dharma through praise and blame.

Fourth, one does not produce resentment or aversion. Thinking that a person or teaching obstructs one’s path is resentment; thinking that another is base and inferior is aversion. As soon as the mechanism of mind moves, speech follows from the mouth. To cut off the source of fault-finding, one must prevent even resentment and aversion from arising.

II. The Peaceful Practice of Speech: Contemplating Emptiness Without Opposing People or Violating Dharma

From “skillfully cultivating such a peaceful mind” onward comes the gate of contemplation. One should contemplate all dharmas as empty, appropriate nothing, and not rigidly cling. Because one neither opposes people’s intentions nor violates the true character of Dharma, one does not answer difficult questions with Lesser-Vehicle teachings but explains only through the Great Vehicle.

Here it is still necessary to distinguish whether the other person’s capacity has been seen. If one knows that the person lacks a Great-Vehicle capacity, teaching the Lesser Vehicle can bring expedient benefit. If one has not seen that the person lacks such a capacity but nevertheless teaches the Lesser, one may obstruct that person’s Great-Vehicle connection. When the capacity is equally indiscernible, teaching only the Great Vehicle entails no fault.

The verse of the peaceful practice of speech has sixteen and a half lines in three sections: the first two lines repeat the heading, the next nine and a half repeat the practice, and the last five teach the accomplishment of practice.

The first two lines expand the prose’s general statement of peaceful practice into three forms of practice. Wishing the listener before one to obtain the secure path and fruit is the meaning of entering the Tathāgata’s chamber. Preparing a seat in a pure place is the meaning of sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. Anointing the body with oil and washing away dust is the meaning of donning the Tathāgata’s robe. These three dharmas together guide verbal karma and are therefore called the peaceful practice of speech.

The nine and a half lines beginning with taking one’s place on the Dharma seat have two sections: five and a half lines first repeat restraint, and four lines then repeat contemplation. All four earlier restraints are repeated here.

First, explaining in response to another’s question is half a line repeating not disparaging others. A mind that disparages does not genuinely teach in response to a question.

Second, the two and a half lines from a bhikṣu coming to ask through answering according to meaning repeat not speaking of strengths and weaknesses: one answers only according to meaning and does not discuss whether people are good or bad. Answering according to meaning further divides into what can and cannot be answered. When two parties challenge one another through questions and answers, compare relative strength, and each can recognize victory and defeat, this is the speech of the wise and can be answered. To exercise power wantonly and say that anyone who dares dissent will be executed is the speech of a king and should not be met with a contest for victory. To know neither strengths and weaknesses nor right and wrong and seek only to win is the speech of a fool; one likewise should not enter that contention.

Third, the line and a half from teaching through causes, conditions, and similes through causing people to enter the Buddha Way further repeats not delighting in speaking of faults in people or teachings. Speaking another’s faults arouses poisonous thoughts in them. By not speaking faults, one allows them to become joyful, arouse resolve, and enter the Buddha Way, for the Buddha Way arises from joy.

Fourth, the line on removing indolent thoughts repeats freedom from resentment and aversion. When resentment and aversion arise, indolence, sorrow, and affliction follow. Teaching Dharma with loving-kindness and without resentment or aversion enables diligence without sorrow. The prose speaks of the four as stopping evil, while the verse speaks of them as actively practicing good.

The following four lines repeat the gate of contemplation. The prose says to answer only through the Great Vehicle, while the verse says constantly to teach the unsurpassed Way day and night. The prose says to enable others to attain knowledge of all modes, while the verse says to vow that they accomplish the Buddha Way.

The last five lines teach accomplishment of the peaceful practice of speech. The first line marks that accomplishment. The next two say that when jealousy and other faults are absent within, external difficulties do not arise, just as flies do not gather where there is no foul-smelling object. The next line says that a wise person who practices accordingly possesses wholesome dharmas within, and the practice is therefore accomplished. “As I explained above” means the prose when speaking of freedom from faults within, and the verse when speaking of wholesome qualities present within. The last line measures that person’s merit.

III. The Peaceful Practice of Mind: Four Restraints and Four Contemplations That Reverse Them

Third is the peaceful practice of mind, which also has prose and verse. The prose has three sections: heading, explanation of the practice, and conclusion. The practice again treats restraint first and contemplation afterward.

There are four restraints: no jealousy or crooked flattery, no disparaging abuse, no disturbing others, and no contentious attachment. Two-Vehicle practitioners seek to leave birth and death quickly and first remove desire; bodhisattvas first remove anger and wrong views. Jealousy is a stain of anger, while flattery and crookedness are stains of wrong views. Jealousy violates loving-kindness and compassion and is not a method for teaching others; deception and flattery violate wisdom and are not a method of self-cultivation. If wisdom is obstructed, how can one seek the Buddha Way above? If compassion is hindered, how can one transform sentient beings below? Bodhisattvas practicing peaceful ease must therefore abandon jealousy and flattery above all.

Second, one must not disparage or abuse. One may not use the perfect practice to rebuke someone cultivating the Distinct teaching. If one knows the person’s capacity, admonition may be possible; if one does not know it, one must not scold, because the person may retreat from wholesome roots.

Third, one must not disturb others. One likewise may not use the perfect practice to rebuke someone cultivating the Shared teaching. If the other person originally lacks a Great-Vehicle capacity, forcing the perfect practice upon them opposes their mind and causes disturbance. The Shared practice already cultivated has been condemned, while the Perfect has not yet been understood; first doubt and then regret arise, and both Great and Lesser are lost. “Far from the Way” means that the course is circuitous and disturbs a practitioner of the Distinct teaching. “Cannot attain” means sinking into emptiness and grasping realization, which disturbs a practitioner of the Shared teaching. “Indolent” means rejecting birth and death; the Lotus of Compassion calls Lesser-Vehicle practitioners indolent.

Fourth, one must not contend through partial attachment. This appears by reversal in the contemplation of teaching equally: when one clings to one side and argues with others, one cannot teach equally in accord with sentient beings’ capacities.

Contemplation also has four items, each reversing one of the four evils above. First, arouse great compassion for all sentient beings, reversing jealousy and flattery. Second, regard the Tathāgata as a loving father, reversing disparagement and abuse. Everyone seeking the Buddha Way is a person engaged in learning; one should respect students as one respects the Buddha and must not disparage them. The sutra speaks of the tathāgatas in the plural, extending through past, present, and future; a student presently seeking the Buddha Way is a future tathāgata.

Third, regard bodhisattvas as great teachers, reversing disturbance. In principle, practitioners of all three vehicles are bodhisattvas. They possess the virtue of teaching and guiding sentient beings and are their teachers. One should therefore regard them as great teachers and not speak their shortcomings.

Fourth, teach Dharma equally, reversing contention. Equality breaks partial attachment and contention, but it does not mean speaking equally much or equally little to everyone. It means measuring whether listeners’ capacities are sharp or dull and teaching neither too much nor too little.

The conclusion of the peaceful practice of mind has two points. Because the four evils have been restrained, evil cannot be inflicted upon the practitioner, and no one can disturb them. Because the four contemplations have been cultivated, excellent people gather and the practitioner obtains good fellow students.

The verse on the peaceful practice of mind has six lines. The first five repeat restraint and contemplation, each of which has four meanings; the last repeats accomplishment of practice. The counts correspond before and after and may not be collapsed into a vague goodwill.

IV. The Peaceful Practice of Vows: First Distinguishing the Fields, Then the Reasons for Arousing Vow

Fourth is the peaceful practice of vows, with prose followed by verse. The prose first teaches the practice and then praises how difficult the sutra is to hear. The practice has three levels: heading, principal teaching of the practice, and conclusion.

The principal teaching has three parts. First, it marks the fields toward which vows are directed. Second, it explains the reasons for arousing vows. Third, it formally establishes the vows.

The fields of vow first divide into loving-kindness and compassion. The field of the vow of loving-kindness includes all who have previously aroused an expedient resolve. Those not yet beyond the three realms are called householders, while those who have exhausted the shared delusions are called renunciants; together these include two kinds of Two-Vehicle practitioners and three kinds of bodhisattvas. They still possess ignorance and could also be objects of great compassion. Yet because they have all already aroused resolve and accord with the vow of loving-kindness, one should give them the joy of the perfect path and perfect fruit. Thus the sutra says to arouse great loving-kindness toward them.

The field of the vow of compassion is persons who are not bodhisattvas and includes all who have never aroused an expedient resolve. They do not turn toward expedients at all, much less the real. This field includes all beings within the three realms. They too need joy, but because they wander without limit, they now correspond most immediately to the compassionate vow of rescue; the causes and fruits of their offenses should be removed. Thus the sutra says to arouse great compassion.

Next come the reasons for arousing vows. The first is the reason for loving-kindness: some cherish the Lesser Vehicle, take the Buddha’s expedient teaching as ultimate reality, and cannot enter the perfect path, thereby suffering a great loss. This great loss is the reason for arousing the vow of loving-kindness.

The second is the reason for compassion. Those who have not aroused a partial or perfect resolve have neither heard, known, nor awakened to either the partial or perfect paths. Regarding the partial path, not hearing means lacking the wisdom of hearing; not knowing means lacking the wisdom of thinking; not awakening means lacking the wisdom of cultivation. The same three wisdoms are also absent regarding the perfect path. Why are all three absent? Because they have not asked, they have not heard; because they do not believe, they do not know; because they do not understand, they do not cultivate. They possess none of the three wisdoms on either the partial or perfect side and neither the provisional nor the real. They are profoundly worthy of compassion, and this is the reason for arousing the vow of compassion.

V. Formally Making the Vow and the Threefold Accomplishment of Practice

Next the vow is formally made. Although these beings do not ask or believe in this sutra, the bodhisattva does not make a vow in terms of a partial path, but seeks only to give them the three wisdoms of the perfect path. The bodhisattva therefore vows: when I attain unsurpassed complete awakening, wherever they may be, I shall guide them through the powers of supernormal ability and wisdom and cause them to abide in this Dharma.

Vow, awakening, wisdom, and supernormal power are all obtained through cultivating the peaceful practices. Deep contemplation of the Tathāgata’s seat brings the power of wisdom, adorned with four kinds of eloquence, and enables one to rescue beings through wisdom. Deep contemplation of the Tathāgata’s chamber and robe brings a vast, excellent, quiescent power by which one manifests many forms of deportment without entering the concentration of cessation. Supernormal powers are adorned by merit and first move beings through concentration; wisdom then rescues them.

From the Buddha’s next address to Mañjuśrī onward comes the conclusion on accomplishment of practice, in three levels.

First, the general conclusion says that there are no faults, which is accomplishment of practice. How is the practice accomplished? Establishing the great vow accomplishes the practice of entering the Tathāgata’s chamber. Knowing that the fourfold assembly has lost the perfect path accomplishes the practice of sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. Binding one’s mind through vow so that it does not become indolent accomplishes the practice of donning the Tathāgata’s robe. Only when all three practices are established can practice be called accomplished. Having no faults means that because loving-kindness and compassion are accomplished, there is no fault of the stain of anger; because the Tathāgata’s robe is accomplished, there is no indolence; because the Tathāgata’s seat is accomplished, there is no crooked flattery.

Second, the accomplishment of loving-kindness and compassion is concluded separately. Because loving-kindness is accomplished, bhikṣus, bhikṣuṇīs, male and female lay disciples, people, and devas are gathered to make offerings and hear Dharma. Because vow is accomplished, the Buddha’s supernormal protection is elicited and the devas also guard the practitioner. Because the Tathāgata’s seat is accomplished, listeners become joyful.

Third, the treatise explains why the practice of vow can be accomplished. Even the buddhas of past, present, and future protect this sutra; how much more should the devas protect its practitioner?

VI. Why the Sutra Is Difficult to Hear: Six Levels of the Simile of Not Giving the Jewel

The following passage praises how difficult the sutra is to hear, first through direct teaching and then through simile. The direct teaching has two points: it was not explicitly taught in the past and therefore could not formerly be obtained; only today can it be heard. The simile also has two points: not giving the jewel represents its not having been explicitly taught in the past; giving the jewel represents its finally being heard today. Each simile has both an opening of the simile and an application of its meaning.

The simile of not giving the jewel has six levels. First, a powerful wheel-turning king subdues countries through might. Second, lesser kings refuse his command. Third, the wheel-turning king sends various armies to punish them. Fourth, the king sees that his soldiers have earned merit in battle and rejoices. Fifth, he awards various things according to their merit. Sixth, he alone does not give away the bright jewel in his topknot.

The wheel-turning king represents the Tathāgata transforming the world, while subduing the countries represents confronting the objects of the aggregates, elements, and sense fields. The lesser kings represent afflictions and the like that have not yet been subdued by the uncontaminated Dharma and are therefore called disobedient to the king’s command.

The armies also follow a sequence. Methods among the seven worthy stages represent the vanguard; methods among stream-enterers and once-returners represent the next army; methods among nonreturners and arhats represent the rear army. The bandits to be defeated are the eighty-four thousand combinations of greed, anger, delusion, and equal shares of all three. The officers and troops that defeat them are the eighty-four thousand Dharma gates. The king’s delight upon seeing the army’s merit constitutes the fourth level.

In the fifth level, each award according to merit has its sequence. A field represents samādhi and a house represents wisdom. Villages represent the first and second fruits, a town the third fruit, and a city nirvāṇa. Clothing represents wholesome dharmas such as shame and forbearance; bodily ornaments represent aids to the Way; the various seven treasures represent the factors of awakening and related dharmas; elephants, horses, and vehicles represent the Two Vehicles’ knowledges of exhaustion and nonarising; servants represent supernormal powers; and people represent the contaminated wholesome dharmas attained. These awards and their corresponding meanings must retain the order given by the treatise.

At the sixth level, the jewel is still not given. A capacity for escaping segmented birth and death counts only as lesser merit; a capacity for escaping transformational birth and death counts as great merit. If the jewel in the topknot were suddenly given without great merit, the ministers would be astonished. This represents suddenly teaching this sutra before sentient beings’ Great-Vehicle capacities have moved: Two-Vehicle practitioners would doubt and bodhisattvas would be astonished. Each of the six levels has a corresponding application and must be applied in sequence without skipping an item.

VII. Giving the Jewel, the Fourteen-and-a-Half-Line Verse, and the Chapter’s Twenty-Three-Line Conclusion

The simile of giving the jewel has two points: great merit is first established, and then the jewel is given. The jewel’s brightness represents middle-way wisdom and its roundness represents permanence. Its position on the crown represents what the ultimate fruit honors; its concealment in the topknot represents the real covered by expedients. Unbinding the topknot represents opening the provisional, and giving the jewel represents revealing the real.

The application also has two levels. Causing someone to reach all wisdom uses wisdom as the name of the fruit and is called the one practice. “The foremost teaching” is the one teaching. “The secret treasury” is the one principle and also includes the one person. These four ones retain the treatise’s original sequence.

The verse of the peaceful practice of vows has fourteen and a half lines in two sections: the first four repeat the practice, and the next ten and a half repeat the praise of the sutra.

Within the first four, the first line first repeats accomplishment of practice out of sequence. Constantly practicing forbearance repeats accomplishment in donning the Tathāgata’s robe; pitying all beings repeats accomplishment in entering the Tathāgata’s chamber; only then being able to expound the sutra repeats accomplishment in sitting on the Tathāgata’s seat. The following three lines on transmitting the sutra in the final age then repeat the cultivation of the practice in order. The fields, reasons, and vows found in the prose are all repeated in the verse.

The next ten and a half lines repeat the difficulty of hearing the Dharma. The prose contains direct teaching, simile, and application; the verse repeats only simile and application. The simile first uses three lines to repeat not giving the jewel, then one line to repeat giving it. The application first uses three and a half lines to apply not giving the jewel, then three lines to apply giving it.

The twenty-three-line verse beginning with the Buddha’s statement concerning the time after his extinction is the third major section of the chapter. It concludes with the signs elicited by accomplishment of practice and exhorts cultivation. It has three sections: the first one and a half lines conclude and exhort the four practices; the next twenty and a half use three retributions to exhort, also called the purification of three obstructions; the last line concludes. Purification of the three obstructions exhausts evil karma of the present, next, and later lives, bringing excellent retributions in the present, next, and later lives.

First, the one line on freedom from sorrow is the transformation of the retributive obstruction and transforms present retribution. Reciting this sutra removes present sorrow and affliction, thereby eliminating the mental retribution of painful feeling; freedom from illness and the like transforms bodily retribution.

Second, the half line on not being born poor is the transformation of karmic obstruction and transforms next-life retribution. The cause of evil karma should produce an evil fruit, but the sutra’s power transforms the evil cause and brings a good fruit. Not being born poor means that one who upholds the sutra does not create the karma of poverty now and will not be born in a lowly station in the next life.

Third, the nineteen lines beginning with sentient beings delighting to see the practitioner are the transformation of the afflictive obstruction and transform later retribution. The nineteen lines have two sections: the first three teach separately the transformation of the obstructions of greed, anger, and delusion, while the following sixteen teach generally the transformation of all obstructions.

Of the three afflictive obstructions, first, one line on sentient beings delighting to see the practitioner teaches the transformation of the obstruction of greed. A person with many desires is slighted by others and is obstructed by desire from rebirth in the Brahmā heaven. When the obstruction of desire is transformed, people delight to see that person and heavenly youths serve them. Second, the line and a half on weapons being unable to harm teaches the transformation of the obstruction of anger. Abandoning anger removes inner blades and arrows, while outer weapons cannot injure one even when one enters battle. Third, the half line on the light of wisdom teaches the transformation of the obstruction of delusion.

VIII. Six Stages in Dreams: Later Retribution Disclosed in a Single Dream-Thought

The sixteen lines beginning with seeing wondrous events in dreams teach generally the transformation of all afflictive obstructions and also belong to the transformation of later retribution. When one who upholds the sutra experiences these dream signs now, one should know that they were accomplished long ago and are now disclosed upon encountering conditions. Signs of the causes and fruits of buddhahood also belong to future later retribution, so the person sees signs of future retribution in dreams. Events of hundreds of thousands of myriads of kalpas appear in one dream-thought, showing the inconceivability of the Wondrous Dharma: the immeasurable appears within one and the one remains within the immeasurable. The sign appears first, and the fruit will be accomplished later.

The dream signs further divide into six stages, from initial faith through wondrous awakening and the manifestation of the eight marks of buddhahood. All are ways in which the Tathāgata adorns the practitioner and are the retribution of forbearance.

First, the initial three lines show entry in dreams into the ten faiths. The first two and a half are the retribution of compassion, and the last half is the retribution of right view free of delusion.

Second, the six and a half lines beginning with again seeing buddhas show entry in dreams into the ten abodes. The statement that one realizes irreversible wisdom and receives prediction shows entry into the first abode, realization of nonarising, and the stage of receiving prediction.

Third, the three phrases beginning with again seeing oneself in a mountain forest show cultivation in dreams of the ten practices, because cultivating wholesome dharmas in a mountain forest represents the ten practices.

Fourth, the one phrase on realizing the true mark of all dharmas shows awakening in dreams to the ten dedications, whose meaning at this stage is right contemplation of the middle way.

Fifth, the half line on entering deeply into concentration shows entry in dreams into the ten grounds: on the tenth ground one enters the stainless samādhi and diamond concentration, the buddhas appear, touch one’s crown, and confer office.

Sixth, the five lines beginning with the golden bodies of the buddhas show entry in dreams into wondrous awakening and the manifestation of the eight marks of buddhahood. Another reading is also preserved: this may show that the first abode can already manifest the eight marks of buddhahood, while the preceding sequence provisionally speaks of ultimate awakening. The treatise preserves both readings, and neither may be erased.

The final line beginning with the evil age to come concludes accomplishment of practice.

IX. Two Explanations of the Five Faculties, the Eightfold Right Path and Four Fruits, and Five and Seven Causes

The treatise next explains the five faculties, first according to ordinary practices. The faculty of faith is unshakable faith in the Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. The faculty of diligence is attainment of the four right efforts. The faculty of mindfulness is contemplation of the four applications of mindfulness, with diligent skill used to subdue greed and sorrow. The faculty of concentration is attainment of the four dhyānas. The faculty of wisdom is understanding the four truths and knowing them as they are.

A separate explanation treats all five faculties in terms of arousing resolve toward the Tathāgata. The faculty of faith is the pure faith obtained by arousing the aspiration to awakening toward the Tathāgata. The faculty of diligence is the diligence that arises from the resolve directed toward the Tathāgata. The faculty of mindfulness is the mindfulness that arises from that resolve. The faculty of concentration is the samādhi that arises toward the Tathāgata. The faculty of wisdom is the wisdom that arises toward the Tathāgata. The two explanations are each complete and may not be blended into one.

The eightfold right path is the path practiced by renunciants and is also the Dharma of renunciants. Exhausting greed, anger, and all afflictions is the meaning of a renunciant, while the four stages are the fruits of renunciation.

Regarding dreams, everyone from a stream-enterer through a pratyekabuddha dreams. Only a buddha does not, because a buddha has neither doubt nor habitual residues.

Dreams may arise from five things: doubt, discrimination, habitual learning, present events, and a nonhuman being coming to speak. A separate account teaches seven things, including what has been experienced, heard, and seen and various illnesses. Five and seven are two inherited accounts and may not be added to invent twelve causes.

X. Four Questions and Answers on Dreaming and Sleeping

First question: present consciousness cannot directly see visible forms, so how can the mental faculty see them in a dream? Answer: everything that appears in a dream has previously been seen or heard and thus appears through imagination; it may also be an auspicious or inauspicious sign.

Second question: a dream contains neither supernormal knowledge nor knowledge of past lives, so how can it show events in a future life? Answer: this is not an object of knowledge born of resolve, but something known through inference from similar cases. Other people have had such dreams and later experienced such results; one can infer by comparing the same kinds of dreams and results.

Third question: who sleeps? Answer: beings in the five paths and in the intermediate state sleep; fetuses whose faculties are complete also sleep; even the Buddha sleeps.

Fourth question: sleep ordinarily belongs to delusion and is a covering that obstructs consciousness, so how can it be said that the Buddha sleeps? Answer: the Buddha manifests sleep only to regulate the body; it is neither sleep under a covering nor the sleep of delusion.

I. Five Explanations of the Chapter Title

The teacher is awe-inspiring and the Way is honored, so the disciples bow in reverence and attend upon him. At a single summons from the Tathāgata, bodhisattvas surge forth from the four directions; therefore this is called the Emerging from the Earth chapter.

The Buddha teaches and guides sentient beings through past, present, and future, bestowing benefit without boundary. One bright moon appears as myriad reflections in water—who could ever fathom them all? The Buddha summons the disciples whom he transformed in the past and manifests them now; these disciples propagate the sutra to benefit the future. Therefore this is called the Emerging from the Earth chapter.

Open space is limpid and quiescent, without early or late, yet some cling to the Buddha’s near Trace and therefore do not understand his distant Origin. The Buddha summons his disciples of former times and manifests them today, breaking attachment to the near and revealing the distant Origin. Therefore this is called the Emerging from the Earth chapter.

The father who manifests initial perfect awakening at the site of quiescence is young, while the sons who have long practiced in the Land of Constant Quiescent Light are old. The Buddha reveals the medicine’s power so that the entire assembly may understand. Therefore this is called the Emerging from the Earth chapter.

The sutra says, “From where have these bodhisattvas come? Through what causal conditions have they gathered?” To explain the chapter title through the meanings above is precisely an explanation through the causal conditions of the worldly, individual, counteractive, and ultimate-meaning siddhāntas. Therefore this is called the Emerging from the Earth chapter.

II. The General Outline of the Sutra’s Latter Half

From here begins one major division, the second: opening the near Trace that the Buddha manifests in his role as teacher and revealing the distant Origin of the Buddha Ground.

This major division has three parts. First, from here through “You will naturally hear of this through that,” is the introductory section. Second, from “At that time Śākyamuni Buddha told Maitreya” through Maitreya’s nineteen lines of verse in the Distinctions in Merit chapter is the main exposition. Third, the eleven and a half chapters after those verses form the transmission section.

III. The Introduction Divided into Emerging and Doubt

The introduction has two parts: first, emerging; second, doubt.

Emerging is further divided into three passages: the bodhisattvas from other lands request permission to propagate the sutra; the Tathāgata does not permit them; and the bodhisattvas from below emerge.

Hearing that propagating this sutra brings vast merit, the bodhisattvas from other lands all wish to vow to remain in this world and proclaim it, so they ask the Buddha’s permission.

The Tathāgata stops them for three reasons. First, each of you has duties of your own; remaining in this land would neglect benefit there. Second, the affinities between the bodhisattvas from other lands and the sentient beings of this land are not deep; even if they wished to proclaim and transmit the sutra, no great benefit would result. Third, if their request were permitted, the bodhisattvas from below could not be summoned. If the bodhisattvas from below did not come, the near Trace could not be broken and the distant Origin could not be revealed. For these three reasons, the Tathāgata stops them.

There are likewise three reasons for summoning the bodhisattvas from below. They are my disciples and should propagate my Dharma; their affinities are deep and broad, so they can benefit this land throughout, benefit all the lands of the emanation-bodies throughout, and benefit other lands throughout; and they can thereby open the near and reveal the distant. Thus he stops those from other lands and summons those from below.

IV. The Sutra Narrator’s Five Features of the Manifested Scene

From “When the Buddha spoke these words” onward is the third passage, the emergence from below. It has two parts: first, the sutra narrator describes the manifested scene that was seen; second, the greetings are explained. Each part has five items.

The first five items are: first, their emergence; second, their bodily marks; third, their dwelling place; fourth, hearing the command; fifth, their entourages.

Their dwelling place is the Land of Constant Quiescent Light. Constant is the virtue of permanence; quiescent is the virtue of bliss; light is the virtues of purity and self. This is the secret treasury of the four virtues and is precisely their dwelling place. They dwell within the secret treasury through the manner of nonabiding.

“Below” means the abyssal bottom of Dharma-nature and the ultimate ground of the mysterious purport; therefore it is called below. Situated below, they do not belong to this realm; dwelling in open space, they do not belong to the other realm. Neither this nor that is the middle way. Emerging from this realm yet remaining neither in an upper realm nor beneath this realm, they dwell in open space as neither above nor below; this too is the middle way.

They come because they have heard the command, to propagate the Dharma, to break attachment, and to reveal the Origin—all as explained above.

As for the entourages they bring, ordinary sentiment regards those leading sixty or fifty thousand Ganges sands as many, those leading three, two, or one as few, and those who come alone as solitary. But if one follows the sutra’s wording, sixty and fifty thousand instead count as few and those alone instead count as many, for the sutra says that the number dwelling alone exceeds all those described before.

In terms of Dharma gates, each one possesses the virtue of a guide and can lead the many to the jeweled place. One should understand that one person is not solitary, and sixty thousand are not many. One is the single pure path; two are concentration and wisdom; three are precepts, concentration, and wisdom; four are the Four Truths; five are the Five Eyes; and six are the Six Pāramitās. Each pāramitā contains the ten Dharma realms, each realm contains ten dharmas, ten make a hundred, and a hundred contains a thousand; matched with the ten wholesome actions, these make ten thousand. One pāramitā contains ten thousand practices, and six pāramitās are sixty thousand Dharma gates. Many is not many, and one is not few; they are neither many nor few, yet they are both many and few.

V. Five Parts of the Greetings and Two Kinds of Inconceivability

From “These bodhisattvas emerged from the earth” onward is the second part, the greetings, divided into five items: first, offerings through the three modes of action; second, the words of greeting; third, the Buddha’s answer concerning ease and well-being; fourth, rejoicing in verse; fifth, the Tathāgata’s praise.

First are offerings through the three modes of action. Fifty minor kalpas pass, yet the assembly feels that only half a day has gone by; the fourfold assembly can see all the bodhisattvas throughout. Long time is concealed and short time manifested, while the Buddha’s supernormal power also enables a narrow field of vision to behold a vast domain. Both are inconceivable.

“bowing and circumambulating” belongs to bodily action, “praising the Dharma” to verbal action, and “gazing upward in reverence” to mental action. As for “fifty minor kalpas” and “half a day,” this is the inconceivability of time. What the Tathāgata sees does not fall into the dual marks of long and short. The bodhisattvas from below ceaselessly praise him to his face, while the Tathāgata silently and continually receives their praise. Those who awaken see the long within the short and therefore experience fifty minor kalpas; those who are deluded see the short within the long and therefore feel that it is only half a day. This prepares the way for the Origin and Trace teaching below. Before the Tathāgata has opened and revealed, people remain dark about the Origin and cling to the Trace. Once the Buddha opens and reveals, awakening through the near enables them to comprehend the distant, and they understand that the inconceivable is one and the same.

The fourfold assembly’s ability to see the bodhisattvas throughout is likewise inconceivable. What fleshly and divine eyes ordinarily see is not far, yet what they now see fills open space. Seeing torrential rain, one knows the dragon’s power is vast; seeing flowers flourish, one knows the pond is deep and broad; seeing responsive bodies fill open space, one knows that the true body pervades the Dharma realm.

First, the four guides are introduced.

VI. The Words of Inquiry and the Tathāgata’s Complete Answer

Next come the words of greeting. The inquiry has two parts: prose and verse. The prose has two items: first, asking whether the Tathāgata is at ease and well; second, asking whether sentient beings are easy to transform.

Only four people are named in order to correspond to the forty stages of opening, showing, awakening, and entering. This is like the Avataṃsaka Sutra, which names only the four bodhisattvas Dharmamati, Guṇavana, Vajradhvaja, and Vajragarbha to expound the forty stages.

Third, the Tathāgata answers completely. Ease and well-being and ease of transformation mutually accomplish one another: when sentient beings are easy to transform, the Buddha is at ease; when the Buddha is at ease, sentient beings are easy to transform.

Ease of transformation has two kinds. The first comprises those of sharp faculties and profound virtue. Life after life, they have continually received Great-Vehicle teaching; as soon as they see my body and hear what I teach, they receive the Avataṃsaka teaching and enter the Tathāgata’s wisdom. Ripe fruit falls easily: this is sentient beings’ ease of transformation. The second comprises those of dull faculties and shallow virtue. Life after life, they have never received Great-Vehicle teaching. For such people, the Buddha must open the teaching for dull faculties and proclaim the gradual Dharma, disciplining them through the Tripiṭaka, Vaipulya, and Prajñāpāramitā teachings; he likewise enables them today to hear the Lotus and enter buddha-wisdom. Although they are more difficult than the first kind, they are still easy for the Buddha. The Buddha knows their capacities and establishes expedients with perfect fitness; only a little application and adjustment are needed, and the wisdom realized is still the same.

Now ten meanings are briefly presented to explain this. First are first seeing and seeing now; second, opening and convergence versus neither opening nor convergence; third, vertical breadth and horizontal brevity; fourth, one Origin and many Traces, shared Traces and an exclusive Origin; fifth, supplemental teaching and no supplemental teaching; sixth, transforming the land and not transforming it; seventh, many places and not many places; eighth, repudiation and deprivation versus neither repudiation nor deprivation; ninth, directly revealing the real and opening the provisional to reveal the real; tenth, sharp faculties maturing first and dull faculties maturing later.

First, first seeing and seeing now: what is seen at initial awakening is called first seeing; the true seeing long afterward in the Lotus assembly is called seeing now. Second, when sunlight illuminates the high mountains, the sudden teaching is proclaimed, neither opened nor converged. For those unable to enter, the sudden teaching is opened into the gradual teaching, and they are disciplined through the five flavors so that the gradual converges with the sudden. Third, the sudden teaching directly enters vertically and enters the Dharma realm, so it is called vertically broad; because it does not pass through expedient means, it is called horizontally brief. Here, passing through the five flavors is horizontal breadth, while attaining entry into buddha-wisdom is also vertical breadth. Fourth, one lotus platform is called one Origin, while its thousand petals are called many Traces; the Traces are shared because they accord with other sutras, while the Origin is exclusive because it differs from other sutras. Fifth, in the Avataṃsaka, the four bodhisattvas are empowered to expound the forty stages; in this sutra, the Buddha himself speaks opening, showing, awakening, and entering and does not empower someone else. Sixth, the Flower-King world is not transformed and therefore is called untransformed; in this sutra the land is transformed twice and therefore is called transformed. Seventh, the Avataṃsaka has seven places and eight assemblies and therefore many places; this sutra has Vulture Peak and distant open space and therefore not many places. Eighth, extinguishing the transformed city and changing the identity of the hired laborer are called repudiation and deprivation; the Avataṃsaka has no such events and therefore no repudiation or deprivation. Ninth, traveling the great direct path is called directly revealing the real, while resolving the Dharma of the śrāvakas is called opening the provisional to reveal the real. Tenth, those of sharp faculties whose conditions are mature enter buddha-wisdom at the beginning, while those of dull faculties who mature later enter buddha-wisdom only today.

Appropriate conditions differ, and so ten distinctions are briefly made; as for the knowledge of all modes and the Dharma realm, they are equal and without difference. Thus the sutra says, “As soon as they saw my body and heard what I taught, they all accepted it in faith and entered the Tathāgata’s wisdom, excepting only those who had previously cultivated and studied the Lesser Vehicle.” The explicit text for entering buddha-wisdom in this sutra today is right here; there is no need for doubt.

When masters see differing conditions, they follow those conditions into differing explanations; becoming confused and failing to return, they stray ever farther from the Way. If one recognizes identity at the level of principle, it is like a thousand carts traveling the same track: buddha-wisdom is without difference.

An older account says that the Avataṃsaka is definitive meaning, full word, and permanent, while the Lotus is nondefinitive meaning, neither full nor permanent. Now compare that account with this passage. If the first entry is definitive while entry today is nondefinitive, then the first entry is into buddha-wisdom, while today’s entry is not into buddha-wisdom. If buddha-wisdom is equal, definitive meaning is likewise equal, and full word and permanence are entirely the same.

The Dilun masters call the Avataṃsaka the Perfect School and the Lotus the Unreal School. This same passage is now likewise used to compare their claim.

VII. Understanding and Rejoicing, Followed by the Tathāgata’s Praise

Fourth, the bodhisattvas understand and rejoice. Those capable of asking are like the four great beings in the Avataṃsaka and Śāriputra’s three requests in the Lotus; these are all capable questioners. What they ask about is the Buddha’s wisdom.

Fifth, the Tathāgata praises them. This greatly differs from asking: on the questioners’ side there is rejoicing. Those capable of asking are all bodhisattvas, and when the people whom they transform hear, accept in faith, and practice, we rejoice accordingly. What, then, does it mean that the Tathāgata praises the rejoicing of those capable of transformation? Those capable of asking are originally ancient buddhas; because you can rejoice, you already are tathāgatas. The bodhisattvas rejoice in their Trace, while the Tathāgata praises their Origin. This also secretly indicates the meaning of the lifespan.

VIII. The Introduction of Doubt and the Doubts of This Land and Other Lands

From “At that time Maitreya and the eighty thousand great beings” onward is the second part, the introduction of doubt.

Maitreya says: From the site of quiescence until this assembly today, great beings from the ten directions have continuously come to gather. Although they are too numerous to count, through the power of the wisdom of a bodhisattva in the place of succession I have seen and known them all. Yet of this company I do not recognize a single person. Moreover, I have traveled and taught throughout the ten directions and attended upon the buddhas, and I know the assemblies of those buddhas well; in every place I have visited, these people have likewise been unknown. Whether I consider where they came from or where they are going, no inquiry enables me to recognize them.

Again, those great beings are elders who advanced and arrived before, while Maitreya is a later student; a junior does not know his seniors, and therefore he does not recognize them. Again, those great beings originally abide at the bottom of the true mark and responsively manifest throughout the ten directions, teaching and transforming along separate courses; none of their true or responsive bodies belongs to Maitreya’s field, and therefore he does not recognize them. Again, the Buddha entrusts propagation of the sutra and summons the great beings. They come upon hearing the teacher’s command, within which the meaning of the lifespan is secretly contained; this is not something the assembly present can know, and therefore he says he does not recognize them.

This explains the introduction of doubt through the worldly, individual, counteractive, and ultimate-meaning siddhāntas.

The doubt has two parts: first, the doubt of the bodhisattvas of this land; second, the doubt of the bodhisattvas of other lands. The doubt of this land has two levels. First comes doubt in prose. Next come nineteen and a half lines of verse constituting the formal question, divided into five passages. The first line and one phrase ask where they have come from. Next, the one line and three phrases beginning with “through what causal conditions” ask through what causal conditions they have come. Next, the nine lines beginning with “each one of the bodhisattvas” describe their number. Next, the two lines beginning with “these beings of great majestic virtue” ask who their teacher is. Next, the five and a half lines beginning with “such are these bodhisattvas’ supernormal powers” form the concluding request, which is further divided into five. The first two phrases conclude the praise. Next, the two lines beginning with “the earth in the four directions” ask the Buddha to answer concerning their place of origin. Next, the one line beginning with “within this assembly, I” asks the Buddha to answer concerning the conditions of their coming. Next, the one and a half lines beginning with “this great assembly today” are the common question of the great assembly. Next, the two phrases beginning with “immeasurable virtue” ask the Buddha to answer who their master is.

Second is the doubt of the bodhisattvas from other lands. The retinues of the emanation-buddhas extend horizontally throughout the ten directions and share Maitreya’s doubt. Neither land knows the Buddha’s original ground. The Buddha wishes to reveal that his attainment of the Way lies in the exceedingly distant past, so each group states its doubt to its buddha, while every buddha holds back an answer and waits for Maitreya.

IX. The Beginning of the Main Exposition: Admonition, Permission, and the Four Virtues

From “At that time Śākyamuni Buddha told Maitreya” onward is the second division, the main exposition. The text has two parts: first prose, then verse. The prose first admonishes and then grants permission, after which comes the proper exposition.

The prose begins with praise. Next comes the admonition: do not become distracted, indolent, or regressive. Next comes permission, introducing the wisdom of the fruit-ground. Fruit-wisdom is the Tathāgata’s knowledge and vision, the wondrous fruit of knowledge and vision. Next is the opening that discloses the teacher capable of transforming beings, namely “proclaiming and revealing.”

“sovereign supernormal power” refers to benefiting sentient beings in the past; “the lion’s swift advance” refers to the places reached in the present by the emanation-bodies throughout the ten directions. Some also say that swift advance is the posture of one about to move forward, indicating the future manifestation of perpetually benefiting beings. “great power and fierce majesty” refers to benefiting sentient beings in the future. Others take it as presently shaking the ten directions; each may use the reading according to their intent, but it is preferable to follow the sutra’s sequence.

Moreover, my private view is that “the Tathāgata’s sovereignty” is the virtue of self; “supernormal power” is the virtue of bliss; “the lion’s swift advance”—the swift advance removes defilement and is the virtue of purity; and “great power and fierce majesty,” referring to the future benefit of sentient beings, is the virtue of permanence. This points out the meaning of the four virtues.

Within the four lines of verse, the first three phrases restate the three admonitions, while the remaining three lines and one phrase restate the permission. The first phrase restates the introduction of the fruit of wisdom, and the next three lines restate the three periods.

X. Briefly Opening the Near and Revealing the Distant, and the Bottom-Dispersing Samādhi

From “At that time the World-Honored One” onward is the second division, the main exposition. The text has three parts. From here through the end of the Lifespan chapter is the proper opening of the near and revelation of the distant. Second, at the beginning of the Distinctions in Merit chapter, prediction of the Dharma body is conferred generally. Third, Maitreya gives a general statement of understanding.

The first part has two levels: first, briefly opening the near and revealing the distant, shaking attachment and producing doubt; second, a renewed request occasioned by doubt, cutting off doubt and producing faith. The brief opening further has two items: first, the brief opening; second, the renewed request occasioned by doubt.

The brief opening contains prose and verse. Here only two questions are answered; the question of through what causal conditions they gathered is not answered. Precisely because it is not answered, there is a renewed request. The prose answers and explains both, as shown in the sutra.

To explain dwelling in the open space below: the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Treatise speaks of the bottom-dispersing samādhi, which should be explained in four ways. First, “existence” means the three existences, and “bottom” means the station of neither perception nor nonperception; because it is deepest and most supreme, it is called the bottom. Again, “existence” means name and form, and “bottom” means emptiness; because emptiness is quiescent, it is called the bottom. Again, “existence” means the conventional extremes of existence and nonexistence, and “bottom” means the completeness of boundary-wisdom, so it is called the bottom. In the present sutra, the open space below is taken as the bottom: it is neither an upper realm nor a lower realm, indicating that the middle way is the bottom. This distinguishes the matter in terms of the four teachings.

From “within the various scriptures” onward is the explanation. The teacher knows that the disciples possess the two virtues of wisdom and severance. At first they cultivate wisdom and severance together; next they realize wisdom and severance together. Discriminating within the scriptures is cultivation of wisdom; right recollection is cultivation of severance; disliking residence among crowds is realization of severance; diligently practicing and advancing is realization of wisdom.

From “dwelling without relying upon humans or devas” onward is the explanation of place. Humans and devas are the two extremes of existence and emptiness; not dwelling means not clinging. “profound wisdom without obstruction” means relying upon inconceivable wisdom; “delighting in Buddha Dharma” means delighting in an inconceivable object. Both object and wisdom are exceedingly subtle and lie beyond bodhisattvas whose stages of practice remain shallow.

The verse has eight and a half lines. The first five and a half restate the answers to the two questions; the following three restate both explanations.

XI. Renewed Request Occasioned by Doubt: Explanation through Dharma and through Simile

From “At that time Maitreya” onward is the renewed request occasioned by doubt, containing prose and verse. The prose has two parts: first, doubt; second, request.

Maitreya has heard the preceding statement “only beneath the bodhi tree did he teach and transform them, and now they all dwell in nonretrogression,” and he has also heard “since the distant past I have taught and transformed this great assembly.” Hearing both statements shakes his attachment and gives rise to doubt.

From “he addressed the Buddha” onward, he raises and restates his doubt and renews his request. This has two parts: first, explanation through Dharma; second, explanation through simile.

The explanation through Dharma has three passages. First, from “he then addressed the Buddha” onward, he doubts how the attainment of the Way can be recent while those transformed are so numerous; this is attachment to the near giving rise to doubt about the distant. Second, from “World-Honored One, these great bodhisattvas” onward, those transformed are numerous and their stages of practice profound and subtle; this is attachment to the distant giving rise to doubt about the near. Third, from “World-Honored One, such a thing” onward is the concluding request.

The explanation through simile has an opening simile and a corresponding application. The opening simile has three passages. “handsome and black-haired” represents the preceding meaning that the attainment of the Way was recent. From “pointing to a hundred-year-old person” onward represents the preceding meaning that those transformed were exceedingly numerous.

The masters north of the Huai River use a simile to explain the simile: the father has taken a medicine that restores youth, so his appearance is that of a twenty-five-year-old; the son has not taken the medicine and appears a hundred years old. If one knows the medicine’s power, one does not doubt their father-son relation; one who does not know finds it strange. The Tathāgata takes horizontally the medicine of manifesting the Trace and shows initial birth in the city of Gayā; the bodhisattvas speak directly from the original ground, having aroused the mind of the Way in the distant past and now abiding in nonretrogression. Buddhas can readily understand this among themselves; those below the level of buddhas cannot comprehend it and cannot avoid giving rise to doubt.

From “this is difficult to believe” onward is the conclusion of the simile.

First comes the application of the near simile, as shown in the sutra. From “yet this great assembly” onward is the application of the distant simile. These bodhisattvas are seen to have planted wholesome roots for a long time, not merely to have aroused resolve in the city of Gayā.

The phrase “skilled in entering, emerging, and abiding” means: the nine successive concentrations are skill in entering, the lion’s swift advance is skill in emerging, and the transcendence samādhi is skill in abiding; this is the meaning of the Shared and Tripiṭaka teachings. From the first through the tenth ground is called skill in entering; at the tenth ground, entering the double mysterious gate and inversely cultivating the affairs of ordinary beings is called skill in emerging; the pervasion of wondrous awakening is called skill in abiding. This is the meaning of the Distinct teaching. The ultimate Dharma-nature samādhi is called skill in entering; the Śūraṅgama Samādhi is called skill in emerging; the king samādhi is called skill in abiding. This is the meaning of the Perfect teaching. Sequentially cultivating wholesome dharmas is called skill in cultivation at the causal stage and skill in entering at the fruit stage.

The phrase “skilled at answering difficult questions” means that they possess both the adornments of merit and wisdom. They are the foremost among the people of the seven expedients and therefore are called a “treasure.”

XII. The Request for an Answer and the Verses

From “today, World-Honored One” onward is the request for an answer, divided into three passages. From “today” onward, the Buddha’s words are cited. From “we” onward, the second passage explains the purpose of the request.

The request has two purposes. The first is for people in the present: although I still cannot comprehend it, I simply accept it in faith. From “yet the bodhisattvas” onward, the second purpose is for people in the future. Those whose practice is shallow readily produce slander; beginners fall into the evil paths because of that slander. Those who are nonretrogressive accept it in faith and do not slander, yet cannot advance their work in the Way. If the Buddha explains it to them distinctly, those who slander will produce faith and those who accept in faith will advance their work in the Way.

From “we only pray” onward is the third passage, the request that the Buddha answer. The request has two levels. First is “remove our doubts.” From “and in the future” onward, the second is to remove the doubts of future sentient beings.

The fourteen lines of verse restate the preceding explanation through Dharma and through simile: five lines restate the explanation through Dharma, and nine restate the explanation through simile.

The explanation through Dharma has three passages. The first line restates attachment to the near. Next, from “these children of the Buddha” onward, the second passage’s two lines and three phrases restate doubt about the distant. Finally, from “how could it be” onward, the third passage’s one line and one phrase restate the concluding request.

In restating the explanation through simile, the first two lines restate the opening simile. The following seven lines, beginning with “the World-Honored One is also like this,” restate the corresponding application. These are likewise divided into three passages. The first two phrases restate the application of the near. Next, from “the resolve of these bodhisattvas” onward, the second passage’s three and a half lines restate the application of the distant. Finally, from “we have heard from the Buddha” onward, the third passage’s three lines restate the corresponding request for an answer.

[Here ends fascicle nine, upper, of the Fahua Wenju.]

Fascicle nine, lower, of the Fahua Wenju, taught by Tiantai Master Zhizhe. What follows explains the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter.

I. First Listing Five Divergent Interpretations

First, the differing interpretations are set out.

Master Rui says in his preface: “Merely saying that the Buddha’s lifespan extends through immeasurable kalpas is still insufficient to show how distant it truly is; merely saying that his divided bodies are beyond number is also insufficient if those forms are taken to differ from one another. Lifespan and measure therefore establish that the Buddha’s lifespan does not fall within number; the divided bodies show that the many bodies are not different in substance; Samantabhadra reveals that the Buddha fruit is not something newly produced; and Prabhūtaratna reveals that the Buddha body does not become extinct.”

Daolang of Hexi says: “This chapter shows that the Dharma body is not different from true body and transformation body and that existence and disappearance are one in principle. Prabhūtaratna Buddha appears to show that the Dharma body constantly abides; the Lifespan chapter shows that the Buddha’s lifespan has the same measure as vast open space.”

Daochang Guan says: “Gathering the three vehicles and returning them to the One is the beginning of teaching through the Buddha vehicle. Extinguishing the outer shadow-Trace and clarifying the inner spirit-principle is its end. Extinguishing the shadow-Trace means bringing manifestation to rest; clarifying the spirit-principle means revealing the Origin. Thus the manifested Trace is impermanent while the Origin is permanent.”

The anonymous annotator says: “What does not belong to the count of survival and death is called lifespan; what goes beyond the limits of long and short life is called measure. The Dharma body is not encompassed by form and years. This enables great beings to cultivate and practice the ultimate illumination without taking awakening at Gayā as the Buddha’s first attainment of buddhahood or one hundred years as the extreme limit of the Buddha’s lifespan.”

Zhu Daosheng says: “The so-called form-body Buddha appears in response to beings and therefore seems to exist; it has no real fixed form. Since the form is not real, how could it have a fixed lifespan? The myriad forms therefore converge upon one purport, and ancient and present are originally one. Ancient is present and present is ancient. There is no time when the Buddha does not exist and no place where he is absent. If he seems absent at some time or place, this is so only from the side of beings; it is not so for the Buddha. Thus the sutra speaks of long life to the utmost yet also says that buddhahood was attained at Gayā. To say that Gayā is the place of awakening does not make the present Gayā a real beginning. If Gayā is not fixed, how could the long duration spoken of elsewhere alone be fixed as real? In this way long and short dissolve, while long and short also constantly remain according to conditions.”

II. The Two Attachments to Permanence and Impermanence, and Four Explanations

Earlier exegetes, such as those just listed, generally used immeasurability to explain that the Buddha’s lifespan is permanent. Recent exegetes generally say instead that because lifespan can be measured, although in the past it exceeded the sands of the Ganges and in the future doubles that number, it ultimately reaches a limit and is therefore impermanent.

Another perplexed person clings to the chapter title and objects: “Since this chapter speaks of lifespan and measure, and measure is impermanent, how can it be interpreted as permanence?”

The reply is this: the title directly says only “lifespan and measure.” It does not say that lifespan is necessarily measurable, nor that it is necessarily immeasurable. You interpret it as impermanent and another interprets it as permanent—what fault lies in the title itself? Like a snipe and clam gripping one another, the two schools remain mutually attached. The root treatise makes use of the vulnerability in their stalemate to show that four explanations are required.

First, something is actually measurable but spoken of as immeasurable, as in the Amitābha Sutra. Second, it is actually immeasurable but spoken of as measurable, as in this chapter and the Golden Light Sutra. Third, it is actually immeasurable and spoken of as immeasurable, as when the Nirvāṇa Sutra says that only a buddha with a buddha can fully see the immeasurability of the Buddha’s lifespan. Fourth, it is actually measurable and spoken of as measurable, as when the Buddha manifests eighty years and announces extinction. The chapter text possesses all four meanings; how could one accept only one and deny the other three?

III. Do the Scriptures’ Teachings of Permanence Ultimately Agree or Differ?

Someone asks: If the Lifespan chapter teaches permanence, how does it differ from the Nirvāṇa Sutra?

The present text first asks in return: If that is the question, how does the one vehicle in the Lotus Sutra differ from the one vehicle in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra? 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

If a differentiated answer is given, the Lotus Sutra briefly explains permanence, while the Nirvāṇa Sutra explains it extensively. The Śrīmālādevī Sūtra directly teaches the one vehicle in order to reveal it, while the Lotus Sutra first gathers the three vehicles and thereby reveals the One. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

Someone further asks: If recent attainment is a skillful manifestation and distant attainment is real, would the Avataṃsaka Sutra’s attainment of buddhahood at the site of quiescence and the Great Sutra’s transcendence of the preceding nine kalpas not both become skillful means? If so, after the Lotus Sutra has revealed the distant, why does the Bodhisattva Never Disparaging later appear recent again? Would not the Lotus Sutra, after revealing the distant, have become skillful means once more?

By the same inference, after gathering the three into the One, it should again be said that there was no gathering of the three into the One. If opening the three to reveal the One is the common path of all buddhas, opening the near and revealing the distant should also be the common path of all buddhas. If so, all buddhas should be thus, not Śākyamuni alone. If only Śākyamuni were thus, the foregoing meanings would collapse.

The answer says: The sutra states that this is my skillful means and that all buddhas are likewise. After hearing the Lifespan chapter, the bodhisattvas also vow that when they become buddhas in the future, they too will teach lifespan in the same way. This shows that the path practiced by the buddhas is the same; one cannot insist that one buddha attained recently while another attained distantly. One should therefore know that the scripture entrusts what is without beginning and end, without near and distant, to reveal the permanent abiding of the Dharma body; when it speaks of beginning and end, near and distant, it discusses the manifested Trace of the response body. Looking at the scriptures through this meaning, their conditions may differ but their ultimate referent does not. Once the scriptures have been understood in this way, the partial accounts of the masters should not in turn be taken as one’s teacher.

IV. What Scriptural Basis Supports Permanence?

Someone asks: Permanence may perhaps be inferred from the principle, but if scriptural text is demanded, what is its basis?

The answer says: Those who understand value the principle disclosed by the text, while those in darkness guard only its words. One should follow the verbal teaching that conveys meaning and realize the purport to which it points; this is the true intent of the teaching. If one clings only to chaff and repeatedly asks how to cross a bridge, what benefit is there?

Moreover, verbal teaching is originally established for the conditions of beings; because conditions differ, teachings differ. Sometimes the Buddha speaks according to what beings desire, sometimes according to what is suitable, sometimes as a counteractive, and sometimes to enable awakening. Once one has awakened and arrived, why continue wandering back and forth among intersecting paths? Thus an ancient scripture says that nirvāṇa is the true Dharma treasure and beings enter it through various gateways. This is exactly the meaning.

Scriptural passages also differ in abundance. Because the Nirvāṇa Sutra takes future permanence as its purport, it says much about it; because it does not take buddhahood attained in the distant past as its purport, it says less. If one follows the many passages and discards the few, that is Māra’s teaching, not the Buddha’s.

The present sutra takes buddhahood attained in the distant past as its purport and therefore says much about reducing innumerable worlds to dust particles; it says less about future permanence. If one again follows the many and discards the few, one’s head will split into seven pieces like the branch of an arjaka tree. A sovereign’s command cannot be disobeyed whether it contains many words or few; disobedience incurs guilt.

The Skillful Means chapter says that the characteristics of the world constantly abide, that the Buddha knew this at the site of awakening, and that the Guide afterward taught it through skillful means. This text speaks of future permanent abiding without extinction. The present chapter also says that the Buddha constantly abides here and is constantly on Vulture Peak and in other dwelling places. The Contemplation of Samantabhadra says that the Buddha’s dwelling is the place accomplished through the pāramitā of permanence and established through the pāramitā of self. Passages teaching permanence are by no means scarce. This sutra also clarifies the Dharma body throughout; how could the Dharma body not be permanent?

Someone asks again: Since the Dharma body has been explained, the three virtues should also be discussed.

The answer says: Are not the two wisdoms, provisional and real, precisely prajñā? Are not the manifestations of past, present, and future precisely liberation? The true mark and original ground are precisely the Dharma body. These are the explicit passages for the three virtues of prajñā, liberation, and Dharma body.

V. The Three Terms Tathāgata, Lifespan, and Measure

The chapter title is now explained.

“Tathāgata” is the common name of all buddhas of the ten directions and three periods, of the two buddhas and three buddhas, and of the Buddha of the Origin and the Buddha of the Trace. “Lifespan and measure” means explaining and measuring the qualities of all these buddhas. The present chapter principally measures and explains the qualities of the three buddhas of the original ground and is therefore called the “Lifespan of the Tathāgata” chapter.

Tathāgata has many meanings. For the moment, two and three Tathāgatas are explained; the remaining meanings may be understood by analogy.

VI. Two Tathāgatas: True Body and Response Body

First are the two Tathāgatas. The Satyasiddhi Treatise says: “He rides the path of suchness as it really is and comes to accomplish perfect awakening; therefore he is called Tathāgata.”

Here, riding is wisdom conforming to the suchness-object; real is the suchness-object; path is cause, and awakening is fruit. If only the wisdom that rides were discussed, there would be no suchness-object to be known. If only the real object were clarified, there would be no suchness-wisdom capable of knowing it. Only when object and wisdom unite can there be cause and fruit: illumination of the object before its source is exhausted is called cause, and exhausting the source is fruit. The meanings of path and awakening are thereby established. This is riding the path of suchness as it really is and coming to accomplish perfect awakening—the Tathāgata of the true body.

To come into the desire, form, and formless realms through wisdom corresponding to reality, riding the path of reality and manifesting the accomplishment of perfect awakening, is the Tathāgata of the response body.

VII. Three Tathāgatas: Dharma Body, Reward Body, and Response Body

Next are the three Tathāgatas. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā Treatise says: “Understanding in accordance with the true mark of all dharmas and speaking in accordance with the true mark of all dharmas—therefore he is called Tathāgata.”

“Thus” is the suchness-object of Dharma. It is neither cause nor fruit. Whether or not a buddha appears, the nature and characteristics of all dharmas constantly remain as they are; pervading every place without difference, this is called “thus.” Unmoving yet arriving is called “come.” Speaking with reference to this is the Tathāgata of the Dharma body.

Wisdom corresponding to the suchness-object of Dharma rides the real path of suchness and comes to accomplish wondrous awakening. Wisdom accords with principle; from the side of principle it is called “thus,” and from the side of wisdom it is called “come.” This is the Tathāgata of the reward body. Thus the treatise says that understanding according to the Dharma’s characteristics is called Tathāgata.

When the suchness-object and suchness-wisdom unite, he can manifest the accomplishment of perfect awakening everywhere. Just as mercury combined with true gold can coat images of every color, qualities combined with the Dharma body can appear responsively everywhere. Manifesting the eight marks of attaining the Way and turning the wondrous Dharma wheel is the Tathāgata of the response body. Thus the treatise says that speaking according to the Dharma’s characteristics is called Tathāgata.

The Tathāgata of the Dharma body is named Vairocana, translated as “Pervading All Places.” The Tathāgata of the reward body is named Rocana, translated as “Pure and Full.” The Tathāgata of the response body is named Śākyamuni, translated as “Crossing the Scorching Reef.” Of these three Tathāgatas, none can be taken alone.

The Great Sutra says that the Dharma body alone is not great nirvāṇa, prajñā alone is not great nirvāṇa, and liberation alone is not great nirvāṇa. Only when all three dharmas are complete are they called the secret treasury and named great nirvāṇa. The three cannot be made into one, nor into three separate things; they cannot be arranged vertically or horizontally. Only the perfect survey of all three dharmas establishes the provisional name Tathāgata.

The Brahmā’s Net Sutra concludes the teaching of the Avataṃsaka: it takes the lotus platform as Origin and the lotus leaves as Trace, speaking thus for one class of conditions, yet Origin and Trace cannot be separated. The Sutra for Resolving Doubts During the Semblance Dharma concludes the Nirvāṇa Sutra: beings sometimes see Śākyamuni as Vairocana and sometimes as Rocana. Their earlier conditions differ and therefore what they see differs; the Buddha himself is not split into three. The Contemplation of Samantabhadra concludes the Lotus Sutra: it says that Śākyamuni is named Vairocana. These are different names for the same Buddha, not different bodies. Gathering the intent of the scriptures, one should know clearly that the three buddhas are neither one nor different.

VIII. Although the Chapter Does Not State Their Names, It Possesses the Meanings of the Three Buddhas

Someone asks: This chapter does not list the names of the three buddhas. Why can it be explained in this way?

The answer says: Although it does not state their names, it possesses their meanings.

The scripture says that it is neither thus nor different and that it is not as beings in the three realms see the three realms. This is not a partial “thus” but reveals the perfect “thus,” and is the meaning of the Tathāgata of the Dharma body.

The scripture also says that the Tathāgata knows and sees the characteristics of the three realms as they really are. This is suchness-wisdom corresponding to the suchness-object; the knowledge and vision of knowledge of all modes are the Buddha eye. This is the meaning of the Tathāgata of the reward body.

The scripture further says that the Buddha sometimes shows his own body and affairs and sometimes shows the bodies and affairs of others. This is the meaning of the Tathāgata of the response body.

If one speaks only of the three Tathāgatas as inherent virtues, they become horizontal. If one speaks only of the three as cultivated virtues, they become vertical. Placing Dharma first, reward second, and response third also makes them vertical. The present scripture perfectly teaches the three Tathāgatas as neither vertical nor horizontal. Even the vertically or horizontally arranged three Tathāgatas are not the present meaning; how much less the Tathāgatas taught in the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings?

Scriptures before the Lotus also spoke of the Perfect Tathāgata, but those teachings still belonged to the manifested Trace. The three Tathāgatas now clarified by opening the Trace and revealing the Origin differ permanently from those in other scriptures.

The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says that, in order to show the accomplishment of unsurpassed great awakening, three kinds of awakening are revealed. First is the awakening of the response and transformation buddha, manifested according to what beings should see, as when the sutra says that the Buddha left the Śākya palace. Second is the awakening of the reward buddha: the ten grounds are fulfilled and permanent nirvāṇa is attained, as when the sutra says that the Buddha actually attained buddhahood immeasurable and boundless kalpas ago. Third is the awakening of the Dharma buddha, the unchanging pure nirvāṇa of tathāgata-garbha, as when the sutra says that the Tathāgata knows and sees the characteristics of the three realms as they really are. The scripture possesses their meanings and the treatise states their names. Without the preceding explanation, how could scripture and treatise be brought into convergence?

IX. Three Meanings of Lifespan, Measure, and Three Lives

Next, “lifespan and measure” are explained.

“Lifespan” has the meaning of receiving and sustaining without interruption. First, true suchness does not obstruct any dharma and is therefore called receiving. Second, object and wisdom correspond and are therefore called receiving. Third, the hundred-year lifespan obtained as the retribution of a single period continues without interruption and is therefore called receiving. The three meanings must not be conflated.

“Measure” means explanatory measurement. The word applies across multiple circumstances and has no fixed, exclusive basis. The Dharma Tathāgata is measured and explained through principle as life; the reward Tathāgata through wisdom as life; the response Tathāgata through the principle of corresponding to beings’ conditions as life. These three lives can be explained and measured as measurable, immeasurable, or neither measurable nor immeasurable.

For the Tathāgata of the Dharma body, principle serves as life: whether or not a buddha appears, nature and characteristics constantly remain as they are. It is discussed neither in terms of object and wisdom corresponding nor in terms of earlier and later continuity, so it can be called neither measurable nor immeasurable. The scripture’s “neither thus nor different, neither false nor real” precisely measures and explains the Dharma body’s life according to principle.

For the Tathāgata of the reward body, wisdom serves as life: suchness-wisdom conforms to the suchness-object; the object gives rise to wisdom as reward, and wisdom merges with the object as receiving. Since the object is immeasurable and boundless, constantly abiding and never becoming extinct, wisdom is likewise. It is like a lid corresponding to the size of its box. The scripture says that the Buddha’s wisdom-power is thus, attained through long cultivation, that its wisdom-light shines without measure, and that its lifespan endures for innumerable kalpas. This measures and explains the wisdom-life of the Tathāgata of the reward body.

For the Tathāgata of the response body, correspondence with conditions serves as life: when beings’ conditions are long, the response body manifests the same length; when their conditions are short, it manifests the same brevity. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕 Long and short arise from the conditions of the beings there; what fixed relation do they have to the response body itself? The text says that he repeatedly manifests birth and repeatedly manifests extinction, and at times declares different names and greater or lesser ages. This measures and explains the condition-corresponding life of the response buddha.

X. The First Quartet: Measure and Immeasurability

The meaning is now recast at another level.

First, the Dharma body is neither measure nor immeasurability. Second, the reward body is measurable before the vajra mind and immeasurable after passing beyond the vajra mind. Third, the response body is measurable when manifested according to conditions. Fourth, because the function of response continues without interruption, it is immeasurable.

In the general explanatory measure, three of the four propositions belong to sages and one to ordinary beings. To judge both measurability and impermanence indiscriminately as meanings of the Buddha cannot stand. The former accounts merely imposed the two slanders of increase and decrease upon the Buddha. If that is not Māra’s teaching, what is it?

XI. The Second Quartet: Permanence and the Remaining Propositions

The meaning of the four propositions of measure has been revealed. For those who still do not understand, the four propositions beginning with permanence are used for further analysis: first they are assigned separately, then explained universally of each body.

In the separate assignment, first is neither permanent nor impermanent: the ultimate principle of the double negation is the Dharma body. Second is permanent: this is the reward body. Reward-wisdom united with its object is actually neither simply permanent nor impermanent, but here its right wisdom is taken as perfect, unborn and unextinguished, and beyond the stage before the vajra mind; hence permanence is taken as the reward body. Third is both permanent and impermanent: this is the response body. Its responsive function is inexhaustible and therefore also permanent; it repeatedly announces nirvāṇa and is therefore also impermanent. Fourth is impermanent: the progressive increase of wisdom’s function before the vajra mind, down to ordinary beings’ births, deaths, appearances, and disappearances, all belong to impermanence.

Thus each of the three buddhas receives one proposition and ordinary beings share one. This is a differentiated assignment according to the Distinct Teaching.

If explained universally and perfectly, every Tathāgata possesses all four propositions.

The four propositions of the Dharma body: neither permanent nor impermanent means simultaneously breaking the inverted views of ordinary beings and sages; permanent means permanent like open space; impermanent means lacking the ordinary beings’ inversion of birth and death; both permanent and impermanent means quiescent and yet illuminating both.

The four propositions of the reward body: neither permanent nor impermanent means wisdom merging with the object; permanent means surpassing the two vehicles; impermanent means lacking the inversion of birth and death; both permanent and impermanent means being able to illuminate both.

The four propositions of the response body: neither permanent nor impermanent means neither merely reward body nor a saṃsāric ordinary body; permanent means constantly corresponding in response; impermanent means corresponding with impermanent conditions; both permanent and impermanent means preserving both aspects.

Since ordinary beings receive the one proposition of impermanence in the separate explanation, they too may universally be said to possess four propositions. Yet ordinary beings possess only the inherent principle and do not yet possess even the names of the four propositions, much less their actual practice and function. This can be understood from what precedes without awaiting further explanation.

One body is the three bodies, yet it is neither a single body nor mutually separate bodies. One should know that the body of one Buddha possesses the lifespan qualities of every body. As beings elicit manifestations according to conditions, the long and short they see differ.

XII. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Three Similes

The Great Sutra says that ordinary beings and the two vehicles see the Buddha’s lifespan like a winter day, bodhisattvas see it like a spring day, and only a buddha seeing a buddha can see a lifespan immeasurable like a summer day.

Why is this? Ordinary beings stand on ground wholly covered by obstruction, dimmed by cataracts. Although the two vehicles of the Tripiṭaka and Shared teachings have severed the four abiding delusions, they have not seen the middle way. Even when they leave behind fragmentary birth and death and receive a body of Dharma-nature, they have not broken ignorance. What they attend upon in that land is still the superior response body. Thus the two vehicles see only a winter day.

When bodhisattvas have not yet ascended to a ground or entered an abode, what they see is the same as before. If they have broken through one part of ignorance and received one part of the Dharma body, a permissive designation grants that they see the lifespan of the reward body; a stricter withdrawal says that it remains only the superior response body. Because they have not exhausted the source of the reward body or reached the ultimate of Dharma-nature, the Buddha’s lifespan they see is still like a spring day.

Only a buddha with a buddha exhausts Dharma-nature and its source; the lifespan of the Dharma body they see is like a summer day.

The Great Sutra also gives three similes. First, open space is foremost among all permanent dharmas, and the Tathāgata is foremost among all lifespans. This compares the Dharma body’s lifespan, without beginning or end and with nature and characteristics limpidly settled, as unlike response and reward. Second, four rivers all enter the great sea. This compares the myriad good deeds cultivated for the reward body, all of which elicit the Buddha’s reward and enter the sea of lifespan. Third, Lake Anavatapta sends forth four great rivers. This compares the response body’s lifespan emerging from the Dharma and reward bodies and following the long and short spans of beings.

The explanatory measurement made by this chapter universally clarifies all three bodies; in its specific referent, however, its center is the reward body. Why? Because the meaning is convenient and the text converges.

“Convenient in meaning” means that the wisdom of the reward body can merge upward and accord downward, and that the Dharma, reward, and response bodies are thereby fully complete. “Convergence in the text” means that the sutra says the Buddha attained buddhahood an immensely distant time ago and can therefore benefit beings in past, present, and future. What is attained is the Dharma body; what attains is the reward body; because Dharma and reward unite, beings can be benefited. Thus the text converges. Inferred from these points, the chapter’s proper intent is to discuss the qualities of the reward-body Buddha.

XIII. Multiple Accounts of Origin and Trace

Moreover, the manifold qualities of the Dharma, reward, and response bodies were all long accomplished beneath the tree at the original-time site of awakening; this is called Origin. The three bodies manifested as accomplished during the intermediate period and today at the site of quiescence are called Trace.

In other scriptures’ accounts of Origin and Trace, the Dharma and reward bodies accomplished at the site of quiescence are Origin, and the superior and inferior response bodies arising from them are Trace. The present scripture instead calls all three bodies accomplished at the site of quiescence and during the intermediate period Trace, and calls the three bodies attained at the site of awakening in the distant original past Origin. It therefore differs from the other scriptures.

An ancient worthy says: “Without Origin, there is no basis for extending the Trace; without Trace, there is no means to reveal the Origin. Though Origin and Trace differ, they are an inconceivable unity.” The root treatise points out that Master Sengzhao’s statement originally refers to the Origin at the site of quiescence.

Moreover, there are several accounts of Origin and Trace at the site of quiescence.

First, nirvāṇa can be taken as Origin and response arising from reality as Trace. Both Trace and Origin are empty and both words and thought are cut off; therefore they are called an inconceivable unity.

Second, the conventional can be taken as Origin and response arising from the conventional as Trace. Trace and Origin are both profound and vast, and those at lower stages cannot reach their bounds through words or thought; therefore they are called an inconceivable unity.

Third, the middle can be taken as Origin and response arising from the middle as Trace. In both Trace and Origin, the path of language is cut off and the activity of mind extinguished; therefore they are called an inconceivable unity.

Moreover, these three are neither three nor one. Neither three nor one is Origin, while appearing as three and one is Trace. In both, the path of language is cut off and the activity of mind extinguished, and so they are an inconceivable unity.

It is not known which Origin and Trace the other masters designate as an inconceivable unity. The root text next says “now gathering into four rounds.” These four rounds still concern only the inconceivable unity within the Trace; the present chapter points distantly to the three and four inconceivable rounds of the original ground as Origin. From that Origin it extends the Trace, and by means of that Trace it reveals the Origin. Though Origin and Trace differ, they are an inconceivable unity. How could Origin and Trace of this kind fail to differ from the various scriptures? How could they fail to differ from the other masters?

XIV. Why Are the Various Stages and Practices All Gathered into the Sea of Lifespan?

Someone asks: The scriptures each explain stages and practices, some extensively and some briefly. The Avataṃsaka Sutra speaks of forty-one stages, and the Jeweled Necklace Sutra of fifty-two; their names and meanings are extensive. The present scripture contains none of this from beginning to end. How can it be said to differ from them?

The answer says: Suppose people in the world cultivate various enterprises, accumulate various treasures, and seek various ranks. If they have no life, of what use are property and rank?

The Great Sutra says: Suppose an elder has a son. A physiognomist predicts that the child bears the marks of a short life and cannot inherit the family estate. Once the parents know this, they disregard him like grass.

Dharma gates are likewise. Cultivating various causes, attaining various fruits, manifesting various supernormal powers, transforming various beings, teaching various dharmas, and liberating various persons—the six are successively gathered into the sea of the Tathāgata’s lifespan. The essentials within the sea are Dharma-nature, wisdom, and response. At the end the root treatise also places beside them throat, lapel, eye, and xi (“shoe-thong”), asking rhetorically how the essentials indicated by the two lists could differ.

I. First the Admonition to Believe, Then the Main Reply

Extensively opening the near to reveal the distant means opening the Buddha’s recent attainment so as to disclose his attainment in the distant past. The sutra text has two parts: first the assembly is admonished to believe, and second the main reply is given. What issues from the Buddha’s intent is called an admonition; the assembly’s reception without doubt is called belief. This passage has three admonitions and three requests. After the three requests the assembly requests again, and the Buddha admonishes again, making four requests and four admonitions here. The preceding Trace Gate had three requests and one admonition; together, the two portions make five admonitions and seven requests. Such earnest solemnity is used because an exceedingly extraordinary matter is about to be taught.

“sincerity” means fidelity, while “truthfulness” means examining reality. When words do not deceive beings, what they express reaches reality. What was taught in the past to the capacities of the seven skillful means accorded with those beings’ own intentions; it did not directly tell them the sincere and truthful essential purport. Now the Buddha speaks according to his own intent and reveals the most important reality, and it is therefore called “sincere and truthful.”

Having received this sincere admonition, the bodhisattvas do not dare give rise to doubt. On hearing it, they will certainly trust and accept the Buddha’s truthful words.

II. The General Outline of the Main Reply and the Near View It Breaks

The main reply has prose and verse. The prose is further divided into teaching by Dharma and teaching by parable. The teaching by Dharma is again twofold: first, the Tathāgata benefits beings in the past, present, and future; second, all that he teaches is concluded to be without falsehood.

Beings cling to the near: they see only the Buddha’s manifestation of eighty years in this life, not that he attained buddhahood in the distant past, and not that he will constantly abide without extinction in the future. The root treatise therefore uses the three periods to open away attachment to the near and disclose the distant. This benefit is not peculiar to Śākyamuni; all buddhas act in this way, so the passage finally concludes that all is real and not false. Very little text in the teaching by Dharma directly concerns the future, whereas the teaching by parable and the verse say more. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]”

The text on benefiting beings in the past is twofold. First, beginning with the “Tathāgata’s secret,” it exposes the views through which beings cling to the near. Second, beginning with “Yet, good sons,” it breaks the near and reveals the distant. The first part has three levels: it first identifies the Dharma about which beings are deluded, then the beings capable of being deluded, and finally the view that arises when they lose sight of the distant past.

“secret and hidden” means: one body is precisely the three bodies, which is called secret; the three bodies are precisely one body, which is called hidden. It can also mean that what was not taught in the past is called secret, while what the Buddha alone knows is called hidden.

“the power of supernormal penetration” is the functioning of the three bodies. “supernormal” is the naturally unmoving principle, namely the body of Dharma-nature. “penetration” is unobstructed, inconceivable wisdom, namely the reward body. “power” is functional activity freely applied, namely the response body.

The Buddha equally possesses the three bodies in the past, present, and future, but the various preceding teachings kept this secret and did not transmit it. The devas, humans, and asuras throughout the world therefore all suppose that only today, beneath the bodhi tree, did the Buddha attain these three bodies. They thus cling to the near and doubt the distant.

This portion of the Origin Gate no longer speaks separately of the two vehicles, but addresses bodhisattvas alone. Bodhisattvas can be included among the three wholesome destinies of devas, humans, and asuras. Beings in the other three evil destinies bear heavy wrongdoing, dull faculties, and little wisdom, and do not form this view that the Buddha has only now attained. Thus the Large Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says only that the Great Vehicle surpasses devas, humans, and asuras, without mentioning the three evil destinies.

There are three classes of bodhisattvas: bodhisattvas emerging from below, bodhisattvas coming from other worlds, and bodhisattvas who had long dwelt in the Sahā world. Those from below were transformed by the Buddha in the time of the Origin and therefore have no view of recent attainment. Those from other worlds and the former residents of Sahā are each further divided into two classes.

The first class consists of bodhisattvas born in correspondence with the Dharma body. In past lives they had already realized non-arising or had previously heard the opening of the Trace and revelation of the Origin. Even if they did not hear it then, when the recompense-body life of this period ended and they received a body of Dharma-nature, they would naturally have heard the teaching of the distant past on the ground of the Dharma body. Most bodhisattvas of this class therefore do not hold the view of recent attainment.

The second class consists of bodhisattvas who first realized the patience of non-arising in this life and those who have not yet realized it. All these bodhisattvas possess the view that the Buddha attained buddhahood only recently.

Beginning with “Yet, good sons, since I actually attained buddhahood,” the second part breaks attachment, dispels delusion, and reveals the distant Origin. This is precisely what the preceding sincere and truthful admonition was preparing to teach. The section is twofold: first it reveals the distant; then, beginning with “Since that time,” it explains the modes appropriate for benefiting beings in the past.

Revealing the distant is also twofold: first it directly reveals the distant through a teaching by Dharma, and second it uses a simile to measure and compare that teaching. Since the Buddha attained the Way exceedingly long ago, beings’ view that he attained it only recently at Gayā is broken. Opening the near to reveal the distant has roughly ten meanings, explained in detail in the Profound Meaning. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]” What is directly applied here is breaking the near to reveal the distant: it breaks the view of recent attainment, sets aside the teaching that speaks only of recent attainment, and reveals the distant past.

III. Measuring the Distant Past Through Dust-Worlds

The dust-world simile has three parts: first the simile is presented as a question, second Maitreya and the others answer, and third the simile is applied back to the Dharma so as to reveal how long ago buddhahood was attained.

Other scriptures sometimes use ineffable numbers or dust and sand as similes, already indicating an enormous number; compared with the present simile, however, those remain smaller. Merely the worlds upon which dust particles are deposited are beyond expression. How much less can all the worlds upon which no particle was deposited be fully expressed? If the worlds with and without particles cannot be expressed, how could one express the number of particles produced by grinding all those worlds into dust? How much less could one express the time since the Buddha attained the Way, which exceeds all these numbers?

Beginning with the collective reply of Maitreya and the others is the second part. The answer names three classes of people who cannot know this number: śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot know it with uncontaminated wisdom; bodhisattvas abiding on the stage of non-retrogression cannot know it; Maitreya and the others themselves likewise cannot know it. The third part applies the simile back to the Buddha’s lifespan and is clear from the sutra text.

IV. The Places of Past Benefit and the Dispelling of Doubt

Beginning with “Since that time” explains the modes appropriate for benefiting beings in the past and has three levels: first, the places where beings are benefited; second, doubts arising from former manifestations are dispelled; third, beginning with “If beings come to me,” the capacities of beings are addressed and benefits are actually bestowed.

Why must the places be explained? The preceding simile expresses an exceedingly distant span of time, so beings may ask: Where has the Buddha abided throughout such a distant past? The Buddha therefore says that he has continually performed buddhawork and benefited beings in this Sahā world and in other lands.

Beginning with “During the interval” dispels doubts concerning former manifestations. The doubts concern cause and fruit. Earlier teachings said that the Buddha cultivated bodhisattva causes in many places and received predictions in many places, thereby causing beings to doubt about cause and fruit. These doubts are now dispelled: the mention of Dīpaṃkara Buddha dispels doubt about cause, while the statement that intermediate buddhas entered nirvāṇa dispels doubt about fruit. There is more than one such cause and fruit; all were differentiated and taught as skillful means, rather than disclosing the distant original ground directly, and this is why the passage is called the dispelling of doubt.

Someone explains that the Buddha skillfully said Dīpaṃkara Buddha was his teacher, whereas Dīpaṃkara was actually manifested by Śākyamuni. Śākyamuni, originally unborn, manifested birth; originally unextinguished, he manifested extinction. The sutra therefore again says that this buddha entered nirvāṇa.

Zhizhe says that this interpretation is incorrect and that only the preceding explanation should be adopted. Why? Dīpaṃkara Buddha’s conditions for transformation had matured, so he manifested the form of a buddha and transformed beings. Śākyamuni’s own conditions for buddhahood had not yet matured; he remained a bodhisattva and received a prediction from Dīpaṃkara. Receiving the prediction contains the meaning of fruit, while cultivating the various practices is cause. This already suffices to explain the sutra text.

The word qi (“that one”) in the sutra refers generally to one who carried out transformation in the intermediate period; it does not refer specifically to Dīpaṃkara Buddha. Moreover, benefiting beings in the intermediate period inherently included benefits through form and sound. Saying that Śākyamuni encountered Dīpaṃkara indicates the appearance of a buddha-body and thus a benefit through form. Saying that an intermediate buddha entered nirvāṇa indicates that after that buddha’s extinction Śākyamuni helped propagate his teaching and thus provided a benefit through sound. Benefits through both form and sound still belong here to the causal practices of the intermediate period.

Once there is an appearance in form and sound, birth necessarily entails death, and death is called entry into nirvāṇa. This is called fruit only within that period of manifestation; one cannot therefore say that Śākyamuni had already realized the fruit of buddhahood during the intermediate period. Why? Before the Lotus Sutra, it had not yet been taught that Śākyamuni had long ago attained buddhahood. How then could beings already have formed a doubt about his having realized the Buddha fruit in the distant past?

An older interpretation likewise holds that Dīpaṃkara Buddha was manifested by Śākyamuni, but this too is incorrect. Since scriptures before the Lotus Sutra did not say that Śākyamuni had already attained buddhahood in the past, what teaching could have first established Dīpaṃkara as his manifestation and thereby produced a doubt requiring removal now?

V. The Buddha Eye’s Observation of Capacities and the Two Past Benefits of Form and Sound

Beginning with “If beings come to me” is the third level, which directly explains the modes appropriate for benefiting beings in the past. It has two parts: first, beings’ stimulus and the Buddha’s response; second, the Buddha’s teaching and transformation according to their capacities.

“coming to me” means that beings in the past possessed gradual and sudden capacities which, from within the subtle, struck and elicited the Dharma body. “observing with the Buddha eye” means that the Buddha had long ago attained the Way and used the Buddha eye to discern beings without the slightest omission or error; he would next manifest inferior and superior response bodies to benefit them.

Beings’ wholesome capacities have two powers: first, they can elicit the flower-fruition of birth among humans and devas; second, they can elicit the fruit-fruition of the Buddha Way. Observation with the Dharma eye can know the myriad wholesome acts and the corresponding flower-fruition obtained according to their relative weight, but cannot ultimately know the fruit of knowledge of all modes that beings will finally attain. The Buddha eye completely illumines all wholesome dharmas and knows both their beginnings and their ultimate end.

This sutra consistently speaks of the Buddha eye’s observation and of knowing that all beings’ wholesome acts will finally obtain the Buddha fruit. This is precisely the original intent for which the Buddha appears in the world for one great matter.

“the faculties beginning with faith” are the five faculties of faith, vigor, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. The wisdom faculty is the discernment cause; the other four are conditioning causes. Both kinds of wholesome roots have sharp and dull forms and encompass gradual and sudden capacities. Sudden capacities also have sharp and dull forms, namely capacities for the perfect and distinct teachings; gradual capacities likewise have sharp and dull forms, namely capacities for the Tripiṭaka and shared teachings. In another relative comparison, Lesser Vehicle faculties are dull and Great Vehicle faculties sharp; in another comparison, Lesser Vehicle faculties are sharp and human and deva vehicle faculties are dull.

The sharp and dull wholesome roots of beings in the ten Dharma realms can all become capacities that elicit the Buddha; evil dharmas are not used because they are neither conditioning nor discernment causes. The Tathāgata completely illumines the wholesome capacities of the ten Dharma realms and, according to what will liberate them, benefits them through manifested form and spoken teaching.

Beginning with “Everywhere I declare” directly explains the Buddha’s manifestation and transformation according to capacities. It has two parts: first, benefits through form and sound; second, beings’ reception of benefit and resulting joy. Benefit through form is itself twofold: first, the originally unborn manifests birth; second, the originally unextinguished manifests entry into extinction.

Once the Buddha manifests a form, there is a corresponding name by which the referent of that form is called. Beings’ capacities may be superior or inferior, and the form manifested by the Buddha is correspondingly superior or inferior; as forms differ, names differ. “greater or lesser age” means the superiority or inferiority of the form: the superior is called the superior response and the inferior the inferior response.

Different names also indicate that the lifespans of the two manifested Buddha-bodies may be measurable or immeasurable. “everywhere,” vertically considered, means cultivating causes in different lands throughout the past; horizontally considered, it means lands in the ten directions. In vertical places there are different names for corporeal and Dharma bodies—for example, today’s response body and former buddhas such as Dīpaṃkara have different names. In horizontal lands there are likewise different names for corporeal and Dharma bodies—for example, today’s Buddha and the divided-body buddhas in the ten directions differ, just as the Flower Garland Sutra lists Śākyamuni’s many different names.

The scriptures also say that the Buddha has three bodies with different names, and the Dharma-essences called by those names differ: at times they are called Vairocana, Rocana, and Śākyamuni; the Dharma-body Buddha may also be called suchness, true mark, ultimate truth, prajñā, or Śūraṃgama. These are the different names used when the body of the Buddha Dharma realm is manifested. When bodies in the other nine Dharma realms are manifested, the names are still more immeasurable and boundless, as can be inferred from this.

“greater or lesser age” also means longer or shorter lifespan, varying with the response body manifested above. At times the lifespan is said to be twenty thousand years, as in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha; at times it is eighty thousand years, as in the time of Maitreya Buddha. Greater and lesser as transmitted in relation to one another can be understood both vertically and horizontally.

The relative greatness and smallness of the lifespans of the Dharma, reward, and response buddhas is explained in detail in the Profound Meaning. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]” The three bodies can be compared with one another in greatness and smallness. It can also be said that explaining the three separately is small and explaining them together is great; the example of the three points is the same. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]” All these manifestations of appropriate bodily forms and longer or shorter lifespans accord with what beings require for liberation.

“he also manifests and says that he will enter nirvāṇa” means that when people should be liberated through the Buddha’s extinction, he manifests extinction so that they cherish longing, look up to him, and attain liberation. This meaning appears again in the following teaching by parable.

“again, through various skillful means he teaches the subtle Dharma” is benefit through spoken teaching. Manifesting a smaller form and shorter lifespan, he gives gradual teachings, and these are called various skillful means. Manifesting a vast form and distant lifespan, he gives sudden Dharma, and this is called teaching the subtle Dharma. Although beings are initially guided by gradual Dharma, they are ultimately enabled to enter the Great Vehicle; the sutra therefore says that all are made joyful.

This joy is beings’ benefit from transformation. The Buddha bestows benefits through form and sound according to the four siddhāntas of the worldly, the individual, the counteractive, and ultimate truth, and beings receive all four benefits. A teaching that accords with capacities brings joy; one that runs against capacities brings distress. This is precisely the meaning of the later statement that all is real and not false.

VI. Benefiting Beings in the Present Through the Lion’s Vigorous Advance

Beginning with “Good sons, the Tathāgata sees all beings” describes the Tathāgata’s present benefit to beings through the samādhi of the lion’s vigorous advance. This samādhi has ten qualities.

First, distinguishing whether the faculties of other beings are mature or immature, purified or not yet purified.

Second, teaching those not yet liberated through the Tathāgata’s Dharma wheel so that they all enter the Buddha’s Dharma and discipline.

Third, vast vows pervade the ten directions, and sound does likewise: at times one sound pervades, at times hundreds of thousands of myriads of sounds all pervade, universally teaching every class of beings.

Fourth, turning the unsurpassed Dharma wheel, transforming beings and enabling them all to attain extinction; others cannot turn it, and only the Buddha can.

Fifth, manifesting home-leaving, shaving the head, and observing pure precepts, while also enabling others to delight in these practices.

Sixth, both disposition and conduct accord with the principle of emptiness.

Seventh, emitting light and manifesting entry into extinction; at times manifesting continued presence, at times manifesting disappearance; at times revealing the marks, at times concealing them.

Eighth, subduing the māra of afflictions, the māra of aggregates, the māra of death, and the māra who is a deva.

Ninth, enabling others to enter the most essential Dharma meaning and causing cessation and contemplation to increase.

Tenth, perfecting the foundation of the preceding ten wholesome deeds, namely the three wholesome acts of body and the four of speech, and so forth. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]”

This passage has two parts: first, beings’ capacities elicit the Buddha; second, the Buddha manifests and transforms according to capacities. “the Tathāgata sees” means illumination by the Buddha eye. “beings delight in Lesser Dharmas” identifies the capacities illumined by the Buddha.

The general purport of the Flower Garland Sutra is that although the assembly is pure, others who delight in Lesser Dharmas may, on hearing something profound, give rise to doubt and regret and suffer decline and distress through the long night. The Buddha pities them and therefore remains silent for a time. Its verse also says that others who have not practiced long and whose wisdom is not yet clear rely on consciousness rather than wisdom; after hearing, they give rise to sorrow and regret and will fall into evil paths. With this in mind, the Buddha does not teach.

Because that scripture’s assembly contains no śrāvakas of the two vehicles, “those who delight in Lesser Dharmas” there refers only to those who have not practiced long. The master says that delighting in the Lesser does not refer exclusively to Lesser Vehicle people; rather, those who delight in the teaching of recent attainment are called those who delight in the Lesser.

A general explanation is now made. First, craving the twenty-five modes of existence is the capacity of humans and devas; people of this kind who come to the Buddha are called those delighting in Lesser Dharmas. Second, craving nirvāṇa and seeking only one’s own liberation is the capacity of the two vehicles; those who come to the Buddha in this way are also called those delighting in Lesser Dharmas. Third, delighting in a gradual and circuitous course toward the Buddha Way is the capacity of the three classes of bodhisattva; those who come to the Buddha in this way are likewise called those delighting in Lesser Dharmas.

“meager in qualities” means that the functioning of the two wholesome dharmas of conditioning and discernment causes is weak. A later passage compares this with small children who have not yet understood. “heavy with defilement” means that the delusions of views and thought have not yet been severed.

VII. Why Even Great Capacities Are Generally Called Those Who Delight in the Lesser

Someone asks: The Buddha, originally unborn, manifests birth and fully administers both sudden and gradual transformation. People of the seven skillful means and so forth can indeed be called those delighting in Lesser Dharmas. But when the Buddha responds with perfect and sudden Dharma, those addressed should be people who delight in the Great. Why are they all generally judged to delight in Lesser Dharmas?

The answer is that the preceding passage only gave the purport briefly; it is now explained extensively through four meanings.

First, in terms of the past: although beings once aroused the great mind, they could not be single-minded and diligent, remained largely attached to base desires, and could not transcend the world. Their attachment to base desires is therefore called delighting in Lesser Dharmas.

Second, in terms of the present: before the Buddha appeared in the world, devas and humans possessed Great Vehicle capacities, yet their minds were stained by worldly pleasures and attached to wrong views; they are therefore called those delighting in Lesser Dharmas. These two meanings are the same in intent as the poisoned children writhing on the ground in the later parable of the good physician.

Third, in terms of practice: someone may no longer delight in the base desires and Lesser Dharmas of the three realms, yet delight in the quiescent cessation of the three vehicles and thus still delight in Lesser Dharmas. Another may no longer delight in the near fruits of the three vehicles, yet delight in cultivating the One Vehicle through successive stages and differentiated, circuitous practice, unable to cultivate universally and perfectly within one mind; this too is delighting in the Lesser. The first three meanings explain delight in Lesser Dharmas through the gate of cause.

Fourth, in terms of the gate of fruit: beings delight in hearing the lesser teaching of the Buddha’s recent attainment. They wish to hear only that he left the Śākya palace and then realized bodhi, and do not wish to hear of the Way that is long, distant, great, and enduring; they are therefore called those delighting in the Lesser.

These inclinations toward the Lesser did not first appear today. Had beings already delighted in the great Dharma of the distant past, the Buddha would not have told them that he had only just attained the Way. He speaks of recent attainment precisely for those who delight in Lesser Dharmas.

VIII. Presently Manifesting Birth Without Originally Being Born, and Benefits Through Form and Sound

Beginning with “For these people he says” is the second part, transformation in the present, and has two levels: first, originally unborn yet manifesting birth; second, originally unextinguished yet manifesting entry into extinction. Manifested birth is further divided into the manifestation of birth and its benefit; the manifestation itself is again divided into birth and non-birth. Birth means that birth is displayed within manifestation; non-birth means that the Buddha did not first become born and attain the Way today.

For people who delight in Lesser Dharmas, are meager in qualities, and heavy with defilement, the Buddha says that he attained bodhi only in this life. The preceding passage said that sharp and dull capacities elicit the Dharma body; now the Buddha manifests superior and inferior response bodies. The inferior response answers dull faculties, and the superior response answers sharp faculties. Each response body has both the birth of a corporeal body and the birth of a Dharma body.

The corporeal-body birth of the inferior response means entrusting the mother’s womb through right wisdom and walking seven steps after birth, as described by Kātyāyanīputra. From entering the womb and being born until before the six years of ascetic practice is all called the birth of the corporeal body. The Dharma-body birth of the inferior response means using thirty-four thought-moments to sever afflictions together with their habits and attaining the fivefold Dharma body of precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation.

The corporeal-body birth of the superior response is as taught in the Flower Garland Sutra, Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, and others: the Buddha abides in Lady Māyā’s womb together with bodhisattvas and constantly teaches the Great Vehicle; after birth he takes seven steps in each of the ten directions. This is called the birth of the corporeal body. The Dharma-body birth of the superior response occurs at the place of practice of quiescence: in the final vajra mind the Buddha completely severs ignorance, attains wisdom corresponding to wondrous awakening, exhaustively illumines Dharma-nature, and perfectly and universally fulfills the myriad qualities and knowledge of all modes.

“leaving home,” in terms of the inferior response, means leaving the home of fragmentary birth and death; in terms of the superior response, it means leaving the home of both fragmentary and transformational birth and death. “attaining bodhi,” in terms of the inferior response, is the uncontaminated knowledge of exhaustion and knowledge of non-arising produced from the Four Truths involving activity; this is called bodhi. In terms of the superior response, it is illumining the Way of the three truths and one reality and taking knowledge of all modes as bodhi.

Beginning with “Yet since I actually attained” explains that the Buddha, at the Origin, did not in fact first become born today. Devas, humans, and asuras see the superior and inferior responses each have the birth of a corporeal body and of a Dharma body, and assume that the Buddha began attaining these today. This is not so. The Buddha obtained both corporeal and Dharma bodies in the distant past; today’s birth is not true initial birth, and is therefore said to be distant in this way. “in this way” means as long ago as expressed by the dust-world simile above.

Beginning with “Only through skillful means” answers: If the Buddha was not first born today, why manifest birth? It is to benefit those who delight in Lesser Dharmas, are meager in qualities, and heavy with defilement, enabling them to enter the Buddha Way. Thus he says that he teaches and transforms beings only through skillful means. “making this statement” means that although the Buddha is originally unborn, he manifests birth and skillfully says that he attained buddhahood today.

Other scriptures break the belief that the corporeal-body birth of the inferior response is real birth, but do not yet break the belief that its Dharma-body birth is real birth. This sutra directly breaks the belief that the Dharma-body birth of the superior response occurs only today. Why? Since the Buddha actually attained the Way as long ago as the dust-world simile expresses, the Dharma-body births of both inferior and superior responses today are broken as beginnings; these births are not initial birth, unlike in the other scriptures.

Beginning with “The scriptures expounded by the Tathāgata” is the second level, explaining benefits through the form and sound of manifested birth. First it explains form and sound, then that all is not false. “speaking” is the teaching of sound, while “displaying” is manifested form. Form and sound do not go beyond oneself and others.

Speaking of the Dharma body is speaking of one’s own body; speaking of the response body is speaking of another’s body. Saying that one encountered Dīpaṃkara Buddha is speaking of one’s own affairs; saying that Dīpaṃkara Buddha was one’s teacher is speaking of the affairs of another’s body. Displaying the primary recompense is displaying one’s own affairs; displaying the dependent land is displaying another’s affairs. Speaking according to another’s intent is speaking of another’s body; speaking according to one’s own intent is speaking of one’s own body. Displaying one’s own and another’s affairs can be understood in the same way.

“All that is spoken is real and not false” is also twofold: first non-falsehood is stated, and then the reason for non-falsehood is explained. The first level speaks of non-falsehood primarily in relation to spoken teaching; the second explains the non-falsehood of both form and sound.

Gradual and sudden capacities receive the superior and inferior forms and sounds and all obtain benefit; hence these are not false. The preceding section on benefiting beings in the past said only that all became greatly joyful, seemingly disclosing only the benefit of the worldly siddhānta. The present statement that all is real and not false means that superior and inferior form and sound precisely fit the two capacities, enabling beings to obtain the benefits of all four siddhāntas; none is false.

The Great Treatise says that each of the four siddhāntas has its own reality. The worldly siddhānta has its reality, and the counteractive and individual siddhāntas have theirs. Strictly speaking, these three are worldly realities and remain false from the standpoint of ultimate truth. Conversely, within causes and conditions there can be three worldly realities, while ultimate truth may temporarily be unusable for certain capacities.

When this provisional and real are correlated with the Trace and Origin Gates, the benefits received by gradual and sudden beings include both false and real. In the past they practiced through skillful means without yet receiving the benefit of the real Way; this was falsity on the side of cause. Clinging to the Buddha’s recent attainment and not receiving the real benefit of the distant original ground was falsity on the side of fruit. By now hearing the Trace Gate, entering true mark together, and receiving real benefit in the cause, and by hearing the distant teaching of the Origin Gate, removing attachment to the near, and receiving the real benefit of the distant fruit-ground, they obtain today the two realities of cause and fruit that counteract the two former falsehoods of cause and fruit.

For perfect and sudden beings, there had originally been one reality and one falsehood across the Trace and Origin Gates. Having attained the practice of the Middle Way was real benefit in the cause; continuing to cling to a recent fruit was falsehood on the side of fruit. Hearing the causal teaching now does not give them another new real benefit; only hearing of the distant fruit gives them real benefit on the side of fruit. Thus there was one former falsehood and one reality is received today, and all is said to be real and not false.

Someone asks: If the Great Vehicle of today and the Great Vehicle of the past both disclose true mark, should there be a difference between what earlier and later awakeners enter?

The answer is that immediate entry at the outset, later gradual entry, and even dismantling the grass hut and entering the Middle Way together do not enter two different realities. Entry alone is gradual or sudden, and therefore two teachings are distinguished. For example, in entering the true truth, dull people rely on analysis of dharmas, contemplation of impermanence, and so forth, while sharp people enter through contemplation of the emptiness of dharmas in their very substance. The Tripiṭaka and shared teachings are thereby distinguished, but the true truth entered is not itself divided in two.

IX. Six Statements of Non-Falsehood in Illumining Principle

Beginning with “Why is this? The Tathāgata knows and sees the marks of the three realms as they really are” is the second part, which generally explains why benefiting beings is not false. It first explains the benefit of manifested form and then the benefit of spoken teaching. Six statements here show that the response body is not apart from the Dharma body. The Dharma body originally has no form and neither arises nor ceases. Beings, however, possess capacities of arising and ceasing that elicit the Dharma body. Through the power of his original vows, the Tathāgata responds to beings by likewise manifesting arising and ceasing. This view of arising and ceasing comes from beings, and the six statements are therefore explained through the three realms.

This passage is also twofold: first, non-falsehood through illumining truth; second, beginning with “because beings,” non-falsehood through according with capacities. When one can penetrate truth and accord with capacities, establishing teachings and transforming beings, the result cannot be false.

The first statement, “knowing and seeing as it really is,” is real wisdom illumining the reality of the three realms in accordance with truth itself. In reality there are no marks of the causes of the three realms.

The second statement, “there is no birth and death,” means that there is no suffering of fragmentary or transformational birth and death. The accumulation of afflictions is called retreat, while the manifestation of impermanent recompense is called emergence; neither exists in reality.

The third statement means that there is also no person abiding in the world of birth and death and no person entering the extinction of nirvāṇa. Both the world and extinction are quiescent, and therefore there is no one in the world or entering extinction.

The fourth statement means neither the one-sided reality of extinction nor the one-sided falsehood of birth and death; it therefore says neither real nor false.

The fifth statement means neither the one-sided suchness that transcends the world nor the one-sided difference of the world; it therefore says neither such nor different. The preceding four paired negations all disclose the Middle Way.

If the two sides are only doubly negated but the final statement becomes fixed on one side, the Middle Way still has not been disclosed. For example, one might say neither born nor dead but end by concluding “born”; say both born and dead but end by concluding “dead”; say both retreat and emergence but end by concluding “retreat”; say neither retreat nor emergence but end by concluding “emergence”; say neither false nor real but end by concluding “real”; or say both false and real but end by concluding “false.” All such conclusions that fall to one side must now be negated. The meaning of the Middle Way appears only when single, compound, and all other formulations are likewise not grasped.

The sixth statement, “not seeing the three realms as beings in the three realms see them,” means that the Buddha does not see the three realms as the two classes of beings there do. The Buddha alone exhaustively and truly sees the reality of the three realms, inwardly perfecting the functioning of real wisdom. This is speech according to the Buddha’s own intent and also concerns the affairs of his own body. The Large Prajñāpāramitā therefore says that in ultimate truth there is no differentiation.

On the other hand, the Tathāgata uses provisional wisdom to know and see the marks of the three realms according to the measure of beings, manifesting in accord with how beings in the three realms see. Although in true knowing and seeing there are originally not two kinds of birth and death, the Tathāgata manifests bodies of both and speaks of both according to beings’ intent. Although there is originally no retreat or emergence, he speaks of retreat and emergence. Although there is originally no one in the world or entering extinction, he manifests birth in the world and entry into nirvāṇa and speaks of persons abiding in the world and attaining extinction. Although there is originally no one-sided reality, he speaks of the reality of nirvāṇa; although no one-sided falsehood, he speaks of the falsehood of the three realms; although no difference among the three periods, he speaks of differences among them; although no one-sided suchness of true truth, he speaks of suchness.

These teachings see the three realms in accord with the way beings there see them. They are all words spoken according to beings’ intentions and are called speaking and displaying the affairs of another’s body. The Tathāgata’s real and provisional wisdoms clearly examine true and conventional truth, so the two benefits of manifested form and spoken teaching are both real and not false.

X. Nature, Desire, Conduct, Recollective Thought, and Non-Falsehood in According with Capacities

Beginning with “because beings” is the second level, explaining non-falsehood in according with capacities. It first states the stimulus of beings’ capacities and then the Buddha’s teaching according to those capacities.

Beings’ faculties may be sharp or dull, and what they receive may be gradual or sudden; their natures, desires, conduct, and wisdom also have many differences. The Buddha wishes to enable each to increase wholesome roots and therefore establishes teachings concerning himself and others, instructing them through unfailing causes and conditions and similes.

Gradual and sudden natures each have many differences, and the individual siddhānta is required here because it specifically causes wholesome roots to grow. Yet wholesome roots themselves belong to nature, and habitual desires in turn form nature. Why then does the sutra speak first of nature and afterward of desire?

The explanation is that the nature carried from the past can generate present desire. It is also like affliction giving rise to the five aggregates and the five aggregates again giving rise to affliction; neither can be declared absolutely first or later. Nature and desire are the same: repeated habitual desire is required to form nature.

“desire” means the many different desires of gradual and sudden capacities; the worldly siddhānta is required here.

“conduct” means acting and cultivating various practices in accordance with desire. The individual siddhānta is required here. Many attachments may also arise in practice and create obstructions, so the counteractive siddhānta is required as well.

“recollective thought” is the semblant understanding produced by wisdom. Understanding arises from practice yet remains a skillful means; it is not yet in accord with truth and has not reached where the path of words is cut off, and therefore remains a contemplation through conceptual recollection. While gradual and sudden beings abide in the inner and outer ordinary stages, they first possess various wholesome roots and desires; desire leads to practice, and practice produces semblant understanding. Ultimate truth is required here: based on the understanding already obtained through recollective thought, the Buddha teaches further so that they clearly awaken to ultimate truth.

Even when a bodhisattva of the first ground wishes to cultivate the second ground, that bodhisattva recollectively conceives the domain of the second ground; this too is called conceptual recollection. When genuine understanding of the second ground arises, contemplative recollection is removed and verbal dharmas cease. Proceeding upward level by level, only at buddhahood does one ultimately leave every recollective thought and attain constant quiescent illumination.

Beginning with “wishing to cause them to generate” is the second part, actual teaching according to capacity. For the various gradual and sudden capacities, the Buddha administers spoken teachings concerning himself and others so as to cause various wholesome roots to arise. He therefore also displays various forms and affairs of self and other, speaks various verbal teachings of self and other, and uses various causes and conditions and similes.

For gradual capacities, the Buddha teaches with various causes and conditions and similes within each of the four gates of the Tripiṭaka teaching; every gate has many different methods. For example, he teaches the patience of suffering to the indolent and the patience of impermanence to the arrogant. The four gates of the shared teaching are the same.

For sudden capacities, such as those of the distinct and perfect teachings, there are likewise four gates and many different methods. The thirty-two bodhisattvas each teach entry into the Dharma gate of nonduality, while the Flower Garland Sutra lists many classes and forms of practice. All these are teachings delivered through numerous similes and expressions established for diverse capacities.

“The buddhawork performed has never been suspended even briefly” concludes that benefits through form and sound are all not false. The various manifested forms and spoken teachings concerning self and other above are all intended to bring beings into the Buddha’s knowing and seeing, not merely to accomplish the lesser affairs of humans, devas, or the two vehicles; hence they are called buddhawork.

If only one person attained extinction and everyone else could not, some buddhawork would be abandoned. Once abandoned, other beings would not obtain real benefit. How then could all be called real and not false?

Someone may pursue the point: In the past the Buddha said that while seated at the place of practice he had not obtained a single dharma; none of the seven skillful means was ultimate extinction, and the two nirvāṇas were only the empty fist displayed as a skillful means. On this account, the past was only false and did not yet reveal that everything was real. How then can all be said to be real?

The answer is that the seven provisional means of the past could be called false only if they never ultimately enabled beings to enter the one reality. The Buddha first used provisional means to lead beings out, but there is no one whom provisional means led out who does not finally enter reality. Thus one knows that the skillful means that appeared false in the past existed precisely for the final reality. This is the meaning of all being real and not false and buddhawork never being suspended.

XI. The Origin Is Truly Without Extinction, Yet the Three Bodies Announce Extinction

Beginning with “In this way, since I attained buddhahood, an exceedingly long time has passed” explains that although the Buddha originally does not become extinct, he manifests entry into extinction. It has two parts: first, originally unextinguished yet manifesting extinction; second, beginning with “The Tathāgata uses this skillful means,” the benefit brought by manifested extinction.

The first part is also twofold: first, the Origin’s actual non-extinction; second, beginning with “Yet now,” the announcement of entry into extinction within manifestation.

Beginning with “Since I attained buddhahood” states that the Buddha fruit constantly abides; because it constantly abides, it does not become extinct. The sutra entrusts to these few words the revelation of the mighty tendency of the future, constantly abiding and benefiting beings.

Beginning with “The lifespan I accomplished while originally practicing the bodhisattva path” uses lifespan on the causal ground to compare and reveal lifespan on the fruit-ground, thereby clarifying constant abiding. Earlier people used this passage to prove that the Buddha’s lifespan remains impermanent. They said that in the past the Buddha had already passed kalpas numbering more than the sands of the Ganges and would continue for twice the preceding number, but that this merely prolonged life through supernormal power and remained impermanent in the end.

Such a reading grasps the wording one-sidedly and greatly misses the purport. The sutra uses cause to illustrate fruit; the lifespan of the Buddha fruit is not something countable. The sutra’s verse says that the lifespan of numberless kalpas was obtained through long cultivation of karma; it is not life prolonged through supernormal power.

Why? When the Buddha cultivated the perfect cause and ascended to the first abode, he had already obtained constant lifespan. Constant lifespan cannot be calculated by number; if lifespan on the causal ground already exceeds the preceding number of particles, how much more the Buddha fruit? Why abandon the Buddha fruit that the sutra intends to illustrate and instead cling casually to the causal ground used as the comparison? Even that causal lifespan is already constant rather than impermanent.

It is like the stipend received by a crown prince: it is already inexhaustible, so how could his resources be exhausted after he ascends the highest sovereign rank? The clear wording stands here; why wrench its meaning and cause later students to doubt and misunderstand?

Beginning with “Yet now it is not a real extinction” is the second level, announcing entry into extinction within manifestation. The Dharma, reward, and response bodies all possess the meaning of originally not becoming extinct yet skillfully announcing extinction.

First, the Dharma body is originally unextinguished yet announces extinction. The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says that dharmas are originally unborn and now therefore have nothing that can be extinguished; this expresses the Dharma body’s original non-extinction. It also says that this is the meaning of quiescent extinction, which is the announcement of extinction to beings. Why? Those who already understand do not need quiescent extinction announced for them; it is taught only to those who do not yet understand.

If one says “illumining yet quiescent,” this is the announcement of extinction; if one says “quiescent yet illumining,” this is the announcement of birth. Although the Dharma body is originally neither born nor extinguished, birth and extinction can be discussed in relation to beings’ delusion and awakening. When the deluded mind grasps, afflictions arise and wisdom is extinguished; when the understanding mind remains unstained, wisdom arises and afflictions are extinguished.

Extinguishing delusion and generating understanding is impermanent birth and extinction; when understanding arises and delusion is extinguished, this can also be called quiescent extinction. All these births and extinctions are distinguished in terms of delusion and understanding with respect to Dharma-nature. Without the two conditions of delusion and understanding, such birth and extinction would not be taught.

Second, the reward body is originally unextinguished yet announces extinction. Who possesses wisdom and who possesses affliction, such that wisdom is said to destroy affliction? Light and darkness cannot mutually remove one another; this indicates the reward body’s non-extinction. Beings who have not understood may hear this and suppose that they are already buddhas in their present state, become arrogant and unrestrained, and cease cultivating the Way. The Buddha therefore also announces that the Way can extinguish delusion: when affliction is present wisdom is absent, and when wisdom is present affliction is absent. Is this not wisdom extinguishing affliction?

Third, the response body is originally unextinguished yet announces extinction. The response body is the functioning of the Dharma and reward bodies. Since the essence does not become extinct, how could its functioning be exhausted? Thus the response body is originally unextinguished. Yet if beings constantly see the Buddha, they become arrogant and heedless, and the Buddha therefore announces that he will enter extinction that very night.

This can be explained further through the relation of the Dharma and reward bodies. The Dharma body is directly said to be unextinguished in essence; the reward body must rely upon the Dharma body to be called unextinguished. If one investigates through principle whether wisdom can destroy affliction, one may ask: Does wisdom destroy affliction only after reaching it, or before reaching it? Does wisdom destroy it together with other conditions, or alone? Such investigation finds no substantial act of destruction; this is the meaning of wisdom not extinguishing affliction. In terms of phenomena, however, affliction is absent when wisdom is present, and wisdom can be said to extinguish affliction.

To say that the response body does not become extinct relies on the Dharma and reward bodies. Since Dharma and reward constantly abide, responsive transformation continues without interruption. So long as beings are not exhausted, the Buddha’s responsive transformation does not enter extinction. Distinguished separately, the Dharma body is neither born nor extinguished in essence; the reward body realizes that no substantial dharma can be born or extinguished; the response body is said to be unborn and unextinguished through continuity from before to after. “[The remainder is abbreviated.]”

XII. The Harm and Benefit of Manifested Extinction, and the Final Conclusion

Beginning with “through this skillful means he teaches and transforms” is the second part, explaining how manifested extinction benefits beings. It has two levels: first, if the Buddha never manifests extinction, beings are harmed; second, beginning with the skillful statement “Monks, you should know,” beings benefit when the Buddha announces extinction.

The harm of non-extinction is also twofold: first it is stated briefly, then explained extensively. Briefly: the people described above who delight in Lesser Dharmas see the Buddha constantly present and do not plant wholesome roots, becoming poor and lowly. They cannot generate the two wholesome dharmas of conditioning and discernment causes and therefore receive no benefit; the delusions of views and thought also cannot be severed, and these two evils remain, causing harm.

Attachment to the five desires is the delusion of thought; entering the net of recollective thought and false views is the delusion of views. Because these beings’ defilements are heavy, the Buddha must announce extinction. If he does not, the two evils arise and are not extinguished, while the two wholesome qualities are damaged and do not arise.

When extinction is manifested according to the four siddhāntas, the two evils are extinguished and the two wholesome qualities arise. To extinguish the two evils, the counteractive and ultimate-truth siddhāntas are used: ultimate truth extinguishes evil that has not yet arisen, while the counteractive extinguishes evil that has arisen. The worldly and individual siddhāntas generate the two wholesome qualities: the worldly causes unarisen good to arise, and the individual causes arisen good to increase.

It can also be said that the worldly siddhānta extinguishes arisen evil while the counteractive siddhānta extinguishes unarisen evil. For example, cultivating meditation and thereby extinguishing the evil of the five aggregates in the desire realm is the worldly siddhānta extinguishing arisen evil. The individual siddhānta increases arisen good, and the ultimate-truth siddhānta generates the unarisen unconditioned good.

Beginning with “if they see” extensively explains the harm of non-extinction. If beings see the Buddha constantly abiding in the world, they become arrogant and unrestrained, which is harm; they cannot generate reverence, which is absence of benefit. “arrogance and license” increases the delusion of views, while “weariness and indolence” increases the delusion of thought. Inability to form the thought that the Buddha is difficult to encounter prevents the understanding that sees truth; inability to revere prevents reflective cultivation of the Way. For these reasons it is appropriate for the Buddha to manifest entry into extinction.

Beings who see or hear that the Dharma, reward, and response bodies do not become extinct may all become arrogant and unrestrained. First, one who hears that the Dharma body does not become extinct may say that the suchness of beings and Maitreya’s suchness are one without duality, and that complete equality is truth. From this arise arrogance and overweening pride. The person may further say that all afflictions were originally unborn and now have nothing that can be extinguished, so why cultivate the Way, and may therefore indulge heedlessly. For such people the Buddha declares that this is the meaning of quiescent extinction, causing them to extinguish delusion and realize.

Second, beings hear that the mark of all beings is precisely the mark of bodhi, the mark of bodhi precisely the mark of affliction, and light and darkness do not mutually remove one another. They again become arrogant and unrestrained, cease cultivating good, and fall into indolence and heedlessness. For them the Buddha declares that the wisdom of the reward body can extinguish affliction. The power of ignorance is great, and only the Buddha’s bodhi-wisdom can extinguish it.

Third, the response body is originally unextinguished yet manifests entry into extinction; the meaning is comparatively easy to understand.

If the Buddha taught only that dharmas were originally unborn and are now unextinguished, beings would still have to know that only extinguishing delusion is truly called quiescent extinction. The sutra also says that wisdom does not extinguish affliction; yet darkness is absent when light appears, and beings plainly possess afflictions now. How could they say that they already possess wisdom? One should know that wisdom can indeed extinguish obstructions and delusion.

When beings hear the Buddha announce extinction in this way, they form the thought that the Dharma, reward, and response bodies are difficult to encounter and arouse a mind of reverence.

Beginning with “Therefore the Tathāgata uses skillful means” directly explains the benefit of announcing extinction and has three levels: first, praising how difficult the Buddha is to encounter; second, explaining why he is difficult to encounter; third, saying that the buddhas of all three bodies are difficult to encounter.

Beings delight in Lesser Dharmas and are deeply obstructed by the delusions of views and thought. Even after hearing that the three bodies do not become extinct, they refuse to cultivate the Way and therefore find it difficult to accord and meet with the three bodies.

Next the difficulty of encounter is explained. Beings of meager qualities may pass hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of kalpas, sometimes seeing a buddha and sometimes not. If they can see the Dharma, reward, and response bodies, they have much good and little evil, and the Buddha need not announce extinction for them; such people are as though they constantly see the Buddha present on Vulture Peak. If they cannot see him, their obstructions are heavy and their good slight, so the Buddha tells them that the three bodies are difficult to encounter.

Beings who hear this think: Although the three bodies are originally neither born nor extinguished, I must still generate wholesome dharmas and extinguish delusion before I can realize and see them myself. This is not easy and is therefore called difficult to encounter.

“cherishing longing and thirsting for the Buddha” shows that the Buddha’s manifested extinction does not harm beings. Extinguishing the delusions of views and thought is called absence of harm; planting wholesome roots is called benefit.

Beginning with “Again, good sons” is the second major part of the teaching by Dharma. It concludes the Buddha’s benefit to beings in the past, present, and future, through which they all receive real benefit. The conclusion has three points. First, when buddhas appear amid the five turbidities, they necessarily teach the three vehicles first and afterward return them to the One, and teach recent attainment first and afterward reveal distant attainment. Second, all this is done to transform beings. Third, every teaching of skillful means and reality is without falsehood.

I. How the Teaching by Parable Is Divided

Beginning with “suppose,” the second major section is the teaching by parable, which is divided into opening the parable and applying the parable.

Opening the parable is further divided into two levels. First is the parable of the good physician treating his children, illustrating the appropriateness of responsive transformation in the three periods taught above. Second is the parable of the real benefit gained by treating the children, illustrating that benefiting beings in the three periods, as taught above, is real and not false. Very little in the preceding Dharma teaching concerned the future, but all three periods are complete in this parable.

The first level is itself divided into three parts. First, the good physician’s distant journey illustrates benefiting beings in the past. Second, his leaving again after returning home illustrates responsive transformation in the present. Third, his return soon afterward illustrates responsive transformation in the future.

The preceding prose passage on the past had two levels: first, using recent attainment to bring distant attainment to light; second, explaining what was appropriate for responsive transformation in the past. Only what was appropriate for responsive transformation is illustrated here. That appropriateness had three aspects: first the places, second dispelling doubt about cause and effect in the intervening period, and third responsive transformation proper. Only responsive transformation is illustrated here. Responsive transformation itself had two aspects: beings’ stimulus of capacity and the Buddha’s actual response; both are present in the parable.

The words “suppose there is a good physician” leap over the intervening material and directly illustrate the earlier words “I observe with the Buddha eye,” showing that the Buddha possesses the wisdom capable of responding to beings. Beginning with “many children,” the text turns back to illustrate the earlier “if beings come to me,” showing that beings possess capacities capable of eliciting the Buddha.

The appropriateness of responsive transformation taught above also had two levels: benefiting beings and then explaining their joy. Only benefiting beings is illustrated here. Benefiting beings above likewise had two levels: manifesting birth without originally being born, and manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct. Only manifested extinction is illustrated here.

II. What Are the Ten Kinds of Physician?

First the term liangyi (“good physician”) is explained. There are ten kinds of physician.

The first treats an illness but makes it worse without reducing it at all, sometimes even causing death. This illustrates outsiders attached to views of emptiness. They freely commit evil and teach others to produce wrong views and sever their wholesome roots. Once the Dharma body has been lost, the life of wisdom also dies.

The second treats an illness without making it either better or worse. This illustrates ascetic outsiders attached to views of existence. They cast themselves from cliffs or enter fire, cultivating wholesome acts through austerities, yet they do not attain concentration and cannot sever the bonds of affliction; this is the absence of improvement. Nor do they sever their wholesome roots; this is the absence of aggravation.

The third treats illness so that it diminishes without worsening, but after worldly physicians have cured it, the illness can recur. This illustrates outsiders who cultivate concentration and suppress or sever the afflictions.

The fourth cures illness so that it does not recur, but cannot treat universally. This illustrates people of the two vehicles, who can treat only one or two classes of beings with whom they have affinities and cannot treat all beings universally.

The fifth can treat universally, yet lacks skillful technique for dealing with pain. The Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom calls this clumsy crossing: bodhisattvas cultivating the six perfections provide broad treatment through compassion.

The sixth possesses skillful technique and causes no painful distress while treating, but cannot treat someone certain to die. This illustrates bodhisattvas of the shared teaching, whose contemplation realizing the substantial emptiness of dharmas can rescue ordinary beings who still have the possibility of reversal, but cannot rescue those of the two vehicles who are like scorched seeds.

The seventh can treat an illness difficult to cure, but cannot cure all illnesses simultaneously. This illustrates bodhisattvas of the distinct teaching.

The eighth can cure all illnesses simultaneously, but cannot restore the patient to the original state. This illustrates the ten faiths, the beginner’s stage of the perfect teaching.

The ninth can cure all illnesses universally and restore the patient to the original state, but cannot cause the patient to surpass that state. This illustrates the later mind of the perfect teaching.

The tenth cures all illnesses simultaneously, restores the patient, and causes the patient to surpass the original state. This is the Tathāgata.

The first three physicians are the old physicians using milk medicine described in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra; the latter seven are all visiting physicians. Those without technique use only teachings such as impermanence and suffering, like medicines that are pungent, bitter, and sour. The one with technique who comes from afar ultimately still has people drink milk; only this is the ultimate good physician.

III. How “Good,” “Wisdom,” and “Clear Understanding” Are Explained Word by Word

“good” means excellent. Inwardly possessing the three penetrative knowledges and five eyes constitutes the eight arts; skillfully mastering the properties of medicines and treating well means that outwardly the physician can recognize the source of illness and understand how to use medicine.

“wisdom” means the two kinds of wisdom, provisional and real, through which the physician deeply knows the two truths of the true and the conventional. “clear understanding” means using the five eyes to discern capacities without the slightest error concerning sudden and gradual. The words and principles of the twelve divisions of the teaching are all exceedingly profound, like the sutra’s “thoroughly versed in prescriptions and medicines”; treating beings’ illnesses through the four siddhāntas is like the sutra’s “skillfully treating the many illnesses.”

The Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings says “king of physicians, great king of physicians.” Because he is the great physician, he is called a good physician.

IV. “Many Children” and Three Kinds of Buddha-Child

In the phrase “many children,” “perhaps ten” refers to śrāvakas, “twenty” to pratyekabuddhas, and “a hundred” to bodhisattvas.

The bodhisattva children have the meaning of three kinds of child.

First, as concerns all beings, beings all possess the three kinds of inherent virtue. Buddha-nature is precisely buddha-child, and so the sutra says “the beings within are all my children,” while the present passage of this sutra says “many children.” If reckoned through the ten associated mental factors, there are a hundred children. The mind-king is buddha-nature as the direct cause; wisdom is buddha-nature as the discernment cause; the other nine mutually assist their arising and belong to buddha-nature as conditioning cause. Whenever one mental factor arises, the other nine assist it, making a hundred. Buddha-children of inherent virtue are neither wholesome nor unwholesome, yet can extend through both; hence these ten and the mind-king are mental factors common to all minds. All three causes as inherent virtue are therefore assigned to buddha-children of the direct cause.

Second are those who became buddha-children through connections formed in the past. For example, when the sixteen princes repeated the Lotus Sutra, those who heard the Dharma also generated a slight understanding, which became buddha-nature as discernment cause. Their slight cultivation in the past became buddha-nature as conditioning cause, while the direct cause remained the basis. Together these three causes are all assigned to the conditioning cause, because they assist in eliciting today’s understanding of the one reality. Past connection is therefore called the conditioning-cause buddha-child, namely the thirty children in the burning house of the “Parable” chapter. This is explained in terms of the ten faiths: when one faith arises, it possesses the other nine and still makes a hundred faiths. Thus connection can constitute buddha-children.

Third are children through the discernment cause: those who today hear the Lotus Sutra, abide in real wisdom, firmly believe that they will certainly attain buddhahood, have decisively understood the Dharma of the śrāvakas, and know that this sutra is king among sutras. They are thereby born from the Buddha’s mouth and receive a share of the Buddha Dharma, and so are called true children. This class also possesses the nature of the three causes. Since they have now clearly seen buddha-nature, all are assigned to buddha-children of the discernment cause. The meaning of a hundred children still gathers the tenfold number into the ten wholesome deeds and the ten faiths into the first abode; hence the direct cause extends through root and branches. The hundred children in this passage do not include children through the discernment cause. Those children are explained below in the passage on those who have not lost the right mind and take the medicine.

V. Traveling Afar, Drinking Poison, and Returning Home

The words “having business, he travels far to another country” illustrate manifested extinction within responsive transformation in the past.

Beginning with “afterward, the children,” the second part describes the father leaving again after returning home. It illustrates benefiting beings in the present and is divided into two levels.

First, the children drink poison after their father has left, illustrating the mutual involvement of capacity and response explained above: the Buddha sees beings as meager in qualities and heavy with defilement. After the Buddha’s extinction, beings delight in and cling to the teachings of wrong teachers within the three realms. Hence the text says “they drink another’s poison,” corresponding to the sutra’s “he travels to another country.” Revolving through the destinies and falling within the three realms is called “writhing upon the ground.”

Beginning with “at that time their father returns home” illustrates the earlier statement that the Buddha left home in youth and attained complete awakening. This is the second level: manifesting birth without originally being born.

The preceding passage originally had benefits through form and sound, together with benefit that is real and not false. The children’s drinking poison now illustrates the preceding benefit through form. Accepting the Dharma of wrong teachers is called “drinking poison.” “losing the right mind” means that no Great or Lesser Vehicle capacity arises; not losing the right mind means that a Great or Lesser Vehicle capacity arises.

Again, those who lose their right minds cling to the three realms and lose the wholesome roots of the three vehicles planted earlier. For them the Buddha, originally unextinguished, announces extinction. Those who do not lose their right minds cling to the five desires yet have not lost the wholesome roots of the three vehicles. For them the Buddha, originally unborn, manifests birth. Those with strong wholesome roots and light evil karma can cultivate the Way and sever the bonds on seeing the Buddha, like children who see their father, request medicine, and recover. Those with slight wholesome roots and heavy evil karma may also see the Buddha but only request rescue and refuse to cultivate the Way, like children who see their father and request help but refuse to take the medicine. For such children the father announces that he must die.

The word yaojian (“seeing from afar”) means that when the Buddha appears in the world, beings can see his form-body, yet the delusions of views and thought separate them from the fivefold Dharma body. They cannot personally attend upon the Dharma body, and so it is called “afar.” Seeing and hearing that the Buddha has appeared both produce joy and reverence. Accounts such as Brahmā’s request to the Buddha in the scriptures all belong to words seeking rescue.

VI. Prescriptions, Medicinal Herbs, and Pounding, Sifting, and Combining

Beginning with “the father sees his children suffering” illustrates the preceding benefit through sound and is divided into two levels. The first illustrates the Buddha accepting the request and turning the Dharma wheel of the two truths, true and conventional. Beginning with “and he speaks these words” illustrates admonition and exhortation.

“prescriptions” means the twelve divisions of the teaching, and “medicinal herbs” means the eighty thousand Dharma gates conveyed by those divisions. From the Buddha there issue the twelve divisions through the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra: these are the medicinal herbs of the gradual and sudden teachings. The twelve divisions issuing directly from the Buddha are the medicinal herbs of the sudden teaching; the sūtras issuing from the Buddha are the medicinal herbs of the gradual teaching.

“color” illustrates ethical discipline, which guards bodily and verbal karma and is manifest in concrete conduct. “fragrance” illustrates concentration, whose fragrance of qualities permeates everything. “flavor” illustrates wisdom, which obtains the taste of principle. Ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom are the eightfold noble path; cultivating that path enables one to see buddha-nature.

It may also be said that “color” is prajñā, which clearly and unobstructedly illumines the color of Dharma-nature; “fragrance” is liberation, the virtue of severance freed from foulness; and “flavor” is the Dharma body, the taste of principle. These three dharmas are neither vertical nor horizontal and are called the secret treasury. Practicing according to the teaching enables one to enter this treasury.

In teaching the three vehicles, the power of the samādhi of emptiness is like “pounding,” the samādhi of signlessness is like “sifting,” and the samādhi of wishlessness is like “combining.” Each samādhi fully possesses ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom. It may also be said that contemplation of emptiness is like “pounding,” contemplation of the provisional is like “sifting,” and contemplation of the middle is like “combining.” None of these three contemplations is apart from ethical discipline, concentration, and wisdom. Giving these dharmas to beings of the gradual and sudden teachings and causing them to practice is called “taking the medicine.”

From “and he speaks these words” through “you may take it” is the gate of exhortation; from “quickly remove your painful distress” through “have no further afflictions” is the gate of admonition. Through the two teachings of admonition and exhortation, beings are made to take the Dharma medicine.

Beginning with “among his children, those who have not lost their right minds” illustrates that the benefit taught above is real and not false. The preceding passage originally had two aspects: non-falsehood and the explanation of non-falsehood. Here the words “among his children, those who have not lost their right minds take the medicine and recover” illustrate that everything stated above is real and not false. No separate parable is given for the explanation of non-falsehood.

“Fahua Wenju, Fascicle Nine, Lower Half, ends here. Below begins Fascicle Ten, Upper Half, spoken by the Great Master Zhizhe of Tiantai.”

VII. The Remaining Children Who Have Lost Their Right Minds and the Announcement of Extinction

Beginning with “the remaining children who have lost their right minds” illustrates manifesting extinction without originally becoming extinct, as taught above. The preceding passage originally had two aspects: first, “before long I will die,” illustrating manifested extinction without originally becoming extinct; and second, the children’s awakening, illustrating the benefit produced by announcing extinction.

Again, the reason for announcing death lies in the children’s refusal to take the medicine. This illustrates the earlier teaching that people meager in qualities see the Buddha constantly present and consequently become still more arrogant and unrestrained.

The preceding explanation of manifested extinction had two levels: first, originally and truly not becoming extinct; second, announcing extinction without originally becoming extinct. It did not separately state the reason for manifested extinction, which was included within the benefit produced by announcing extinction. The parable now does not illustrate the first level, but explains the reason for manifested extinction: beings are meager in qualities, see the Buddha, and yet do not practice—just as the children refuse the medicine.

Beginning with “I will now devise” formally announces that the father must die, illustrating the announcement of extinction without originally becoming extinct. The explanation of his decline in age has two levels. First, he weighs whether departure or remaining is appropriate, illustrating the preceding point that constant presence causes harm while manifested extinction brings benefit. Second, beginning with “he then speaks these words,” he announces that he must die, directly illustrating manifested extinction as the conditions for transformation draw to an end.

“the time of death has arrived” means that he is about to enter nirvāṇa. He leaves the scriptural teaching in the world, and so says “I now leave this fine medicine here.” “again he goes to another country” means manifesting extinction in this land and manifesting birth in another. The preceding text’s “may he watch over and protect us from afar in another land” has precisely this meaning.

The phrase qianshi (“sending a messenger”) has been interpreted in several ways: some take the person who announces the news in a great voice in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra as the messenger, some take supernormal powers, some relics, and some the scriptural teaching. Here, however, bodhisattvas of the four reliances are taken as telling beings: the Buddha has entered extinction and left only this Dharma; I now proclaim and transmit it, and you should receive, uphold, and practice it. If later beings had no four reliances to transmit the scriptures and Dharma, how could they know by themselves that the Buddha had entered extinction? The four reliances are therefore taken as the messenger.

Second, beginning with “at that time the children,” the children awaken, illustrating the benefit produced by manifested extinction. The preceding passage originally had two aspects: first, explaining harm and benefit; second, explaining that harm and benefit. Only the acquisition of benefit is illustrated here.

Within this, beginning with “they consider themselves orphaned and exposed” explains the benefit obtained after the Buddha’s extinction, as with the kinds of people transformed by Upagupta. This is again twofold: first, the benefit of manifested extinction; second, capacity in the future. Because beings awaken after the Buddha’s extinction, take the medicine, and practice, they create the conditions capable of eliciting responsive transformation in the future. Thus the Sutra of the Buddha’s Bequeathed Teaching says “for those not yet liberated, create the conditions for liberation.” Some can elicit a vision in the present: the Sutra on the Practice of Contemplating the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra says “through diligent and arduous effort, one sees Śākyamuni’s divided bodies, Prabhūtaratna, Dongli, Shande, and the seven World-Honored Buddhas.”

Third, beginning with “the father hears that all his children have recovered” is the mighty power of benefiting beings in the future. When the father hears that the children have recovered, beings’ capacities jointly cause them to see him. Responsive transformation in the future thus arises, about to bestow both benefit through form and benefit through sound, as the sutra states.

Beginning with “good sons, what do you think?” restates the parable’s non-falsehood and explains that benefiting beings in all three periods is real and not false.

VIII. Applying the Parable

Beginning with “the Buddha says, I am also like this” explains the application of the parable.

“immeasurable kalpas since I attained buddhahood” applies to the past. “through the power of skillful means I say that I will enter extinction” applies to the present. The text abbreviates and does not apply the parable to the future. “nor can anyone say that I am false” applies to the real and unfailing benefit of beings.

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.

I. The Chapter Title and the Chapter’s Placement

The Buddha teaches the measure of his lifespan, and disciples of the past and present thereby gain various benefits; these are called “qualities.” Because the benefits differ in depth, the chapter is called “Distinguishing.”

This passage is the second division of prediction in the Origin Gate. The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra divides it into two classes: power of Dharma and power of practice.

The power of Dharma has five items. First is realization, second trust, and third offering, all three being in this chapter. Fourth is hearing the Dharma, as in “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.” Fifth is reading, reciting, upholding, and teaching: reading and reciting occur in “The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher”; upholding points back to “The Dharma Teacher,” “Peaceful Practices,” and “Exhortation to Uphold the Sutra”; teaching occurs in “The Supernormal Powers of the Tathāgata” and “Entrustment.”

The power of practice likewise has five items: the power of arduous practice, as in “The Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King”; teaching and transforming, as in “The Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound”; protection from difficulty, as in “The Universal Gateway of the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” and “Dhāraṇī”; displaying qualities, as in “The Former Affairs of King Wonderful-Adornment”; and protecting the Dharma, as in “The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Universally Worthy.”

II. Guangzhai’s Judgment

Guangzhai Fayun says: first, the gateway of qualities predicts the person’s present cause, the progress gained in practice; second, the gateway of wisdom predicts the future result, the reduction of further birth; third, the text explains initial resolve at the outer-ordinary stage. Prediction properly applies to both cause and result, so all three belong to prediction.

The people of the eight worlds who bring forth resolve below ought to have been listed first, because outer-ordinary beings hear this sutra, bring forth resolve, and abide in the thirty minds. Those in the thirty minds hear it, leave the inner-ordinary stage, ascend the first ground, and attain forbearance of the non-arising. Those on the first ground hear it, enter the second, and attain retention of what is heard. Those on the second ground hear it, enter the third, and attain joyful eloquence. Those on the third hear it, enter the fourth, and attain immeasurable revolving retention. Those on the fourth enter the fifth, called nonretrogression; those on the fifth enter the sixth, called the pure wheel. From the small-thousand world-system onward, predictions are made according to the gateway of reducing further birth.

At the seventh ground, delusion of ignorance has already begun to be eliminated. Delusion has nine grades that serve as causes for nine further births. Above the seventh ground, resultant recompense has no fixed term and is hard to determine, so one can speak only in terms of eliminating the nine grades of affliction. Afflictions have hundreds of thousands of myriads of kinds; here one kind is taken and divided into nine grades to establish the meaning. What is eliminated on the seventh ground is divided into upper and lower grades; what is eliminated on the tenth ground is likewise divided into upper and lower; and what is eliminated by the adamantine mind forms one grade. One on the sixth ground hears this sutra, ascends to the lower forbearance of the seventh, eliminates one grade, and has eight grades remaining as causes for eight births; the sutra therefore says that awakening will be attained after eight births. At the upper forbearance of the seventh ground another grade is eliminated, reducing two grades of birth and leaving seven grades as causes for seven births; awakening will be attained after seven births. Each stage likewise has upper and lower grades, and eliminating one grade reduces one birth. The sutra abbreviates, and so continues from the eighth ground down to four births. The remaining one birth is the dharma eliminated by the adamantine mind.

III. The Judgment of the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra and the Root Treatise’s Evaluation

The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says: those attaining forbearance of the non-arising should be understood as entering the realized wisdom of the first ground. Those who attain awakening after eight births down to one are ordinary beings certain to realize the first ground, taking births according to their respective shares until in one birth they realize awakening. “Awakening” here means leaving segmented birth and death in the three realms and seeing true suchness and buddha-nature in part. It does not mean ultimately complete awakening.

The present evaluation is this: the Treatise is deep first and shallow afterward, while Guangzhai is shallow first and deep afterward. The two oppose one another—who in the world can decide between them?

Forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas designates different stages in sutras and treatises. Kātyāyanīputra says that accomplishing five dharmas brings nonretrogression; this is the stage of a bodhisattva practicing the six perfections. A stream-enterer, whether described in terms of wisdom or severance as possessing a bodhisattva’s forbearance of the non-arising, belongs to the shared stages of the three vehicles. Attaining forbearance upon entering the first ground is a bodhisattva stage of the Separate Teaching. Attaining it upon entering the first abode is a bodhisattva stage of the Perfect Teaching. All are explicit passages in the sacred teachings and must not be mixed together.

The Vimalakīrti Sutra also says, “drawing near the unequaled and attaining forbearance of the non-arising,” while the Humane Kings Sutra says, “up to the adamantine summit all are called the forbearance of subjugation and also the forbearance of quiescent extinction.” These likely concern the Separate and Perfect teachings. Comparing ground with ground is a general mode of expression and cannot be applied rigidly.

Guangzhai makes initial resolve an inner-ordinary stage and the thirty minds forbearance of the non-arising, which he makes the first ground. These are all names and teachings of the Separate tradition, not gateways of the Shared Teaching. He calls the first through sixth grounds the gateway of qualities; the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra calls these conditioned and contaminated and names them the śrāvaka-saṅgha, which is a Shared-Teaching meaning. As to eliminating the causes of nine births at and above the seventh ground—who among those who enter a stage in either Lesser or Great Vehicle does not eliminate delusion? This does not suffice as a judgment. If the seventh ground eliminates ignorance, that is neither Shared nor Separate but the meaning of the Separate Teaching receiving the Shared. Guangzhai’s account drifts without anchorage and does not accord with this sutra.

Vasubandhu makes initial resolve forbearance of the non-arising, and says that from eight births down to one, ordinary beings certainly exhaust resultant birth, enter the first ground, and attain forbearance of the non-arising. This relies exclusively on the Separate meaning and likewise does not accord with this sutra.

IV. The Chapter’s Three Divisions and Their Correspondence to Perfect-Teaching Stages

The chapter is now divided into three: first, the sutra compiler’s general introduction; second, the Tathāgata’s distinctions; third, the offering by the assembly.

The general introduction is as stated in the sutra.

As for distinguishing: the Buddha’s words are perfect and wondrous and cannot be explained by provisional stages. Earlier the sutra spoke of opening, showing, awakening to, and entering the Buddha’s knowledge and vision. Here in the Origin Gate, increasing the path and reducing birth are likewise explained according to the stages of the Perfect Teaching.

Those in the eight worlds below who bring forth resolve have purified the six faculties and first enter the ten trusts. Thus the Humane Kings Sutra says, “bodhisattvas practicing the ten wholesome acts bring forth the great mind and forever leave the sea of the wheel of suffering in the three realms.” Those who attain forbearance of the non-arising enter the ten abodes. Thus the Flower Garland Sutra says, “at the abode of initial resolve, bringing forth one is bringing forth all; one attains the Tathāgata’s one body and immeasurable bodies, the pure and wondrous Dharma body, serenely responding to all.” Those who attain the dhāraṇī of retaining what is heard enter the ten practices. Those who attain joyful eloquence enter the ten dedications. Those who attain immeasurable revolving dhāraṇī enter the first ground. Those attaining nonretrogression enter the second; those attaining purity enter the third. Eight births means entry into the fourth ground, seven the fifth, six the sixth, five the seventh, four the eighth, three the ninth, two the tenth, and one birth entry into the adamantine mind of equal awakening.

In speaking of increasing the path and reducing birth, neither Guangzhai’s elimination of the cause of further birth nor Vasubandhu’s elimination of resultant birth is adopted. Increase is discussed only in relation to the quality of wisdom and reduction in relation to the quality of severance; birth in relation to the Dharma body and extinction in relation to ignorance.

It is like the moon simile in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra: from the first through the fifteenth day, the light and color gradually increase; from the sixteenth through the thirtieth, they gradually decrease. Increase and decrease are discussed in relation to the single whole of the moon, just as wisdom and severance are discussed in relation to the Dharma body.

There may also be eight advances by one person in one time, or one lifetime, eight lifetimes, or immeasurable lifetimes; one thought, eight thoughts, or immeasurable thoughts; or a number of dust particles. The same applies to people. The meaning therefore cannot be confined through either the cause or the result of birth, nor can it be explained apart from wisdom and severance.

Those who attain the Way in the Origin Gate are many times more numerous than in the other sutras. Not only are the people numerous; the period of their cultivation and permeation is distant and long. From the Origin, responsive traces were extended downward and beings taught and guided everywhere. In the intervening period they met the Buddha repeatedly and matured time after time. In this lifetime they were regulated stage by stage through the five flavors, then gathered and brought into the Lotus. It is like farmers sowing in spring and growing crops in summer, plowing and weeding; when autumn harvest and winter storage arrive, they reap everything at once. Those who attain the Way only after the Lotus are like gathering leftover ears after the harvest.

V. The Offering by the Assembly

Third is the offering by the assembly. Hearing the profound and distant Dharma and gaining great benefit, the assembly wishes to repay the Buddha’s kindness and establishes offerings. This also entrusts understanding to an event in order to express it.

In the preceding Trace Gate, the bodhisattvas had awakened but the great matter was not complete, and so they did not state their understanding. Once the Origin Gate had been fully taught, Maitreya expressed the understanding of all, explaining that the bodhisattvas held banners and canopies that rose in sequence to the Brahmā heaven.

A banner means turning, a canopy means covering, earth means beginning, and Brahmā means pure. Wisdom and severance turn again and again; kindness and compassion cover again and again. High and low, deep and shallow, do not lose their sequence. Their reaching the Brahmā heaven expresses the bodhisattvas’ increasing the path and reducing birth, approaching wondrous awakening, and reaching utmost purity. If Vasubandhu’s explanation yields only one turn of attaining the first ground, how could it accord with this passage?

VI. The Nineteen Lines of Verse and the Southern and Northern Masters

The verse has nineteen lines divided into three: the first two recapitulate the assembly’s attainment of understanding; the next nine recapitulate the Tathāgata’s distinctions; the final eight recapitulate the assembly’s offerings.

The phrase “attain immeasurable, uncontaminated, pure fruit and recompense” says “immeasurable” to distinguish it from the measured attainments of the two vehicles; “pure” because it is elicited by a wondrous cause; and “fruit and recompense” because it is a land without obstruction, unlike the two vehicles, which have no such recompense.

The phrase “hearing that the Buddha’s lifespan is immeasurable” has already established the judgment “immeasurable.” How could an old explanation still make it measured?

The southern masters assign the prose after the verse to the circulation division, citing the earlier Trace Gate where Mañjuśrī’s teaching in the present likewise counts as circulation. The northern masters assign the four-trust disciples who hear the sutra in the present to the main discourse, and begin circulation only with “again, after the Tathāgata’s extinction.” Both accounts can be used; here the southern is provisionally followed.

VII. Dividing the Eleven and a Half Chapters After the Verse and Explaining Their Sequence

The eleven and a half chapters beginning after the verse divide into two parts. First, from here through “The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging,” they explain the profound qualities of propagating the sutra and exhort its circulation. Second, the eight chapters beginning with “The Supernormal Powers of the Tathāgata” entrust and circulate it. Each part again has three levels.

This half chapter and “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance” explain the qualities of the cause belonging to the first grade and exhort circulation. Second, beginning with “The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher,” the text explains the qualities of the result belonging to the first grade and exhorts circulation. “The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging” adduces the wrongdoing and blessing of accepting with trust or slandering as proof that exhorts circulation. Among the latter three divisions, “The Supernormal Powers of the Tathāgata” and “Entrustment” are the circulation of entrustment. The five chapters beginning with “The Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King” exhort circulation in terms of transforming others. “The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Universally Worthy” exhorts circulation in terms of one’s own practice.

As for the sequence: those hearing the sutra in the present gain the two benefits of true and semblant understanding described above. If one merely hears a sentence and rejoices, the qualities are measured as with the four present trusts. Since no buddha will be present in the future, some might fear that the blessing is slight; the qualities of the five grades after extinction are therefore taught. Because the qualities of the cause are subtle and hidden, unlike the qualities of the result, which are evident, “The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher” is taught. Because naming both cause and result is less clear than adducing proof, “The Bodhisattva Never Disparaging” is taught. Because adducing a person of the past is less effective than manifesting a transformation on the spot, “The Supernormal Powers of the Tathāgata” is taught. Because manifesting supernormal power is less effective than placing the hand on their crowns and entrusting the teaching, “Entrustment” is taught. Because a general entrustment is less effective than showing the essential method—abandoning body and life to preserve the right Way—“The Former Affairs of the Bodhisattva Medicine King” is taught. Because admonishing the one who transforms is less effective than admonishing those transformed and teaching them to regard the place where they hear the Dharma as the Buddha, “The Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound” and “The Universal Gateway of the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” are taught. If a person of initial resolve propagates the sutra but lacks supernormal power, that person should rely on internal precepts; “Dhāraṇī” is therefore taught. External protection is also needed, so “The Former Affairs of King Wonderful-Adornment” and “The Encouragement of the Bodhisattva Universally Worthy” are taught. In this way they follow and overlap, enabling the great Dharma to circulate widely.

VIII. The First of the Four Present Trusts: A Single Thought of Trust and Understanding

The prose after the verse divides into two: first the four present trusts; second the five grades after extinction.

What are the four trusts? Three people briefly understand, two teach extensively, one accomplishes contemplation, and trust pervades all four; hence they are called four trusts. They are: first, a single thought of trust and understanding, not yet able to expound for others; second, briefly understanding the intent of the words; third, teaching widely to others; fourth, deep trust with contemplative practice accomplished.

The first thought of trust and understanding has prose and verse. The prose has three levels: first, identifying and indicating the person; second, explaining the qualities; third, nonretrogression in stage and practice.

A single thought of trust and understanding means suddenly becoming clear wherever one hears, entering according to the words without any obstruction; trusting that all dharmas are the Buddha-Dharma and that the Buddha-Dharma is not cut off from any dharma; attaining neither Buddha-Dharma nor any dharma, yet seeing every dharma and seeing Buddha-Dharma; the one being three and the three being one. This is practicing what is not the Way and penetrating the Buddha Way, practicing the Buddha Way and penetrating every way; attaining neither Buddha Way nor every way, yet penetrating both. Having nothing yet having; having yet having nothing; neither having nor not having. It is like the road before the gate, open in every direction—east, west, south, and north—broadly without obstruction. Everything encountered by eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind is likewise.

To have no doubt is called trust; to understand clearly is called understanding. This is the mind of a single thought of trust and understanding.

If one sits quietly in contemplation and suddenly awakens wherever one contemplates, penetrating the three truths, the same applies. Such trust and understanding are called the iron-wheel stage. Another explanation says this is not yet the complete iron wheel but the initial mind of the ten trusts; the person has not yet purified the six faculties and therefore is not at the proper iron-wheel stage.

Next is the measure. It first states generally that the qualities are immeasurable, then measures how much. The measure has two levels. First, the five perfections are adduced as the standard—prajñā is the proper wisdom explained here and is therefore “excluded from the reckoning.”

Question: apart from prajñā, the other five cannot be called perfections.

Answer: because all are carried to the limit—giving, precepts, and the rest—for the sake of seeking buddha-wisdom, they can also be called perfections. This is a sequential meaning.

Beginning with “with such qualities” is the second level, formally measuring how much. Beginning with “if a good man” is the third, explaining nonretrogression in stage and practice. In the Separate Teaching, the sixth mind can still retreat and only the seventh is nonretrogressing; in the Perfect Teaching, the mind of the first abode is already nonretrogressing. The qualities of hearing the lifespan assist from without, while perfect and concordant trust and understanding permeate from within; therefore one does not retreat. The Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says, “some bodhisattvas retreat and some do not.” Whether there is Māra or no Māra has this same meaning.

The verse has nineteen and a half lines. The first twelve recapitulate the measure; the next two retrospectively recapitulate the person’s practice; the final five and a half recapitulate nonretrogression in practice and stage. “practicing the Way for immeasurable kalpas” means long cultivation of the perfections. “may I in the future” means bringing forth a vow of kindness and compassion. Through the power of vows cultivated over a long time, one hears this sutra and gives rise to trust and understanding. A person at this first grade who hears the sutra for the first time and gives rise to a single thought of trust and understanding has qualities equal to or even surpassing that long cultivation.

IX. The Second Through Fourth of the Four Present Trusts

The passage beginning “again, Ajita, hearing that the Buddha’s lifespan is long” is the second grade. The preceding person has only trust and understanding and cannot yet expound. Teaching involves names and numbers and requires skillful language. This grade possesses these and therefore explains for others. It takes its name from what is superior and is called the second grade. Through the power of teaching, it can give rise to unsurpassed wisdom in oneself and others. The passage first identifies the person’s practice and then gives the measure.

Beginning with “how much more one who extensively hears this sutra” is the third grade: extensively hearing, understanding, teaching for others, and cultivating offerings. Offerings assist from without so that inward wisdom quickly enters and can give rise to the knowledge of all modes. The text first states the person’s practice and then gives the measure.

Beginning with “Ajita” is the fourth. This person possesses the preceding three grades and adds contemplative practice—entering meditation and applying wisdom until contemplation is accomplished and its object appears. The person can see the appearances of both the land of expedient means with remainder and the land of true recompense. “seeing the Buddha and the bhikṣu-saṅgha constantly abiding on Vulture Peak” is the appearance of the land of expedient means with remainder. “also seeing the Sahā world filled solely with bodhisattvas” is the appearance of the land of true recompense.

The first two grades belong to wisdom born of hearing; extensive hearing and teaching belong to wisdom born of reflection; contemplative appearance accomplished belongs to wisdom born of cultivation. Proceeding from shallow to deep, these accomplish the ten-trust stage of purification of the six faculties.

X. The Five Grades After Extinction

Beginning with “again, after the Tathāgata’s extinction” explains the five grades. The text divides in two: first it lists the five grades and measures the latter four; afterward the single grade of joyful acceptance measures the first.

Question: why is it arranged this way?

Answer: the latter four grades receive a summary measure; the first receives an extensive measure. Once the extensive measure has been given, what is more excellent can be inferred by analogy and the Buddha need not expend many words. Such is the skill of the teaching.

The five grades are: first, directly giving rise to a mind of rejoicing; second, adding one’s own accepting, upholding, reading, and reciting; third, adding encouragement for others to accept, uphold, read, and recite; fourth, adding the auxiliary practice of the six perfections; fifth, adding the proper practice of the six perfections.

In general, all five kinds of people practice for themselves while also transforming others, for the passage below speaks of “fifty people teaching one another in succession.” Because all practice for themselves, all are generally called disciples; because all transform others, all are generally called Dharma teachers. Specifically, the first two only practice for themselves, while the latter three fully transform others. The title Dharma teacher is assigned looking forward and belongs to the latter three, not to all five. Because personal practice applies to all five, all are called disciples.

The first grade only identifies the person; its measure is explained later. Beginning with “how much more” is the second grade, selecting from among them one able to accept, uphold, read, and recite; the person is easily understood. Beginning with “this person bears upon the crown” is the measure.

A person of initial resolve fears that agitation by external conditions will obstruct the cultivation of proper practice and therefore upholds and recites this sutra exclusively. This is the highest offering—discarding material acts and preserving principle—and brings immense benefit. When a later mind’s contemplation of principle has matured, involvement in external affairs does not obstruct the inward; material acts assist the Way, like abundant oil making a fire fierce or raising a sail while moving downstream. Added effort makes the momentum suddenly swift.

Point to the sutra text: it is itself the relic of the Dharma body, so there is no need separately to install relics of the birth-body. Written words are what express, and what they express is the stūpa, so no material stūpa is needed. The sutra can contain the saṅgha of ultimate meaning, so there is no need to await a saṅgha of outward marks.

Question: if so, upholding the sutra is the precept of ultimate meaning. Why does the text also speak of “one able to uphold the precepts”?

Answer: this explains the meaning of the first grade and should not be challenged with a later grade. If an explanation is required, upholding the sutra is the precept that accords with principle and naturally upholds the first and second divisions. “Able to uphold the precepts” here means that there is no deficiency in material observances from the third division downward.

The third grade is a person also able to teach others. The text first identifies the person; beginning with “erecting” is the measure. Beginning with “how much more if there is a person” is the fourth grade, a person also able to practice the six perfections as auxiliaries. The person is identified first; beginning with “that person’s qualities are most excellent” is the measure. Beginning with “if a person reads and recites” is the fifth grade, a person also able properly to practice the six perfections. The person is identified first; beginning with “if after my extinction” is the measure.

To summarize the five grades: the first three people belong to wisdom born of hearing, auxiliary practice of the six perfections belongs to wisdom born of reflection, and proper practice of the six belongs to wisdom born of cultivation. All remain before the ten trusts. Some also say that the first “Qualities of Joyful Acceptance” grade enters the stage of the mind of trust; dividing one grade into two minds, the five grades become the ten minds of trust, the iron-wheel stage of purification of the six faculties.

XI. The Nineteen and a Half Lines of Verse Recapitulating the Five Grades

The verse has nineteen and a half lines. The first five and a half recapitulate the second grade; the next three beginning with “if one can uphold” recapitulate the third; the four beginning with “if there is trust and understanding” recapitulate the fourth; and the next seven beginning with “reverently” recapitulate the fifth.

The phrase “give rise to the thought of that person as a buddha” initially names the person a Tathāgata on the basis of the person. “before long proceed to the tree of the Way” means that the person’s stage is the iron wheel and that the copper wheel will soon be entered, enabling the manifestation of buddhahood through the eight marks. “already proceeding to the site of awakening” states the place of practice; “complete awakening” states the place drawn near.

This fifth grade and the fourth trust are equal in both belonging to wisdom born of cultivation. In terms of the stage entered, both likewise belong to purification of the six faculties. They differ only in the Buddha’s presence in the world and the period after his extinction.

I. Acceptance and Joy

We now explain “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

“acceptance” means conforming to events and principle, with no duality or difference in what is followed. “joy” means rejoicing for oneself and for others. On hearing the profound Dharma, conforming to principle brings real qualities and conforming to events provisional qualities. Rejoicing for oneself means possessing wisdom; rejoicing for others means holding compassion toward them. Because provisional and real, wisdom and severance, are combined in the explanation, the chapter is called “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

To elaborate on conforming to principle: hearing that the Buddha’s Origin is profound and ever more profound, one trusts, accepts, and follows without opposition, without the least doubt or obstruction. To elaborate on conforming to events: hearing that the Buddha benefits beings throughout past, present, and future and that his transforming benefit pervades every place horizontally and vertically, one likewise has not the least doubt or obstruction. Through vast events one penetrates profound principle, and through profound principle one penetrates vast events. Originally nondual, they can nevertheless be spoken of as two; originally undifferentiated, they can nevertheless be distinguished. Though spoken of as two and differentiated, ultimately they remain nondual and undifferentiated. Trusting and understanding in this way is called acceptance.

For more than forty years after appearing in the world, the Tathāgata had not yet revealed the real or told the seven kinds of skillful-means practitioners the true truth. Now one can rejoice for oneself and others, equating an ordinary person’s mind with what the Buddha knows and one’s own produced eye with the Tathāgata’s vision. This knowledge and vision exhausts the Dharma realm, vast without shore or bottom. It is unequaled, equal to the Unequaled, and surpassed by no dharma. The Buddha now teaches this Dharma meaning and I now hear it; therefore the chapter is called “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

II. Why the Fiftieth Person Reveals the Qualities of the Initial Mind

The person at the fiftieth point of successive transmission is the very beginning of the first grade. This beginning has only a single thought of understanding and a single thought of rejoicing for oneself and others. It has no outward practice yet, nor has its benefit reached others. Yet the qualities gained, disclosed through the Tathāgata’s skillfully established simile, surpass those beyond training. If even the fiftieth person is so, how much more the first person who hears directly in the assembly, those who have reached the second, third, fourth, and fifth grades, and those who enter the stages from the ten abodes and ten practices through the later mind? Who could hear of such profound and wondrous qualities without admiring and aspiring to them? The Tathāgata teaches this so that beings will honor and aspire; therefore the chapter is called “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

The preceding text repeatedly praised the qualities of accepting and upholding the sutra. The assembly thought that one must enter the real causal stage to accomplish such qualities and therefore regarded the very beginning of the initial mind as slight and weak. Suddenly they hear that while the Haojian tree remains underground, its shoot already measures a hundred spans, and that while the kalaviṅka remains in the shell, its voice already surpasses all other birds. The assembly finds this rare and extraordinary, and its disparagement and doubt toward the initial mind are removed; therefore the chapter is called “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

Although outsiders who attain five supernormal powers can move mountains and exhaust seas, they cannot subdue the delusions of views and craving and do not equal a person at the stage of warmth. Though those beyond training in the two vehicles are liberated in both seed and fruit, they remain bound by nirvāṇa and do not know that their causes and fruits are provisional. Though those of the Shared Teaching skillfully cultivate the cause, at initial resolve they do not recognize the five hundred yojanas and at realization eliminate only the four abiding delusions. Though those of the Separate Teaching surpass the two vehicles, their cultivation of the cause remains one-sided and their gateway clumsy, and is not praised by the Buddha. None equals the person of initial joyful acceptance. The Buddha now adduces the first letter “A” to compare with the final letter “Cha”; both surpass the various teachings. Therefore the chapter is called “The Qualities of Joyful Acceptance.”

III. Joyful Acceptance in the Great Prajñāpāramitā and This Chapter’s Question and Answer

Someone asks: how does the joyful acceptance here relate to the joyful acceptance taught in the Great Prajñāpāramitā?

Answer: here the Dharma is adduced; there the person is adduced. Person and Dharma are mutually adduced.

This chapter’s sutra text has a question and an answer, each in prose and verse. The preceding chapter already measured the latter four kinds of people but did not discuss the first. Maitreya therefore follows the capacities of the time, asks about this level, and draws its meaning out. Such is the sutra text.

The Buddha’s answer divides into two: first, answering concerning a person of inward joyful acceptance; second, directly explaining a person who hears the Dharma outwardly. The first part again has five topics: teaching one another in succession; the foundational event used for measurement; the Buddha’s question; Maitreya’s answer; and the formal measure. The number and order of all five follow the sutra text, and question and answer each retain their place.

IV. Two Ancient Explanations of the Fifty People and the Root Treatise’s Calculations

The southern explanation divides the fifty people into three: first, each later person is successively superior to the previous one; second, later and previous are equal; third, each later person is successively inferior. A succession of increasingly superior people is hard to find; an equal succession is likewise rare; a gradually inferior succession is closer to the sutra. Measuring with the inferior final person can inversely reveal the qualities of the equal people in the middle and the superior ones before them.

The northern explanation says that one at wondrous awakening first teaches a person of the tenth ground, the person of the tenth ground then teaches one of the ninth, and so on in succession until the ten trusts; the final person is used to measure the first.

The root treatise considers this incorrect. The Buddha clearly says that the first person of the first grade hears Dharma in the assembly, after which one person transmits to another, teaching each other in succession until the fiftieth, and the last measures the first. The final point of transmission is not the beginning of the ten trusts, nor is the first point the end of wondrous awakening. Why adopt such an explanation? Though it raises the stages very high, it does not accord with the sutra’s intent.

The root treatise establishes two other calculations. The first counts horizontally through the fourfold assemblies of the various teachings; the second counts directly through the Perfect Teaching.

In the first, the Tripiṭaka Teaching has four gateways. Each has the fourfold assembly, with male and female novices distinguished to make six people. Six under each of four gateways gives twenty-four. Divided further according to practice through trust and practice through Dharma, they make forty-eight; adding the first and last gives fifty. The four gateways of the Shared and Separate teachings are counted in the same way.

The second calculation directly follows the Perfect gateway. Its components are the lesser seven and greater seven; the greater seven has seven groups of seven, making forty-nine. These are teachers and disciples who possess the qualities of personal practice and teaching others. Only the final person understands personally without possessing the quality of teaching others. The lowest person is therefore used for the measure to reveal the qualities of those above.

V. Measuring from Worldly Pleasure to the Blessing of Initial Joyful Acceptance

The measure first speaks of giving worldly pleasure and removing the suffering of resultant recompense, then giving the pleasure of nirvāṇa and removing the suffering of birth and death. This briefly indicates Brahmā blessing; it is now explained extensively.

The blessing of all people filling Jambudvīpa does not equal that of one person in Aparagodānīya. The blessing of all people filling Aparagodānīya does not equal that of one person in Pūrvavideha. The blessing of all people filling three continents does not equal that of one person in Uttarakuru. The blessing of all people filling the four continents does not equal that of one of the Four Great Kings. Their blessing does not equal that of one Śakra. Proceeding thus through the sixth heaven still does not equal one Brahmā blessing.

Brahmā blessing has two kinds: meditative and dispersed. Dispersed blessing has four forms: building a stūpa where none exists; repairing a damaged stūpa; harmonizing the saṅgha and requesting it to turn the Dharma wheel; and reuniting a dispersed saṅgha. These four blessings equal the blessing of the Brahmā heaven and are therefore called Brahmā blessings.

Noble blessing is the blessing of an arhat dwelling in the final body and attaining nirvāṇa with remainder. There are also people of the three vehicles who embody dharmas, together study non-arising, and exhaust afflictions, like burning wood into charcoal. There is also the noble blessing of a sattva: personal practice and transformation of others both eliminate afflictions through the path without words and enter nirvāṇa without remainder. There is also the blessing of a sattva: beginning with initial resolve, one progressively transforms others so that they enter great nirvāṇa.

Measured level by level: Brahmā blessing does not equal noble blessing; noble blessing does not equal the blessing of nobles who embody dharmas; that does not equal the blessing of a lesser sattva; the lesser sattva’s does not equal the greater sattva’s; and the greater sattva’s does not equal the blessing of initial joyful acceptance on hearing the Lotus Sutra. Why? Because the preceding are not Buddha-Dharma, not real, and not perfect. Though one may already dwell in a later fruit, it still does not equal the initial mind here. Such is the meaning of this passage.

VI. The Private Record’s Fifty Qualities and the Qualities of the Six Faculties

The private record considers the qualities gained by encouraging another to hear the Dharma—from being born in the same place as a dhāraṇī bodhisattva through possessing the complete human marks—to total fifty. If each quality is treated as a person’s designation, fifty people can likewise be counted. Yet the fifty above concern inward understanding and joyful acceptance; these concern only outward acts. This is their difference.

This sutra passage also has qualities of the six faculties. Sharp faculties and wisdom are qualities of mind; not being mute, of tongue; a long, high, straight nose, of nose; seeing the Buddha, of eye; hearing the Dharma, of ear; all the rest listed, of body. The preceding passage concerns qualities at the semblant stage; this one concerns qualities before the semblant stage.

The passage on hearing the sutra has four topics: first, personally going; second, yielding a seat; third, encouraging another to go; fourth, hearing fully and practicing as taught. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

VII. Eighteen Lines of Verse

The verse has eighteen lines divided in two. The first nine recapitulate joyful acceptance. Beginning with “if there is one who encourages,” the second nine recapitulate hearing the sutra.

The nine on joyful acceptance again divide into three. First, the initial line and a half recapitulate the fiftieth person. Second, the five and a half lines beginning with “the final person” recapitulate the foundational event used for measurement. Third, the two lines beginning with “the final” recapitulate the formal measure. The verse abbreviates what it does not recapitulate because the blessings are exceedingly numerous.

The latter nine on hearing the sutra differ slightly in sequence from the prose and divide into four. First, the initial five lines leap over the preceding topic and recapitulate encouraging another to hear. Second, the two lines beginning with “if one intentionally goes” return and retrospectively recapitulate personally going to hear. Third, the one line beginning with “if at a place where Dharma is taught” recapitulates yielding a seat. Fourth, the one line beginning with “how much more” recapitulates practicing as taught. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

I. Dharma Teacher, Qualities, and Two Kinds of Inward and Outward Adornment

The meaning of “Dharma teacher” was explained above. As for “qualities,” the preceding chapter taught the first qualities at the beginning of the first grade; the present chapter teaches the qualities of purification of the six faculties above the five grades.

Inward and outward adornment have a first explanation. Purification of the five faculties of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body is called outward adornment; purification of mind is called inward adornment.

There is also another explanation. All forms and images passing back and forth from hell upward through buddhahood appear within one’s own body; this is called inward adornment. The same forms and images from hell through buddhahood are manifested outward by means of the samādhi of universal manifestation; this is called outward adornment. Since the body faculty is so, the other five faculties are likewise.

Since reading and reciting the sutra can have such qualities, the other kinds of Dharma teacher—receiving and upholding, explaining, and copying—are likewise. Since the first grade is so, the other four grades are all the more so. Since the semblant stage is so, the stage of partial realization is twice as excellent.

When practitioners hear of these beneficial qualities, their joy becomes irrepressible. They seek them diligently without weariness, while both faith and vigor increase twofold. They thereby clearly understand the vast power of the Great Vehicle and decisively eliminate the net of doubt. The very beginning at which semblant understanding first arises already surpasses the utmost point reachable by the two vehicles hundreds of thousands of myriads of times. By pointing from the beginning toward the end, they can understand in advance that the ultimate truth is inconceivable. Because the present chapter possesses these four meanings, it is called “The Qualities of the Dharma Teacher.”

II. Guangzhai’s and Another Master’s Counts of Qualities

Next come the qualities of the six faculties. Guangzhai explains:

“The three karmas of body, speech, and mind accord with the ten wholesome actions; each wholesome action again contains ten wholesome actions, making one hundred. Personal practice, transforming others, joyful acceptance, and praise together make four hundred. In terms of the five kinds of Dharma teacher—receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, explaining, and copying—they make two thousand; dividing these further into three grades gives six thousand qualities. The functions of three faculties in this land are weaker, so their original numbers are reduced to eight hundred. The functions of the other three are stronger, so they are increased to twelve hundred. Increase and reduction together still total six thousand.”

Another person gives the same numbers as Guangzhai: eight hundred in the lower grade, one thousand in the middle, and twelve hundred in the higher.

Yet these one-sided explanations of the various masters accord neither with the present sutra nor with other sutras and treatises.

The Great Prajñāpāramitā says: “Because form is pure, prajñā is pure; because prajñā is pure, form is pure. Because form is pure, the five faculties are pure; because prajñā is pure, the mind faculty is pure.” If the six faculties are originally equal, how can they be judged as three grades—higher, middle, and lower—or divided into stronger and weaker functions? Can one say that one faculty is strong while another is not, one pure while another is impure, or one of the higher grade while the rest are not? 〔The remaining challenges are abbreviated.〕

The True Dharma Lotus possesses the full six thousand qualities without dividing them into higher, middle, and lower grades. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says: “Ordinary beings obtain extraordinary faculty-functions through the power of the scripture. Although they have not yet entered the first ground, with the physical eye born of their parents they can see within and beyond the great trichiliocosm.”

The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra says: “With only one faculty, the Tathāgata can see forms, hear sounds, smell fragrances, distinguish flavors, feel objects of touch, and know dharmas.”

When the present sutra teaches purification of the six faculties, it agrees with the Great Prajñāpāramitā. When it says that these qualities adorn the six faculties, it agrees with the True Dharma Lotus. When it says that the nose faculty can see form, hear sound, feel, and know, it agrees with the Nirvāṇa Sutra. When it says that the physical eye also has the functions of the divine eye, wisdom-eye, Dharma-eye, and buddha-eye, it agrees with the Treatise on the Lotus Sutra. Since the words and meanings of the sutras and treatises are so, narrow and one-sided views cannot be used to suppress the correct sutra.

III. Two Explanations of Six Thousand and Twelve Hundred

The proper explanation should now be given.

Although Guangzhai’s count reaches the total, its distribution among the six faculties does not follow the sutra. According to the peaceful practices of the three karmas, there are ten wholesome actions. Each contains another ten, making one hundred wholesome actions; each wholesome action further possesses the ten suchnesses, making one thousand. In terms of guiding others, these become two thousand; in terms of the three—the Tathāgata’s room, robe, and seat—they become six thousand.

Each of the five kinds of Dharma teacher—receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, explaining, and copying—fully possesses purification of the six faculties. Each of the six faculties has one thousand qualities.

There is another possible explanation. One mind fully possesses the ten dharma-realms, and each realm has the ten suchnesses, making one hundred. Each faculty universally apprehends the six sense-objects—form, sound, fragrance, flavor, touch, and dharmas—making six hundred. In terms of the two adornments of meditative stability and wisdom, these become twelve hundred. Because every faculty is adorned by both meditative stability and wisdom, every faculty likewise has twelve hundred qualities.

IV. Purity Is Not a Matter of Quantity; Only Adornment Speaks of Fullness and Contraction

If one discusses only purification of the six faculties, purity itself does not say that the qualities are few or many. Only when adornment is discussed can one speak of the capacities for fullness, contraction, and equality.

Equal adornment means that each faculty possesses six thousand. Saying twelve hundred discloses that faculty-function can expand; saying eight hundred discloses that it can contract. If only purity is stated, there is no fullness, contraction, or measurable equality. The six faculties can function through one another; their functions are free and inconceivable.

If one takes a single number one-sidedly as a fixed judgment, one loses the meaning of this passage.

These are qualities of the semblant stage. According to the four wheels, it is the iron-wheel stage. According to the fifty-two stages, it is the mind of the ten trusts. According to the Sutra for Humane Kings, it is the great mind of the ten wholesome actions. As addressed here to the bodhisattva Ever Diligent, it is the third mind of the ten trusts. Although the sutras use different names, all belong to the semblant stage of the Perfect Teaching.

V. General Outline of the Six Sections on the Six Faculties

The following sutra text has two parts: first, a general list of the quantities disclosing the capacities for fullness and contraction in the qualities of the six faculties; second, separate explanations in six sections on eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind. Each of the six sections has prose and verse.

VI. The Eye Faculty: Still the Physical Eye, Yet Possessing the Functions of All Five Eyes

The section on the eye says that because this eye is born of one’s parents it is called the physical eye, yet the range it can see already exceeds the divine eye.

Within the world under his rule, Brahmā’s divine eye gained through karmic recompense can see throughout one great trichiliocosm. Outside that trichiliocosm, the wind-circle obstructs his visual power, so he cannot see beyond it. If Brahmā goes to another world, he again cannot see throughout that trichiliocosm, because it lies outside the domain he rules.

A lesser arhat can see a small chiliocosm, a greater arhat a great trichiliocosm, and a pratyekabuddha a hundred buddha-worlds. They are not obstructed by the wind-circle and have no barrier between their own and other worlds.

Since the eye faculty taught in the Lotus Sutra can see within and beyond the great trichiliocosm, it would seem to be a divine eye. Why is it still called the physical eye?

The answer is that this is the faculty-function gained at the semblant stage of the Perfect Teaching. Through the power of the scripture, the physical eye possesses extraordinary function; yet because true realization has not arisen, it cannot be called the divine eye and remains named the physical eye. In the same way, before those at the skillful-means stages of the Lesser Vehicle obtain supernormal powers, their eye cannot be called divine. This body remains a body in segmented birth and death and is therefore called born of one’s parents.

Although named the physical eye, it possesses the functions of all five eyes. Seeing within and beyond the great trichiliocosm is the function of the divine eye. Seeing all beings and the causes and conditions of their karma is the function of the Dharma-eye. The eye’s extreme purity is the function of the wisdom-eye. Seeing within and beyond the great trichiliocosm at one time, seeing differentiated karma and purified objects, and perfectly subduing the delusions above the dharma-realm are functions of the buddha-eye.

The Great Nirvāṇa Sutra says: “Although it still has a physical eye, it is also called a buddha-eye.” Because it has the function of the buddha-eye, it is called pure; because it also possesses the functions of the five eyes, it is called adorned. Since it can expand and contract, it is called extraordinary faculty-function and mastery of the faculty. How can it be understood only as the numbers eight hundred or twelve hundred?

VII. The Ear Faculty: Two Explanations Each Correlated with the Five Ears

The section on the ear says that it can universally hear the sounds of the ten dharma-realms within and beyond the great trichiliocosm.

One interpretation is keyed to the objects heard. Hearing the sounds of the six destinies is the function of the physical and divine ears; hearing the sounds of the two vehicles is the function of the wisdom-ear; hearing bodhisattvas is the function of the Dharma-ear; and hearing buddhas is the function of the buddha-ear.

The other interpretation is keyed to the function that hears. Being born of one’s parents is the physical ear; hearing within and beyond the great trichiliocosm is the divine ear; hearing sounds without defilement or attachment is the wisdom-ear; distinguishing sounds without error is the Dharma-ear; and mutually hearing all sounds at once is the buddha-ear.

The ear can then be used to infer the eye in return, for the eye is likewise. Seeing humans and devas belongs to the physical and divine eyes; seeing the two vehicles to the wisdom-eye; seeing bodhisattvas to the Dharma-eye; and seeing buddhas to the buddha-eye. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

VIII. The Nose Faculty: Smelling Fragrances While Possessing the Functions of the Other Five Faculties

The section on the nose is explained in the same way. Being born of one’s parents is the physical nose; knowing within and beyond the great trichiliocosm is the divine nose; freedom from defilement and attachment is the wisdom-nose; distinguishing without error is the Dharma-nose; and interfunctioning at one time is the buddha-nose.

This section also specifically explains interfunctioning of the six faculties.

From fragrance, the nose can know what is good or bad and distinguish noble from base, and can know the many adornments of heavenly palaces; the nose faculty therefore has the function of the eye.

When someone is reading the sutra or teaching Dharma for others, the nose faculty can know this by smelling the fragrance; it therefore has the function of the ear.

From fragrance, the nose faculty can know various trees, flowers, fruits, clarified butter, and oil; it therefore has the function of the tongue.

The nose faculty can know when beings enter and emerge from meditation. Meditation has eight objects of touch, while enjoyment and play among the five desires also belong to touch; the nose therefore has the function of the body.

The nose faculty can also know minds defiled by desire, delusion, and anger, and can know people cultivating wholesome dharmas; it therefore has the function of mind.

The nose faculty has mastery and such extraordinary functions; the other five faculties can be inferred in the same way.

IX. The Tongue Faculty: Bitter Flavor Becomes Excellent—Why Does Form Not Change Likewise?

The section on the tongue is likewise. Being born of one’s parents is the physical tongue; speaking the languages of the ten dharma-realms can be called the divine tongue; language not being damaged is the wisdom-tongue; distinguishing without error is the Dharma-tongue; and interfunctioning at one time is the buddha-tongue. The meaning of the five tongues is thereby clear. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

Someone asks: when bitter, astringent, or bad flavors reach the tongue faculty, they all become superior and wondrous flavors. Why do the various forms that reach the eye not likewise become wondrous forms?

The old answer says that the two cannot be compared. Flavors can harm or benefit, and only a flavor that would cause injury needs to be transformed. Forms do not damage the eye faculty, so no transformation is necessary; flavor cannot be used as the analogy.

The present explanation is otherwise. All forms are the same as the Buddha’s forms, all sounds are the same as the Buddha’s sounds, and the objects of the remaining faculties are likewise pure; there is therefore no obstruction to inferring them from one another. One can also know all form-dharmas and sound-dharmas universally without confusion or error; clear distinction is no obstruction. Since these are faculties at mastery, how can they be understood as stubborn faculties that obstruct one another?

X. The Body Faculty: All Forms and Images Appear Within the Body

The section on the body is likewise.

Everything in the world appearing within the body is the function of the physical body. Everything up to the summit of existence appearing within it is the function of the heavenly body. The two vehicles appearing within the body are the function of the wisdom-body; bodhisattvas appearing within it, the function of the Dharma-body; and buddhas appearing within it, the function of the buddha-body.

These forms and images perfectly appear at one time, function through one another at one time, are free from error at one time, and are free from attachment at one time. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

XI. The Mind Faculty: The Dharma Meanings Represented by One Month, Four Months, and a Year

The section on mind is likewise.

The various productive occupations that sustain worldly life can all accord with right Dharma; this is purification of the human mind faculty.

All the courses of thought and various activities of devas can be known; this is purification of the deva mind faculty.

Four months represent the four truths; a year has twelve months and represents the twelve links of dependent arising. The Dharma taught never contradicts the true mark; this is purification of the wisdom-mind.

One month represents the One Vehicle; this is purification of the bodhisattva mind.

Whatever is contemplated is entirely Dharma already taught in the scriptures of past buddhas; this is purification of the buddha mind.

The mind faculty is perfectly clear at one time, perfectly interfunctions at one time, is free from attachment at one time, and is free from error at one time. Its function is mastered and can expand, contract, be equal, and be pure. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

I. Why He Is Named Never Disparaging

The bodhisattva Never Disparaging inwardly holds an understanding that does not disparage beings, outwardly reveres the object he does not disparage, establishes the practice of non-disparagement with his body, and proclaims the teaching of non-disparagement with his mouth. This person is also named through non-disparagement.

First comes the understanding of non-disparagement. The Treatise on the Lotus Sutra says that this bodhisattva knows beings have buddha-nature and therefore does not dare disparage them. Buddha-nature is fivefold. Direct-cause buddha-nature extends through origin and future. The seeds of conditioning-cause and revealing-cause buddha-nature have existed originally and do not suddenly appear only today. Fruit-nature and fruit-of-fruit nature are what beings will certainly be able to attain in the future and are never false. This is the understanding of non-disparagement.

The bodhisattva looks at each person with this understanding and knows that the other is likewise; this becomes the object of non-disparagement that he reveres. Because he reveres this object, there is a practice of non-disparagement. Because he proclaims these words, there is a teaching of non-disparagement. Those who formerly reviled him used “Never Disparaging” to name the person, and those who later compiled the scripture used this name to establish the chapter title.

The Sutra of the Samādhi of Directly Seeing Reality records that the Buddha told his royal father that all beings are buddhas. The king asked, “Are all beings already buddhas now?” The Buddha replied, “If someone sees beings in accord with reality, for that person who sees in accord with reality, beings are buddhas.” Zhizhe applies this passage here: if someone cannot see the Buddha in accord with reality, what that person sees is not a noble one.

Suppose a beginner in archery takes a small target as the mark: many arrows miss and few hit. If the whole earth is made the target, no arrow falls outside it. If one distinguishes among people who is noble and who is not, one easily misses. If one contemplates all beings in accord with reality, what one sees is buddha. The former explains through causes and conditions; the latter through the Perfect Teaching. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

The chapter also adduces the person Never Disparaging as proof of the depth of the qualities of the five grades and the weight of the recompense of the six faculties. Śākyamuni says that in the past he joyfully accepted this scripture and gained present, next-life, and later recompenses, using his own former affairs to encourage later people to circulate it.

II. How the Prose Divides into Three Parts

This chapter’s sutra text has prose and verse. The prose has three main parts: first, indicating at once the wrongdoing and blessing taught above; second, opening at once the two sides of trust and slander in this chapter; third, admonishing later people from the contrary and accordant sides.

The first part’s simultaneous indication of wrongdoing and blessing first points to the wrongdoing of slander as stated in “The Dharma Teacher,” and then to the blessing of receiving and upholding as stated in “The Qualities.” The meaning is clear from the sutra.

The second part simultaneously opens trust and slander, first giving the story’s background and then the story itself. The background includes the time, the buddha’s name, the kalpa name, the land name, and the Dharma taught by the buddha, all visible in the sutra.

The story itself has three parts. First, beginning from the extinction of the earliest Buddha King of Majestic Voice, it marks the time. Second, within the semblance Dharma, it simultaneously gives the names of two kinds of people: because of their conduct at that time, the slandering side is named overweeningly proud and the trusting side Never Disparaging. Third, beginning where the Buddha addresses the bodhisattva Great Strength, it simultaneously explains what believers gain and revilers lose.

III. What Believers Gain: Two Rounds of the Four Unities

First comes what is gained on the side of trust. Never Disparaging gains the vast purport of the direct teaching and the subtle benefit of circulation.

The first round explains the four unities in scriptural sequence. Being named Never Disparaging is unity of person; everyone he sees, unity of principle; bowing to everyone he sees, unity of practice; and telling them that he does not dare disparage them and that all will become buddhas, unity of teaching. These four disclose opening the real from the provisional.

The second round begins after he sees members of the fourfold assembly at a distance. The principle originally possessed by the people seen is fundamental unity of principle; his intentionally approaching to bow, fundamental unity of practice; and his speaking the same words to them, fundamental unity of teaching. Unity of person is listed only in abbreviated form and can be understood from the preceding text. These four disclose opening the distant Origin from what is seen in recent times.

The sutra says that Never Disparaging does not devote himself to reading and reciting scriptures, but only practices bowing. Zhizhe determines that this is the stage of the person of initial joyful acceptance. He joyfully accepts that all dharmas have a nature of peace and ease and are the same one true mark; he also joyfully accepts that all people possess the three kinds of buddha-nature. Reading and reciting scripture corresponds to revealing-cause nature; everyone practicing the bodhisattva path to conditioning-cause nature; and his not daring to disparage but instead deeply revering everyone to direct-cause nature. He reveres both people and Dharma and produces no contention; this is precisely the meaning of joyful acceptance.

Never Disparaging’s deep reverence for everyone is the Tathāgata’s seat. His enduring staves, sticks, tiles, stones, and abuse is putting on the Tathāgata’s robe. His continuing the practice without stopping, while holding a compassionate mind, is entering the Tathāgata’s room.

It can also be explained through the three karmas. Deep reverence is mental karma, speech that does not disparage is verbal karma, and intentionally approaching to bow is bodily karma. When all three accompany compassion, they are the peaceful practice of vows. Are not the three items and four items above the subtle benefit gained through circulation?

IV. What the Revilers Lose: Sentence-by-Sentence Rejection of the Four Unities

Beginning where someone within the fourfold assembly grows angry and the mind is impure, the sutra presents its second side and explains what slanderers lose. Giving rise to anger with impure minds means that they reject the four unities.

They revile Never Disparaging as without wisdom. Wisdom should know principle; by calling him ignorant, they reject unity of principle. Calling him a bhikṣu rejects unity of person. Demanding where he came from rejects unity of practice. Reviling his prediction as false rejects unity of teaching.

The sutra concludes that over many years Never Disparaging is continually reviled, showing that the others never accept the first round of four unities. He retreats to a distance yet still calls out those words of non-disparagement, and they still do not accept; this shows that they also reject the second round of four fundamental unities.

Never Disparaging’s always speaking these words discloses believers’ deep and unceasing trust. The fourfold assembly instead gives him the name Never Disparaging, disclosing the revilers’ unceasing mockery and abuse.

Someone asks: after appearing in the world, Śākyamuni Buddha circled and deliberated without immediately teaching. Never Disparaging, however, hurriedly told people that they would all become buddhas as soon as he saw them. Why do the two differ?

The answer is that when beings already possessed wholesome roots, Śākyamuni Buddha first protected them with a lesser Dharma; when beings did not yet possess wholesome roots, Never Disparaging forcefully administered the great Dharma like poison so that they would ultimately benefit. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

V. What Recompenses Believers and Revilers Each Receive

Beginning when Never Disparaging is near death, the sutra simultaneously explains the recompenses of trust and slander. It first treats the believer in two parts: recompense and joining the people of past and present.

The believer has three recompenses. Purification of the six faculties in the present life is present recompense; encountering Lamp Radiance Buddha in the next life is next-life recompense; later encountering two thousand koṭis of buddhas is later recompense. The sutra’s strength of supernormal powers signifies purification of bodily karma; strength of delight in teaching and eloquence, purification of verbal karma; strength of excellent quiescence, purification of mental karma. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

Joining past and present also has two parts. First, the Buddha identifies the Never Disparaging of the past as himself today, as seen in the sutra. Second, beginning with the hypothetical statement that in former lives he had not received, upheld, read, or recited this scripture or explained it to others, the Buddha adduces what the believer gains and exhorts the assembly to receive and uphold in accord; the meaning is likewise visible in the sutra.

Next, beginning with the fourfold assembly of the past, it explains the slanderers’ recompense, also in two parts: the recompense gained and the joining of past and present. The revilers receive two fruits, one unwholesome and one wholesome. Because they slander, they first fall into evil destinies; because they hear the name of buddha-nature and experience the force of the poisoned drum, they ultimately gain a wholesome fruit.

Joining the slanderers of past and present also has two parts. First, the Buddha identifies the fourfold assembly of that time as the five hundred bodhisattvas beginning with Bhadrapāla, the five hundred bhikṣus beginning with Lion Moon, and the five hundred upāsakas beginning with Mindful of the Buddha in the present assembly. Second, beginning where the Buddha tells the bodhisattva Great Strength that he should know, the Buddha adduces the contrary side of slander to reveal the accordant side of trust, and uses the exhortation to receive and uphold to block slander. This sutra has great power and ultimately evokes a great fruit; one must therefore diligently cultivate the five practices of receiving and upholding, reading, reciting, explaining, and copying.

VI. How Nineteen and a Half Lines of Verse Conclude the Prose

The verse has nineteen and a half lines. The first fifteen and a half only recapitulate the respective causes and fruits of believers and revilers; the last four recapitulate the exhortation to receive and uphold. The divisions are visible from the sutra, and Zhizhe does not explain them again sentence by sentence.

Attachment to dharmas in the verse means fixing dharmas, which originally cannot be disclosed through determinate characteristics, as having one particular form. Definitively saying they exist is attachment to dharmas; proceeding all the way to definitively saying they are neither existent nor nonexistent is still called attachment to dharmas.

The Buddha Treasury Sutra uses an extremely grave simile: the fault of killing all the people of Jambudvīpa with a wheel of blades is still comparatively slight; the wrongdoing of teaching the Great Vehicle with a mind that apprehends something instead exceeds it. 〔The remainder is abbreviated.〕

The Great Treatise says that the side attached to existence and the side attached to nonexistence dispute one another, and that the side attached to neither existence nor nonexistence then disputes both. All are like cowhide and dragon-cords: whichever binds them, they cannot escape harm.

The Middle Treatise says that buddhas teach emptiness originally to transform those attached to existence; if one instead becomes attached to emptiness, the buddhas cannot transform such a person. Definitively saying that all dharmas are only neither existent nor nonexistent is called the discourse of fools, because this loses the purport of the four siddhāntas.

Whether practicing oneself or transforming others, losing the purport of the four siddhāntas is called attachment to dharmas. If their purport is attained, neither oneself nor others are attached.

The above is the explanation of this chapter in the first half of fascicle ten of the Fahua Wenju.

[Fahua Wenju, latter half of fascicle ten. Taught by Tiantai Master Zhizhe.]

I. Explaining the Chapter Title and Its Place

The term “Tathāgata” has been explained above. “Supernormal” means beyond measurement, and “power” means capacity and use. Beyond measurement indicates the profundity of the innate essence; capacity and use indicate the vastness of transformative power. Ten great powers are manifested here in order to entrust the profound Dharma, so the chapter is called “The Supernormal Powers.”

The eight chapters from this one onward concern entrustment and circulation. The present chapter explains how the bodhisattvas accept the command to propagate the sutra; the next explains how the Tathāgata strokes their crowns and entrusts it to them.

II. The Three Divisions of the Prose and the Assemblies Addressed

The sutra has prose and verse. The prose is divided into three parts: first, the bodhisattvas accept the command; second, the Buddha manifests his supernormal powers; third, he gathers the essentials and exhorts them to uphold.

At the beginning, the compiler of the sutra narrates the ceremony of reverence; next, the bodhisattvas vow to propagate the sutra. Propagation has three matters: first, the time—after the Buddha’s extinction; second, the place—the lands of the emanation-buddhas; third, the vow—not merely to benefit others under command, but also personally to vow to propagate this true and pure Great Dharma, combining aid to others with the beauty of one’s own aspiration.

The passage beginning “At that time” is the second part, manifesting ten supernormal powers, and has two levels: first the assemblies addressed, then the formal manifestation of those powers. “Mañjuśrī and the others” are the assembly transformed through the Trace; “those long dwelling here” are the assembly from below transformed through the Origin; and “all” refers to those who came from other directions and those who accompanied the emanation-buddhas.

Question: Only the bodhisattvas from below are seen vowing; Mañjuśrī and the others are not. Why?

Answer: The preceding text says, “My land itself has bodhisattvas able to uphold this sutra,” which includes them as well.

III. The Ten Supernormal Powers

First, the sign of extending the tongue. This sutra teaches opening the three to reveal the One, keeping the inner secret while appearing outwardly, and discarding the near to reveal the distant, disclosing that the benefit given to beings throughout the three times is sincere and never false. A person of merit can reach the nose with the tongue; the Buddha of the Tripiṭaka Teaching can reach the hairline; here the tongue reaches the Brahmā heaven, beyond ordinary beings and sages, to the summit of the Pure Heaven. Since the sign differs from the ordinary, the words spoken are all the more credible.

Second, every pore throughout the body emits light that shines throughout the ten directions, leaving no place unilluminated. This indicates the complete exhaustion of wisdom and its objects. Earlier, light from the white curl first shone only eastward, indicating that people of the seven expedient means first saw the one principle. Now that the Origin Gate has been fully taught, all kinds of light illuminate all lands, enabling those at the initial causal stage through equal awakening to perfect buddha-wisdom. The emanation-buddhas do likewise.

Third, clearing the throat. This is the sign of being about to speak and also a sign of free flow. The true meaning hidden for more than forty years can now extend and unfold without residue or obstruction. The great affair for which I appeared in the world has flowed freely, so I clear my throat. Again, I wish to entrust this Dharma to the bodhisattvas so they may guide and benefit beings in later ages; because I am about to speak of this, I clear my throat. It has two meanings: one clearing says that the affair is complete; the other says that it is entrusted to others.

Fourth, snapping the fingers. This is joyful acceptance: rejoicing that those of the seven expedient means enter the perfect path together; rejoicing that the perfect path increases wisdom and reduces birth; rejoicing that the bodhisattvas preserve the true and pure Great Dharma; and rejoicing that later beings attain the unsurpassed treasure. This one snap penetrates the three times vertically and spans the ten directions horizontally.

Fifth, the earth quakes in six ways. This indicates six movements of ignorance from the initial mind to the later mind; it now further indicates moving every person’s six faculties so that they attain purity.

Sixth, the entire assembly is universally seen. This indicates that the way of all buddhas is the same and will remain so from now onward. Earlier the five thousand rose and departed, and during the three transformations of the lands they were moved elsewhere. Having lost their original minds, they could not gain present benefit. It is fitting to manifest extinction though extinction is not the origin, so that through the bodhisattvas’ propagation of the sutra they attain the way, enter buddha-wisdom, and become no different from today’s assembly. This also indicates future unity of capacity.

Seventh, a voice calls out from empty space. This indicates that in the future there will be unity of teaching.

Eighth, beings utter “homage,” take refuge, and become the Buddha’s disciples. This indicates that in the future there will be unity of person.

Ninth, various objects scattered from afar gather like clouds. This indicates that in the future there will be unity of practice.

Tenth, the ten directions communicate as one buddha-land. This indicates unity of principle.

Question: How do we know the ten signs indicate both the present and the future?

Answer: The sutra says, “Even were I to use the Tathāgata’s supernormal powers for the sake of entrusting this sutra, I could not finish speaking.” Its indication of present and future is therefore clear.

IV. Gathering the Essentials and Entrusting Them

The passage beginning “At that time the Buddha addressed Superior Practice” is the third part, gathering the essentials and entrusting them. Its wording has four levels: first, praise and entrustment; second, gathering the essentials and entrustment; third, encouragement and entrustment; fourth, explanation and entrustment. The initial praise is as the sutra states.

The gathering of essentials has four phrases. “All dharmas” means that all are Buddha-Dharma and gathers the name “all is wondrous.” “All powers” means unobstructed penetration and possession of the eight forms of sovereignty and gathers wondrous function. “The entire treasury of secrets” means that the true mark pervades every place and gathers wondrous essence. “All profound matters” means that causes and fruits are profound matters and gathers wondrous principle. The phrase “all are proclaimed, revealed, and clearly taught in this sutra” concludes that the whole sutra contains only these four—taking up its pivotal handle and entrusting it.

The passage beginning “Therefore, you” is the third level, encouragement and entrustment, as the sutra states.

The passage beginning “Why is this?” is the fourth level, explanation and entrustment. Above it says, “Wherever a scroll of the sutra is found, a stūpa should be erected.” The sutra’s essentials lie in four matters: “the site of awakening” explains the profound matters stated above; “attaining awakening” explains the treasury of secrets; “turning the Dharma-wheel” explains all dharmas; and “entering nirvāṇa” explains the supernormal powers. These four essentials encompass the sutra’s wording completely, so stūpas should be erected at them all.

What “essential” means is this: attaining awakening is the Dharma-body, turning the Dharma-wheel is prajñā, and entering nirvāṇa is liberation. These three dharmas accomplish the treasury of secrets, and the Buddha abides within it. This is the meaning of the stūpa. The Āgama Sutra says, “When a buddha appears in the world, stūpas are erected at only four places: the place of birth, the place of attaining the way, the turning of the Dharma-wheel, and entry into nirvāṇa.” Sitting at the site of awakening is the birthplace of the Dharma-body; the remainder is as the sutra states.

V. Sixteen Lines of Verse

The verse has sixteen lines. The first four recapitulate the ten supernormal powers; the next twelve recapitulate the gathering of essentials. The two lines beginning with “entrustment,” together with the phrase “this person’s qualities,” generally recapitulate the four dharmas.

The passage beginning “one who can uphold it has already seen me” is the second part, eight and a half lines that separately recapitulate the four dharmas. The first one and a half lines recapitulate all dharmas: upholding the Dharma is precisely upholding the Buddha’s body. The two verses beginning “cause me and my emanations” recapitulate the supernormal powers: those powers exhort the buddhas and cause them to rejoice. The one verse beginning “the buddhas sit at the site of awakening” recapitulates the secret and essential meaning, which can be understood. The four verses beginning “concerning the meaning of all dharmas” recapitulate the profound matters: teaching the Dharma, dispelling darkness, and entering the One Vehicle are precisely the Buddha’s profound matters. The final one and a half verses conclude the recapitulation.

I. Three Explanations of the Chapter Title

“Entrust” is what the Buddha hands over, while “burden” means troubling you to proclaim and circulate it. The title “Entrustment” is therefore named from the Buddha’s intent.

“Entrust” is receiving the entrusted Dharma upon the crown, while “burden” means gladly undertaking it without finding it wearying. The title is therefore named from the bodhisattvas’ reverent accord.

“Entrust” is what the Tathāgata charges them with through his golden mouth, while “burden” is the bodhisattvas’ receiving it on their crowns and carrying it with sincere hearts. The title “Entrustment” therefore joins giving and receiving.

The Tathāgata accordingly rises from his seat in person, reaches out to stroke their crowns, and hands over the difficult-to-attain Dharma. The assembly bends forward, joins their palms, and says, “In accordance with the World-Honored One’s command, we will surely carry it out in full.” Giving and receiving are both deeply earnest, so the chapter is called “Entrustment.”

II. The Formal Entrustment: The Hand of Provisional Wisdom Strokes the Crown of Real Wisdom

The sutra text has two parts: first entrustment, then the assembly’s rejoicing.

Entrustment has three levels: first the Tathāgata entrusts; second the bodhisattvas receive; third, when the affair is complete, the assembly is dismissed.

The Tathāgata’s entrustment also has three levels: the formal entrustment, its explanation, and its admonitory charge.

Formal entrustment: with one skillful hand of provisional wisdom, the Buddha strokes the crowns of real wisdom of the bodhisattvas who fill empty space, standing sideways, throughout three thousand three hundred nayutas of lands. The Tathāgata bestows the Dharma of the way and transforms others, so it is called the hand of provisional wisdom; the bodhisattvas cultivate the way themselves and receive that Dharma, so it is called the crown of real wisdom.

Reaching out to stroke their crowns is bodily entrustment. Provisional wisdom descending upon real wisdom is mental entrustment. The phrase “and spoke these words” is verbal entrustment.

III. The Intent of the Four Siddhāntas

This passage contains the intent of the four siddhāntas.

“Throughout immeasurable aeons I cultivated this difficult-to-attain Dharma”: it was received and learned from former buddhas, is now handed to you, and should in turn be handed by you to others, a succession of inheritance through the three times. This is the worldly siddhānta.

“Single-mindedly circulate it” is the for-person siddhānta. “Widely cause increase” is the counteractive siddhānta. “Benefit” is the ultimate-truth siddhānta.

IV. Explaining the Entrustment: Room, Robe, Seat, and the Three Wisdoms

The passage beginning “Why is this?” explains the entrustment.

“Possessing great kindness and compassion” is the Tathāgata’s room; “without any stinginess” is the Tathāgata’s robe; “without fear” is the Tathāgata’s seat.

“The Buddha’s wisdom” is all-wisdom; “the Tathāgata’s wisdom” is wisdom of the varieties of the path; “natural wisdom” is wisdom of all modes.

Within the Tathāgata’s room, these three wisdoms can be given to sentient beings; the same holds through the seat. Such a donor is without stinginess and without fear. You should learn this way of the Tathāgata. This is called explaining the Buddha’s intent and entrusting it to them.

V. The Admonitory Charge

The passage beginning “In future ages” is the admonitory charge.

For those whose capacities are deep and whose wisdom is sharp, directly teach buddha-wisdom; for those unable to bear it, demonstrate, teach, benefit, and delight them through the remaining profound dharmas.

Buddha-wisdom is profound but not remaining; the six expedient means are remaining but not profound; the sequential teaching of the Separate Teaching is both remaining and profound. If, through what is “remaining” and “profound,” you can aid and clarify buddha-wisdom, you skillfully repay the Buddha’s kindness. This is called the admonitory charge.

VI. The Bodhisattvas’ Threefold Reception

The passage beginning “At that time the bodhisattvas” is the second level, reception.

Joy is mental reception, “bending their bodies and lowering their heads” is bodily reception, and “speaking together with one voice” is verbal reception, while also including mental reception.

The phrase “in accordance with the World-Honored One’s command” receives the intent of the Tathāgata’s room as the great donor; “we will surely carry it out in full” receives the intent of the Tathāgata’s robe without stinginess; and “may the World-Honored One have no concern” receives the intent of the Tathāgata’s seat without fear.

Since the Buddha entrusts three times, the bodhisattvas likewise receive three times, just as the sutra states.

VII. Dismissal When the Affair Is Complete

The passage beginning “At that time Śākyamuni” is the third level, dismissal.

The Buddha Many Jewels came to bear witness to this sutra. Now that the Trace Gate and Origin Gate have both been taught, he should be reverently sent back as before. The emanation-buddhas gathered to open the stūpa; since that work is complete, each is told to return to his own land. The stūpa cannot be opened again, so the emanations depart and do not appear again; the stūpa must still hear the Dharma, so although closed it remains in place.

Question: If the stūpa must still hear the Dharma, should it not also remain open?

Answer: The work of bearing witness is complete, so it closes; it remains in order to hear the Dharma of circulation.

VIII. The Assembly Rejoices

The passage beginning “When these words were spoken” is the assembly’s rejoicing.

The buddhas rejoice because the work of transforming others has been accomplished; the bodhisattvas rejoice because, through cultivating the way themselves, they have attained the Dharma.

Further, they rejoice because the person teaching the Dharma is pure—the teacher is the Buddha; because the Dharma heard is pure—the Dharma heard is this wondrous sutra; and because hearing the Dharma brings realization—the beneficiaries in the present and future are the persons meant. Since all three matters are complete, they rejoice greatly.

I. Explanation of the Chapter Title

The Contemplation Sūtra says: “Formerly he was named Starlight. He heard the Buddha’s wisdom explained by the Venerable Sun Treasury, offered medicinal herbs from Snow Mountain to the community of monks, and vowed: May I in the future cure the two illnesses of body and mind in living beings, so that the whole world rejoices and I am called Medicine King.”

This passage explains how the Bodhisattva Gladly Seen by All Beings suddenly relinquished one body and then burned his two arms—holding life lightly and the Buddha-Dharma in esteem, losing life while preserving the work of the path. The past is raised to disclose the present, and therefore the chapter is called Former Affairs.

If the meaning is pursued, Starlight should come after Gladly Seen: only after relinquishing medicine and making his vow was he named Medicine King [and so forth].

II. Classification of the Five Chapters: Teacher and Disciples

The following five chapters all concern circulation through transforming others. The present chapter explains the teacher who transforms others: his sole wish is that the great Dharma be widely propagated and proclaimed, his great vow that living beings receive great benefit. He therefore exhausts his supernormal powers and completely relinquishes physical life itself, earnestly devoted, his resolve never coming to rest. He hopes that the disciples will revere the Dharma as they revere the teacher—I transmit illumination to you, you transmit illumination onward, and illumination continues without end. This is the teacher’s resolve. Thus this chapter is known to exhort teachers who propagate the Dharma.

The following chapters, Wonderful Sound and Perceiver of the World’s Sounds, explain great beings from other lands who receive commands to propagate the scripture and universally manifest physical forms without any fixed appearance. One must not view them with the eyes of cattle and sheep or measure them through ordinary understanding. Do not give rise to thoughts of contempt where you hear the Dharma: once contempt arises, the Dharma does not permeate the mind. Thus the chapters below are known to exhort disciples who receive the Dharma.

Someone says that in the preceding chapters the buddhas perform buddha-work, whereas from the present chapter onward bodhisattvas perform buddha-work. This is only a provisional statement: the chapters above also contain bodhisattvas, and those below also contain buddhas [and so forth].

III. Classification of Riding the Vehicle

The Skillful Means chapter has completed opening the three to reveal the one, and the perfect cause has been explained. Peaceful Practices explains the Dharma that is ridden. The Lifespan chapter completes the fruit that is ridden. From the present chapter onward, what is explained is the person who rides what is ridden.

Thus the Treatise of the Twelve Gates says: “The Great Vehicle is what great persons such as Samantabhadra and Mañjuśrī ride.”

Medicine King rides the vehicle through ascetic practice; Wonderful Sound and Perceiver of the World’s Sounds ride it through samādhi; Dhāraṇī through retention; King Wonderful-Adornment through vows; and Samantabhadra through supernormal powers. Explained in this way, the meaning of circulation through transforming others becomes readily intelligible.

IV. Four Divisions of the Text

The text has four parts: first a question, second an answer, third benefit, and fourth Prabhūtaratna’s praise.

The question has three parts: first a general question about journeying and transforming, second a specific question about ascetic practice, and third a request for an answer, as stated in the scripture.

Second, the answer has two parts: first only the ascetic practice is answered—journeying and transforming may refer to the samādhi of physical forms or to the following two chapters—and second the scripture is praised.

The answer concerning ascetic practice first explains the basis of the event and then the former affair itself. The basis of the event has three parts: the period, the presence of a buddha, and the śrāvakas, land, and so forth, all as stated in the scripture. The former affair has three parts: first the Buddha teaches the Dharma, second offerings are cultivated, and third past and present are joined.

But the Buddha teaches universally for all living beings. Why only for Gladly Seen? Because he is the person who receives and responds to the teaching and must be entrusted with its circulation—just as Śāriputra is today, one person standing in for the many.

V. Ascetic Practice: The Present

Ascetic practice is further divided into two: first the present and second the future.

The present is further divided into two: first cultivating practice and attaining Dharma, and second forming the thought of repaying kindness.

Repaying kindness is further divided into two: first the power of samādhi and second the power of the body as direct recompense. Bodily power has three parts: first burning the body, second praise by the buddhas, and third the length of time.

“True Dharma offering”—internally one should set wisdom and contemplation in motion, contemplate the causes and fruits of affliction, and sweep them all away with the wisdom of emptiness; therefore it is called true Dharma. Further contemplate: whether body or fire, the giver and recipient of the offering are all the true mark—who is burning, and who is being burned? Neither giver nor recipient can be obtained, and therefore it is named true Dharma.

VI. Ascetic Practice: The Future

The passage below “all living beings” concerns ascetic practice in the future and has five parts: first birth in the royal family, second recounting the former affair, third going before the Buddha, fourth entrustment by the Tathāgata, and fifth accepting the command and taking responsibility for upholding the Dharma. All are as stated in the scripture.

Taking responsibility for upholding the Dharma has four parts: first raising a stūpa, second burning the arms, third benefit, and fourth present recompense. All are as stated in the scripture.

VII. Joining Past and Present and Exhorting Cultivation

The passage below “the Buddha told” is the third part, joining past and present. It is further divided into two: first the joining and second the exhortation to cultivate.

In the exhortation to cultivate, burning a single finger surpasses relinquishing the external body: what is external is light and what is internal is weighty, and therefore their merit and blessing differ. The scripture’s “wife and children” are the external body, while “realm and city” and so forth are external wealth.

VIII. Praise of the Scripture: First Praising the Upholder

The passage below “if, furthermore, someone with the seven treasures” is praise of the scripture: first the person able to uphold it is praised, then the Dharma upheld, and finally the depth of the merit of upholding the scripture is explained.

Offering the seven treasures to the four kinds of noble persons is inferior to receiving and upholding one verse. Dharma is the teacher of the noble ones; nothing surpasses it in being able to give birth, nurture, bring to completion, and bring to glory. Thus persons are light and Dharma is weighty.

IX. Praise of the Dharma Upheld: Dharma-Essence and the Ocean Simile

The passage below “Constellation King” is the second part, praising the Dharma upheld, and has two divisions: first praising the essence of the Dharma and then praising its function.

“Among streams, currents, rivers, and all waters, the ocean is foremost”—the Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings says, “Four waters are similes for the teaching; in the parable of medicinal herbs, one cloud able to rain is a simile for teaching the Dharma.” Here, all waters are again used to gather every teaching, while four are separately raised as similes for the teachings of the four flavors: milk, cream, raw butter, and clarified butter.

The teaching of this Lotus is like the ocean of ghee. Speaking to the exhaustion of the original ground is called “profound”; pervading every place is called “vast”; purely explaining the Buddha-Dharma without teaching other dharmas is called “salty.” Its being “most profound and vast” has this meaning.

X. The Mountain Simile

The names of the ten jeweled mountains come from the Flower Garland Sūtra and various other scriptures [and so forth]. Earthen Mountain, Black Mountain, and Iron Ring Mountain are not jeweled. Although the ten mountains are jeweled, some are formed of one treasure and some of two, and divine dragons dwell among them. Mount Sumeru is formed of four treasures and inhabited exclusively by devas.

This is a simile for what the other teachings explain. Those who rely are the ten grounds and forty minds—ordinary, worthy, or noble—while what they rely upon may be conventional truth, true truth, or the middle way; these are lower. The truth explained by the Lotus Sūtra is permanence, bliss, self, and purity, like something formed of four treasures, and it is relied upon by persons who open, reveal, awaken to, and enter. This meaning is therefore highest.

XI. The Moon and Sun Similes

Stars and moon alike are formed of the yin essence and appear at night, but stars neither wane nor wax and therefore do not equal the moon. The other scriptures explain provisional wisdom without mastery; the present scripture explains that the provisional is precisely the real and the real precisely the provisional, that waxing and waning mutually indicate one another, nondual yet dual. In explaining provisional wisdom this way, it surpasses the other teachings.

The sun is formed of the yang essence and alone can dispel darkness. The other scriptures explain that real wisdom dispels delusion, yet do not even equal “the real is precisely the provisional”; how much less can they speak of “the provisional is precisely the real”? Thus one knows that this scripture’s explanation of real wisdom is foremost.

XII. Similes of the Wheel-Turning King, Brahmā, and Śakra

The command of a wheel-turning king reaches only the four regions; Śakra’s reaches the Heaven of the Thirty-Three; Brahmā’s command gathers the upper realm and stands above the lower. This is a simile for how the three truths and three samādhis explained in other scriptures do not include one another and lack mastery.

The present scripture explains that the true mark enters true truth—“decisively clarifying the śrāvaka Dharma” and becoming “king of the scriptures”; that the true mark enters conventional truth, so every livelihood and productive activity is without contradiction; and that the true mark enters the middle way, so no dharma is other than the Buddha-Dharma. The scripture says it is “father of all those in training and beyond training and those who have generated the bodhisattva resolve”; this is its meaning.

XIII. Four Kinds of Foremost

“Foremost among all ordinary beings, those of the four fruits, and pratyekabuddhas”—this explains natural functioning without deliberate effort. The other scriptures require deliberate effort before one can enter the stream, just as persons of the four fruits awaken through hearing, reflection, and cultivation. The present scripture explains the four truths of nonaction without admixture of skillful means and naturally flows into the ocean of sarvajñā, like the great white ox, sturdy and powerful, swift as the wind [and so forth].

Foremost among śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas—this explains that the cause is foremost. Other scriptures explain the cause as the seven skillful means; the present scripture explains a cause that passes beyond skillful means, and therefore its cause is foremost.

The Tathāgata is foremost—this explains the fruit. Other scriptures explain the fruit as near, at the quiescent site of awakening; the present scripture explains the fruit as pointing far back to the original ground, and therefore it is foremost.

XIV. Praise of the Dharma’s Function

The passage below “this scripture can save” praises the function of the Dharma: first its function in removing suffering is praised, then its function in giving happiness is praised through twelve matters, and finally the passage concludes. All are as stated in the scripture.

XV. The Profound Merit of Upholding the Scripture

The passage below “if a person hears” explains the profound merit of upholding the scripture. First it raises the merit of hearing this entire scripture, then the merit of hearing this chapter. There are a comparison and an entrustment, as stated in the scripture.

Fragrance issuing from the mouth is present-life recompense; the other benefits are later-life recompense.

“Hearing this scripture, one neither ages nor dies”—this must be understood as contemplative practice: not aging is bliss and not dying is permanence. One hears this scripture and gains an understanding of permanence and bliss, holding it openly within the breast and fearing nothing.

XVI. Benefit from Hearing the Chapter and Prabhūtaratna’s Praise

The passage below “when this was taught” is the third part, benefit from hearing the chapter, as stated in the scripture.

Fourth is Prabhūtaratna’s praise, as stated in the scripture.

I. Explanation of the Chapter Title: Past and Present Interpreted Together

The scripture itself gives the explanation—

In the past he offered one hundred thousand kinds of music to Buddha King Cloud-Thunder-Sound; now, as he journeys and transforms in other lands, music naturally accompanies him. In the past he offered 84,000 jeweled bowls; now he is surrounded by that many companions who are vessels of the path. In the past he attained the dhāraṇī of the languages of all living beings; now through universally manifesting physical forms and subtle, wondrous sound, he roars throughout the ten directions and propagates this teaching. Therefore the chapter is called Wonderful Sound.

This chapter explains how a bodhisattva, through inconceivable power, transmits the scripture in accordance with the kinds of living beings. People see his Trace but cannot fathom his Origin. Simply taste the flavor of his Dharma and do not discriminate according to his appearance. If you yourself slight that station, you obstruct the circulation of Dharma yourself—this is the second meaning within the gate of transforming others.

II. Six Divisions of the Text

The text has six parts: first emitting light and summoning from the east; second receiving the command and coming west; third propagating the scripture throughout the ten directions; fourth benefit in both lands; fifth returning to the original land; and sixth advancing on the path through hearing the chapter.

III. Explanation of “the Mark of a Great Person”

“The mark of a great person” means the ocean of great marks.

The merit of all the hairs covering the body does not equal that of one excellence, the merit of all excellences does not equal that of one mark, and the marks, successively surpassing one another from below upward, do not equal the merit of the white tuft. The merit of the white tuft in turn does not equal that of the crown protuberance. Therefore these are marks of a great person.

The karmic cause of this mark arises from filial obedience toward teachers and elders. The Buddha now emits this light to summon his original disciple so that the disciple may propagate the scripture of the middle way and benefit persons of great capacity. The white tuft arises from the purity of the one path; the Buddha now emits this light so that the disciple may propagate this Dharma.

IV. First Question and Answer: Why Are the Buddha’s Marks Superior and Inferior?

Question: Each of the Buddha’s marks is an ocean of the Dharma realm. Why, then, are some superior and others inferior?

Answer: What is taught in other scriptures should simply be explained this way.

V. Second Question and Answer: Why Summon from the East and Explain the West?

Question: The Buddha’s disciples with karmic affinity fill the ten directions. Why does he summon from the east and explain the west without discussing the other eight directions?

Answer: This carries a representation. The Vimalakīrti Sūtra says: “Why do the sun and moon travel across Jambudvīpa? They wish to use their radiance to dispel the darkness of living beings.”

The east is the beginning of light and the west its end—possessing a beginning and an end, perhaps only noble persons do so. Those who have not generated the resolve are caused to generate it; those not yet ultimate are brought to ultimacy. Since this applies to one bodhisattva, it applies to all; since it applies to one direction, it applies to every direction. Noble persons do not burden the text with detail: they raise one to encompass the rest, and therefore only east and west are discussed.

VI. Setting Out: Six Conditions for Coming

The passage on setting out has two parts: first the conditions for setting out and second the setting out itself.

The conditions for coming are six: first the scripture’s narrator recounts his merit and wisdom; second he is illuminated by the light; third he takes leave; fourth the Buddha admonishes him; fifth he receives the intent; and sixth he manifests the sign of coming.

The source of his merit is his encounter with many former buddhas. “Profound wisdom” is the adornment of wisdom, while the sixteen samādhis are the adornment of merit.

The light illuminating his body and his taking leave of the Buddha are as stated in the scripture.

VII. Three Intents in the Buddha’s Admonition

Concerning the Buddha’s admonition: a great being of the Dharma-body originally needs no stern supervision in order to accomplish the task. Some among the companions he brings, however, may not yet understand, so through admonishing him the Buddha regulates them.

The Buddha’s body accords with principle. One must not see a low and small body and forget its dignity—this is an admonition in terms of the Tathāgata’s seat.

Teacher and disciples fully possess wisdom and severance. Since the teacher establishes provisional dharmas, the disciples also conceal their real virtue—this is an admonition in terms of the Tathāgata’s robe.

The land as dependent recompense is always evoked by direct recompense. The Tathāgata comes over the great-thousand world with a compassionate mind, becoming high where high is appropriate and low where low is appropriate. One must not see the dependent recompense and slight the direct recompense—this is an admonition in terms of the Tathāgata’s room.

The Buddha in this land commands these same three intents when propagating the scripture, and the World-Honored One in that land likewise admonishes them; thus the path of the buddhas is the same.

Receiving the intent: “the Tathāgata’s power” is the power of the seat; “the power of supernormal mastery” is the power of the room; and “the power of adornment” is the power of the robe. This is receiving the great purport of propagating the scripture and the essential aim of benefiting beings, and therefore Wonderful Sound can journey and transform throughout the ten directions without moving from this assembly.

VIII. Six Signs and the Third Question and Answer

The passage on manifesting the signs has six parts: first sending the lotus flowers, second the question, third the answer, fourth the request, fifth referring the merit, and sixth commanding him to come, all as stated in the scripture.

Question: If Mañjuśrī’s position were lower, Wonderful Sound should not have asked to see him when taking leave. If Mañjuśrī’s position were high and the sign appeared, why did he suddenly fail to recognize it?

Answer: Although they occupy the same position, there are still beginning, middle, and end. Not knowing this single matter does not diminish his high station. Further, the great assembly saw the auspicious sign but did not understand it; Mañjuśrī initiated the question so that they might know, and therefore he asked the Buddha.

IX. Six Parts of Setting Out

The passage below “at that time” is the setting out and has six parts: first traveling with the companions; second recounting the marks and ascending the platform; third offering greetings and transmitting the intent; fourth requesting to see Prabhūtaratna; fifth the World-Honored One enabling communication; and sixth praise from within the stūpa, all as stated in the scripture.

X. Propagating the Scripture throughout the Ten Directions

Third, propagating the scripture has two parts: question and answer.

The first question asks what wholesome roots he planted; the second asks how he possesses such supernormal power. Wholesome roots asks about the past, supernormal power about the present. The Buddha answers both meanings.

In the past he offered music and jeweled bowls, and past and present are then joined, all as stated in the scripture—this answers what wholesome roots he planted.

The passage below “Flower Virtue” answers the question about his supernormal power. He manifests thirty-four kinds of ordinary bodies and four kinds of noble bodies, gathered into the ten Dharma realms and six destinies.

The passage below “at that time Flower Virtue” asks in what concentration he now abides to benefit beings with such mastery; the Buddha’s answer is as stated in the scripture.

XI. Benefit in Both Lands: Samādhi and Dhāraṇī

The passage below “when this chapter was taught” is the fourth part, benefit in both lands.

Samādhi and dhāraṇī are one in essence but differ in function: the function of quiescence is samādhi, while the function of retaining is called dhāraṇī. Further, transformation of physical forms is called samādhi, while eloquent teaching through sound is called dhāraṇī.

The preceding chapter says “at first he attained the samādhi of all physical forms and transformed his body, then attained the dhāraṇī of all languages.” One should know that sound remains a form-dharma, and therefore they are said to be one in essence but different in function.

Further, purity of the tongue faculty is called dhāraṇī, while purity of the other faculties is called samādhi—in summary, all are Dharma gates of purity of the six faculties.

XII. Returning to the Original Land and Advancing through Hearing the Chapter

The passage below “at that time Wonderful Sound” is the fifth part, returning to the original land.

“The earth moved and flowers rained down”—the places through which the bodhisattva passes can bring collateral benefit; how much more the Buddha’s preceding emission of light, which collaterally illuminated 1.08 million koṭis of nayutas of lands to the east, also involves their benefit.

Sixth, advancing on the path through hearing the chapter, as stated in the scripture.

I. Statement of Method

This chapter is the sovereign scripture of the present path, and many people lecture upon it. The present explanation differs from those of others. There are also two fascicles of Private Notes; only a brief selection from them is gathered here.

The title is explained generally and separately. The general explanation has ten pairs; the separate explanation has five individual characters.

II. General Explanation: Ten Pairs

The ten pairs—the first is person and Dharma, and so forth through the tenth, wisdom and severance〔And so forth.〕.

“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is the person; “Universal Gateway” is the Dharma. There are many kinds of person〔And so forth.〕 and many kinds of Dharma〔And so forth.〕. The preceding exchange of question and answer discusses the person, Perceiver of the World’s Sounds; the latter exchange discusses the Dharma, Universal Gateway. Person and Dharma are joined to establish the title, hence it is called The Universal Gateway of the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds.

〔2〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is great compassion removing suffering: according to the preceding exchange, those afflicted by hundreds of thousands of sufferings all attain liberation. “Universal Gateway” is great kindness giving happiness: according to the latter exchange, he teaches Dharma through whatever body is needed for deliverance.

〔3〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is the adornment of wisdom: wisdom can sever delusion as daylight leaves no darkness. “Universal Gateway” is the adornment of merit: merit can transform lifespan as a jewel rains treasures.

〔4〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is contemplative wisdom merging unseen with its object; this is the Dharma body. “Universal Gateway” is manifesting in accordance with what is needed; this is the response body.

〔5〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is like the king of medicinal trees, whose whole body cures illness. “Universal Gateway” is like the king of wish-fulfilling jewels, which gives according to each person’s wish.

〔6〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” performs benefit invisibly: without anything seen or heard, the three poisons and seven disasters are left behind and both wishes in the two quests are fulfilled. “Universal Gateway” performs benefit manifestly: the eyes behold thirty-three noble forms and the ears hear nineteen honored teachings.

〔7〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” illuminates real wisdom by following his own intent; “Universal Gateway” illuminates provisional wisdom by following another’s intent.

〔8〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” does not move from the limit of the Origin; “Universal Gateway” is the Trace adapting to square and round.

〔9〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is fundamentally the seed of the direct cause; “Universal Gateway” is fundamentally the seed of the conditioning cause.

〔10〕“Perceiver of the World’s Sounds” is ultimately the virtue of wisdom, like moonlight on the fourteenth night; “Universal Gateway” is ultimately the virtue of severance, like the last radiance of the moon on the twenty-ninth night about to disappear.

The scripture’s two exchanges of question and answer contain immeasurable meanings. These ten pairs, beginning with person and Dharma and ending with wisdom and severance, briefly explain the general meaning of the chapter title. Such is their import.

III. Separate Explanation: “Contemplate”

The five individual characters are discussed separately—

The first is guan (“contemplate”). There are many kinds of contemplation: analytic contemplation, embodied contemplation, sequential contemplation, and perfect contemplation. Analytic contemplation extinguishes form and enters emptiness; embodied contemplation sees form itself as emptiness; sequential contemplation proceeds from analytic contemplation through perfect contemplation; perfect contemplation sees analytic contemplation itself as true reality, and likewise sequential contemplation itself as true reality.

The present explanation distinguishes and sets aside the other three contemplations, discussing only perfect contemplation. The scripture says “Universal Gateway”: if contemplation is not perfect, the gateway cannot be called universal. This is the meaning.

IV. Separate Explanation: “World”

As for shi (“world”): in terms of practice, world comes first and contemplation afterward; in terms of speech, contemplation comes first and world afterward. Here the order of speech is followed for convenience, so world is discussed later.

There are also many kinds of world: the conditioned world, unconditioned world, world of the two extremes, and inconceivable world. The conditioned world is the world of the three realms; the unconditioned world is the two kinds of nirvāṇa; the world of the two extremes is saṃsāra and nirvāṇa; the inconceivable world is the object of true reality. All the other worlds are distinguished and set aside, and only the inconceivable world is taken.

V. Separate Explanation: “Sounds”

yin (“sounds”), means capacity. There are also many kinds of capacity: the capacities of humans and gods, the two vehicles, bodhisattvas, and Buddhas.

The capacity of humans and gods is to commit no evil and practice every good. The capacity of the two vehicles is to fear saṃsāra and delight in the unconditioned. The bodhisattva capacity places others before oneself and practices compassion, humanity, and deference. The Buddha capacity enters all dharmas through equal contemplation: a person unobstructed in all things, leaving saṃsāra by the single path.

The various capacities called sounds are distinguished and set aside, and only the capacity of Buddha-sound is taken as the condition for establishing a response. Because of the causes and conditions of this capacity and response, he is named “Perceiver of the World’s Sounds.”

VI. Separate Explanation: “Universal”—and the Ten Universalities

pu (“universal”), means all-pervading. Dharmas are immeasurable: if they do not attain universality, they are partial dharmas; if they attain universality, they are perfect dharmas. Hence the Questions of Brahmā says: “Every Dharma is wrong; every Dharma is right.”

Universality is briefly explained through ten dharmas. Once this meaning is understood, one can infer that no Dharma is not universal. These are the universality of compassion, of the vast vows, of practice, of leaving delusion, of entering Dharma gates, of supernormal powers, of skillful means, of teaching Dharma, of bringing living beings to fulfillment, and of making offerings to all Buddhas.

Universality of compassion: from humans and gods through bodhisattvas, all possess compassion, but it may be universal or not universal. Compassion conditioned by living beings and compassion conditioned by dharmas are partial in substance; because the objects they reach are not broad, they cannot be called universal. Unconditioned compassion is one in substance with true reality. Since its principle is perfect, its compassion pervades everywhere—like a magnet drawing iron, naturally corresponding without contrivance. Compassion such as this universally permeates all and is called universality of compassion.

Universality of the vast vows: “vast” means broad, and “vow” means restraint. Because the essential mind is broadly restrained, they are called the vast vows. The vast vows arise in relation to the Four Truths. If related to the constructed, nonarising, or immeasurable Four Truths, they do not encompass all dharmas and are not called universal. If related to the unconstructed Four Truths, they are called universality of the vast vows.

Universality of practice: for example, before the Buddha encountered Dīpaṃkara Buddha, none of what he practiced accorded with principle. After he received the prediction, whatever he encountered was itself principle. For one who practices across all dharmas through principled wisdom, no practice is not universal.

Universality of severing delusion: if omniscience and knowledge of the paths are used to sever the delusions of the four abodes, dust-and-sand, and so forth, this is like cutting away branches and is not called universal severance of delusion. If knowledge of all modes is used to sever ignorance, all five abodes are exhausted, like removing the root; this is called universality of severing delusion.

Universality of entering Dharma gates: before the path is called cultivating skillful means; what is entered after the path is called entering Dharma gates. Those of the two vehicles enter one concentration with one mind; one mind performs only one act and cannot perform many, and it is bound by concentration, so this is not called universal. Passing separately through stages of different depth is also not called universal. But when one enters the king samādhi, all samādhis enter within it, and all modes of dignified conduct are manifested without rising from the concentration of cessation; this is called universality of Dharma gates.

Universality of supernormal powers: the divine eye of a great arhat illuminates a great-thousand world; a pratyekabuddha illuminates a hundred Buddha-worlds; a bodhisattva illuminates worlds numerous as the sands of the Ganges. In every case, the conditioned object is narrow and the power that arises is partial. If cultivated by taking true reality as condition, when one power arises, all arise. Even approximate supernormal powers are as described above—how much more must true supernormal powers be universal?

Universality of skillful means: there are two kinds. Skillful means before the path are included within practice. Those after the path are again twofold: first, Dharma in substance, as explained under entering Dharma gates; second, transformative function, as explained here—meeting capacities and benefiting beings, fitting conditions and what is appropriate, perfectly pervading all at once. Although it carries out manifold activities, it neither damages nor diminishes the true limit of Dharma-nature. This is called universality of skillful means.

Universality of teaching Dharma: with one wondrous sound, one can correspond to the capacities of the ten Dharma realms and cause every class, according to what is appropriate, to attain liberation—like the lute of an asura. This is called universality of teaching Dharma.

Universality of bringing living beings to fulfillment: every activity in all worlds and beyond them is undertaken by bodhisattvas—digging wells, building boats, Shennong tasting medicinal herbs, clouds providing shade, and the sun giving light to benefit living beings, extending even to benefiting all worthies and noble ones, showing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting them so that they enter complete awakening. This is called universality of bringing living beings to fulfillment.

Universality of making offerings to all Buddhas: if one makes external offerings, then with one occasion, one meal, one flower, and one incense one universally offers to all Buddhas—without before or after, making equal offerings at one time. The same applies when varieties of dust issue from one mote. In internal contemplation, perfect wisdom guides the many practices. Perfect wisdom is named Buddha, and the many practices supporting perfect wisdom are precisely offerings to the Buddha. If practices support other kinds of wisdom, this is not called universality of offering. The many practices supporting perfect wisdom are called universality of offering.

VII. Separate Explanation: “Gateway”

As for men (“gateway”): entering emptiness from provisional existence opens emptiness but obstructs the provisional; entering provisional existence from emptiness opens the provisional but obstructs emptiness. Partial passage is not universal; because there is obstruction, it is not a gateway. The middle way is neither emptiness nor provisional existence; it directly opens onto true reality while illuminating both truths, and is therefore called universal. Because it opens directly, it is called a gateway.

The meaning of the perfect penetration of the universal gateway is immeasurable; these ten categories are raised briefly so that it may be known.

This chapter remains the propagation for transforming others through the samādhi of universal manifestation.

VIII. Three Divisions of the Text

The text has three divisions: first the question, second the answer, and third the benefit attained from hearing the chapter. There are two exchanges of question and answer.

The first question has two parts. First, the compiler of the scripture recounts the time: after the bodhisattvas of the east have been explained, it is time to explain the bodhisattva of the west〔i〕; after the generation of goodness in the east has been explained, it is time to explain the generation of goodness in the west〔ii〕; after the severing of doubt in the east has been explained, it is time to explain the severing of doubt in the west〔iii〕; after attainment of the path in the east has been explained, it is time to explain attainment of the path in the west〔iv〕.

IX. Explanation of “Inexhaustible Intention”

As for “Inexhaustible Intention”: the Large Perfection of Wisdom explains that emptiness is inexhaustible; the Great Collection explains eighty inexhaustible gateways; the Vimalakīrti says: “What is inexhaustible is neither exhausted nor inexhaustible and is therefore named inexhaustible.” These three scriptures are combined, and the three contemplations and three wisdoms are used to explain inexhaustibility.

yi (“intention”), is wisdom; wujin (“inexhaustible”), is the object. Wisdom accords with the object: spoken only from the object, it should be called Inexhaustible; spoken only from wisdom, it should be called Intention. Because object and wisdom are named together, he is called “Inexhaustible Intention.”

〔1〕 Moreover, intention is the basis of the worldly and world-transcending. 〔2〕 Moreover, intention is itself the middle way of the Dharma realm, hence it is said that the ability to contemplate mind-nature is called the highest concentration. 〔3〕 This explains the name in terms of the three wisdoms and three contemplations.

X. Raising the Question and the General Answer

As to raising the question, the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: “Possessing the two adornments, one can ask and can answer.” Inexhaustible Intention first uses the adornment of wisdom to ask about the adornment of wisdom of Perceiver of the World’s Sounds; the Buddha uses the adornment of wisdom to answer concerning the adornment of wisdom of Perceiver of the World’s Sounds.

The Buddha’s answer has three divisions: first a general answer, second a separate answer, and third an answer exhorting people to uphold the name.

The general answer has four parts: first the number of people, second encountering suffering, third hearing and invoking the name, and fourth attaining liberation.

Suffering itself has many forms: one person suffering, many people undergoing one suffering, one person undergoing many sufferings, and one person undergoing little suffering. Here the scripture speaks of hundreds of thousands of millions of living beings, so there are many people; it says they undergo various sufferings, so there are many sufferings. The many are raised to reveal the few—if even the many can be rescued, how much more those with little suffering!

Encountering suffering is evil; invoking the name is good. Good and evil combined constitute the meaning of capacity. “thereby attaining liberation” is the response. Because of the causes and conditions of the resonance of capacity, he is named Perceiver of the World’s Sounds; because of the causes and conditions of person and Dharma through wisdom and severance, he is also named Perceiver of the World’s Sounds. Later instances conclude the name in the same way, without burdening the text.

XI. Separate Answer: Oral, Mental, and Bodily Capacities

The separate answer has three divisions: first, the response to oral capacity; second, the response to mental capacity; third, the response to bodily capacity.

Oral capacity again has two divisions: first the seven disasters are explained, then they are concluded.

The disaster of fire has four divisions: first upholding the name is good, second encountering fire is evil, third the response, and fourth the conclusion.

Within one disaster, there are by analogy three turns: first, the fire of retributive result—from the hells through the first dhyāna, all discuss capacity and response; second, the fire of evil karma—from the hells through the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, all discuss capacity and response; third, the fire of affliction—from the hells through equivalent awakening, all discuss capacity and response. The seven disasters, three poisons, and two quests all follow this pattern. Since the meaning is broad, it may be understood in thought but cannot be recorded in words.

Bodily capacity has two divisions: first the two quests, then their conclusion. Seeking a son includes establishing a vow, practice, virtue, and karma. In seeking a daughter, the text omits practice—properly speaking, bowing is the same and is therefore omitted; since their vows and karma differ, those are stated again. The conclusion is as in the scripture.

XII. Exhortation to Uphold the Name

From “therefore living beings” onward is the exhortation to uphold the name, with three divisions: exhorting to uphold, comparative measurement, and concluding praise.

The passage above describes the excellent name and beautiful virtue without distinguishing physical qualities. If one wishes to take refuge and pay reverence, one should uphold his name; therefore the text gives this exhortation.

The Treatise on Entering the Great Vehicle says: “The Dharma body is one; the forms of response and transformation are many.” The 6.2 billion response bodies in the comparison equal one Dharma body.

A wise person says: “A perfect person is one; partial persons are many.” The 6.2 billion partial bodhisattvas in the comparison equal one perfect bodhisattva.

XIII. The Second Exchange of Question and Answer

The second question has three parts: “how does he travel?” asks about the body; “how does he teach?” asks about the mouth; “skillful means” asks about the mind. These are the uncontrived provisional workings of a noble one’s three mysteries, responding appropriately to capacities.

The Buddha’s answer also has three divisions: first a separate answer, second a general answer, and third an exhortation to make offerings.

“according to what is needed” answers concerning the power of skillful means; “manifesting a body” answers the question about travel; “teaching Dharma” answers the question about the mouth. In all there are thirty-three bodies and nineteen teachings of Dharma〔And so forth.〕.

From “bringing to fulfillment” onward, the separate is concluded and the general opened. The separate text is broad but its meaning narrow; the general answer is narrow in text but broad in meaning〔And so forth.〕.

From “therefore” onward is the exhortation to make offerings. Here one sees the form and hears the Dharma, so offerings are encouraged. First comes the exhortation, next reception of the intent. Reception of the intent has six divisions: obeying the command, not accepting, offering again, the Buddha’s exhortation, then accepting, and the conclusion. All are as in the scripture.

XIV. Merit from Hearing the Chapter: Three Explanations of “Unequalled Yet Equal”

From “Dharma-Holder” onward is the merit from hearing the chapter〔And so forth.〕.

As for “unequalled yet equal”: the minds in the nine Dharma realms cannot equal principle, while the mind in the Buddha Dharma realm can equal this principle; it is therefore unequalled yet equal.

Moreover, ultimate principle is unequalled. One first generates the resolve by taking ultimate principle as condition and can equal that principle; it is therefore called unequalled yet equal.

Moreover, mind and principle are both unobtainable. What thing could equal what thing, such that one speaks of unequalled yet equal? Mind and principle are both unsayable; one speaks the unsayable and says this mind equals this principle, and therefore it is called unequalled yet equal.

The first explanation is horizontal, the next vertical, and the third neither horizontal nor vertical〔And so forth.〕.

I. Explanation of the Name: Four Meanings of Dhāraṇī

“dhāraṇī” is translated here as comprehensive retention—comprehensively retaining, evil does not arise and goodness is not lost〔i〕.

It is also translated as able to ward off and able to retain—it can retain goodness and ward off evil〔ii, iii〕.

〔iv〕 This can ward off the evil of the two extremes and retain the goodness of the middle way.

II. Different Openings and Restrictions in Various Scriptures

Various scriptures differ in what they open and restrict. Some spells are used exclusively to cure illness, as with the householder Nata; some exclusively to protect the Dharma, as in this passage; some exclusively to eliminate offenses, as in the Vaipulya scriptures; some generally for curing illness, eliminating offenses, and protecting scripture, as in the Invoking Guanshiyin; and some are great-illumination spells, unsurpassed-illumination spells, and unequalled-illumination spells, which are neither for curing illness, eliminating offenses, nor protecting scripture.

If discussed from the universal approach, they should also encompass the others; if discussed separately, one must take care to follow the scripture and not depart from its teaching〔And so forth.〕.

III. Masters’ Explanations of Spells: Four Positions

Some masters say that a spell is the name of a king of ghosts and spirits. By pronouncing their king’s name, the tribe reveres its ruler and dares not commit wrong; therefore the spell can subdue all ghosts and goblins〔i〕.

Some say that a spell is like a secret watchword in an army. If the announced sign corresponds, no one questions the speaker; if it does not, the speaker is seized on the spot and punished. One who does not follow the spell has the head split into seven pieces; one who follows it is free of fault〔ii〕.

Some say that a spell treats evil secretly and silently, so evil stops of itself. Suppose a man of low birth flees this country for another and falsely claims to be a prince; that country gives him the princess in marriage, but he is irascible and difficult to live with. A wise man comes from his native country, and the princess goes to tell him what has happened. The man tells her: when your husband becomes angry, recite a verse. The verse says: “With no kin, you wander in another land, deceiving everyone; coarse food is an ordinary matter—why trouble to become angry again?” When she recites this verse, he falls silent and his anger ceases; afterward he never becomes angry again. The princess and everyone else only hear the verse and do not know its meaning. A spell is the same: it secretly and silently wards off evil, while the others do not understand〔iii〕.

Some say that a spell is the secret speech of the Buddhas. It is like a king requesting “sendhava”: none of his ministers understands except the wise minister. A spell is the same—it is only one Dharma, yet it possesses many powers throughout: illness is cured, offenses removed, goodness born, and the path joined〔iv〕.

For this reason, all preserve the original sounds; the translators’ intent in not translating lies here.

When the scripture is propagated in an evil age, many troubles and difficulties readily arise. Spells protect it so that the path may circulate.

IV. Four Divisions of the Text

The text has four divisions: first, a question about the merit of upholding the scripture; second, the answer that it is exceedingly great; third, the request to protect it with spells; and fourth, benefit attained from hearing the chapter.

First, the question is as stated in the scripture.

Second, the answer contains a comparative measure. The original question asks whether the merit is great; the answer says it is exceedingly great and brings out the merit through comparison, as stated in the scripture.

Third, the request to utter spells has five occasions: Medicine King, Brave-in-Giving, Vaiśravaṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and the ten rākṣasī women.

Medicine King’s occasion has four divisions: request, utterance, praise, and confirmation. The following occasions have three by analogy, as stated in the scripture. The ten women’s occasion has five: listing the names, requesting and uttering, praise, vow, and confirmation.

V. Names of the Ghosts

“yakṣa” means a swift ghost; “rākṣasa” means a man-eating ghost. These two classes are governed by the north.

“pūtana” is a fever ghost; “kṛtya” is a corpse-raising ghost—whether among humans or yakṣas, this kind of ghost occurs.

“vetāla” is a red ghost; “gandhāra” is a yellow ghost〔unverified〕; “umaraka” is a black ghost〔unverified〕; “apasmāra” is a blue ghost.

VI. Branches of the Arjaka Tree and the Three Grave Offenses

When a branch of the arjaka tree falls to the ground, it naturally splits into seven pieces.

Killing one’s father, killing one’s mother, and disrupting the saṅgha are the three grave offenses.

VII. Foreign Oil and Measures

In foreign lands, oil is made by pounding sesame, allowing worms to arise, and pressing them together in order to obtain more juice and richness—this fault is especially grave.

Giving out with a light measure and taking in with a heavy one is an extreme form of fraudulent theft. In recent times, someone who gave out with a small measure and took in with a large one was struck by lightning, leaving an inscription on his back—this offense too is not light.

I. A Karmic Connection from Another Scripture: Four Monks

This karmic connection comes from another scripture—

In the final Dharma age of a former Buddha, four monks treated the Lotus Sūtra with utmost gravity. Although they rolled and unrolled this secret teaching, the sweet dew had not yet moistened them. Day and night they raised their sincerity and did not forget for an instant. They lamented: “Could it be that we are not the right people? Could it be that this is not the right place?”

The world was confused and sorrowful, while stillness and distraction opposed one another. Even merely seeking leisure required renouncing worldly affairs—how much more did esteeming the path?

So they formed a covenant in the mountains and forests, resolving joyfully to seek the Buddha’s wisdom. The days of secluded dwelling accumulated; clothing and food became sparse and were exhausted. Anything depended upon brought many burdens, and there was no time without lack. If one meal would not go down, a journey of ten thousand miles was abandoned; if they ate only nine meals in a hundred days, their aspirations reaching the clouds were bent low—what could be said?

One of them said: “We four are so poor that we cannot preserve even our bodies and lives—where can the Dharma find support? You three devote your lives only to the path and do not worry about the affairs of the morning meal. I alone will give the strength of this body and vow to provide what you need.”

So he shook his mendicant staff among the gates and lanes to seek offerings and support. From spring through winter, the cycle repeated. Like a servant attending the head of a great household, whether sweet or bitter, he felt neither pleasure nor resentment.

The three could exercise their sincerity, bring their practice to completion, and finish the work—the benefit of one lifetime would extend through immeasurable lives.

II. That One Person Received the Recompense of Kingship

Because that one person repeatedly entered the human world and repeatedly encountered sounds and sights, he was like an unfired clay vessel, difficult to preserve.

Once he happened to see a king traveling. Chariots and horses crowded together and banners blazed. A thought arose and his mind stirred; he desired that glory. The cultivation of merit received recompense following this thought, and among humans and gods he repeatedly became a king. Although his merit was beyond calculation, it was still limited.

III. The Three Attain the Path and Deliberate on Rescuing Him

After the three attained the path, they met and deliberated: “Our escape from the cage was due to this king. But he is immersed in his recompense and increases the conditioned. After this death he will no longer become a king and will sink into the fiery pit; he will truly be difficult to rescue. While he has not yet suffered, now is precisely the time to guide and transform him.”

One of them said: “This king is attached to sensual pleasure and also holds wrong views. Unless we use the hook of love, there is no way to pull him free. One can become a beautiful wife and two can become intelligent sons. He will certainly follow the words of his sons and wife; if transformation is arranged accordingly, it will succeed in changing his wrong views.”

The wife was the Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound; the two former sons were the present Bodhisattvas Medicine King and Medicine Superior; the former king was the present Bodhisattva Flower Virtue.

Thus the white tuft shone eastward, and one ascended the purple terrace to draw him westward; supernormal spells protected the scripture so that its circulation brought great benefit. Because the former connections of four noble ones are told, the chapter is named The Former Affairs of King Wonderful-Adornment.

IV. Explanation of the Chapter Title: Second Meaning

Moreover, “Wonderful-Adornment” means that the qualities of the Wondrous Dharma adorn the faculties.

In the past this king had a connection with the Wondrous Dharma. The time for the path’s permeation had matured, and his faculties should become pure. Although he had not yet attained this in the present life, its principle would certainly arrive—numinous signs evoked a response, and an auspicious name was established early.

For example, although Subhūti had not yet attained freedom from contention, he was already named Empty-Born. Hence the passage below says “attained the samādhi of adornment with pure qualities.” For this reason he is named “King Wonderful-Adornment.”

The preceding chapter spoke of protection by spells, while this chapter speaks of protection by people. If protection by people is already so, protection by spells is still finer—this is the universal exhortation to circulate the scripture.

V. Six Divisions of the Text

The text has six divisions: first, clarifying the basis of the event; second, jointly identifying transformer and transformed; third, the transformer’s skillful means; fourth, benefit attained by the transformed; fifth, identifying past and present; sixth, awakening from hearing the chapter.

The basis of the event is as stated in the scripture.

VI. Jointly Identifying Transformer and Transformed

From “within that Buddha’s Dharma” onward is the second division, jointly identifying transformer and transformed. One person is transformed and three are transformers; all are named. The two sons’ merit and wisdom, six perfections, and four vast vows are separately revealed.

Other scriptures designate these as the ten pāramitās, the horizontal Dharma gate, and the thirty-seven aids to the path, the vertical Dharma gate. Other scriptures take the right path as primary and the various practices as aids to the path; the present scripture designates the ten perfections as the right path and calls these aids to the path.

The perfection of meditation contains samādhis, and every section of the factors of the path contains a samādhi. The additional designation of seven samādhis merely reveals the Dharma gates extensively.

VII. The Transformer’s Skillful Means

From “at that time the Buddha” onward is the third division, the transformer’s skillful means. The text has three parts: first, the arrival of the time; second, deliberation; third, manifest transformation.

First, the arrival of the time: after that Buddha appeared in the world, he constantly proclaimed the right Dharma. While the king’s connection was weak, the time had not come; when the Lotus Sūtra was taught, the time had arrived. The scripture says “that Buddha, wishing to guide him, taught the Lotus Sūtra”; this is the meaning.

Second, deliberation: the sons tell their mother that the time has arrived; the mother yields to them and has them transform their father; the sons complain of being born into a household of wrong views; the mother reproves them and causes them to be concerned. All is as stated in the scripture.

From “thereupon the two sons” onward is the third part, manifest transformation. The manifested transformations should be the eighteen transformations and can be explained in full.

VIII. Benefit Attained by the Transformed: Ten Divisions

From “at that time the father saw his sons” onward is the fourth division, benefit attained by the transformed. The text has ten parts:

First, trusting the sons and subduing the teacher: the king sees one or two transformations of heterodox arts, narrow and crude; seeing what his sons perform, he praises it as unprecedented. He therefore trusts his sons, subdues his teacher, and asks: who is your teacher? I too wish to see him.

Second, the father-king now trusts, and the 84,000 people in the palace have also matured. The sons tell their mother in celebration and ask to be released to leave home; the mother permits them.

Third, they again urge their parents: now is precisely the time, because a Buddha is difficult to encounter.

Fourth, the work of transformation is now manifest, and the Buddha praises their qualities. “Lotus samādhi” gathers all dharmas into the one true reality, as explained above. “leaving evil destinies”—in an initial account, the three evil paths are evil destinies; discussed completely, all twenty-five forms of existence turn from truth and produce delusion and are therefore evil destinies. Now all are left behind: the twenty-five samādhis destroy the twenty-five forms of existence. “Buddha-gathering samādhi” is the secret treasury in which Buddhas gather; it is the place of practice of Buddhas alone and not of others.

Fifth, they go together to the Buddha, hear Dharma, make offerings, behold auspicious signs, and rejoice.

Sixth, the Buddha gives a prediction.

Seventh, leaving home and practicing.

Eighth, praising the two sons.

Ninth, the Buddha recounts the loftiness of his practice.

Tenth, praising the Buddha and making a personal vow.

IX. Four Kinds of Good Spiritual Friend

The Buddha’s praise of good spiritual friends contains profound meaning.

A good spiritual friend can perform a Buddha’s work—this is the friend who protects externally. “showing, teaching, benefiting, and delighting” is the friend who instructs. “namely, transforming and guiding so that one sees the Buddha” is the fellow-practicing friend. “causing one to enter awakening” is the friend of actuality and true reality.

The Saṃyukta Āgama says: “A good spiritual friend is like a faithful and worthy wife”—this is external protection. It also says a good spiritual friend is like the wealth of one’s kin—this is fellow practice. It also says a good spiritual friend is like the guidance of a caravan leader—this is instruction. It also says a good spiritual friend is like a child lying in a father’s embrace—this is actuality.

X. Identifying Past and Present and Attaining the Path from Hearing the Chapter

From “the Buddha told the great assembly” onward is the identification of past and present: first the identification, then the concluding praise of the two bodhisattvas.

From “when this was spoken” onward is attainment of the path from hearing the chapter, as stated in the scripture.

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]