Those who are originally transformed and have entered the Lotus Throne are one extreme. Those who have not yet entered are, like the skillful means [to lead them to enter Buddhahood], without end. Those in the middle are also like this. Some [enter] by means of [the teachings of] the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the Vaipulya, or the Prajn͂āpāramitā Sūtras; others enter the Lotus Throne by advancing from the Shared to the Distinct, from the shared to the Perfect, from the Distinct to the Perfect, and so forth. These are no different from the original entering [of the Lotus Throne by the Buddha]. These are the other extreme. Those who have not yet entered [the Lotus Throne] should “brew” the four flavors [from milk to butter] and then all will achieve [the ghee of] entrance to the Lotus Throne by means of this Lotus Sūtra.

Some person has said that from the very first [sermons in the] Deer Park, are all inducements to the [ultimate teaching of the] Lotus Sūtra. These words are not acceptable. There is a limited period⁵⁸⁷ of explanation because all [the sermons] since the sermon on the seat of enlightenment [the Avataṃsaka Sūtra] are inducements to [the message of] the Lotus Sūtra. Therefore as light illumines other lands, the Buddhas of the present all [preach] the sudden [teachings] and expose [its meaning] gradually.

Mañjuśrī follows previous Buddhas also by utilizing the sudden [Teaching] and exposing it gradually. Alas, this [forty-five year period of Śākyamuni’s life] is a very limited period of inducements [to the Lotus Sūtra].

[The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Sūtra for the sake of sentient beings since the time of Mahābhijfiājfiānābhibhu.⁵⁸⁸ It should be known that it [the inducements to the Lotus Sūtra] is not limited to [the Buddha’s] approaching and taking the seat of enlightenment [and preaching the Avataṃsaka Sūtra]. Even this is a limited period.

[The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Throne for the sake of sentient beings since the time of his original attainment of Buddhahood.⁵⁸⁹ Even this is a limited period. [The Buddha] has performed the skillful means of the Lotus Throne for the sake of sentient beings since the time of his original practices on the bodhisattva Path [even before attaining Buddhahood]. The text [of the Lotus Sūtra] says, “I originally made a vow that I would universally lead all sentient beings to attain this same path.”⁵⁹⁰ Thus should it be known. The inducements [to the message of the Lotus Sūtra] are certainly not limited to the present.

⁵⁸⁷Lit. “close” or “near.” In this context it refers to the forty-five years of
the historical Buddha Śākyamuni’s life as a “limited” time compared to the immeasurable eons in which the Buddha has actually been preaching the Dharma. The Buddha has been preaching and performing “inducements” to the true message, finally and fully revealed only in the Lotus Sūtra, from the incalculable past and will continue into the far distant future. return

588

The Tathāgata Supreme in Great Penetrating Wisdom. The Lotus Sūtra speaks of this Buddha of the immeasurable past as an example of one who preached the Lotus Sūtra. See the first part of the chapter “On the Magical Castle.” Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 145, translates this section as follows: “At that time, that Buddha, entertaining the śramaṇeras’ entreaty, when twenty thousand kalpas had passed, in the midst of the fourfold multitude finally preached this scripture of the Great Vehicle named the Lotus Blossom of the Fine Dharma, a Dharma taught to bodhisattvas, one which Buddhas keep in mind… . That Buddha preached this scripture for eight thousand kalpas, never resting or tiring. When he had finished preaching this scripture, straightaway he entered a quiet room, where he remained in dhyāna concentration for eighty-four thousand kalpas…” return

589

Explained in the Lotus Sūtra to have occurred immeasurable eons ago. For example, in the chapter “On the Life-span of the Tathāgata” the Buddha claims that “since in fact I achieved Buddhahood it has been incalculable, limitless hundreds of thousands of myriads of millions of nayutas of kalpas” (Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 237). return

590

This is a paraphrase from verses in the second chapter “On Expedient Means.” Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 35, translates this context as follows: “Śāriputra, be it known that formerly I a vow, wishing to cause all multitudes to be just like me, no different. In keeping with my former vow, all is now fulfilled, for I have converted all living beings, causing them to enter into the Buddha Path.” return

The Tathāgatas of past, present, and future intrinsically lead sentient beings to be exposed to the Buddha’s knowledge and insight and attain the patience which comes from [realizing the truth of] non-arising. [The Buddha] appears in this world through the conditioned co-arising of his great deeds.

The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra-upadeśa says, “The meaning of the lotus blossom arising out of the water cannot be exhausted. Those of the Hinayāna are detached from the muddy and defiled waters [of secular life]. Therefore the Tathāgata enters into and sits among the great crowd of people. It is like all bodhisattvas who sit on lotus flowers [in the pure land] and listen to the preaching of the unsurpassed pure wisdom.”⁵⁸⁵ They never sit on the leaves of the lotus. Thus all of these bodhisattvas hear the preaching of the one perfect way, are enlightened concerning the one perfect result [of Buddhahood], dwell in the realm of the [lotus] flower-king, and like the Buddha Vairocana sit on the Lotus Blossom Throne [of enlightenment]. This is the intention of the Buddha.

[Bodhisattvas of good faculties] already enter the Lotus Throne when they first see the [Buddha] body and first hear the one truth.⁵⁸⁶ The Sudden Teaching is exposed gradually for the sake of those who have not yet entered [the Lotus Throne of enlightenment]. Various skillful means assist in manifesting the supreme meaning to explain all of [the understandings of] the two truths, at times as one, at times as many, at times as beyond conceptual thought. [The methods and teachings are] various and not the same, but they are all skillful means for the sake of attaining the Lotus Throne. The Tathāgata is eternally quiescent yet his transformations fill the universe. Truly he does not discriminate, such as first [deliberately] planning and then taking action, in working to save others. With his innate powers of goodness and compassion, [the Buddha spontaneously] leads all sentient beings to enter [the Lotus Throne of enlightenment].

585

See the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra-upadeśa, T. 3a10-15. return

586

The Fa hua hsüan i shih ch’ien [Annotations on The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sutra]says that this refers to the bodhisattvas of clever faculties in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. Thus this sentence refers to the preaching of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra immediately after the Buddha’s enlightenment in which he directly explained the content of his enlightenment. Those with ears to hear were able to understand, but most were not able to comprehend what the Buddha was saying. Thus the Buddha went to the Deer Park and preached the Hinayāna Tripiṭaka Teaching. return

Next I will classify [these categories] into crude and subtle all together [as in a bundle]. The first two teachings [Tripiṭaka and Shared], though they contain the aspect of “according to wisdom,” specialize in “according to feelings.” Since they teach with words in accordance with the minds of others, they are called “crude.” As for “advancing from the Shared to the Distinct,” though this contains the aspect of “according to feelings,” it specializes in mixing “according to feelings and wisdom” and teaching both with words in accordance with the mind of others and [the Buddha’s] own. Therefore it is both crude and subtle. The perfect two truths, though it has the aspect of “[preaching] according to feelings,” and so forth, specializes in “[preaching] according to wisdom” and teaches words in accordance with [the Buddha’s] own mind . Therefore it is subtle.

Question: if the first two [types of] two truths specialize in “[preaching] according to feelings,” then they should not be considered an insight into truth nor an attainment of the Path.

Answer: Since it is not an attainment of the Middle Path it is called “[preaching] in accordance with feelings.” The Buddha Tathāgatas do not preach the dharma in vain. Though it is not the supreme siddhānta of the Middle Path it is not lacking in the benefits of the other three siddhānta. Generally speaking these are all classified as belonging to “according to feeling” and thus are crude.

[T]o classify into crude and subtle from the perspective of “in accordance with feelings and/or wisdom.”

First, in terms of the Tripiṭaka Teachings, one first hears the two truths in accordance with feelings. One becomes attached to the true words and makes them false, thus arousing a [mistaken] view concerning language. Therefore this cyclic existence of life and death continues and a suitable atmosphere for [cultivating] the Buddha dharma is lacking. If one is able to assiduously cultivate mindfulness⁵⁷⁶ and arouse the four good roots,⁵⁷⁷ then at that time the two truths in accordance with feelings are all called “mundane.” The two truths which are illumined through the attainment of no outflow [of passions] are all called “real.” The real and the mundane [truths] which are illumined by the wisdom of no outflows [of passion] of those who have attained the four fruits [of the śrotāpanna, sakṛdāgāmin, anāgāmin, and arhat]⁵⁷⁸ are all called the two truths which are “in accordance with wisdom.” Those in accordance with feelings are crude, those in accordance with wisdom are subtle.

It is like when milk first turns into cream. After the attainment of cream, the mind has the essence of faith and one has no obstruction to leaving or appearing in [this world]. Therefore upon realizing [the distinction in teachings] “according to feelings,” “according to feelings and wisdom,” and “according to wisdom,” the Shared Teachings, advancing from the Shared to the Distinct, and advancing from the Shared to the Perfect are taught. This leads people to be ashamed of the small [Hinayāna], seek the great [Mahāyāna], regret one’s limited capacity,⁵⁷⁹ and thirst after the superior vehicle. This is like when cream turns into curds. When the mind gradually advances in the Shared [Teaching], then the [distinctions are made] “according to feelings, according to feelings and wisdom, and according to wisdom,” and the Distinct Teachings and the advancing from the Distinct to the Perfect is taught, the unique prajn͂ā-wisdom [of the bodhisattvas] is clarified, and one is “ordered to perform the household duties, freely handle the gold, silver, and precious treasures, and comes to know [the father’s business].”⁵⁸⁰ When one comes to know this, it is like when curds turn into butter. After a long exposure to the Dharma of all Buddhas, the real truth ⁵⁸¹ should be explained, i.e. the perfect two truths “according to feelings, according to feelings and wisdom, and according to wisdom.” This is like when butter turns to ghee. These are the six kinds of two truths which are used to prepare and mature sentient beings.
Separately there are the [first preparatory] four flavors; therefore they are crude. The one flavor of ghee is subtle.

576

The stages of practice at, in T’ien-t’ai terms, the lower level of ordinary men,which include the five meditations for putting the mind at rest, mindfulness concerning objects individually and mindfulness concerning objects in general. See Chappell, Tient’ai Buddhism, 96—98; Hurvitz, Chih-i, 346—347. return

577

The four levels of practice previous to and preparatory for the level of “insight into the path” (darśana-mārga). In T’ien-t’ai technical terms, these levels correspond to the higher level of ordinary men. These four are the levels of “warming up,” the “summit of concentration,” “patience,” and “dharma supreme in the world.” See Chappell, Tien-t’ai Buddhism, 98; Hurvitz, Chih-i, 347. return

578

In T’ien-t’ai terms, this is the next “stage of sagehood” which includes the three levels of insight into the path (darśana-mārga), cultivating the path (bhāvanā-mārga), and the level of no more learning (aśaikṣa). See Chappell, Tien-t’ai Buddhism, 98—99; Hurvitz, Chih-i, 347-349. return

579

“Ones’s defeated seed, or potential.” This refers to the Hinayāna belief that the extinction of passions and the attainment of arhatship is the highest possible attainment, and thus one is “defeated,” or trapped at this level, and cannot or will not advance to the highest goal of Buddhahood. return

580

See the parable of the rich man and his son in the Lotus Sūtra. The lost son does not realize his true nature as the rich man’s heir, so the rich man uses expedient means to gradually teach the son his true nature. Hurvitz, Lotus Sūtra, 88, translates the context as follows: “At that time, the great man was taken ill, and knew himself that he was to die before long. He addressed his poor son, saying, ‘I now have much gold and silver and many precious jewels, with which my treasure houses are filled to overflowing. You are to find out whether there is much or little in those [houses], what is to be taken in, what is to be given out. Such are my thoughts, and you are to understand i my meaning. What is the reason? It is that you and I are now to be no different. You are to exercise care and to let nothing get lost.’ At that time, the poor son, straightaway receiving his instructions, took charge of the multitude of things. … Yet he had no craving for so much as a single meal, but continued to live as before in the same place, still unable to put off his lowly thoughts.” return

581

T. has , “real treasure,” but the Bukkyō tai.kei edition has , “real truth,” which is more consistent with the context. return

Question: Why is there no advancement from the Tripiṭaka Teachings?

Answer: In the Tripiṭaka teachings [the two truths are understood as] non-identical within this world. The Hinayānist attains enlightenment and is “an arhat who has destroyed his fundamental impurities” [and thus believes he has no higher goal to attain].⁵⁷² Therefore I do not discuss advancement [for those of the Tripiṭaka Teachingl.⁵⁷³ The other six are Mahāyāna teachings. If one wishes to advance, one must learn to leave the past [accomplishments] behind. Therefore I teach [the doctrine of] “advancement.”

Question: If there is no advancement [to a higher level for those of the Tripiṭaka Teaching], is there no encounter, with the final truth and ultimate enlightenment]?

Answer: The meaning of advancement is different from the meaning of “encounter.” When one has not yet encountered [the ultimate teaching as revealed in the Lotus Sūtra], there is no discussion of advancement [to the more profound Distinct or Perfect Teachings].

572

This phrase is from the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra where Mahākāśyapa expounds on the disadvantages of being a śrāvaka. Boin, Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra, 179, translates the context as follows: “It would be better to become guilty of the five acts of immediate fruition [ānantarya] than to be like us holy ones (arhat) who are completely delivered [atyantavimukta]. And why? Because those who become guilty of the five ānantarya still have the power to destroy these ānantarya, to produce the thought of enlightenment and gradually attain all the Buddha dharmas. While we, arhats, who have destroyed our impurities [kṣīṇāsrava], will never be capable of it.” return

573

In other words, since arhatship is the highest goal in the Tripitaka Teaching, and they believe that there is no higher attainment, there is no sense in talking of “advancing” from the Tripiṭaka Teaching to the Mahāyāna levels of the Shared, Distinct, or Perfect Teaching. Nevertheless the problem remains that since, according to the Lotus Sūtra and a fundamental issue for Chih-i, everyone has the Buddha-nature and is destined for eventual Buddhahood, so there must be some sort of advancement even for those who have attained the “complete extinction” of arhatship in the Tripiṭaka teaching. return

The seven types of two truths are as follows:

First, “real existence” is the mundane, “the extinction of real existence” is the real.

Second, “illusory existence” is the mundane, and “identifying this illusory existence as empty [of substantial Being]” is the real.

Third, “illusory existence” is the mundane, and “identifying illusory existence as both empty and non-empty” is the real.

Fourth, “illusory existence” is the mundane, and “the identity of illusory existence with emptiness and non-emptiness, that all dharmas are empty and non-empty,” is the real.

Fifth, “illusory existence and the identity of illusory existence with emptiness” is all called the mundane, and “neither existence nor emptiness” is the real.

Sixth, “illusory existence and the identity of illusory existence with emptiness” is all called the mundane, and “neither existence nor emptiness, that all reality is included in “neither existence nor emptiness,” is the real.

Seventh, “illusory existence and the identity of illusory existence with emptiness” is the mundane, and that “reality includes existence, includes emptiness, and includes neither existence nor emptiness,” is the real.

Briefly, there are three differences [in the kind of preaching undertaken by the Buddha] called “in accordance with the feelings” [of the listener] ; “in accordance with the feelings [of the listener] and the wisdom” [of the Buddha] ; and “in accordance with the wisdom” [of the Buddha.]⁵³³

The preaching in accordance with the feelings [or capacities of sentient beings] refers to [the teaching of the Buddha which takes into account] the fact that the feelings and natures [of sentient beings] are not the same, so the explanation which is taught in accordance with the feelings is different [for each person]. As it is clarified in the Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā Śāstra, there are immeasurable varieties of the dharma supreme in the world [laukikāgra-dharmāh].⁵³⁴

It is the same for the real ultimate truth. How much more so for the others. It is like a blind man following his feelings when presented with many different [analogies for the whiteness of] milk.

The blind man, hearing various explanations, argues about the color white. Do they not all refer to [the whiteness of] milk? All the masters have failed to understand this meaning. They each are attached to a certain text, and present their own opinions and argue. They each deny each other’s [opinions], believing one and not believing another. What vigorous bickering! They do not know which side is correct.

533

This is an expansion of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra division of the Buddha’s teachings into that in accordance with the minds of others and that given in accordance with his own mind. return

534

See Abhidharma-mahāvibhāṣā Śāstra, T. 28, 9b—17a. return

The term “two truths” appears in many Sūtras, but it’s reality is difficult to comprehend. The world is in an uproar and has debated this issue for a long time. In the Miao-shêng-ting ching it says that the Buddha and Mañjuśrī had a dispute over the two truths in the past and they both fell into hell.⁵¹⁷ It was not until the time of the Buddha Kassapa⁵¹⁸ that their doubts were resolved satisfactorily.⁵¹⁹ If these two sages in their causal stages⁵²⁰ were not able to resolve the issue, how can contemporary people with their strong emotional passions attain a resolution?

517

This text, probably an apocryphal Chinese Sūtra, was lost and the Shakusen kōgi says that “this text is missing from the canon.” It was rediscovered, however, among the manuscripts at Tun-huang and published by Sekiguchi Shindai in his Tendai shikan no kenkyū, Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten, 1969, 379-402. return

518

Kassapa was the sixth of the so-called “seven past Buddhas” preceding and including Śākyamuni. return

519

The text published by Sekiguchi 1969, 398, says, “The Buddha said to Ānanda, ‘I, in the distant past, studied widely and had a dispute with Mañjuśrī over [the meaning of] the two truths as being yu) or non being (wu). Mañjuśrī supported [the understanding of the two truths as] being; I supported non-being. On account of this dispute we were not able to determine whether the two truths mean being or non-being, and dying we fell into the three evil destinies where we wore hot steel globes for immeasurable kalpas. When I emerged from hell I met Kassapa, who then explained the two truths of being and non-being. The Buddha Kassapa said, ‘All dharmas are without a nature. [The meaning of] being and non-being which you speak of is not consistent with this meaning. Why? Because all myriad dharmas are all empty and quiescent. These two truths are both being and non-being. Your present understanding is merely an understanding of the literal meaning, not an understanding of the profound meaning. Your understanding of this is like the deaf and the dumb; how can you understand the profound meaning?’ I heard this and immediately went into the forest and contemplated it, entered a state of meditation, and for seven days within the four dhyāna states contemplated samādhi, the three contemplations, the three wisdoms, the three emptinesses, great emptiness, and the emptiness of supreme meaning, and finally understood this emptiness, that all the myriad dharmas are empty, are all empty and quiescent. Why? Because all the myriad dharmas are inherently empty by nature’. . .” return

520

The stages of practice wherein a potential Buddha, or bodhisattva, cultivates the practices which will lead to, or cause one to attain, the fruit of Buddhahood. return