Q: Are these Ten Suchlikes the subject that illuminates or the object that is illuminated?

A: They are the subtle objective realm that is to be illuminated.

Q: How can we come to know them?

A: The Lotus Sutra first praises the wisdom through which there is illumination, that is, the two tentative and real wisdoms of all Buddhas. Next, the objective realm that is to be illuminated is clarified as the Ten Suchlikes.

Q: What does this text say?

A: In the chapter on “Expedient Means” it says, “The wisdom of all Buddhas is exceedingly profound and immeasurable. This gate of wisdom is difficult to understand and difficult to enter” to “Only a Buddha and a Buddha can exhaust their reality, that all dharmas have suchlike appearance” and so forth.

Q: Why do you establish such a troublesome scheme?

A: The [Fa-hua] hsüan-i and [Mo-ho] chih-kuan have this as their central theme, and the doctrines of this Tendai school are richly summarized therein.

Q: What is forfeited if one does not understand this topic?

A: If one is deluded concerning this meaning, one naturally misses the thrust of the course of all the teachings, and the streams that branch out from the single teaching [of the Buddha] dry up.