The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

The Prose & Verse of The Lotus Sutra

Chapter 2 - Ways & Means

Text - Page 4


Sho	I	Sha	Ga	Butsu	Zo	Shin	Gon
This	Because	It	What	Buddha	Before	Intimately	Close


Hyaku	Zen	Man	Oku	Mu	Shu	Sho	Butsu
100	1000	10000	100000	Without	Count	Many	Buddhas


Jin	Gyo	Sho	Butsu	Mu	Ryo	Do	Ho
Exhaustively	Practice	Many	Buddhas	Without	Measure	Path	Dharmas

"This is because the Buddha has already been intimately close to hundreds, thousands and millions of countless Buddhas, exhaustively cultivating their immeasurable spiritual practices."

From This is because (Sho-I Sha Ga) ...
At Kuang Chai it was said that this part praises the Buddha Sakyamuni.
Now we propose that these words explain the dual wisdom of all the Buddhas.

From The Buddha has already been intimately close to (Buts-Zo Shingon)... to ...exhaustively cultivating the measureless spiritual practices of the Buddhas" (Jingyo Sho Butsu Muryo Doho):
This is the explanation of the real wisdom of all the Buddhas.

Because they have met many Buddhas on the outside, sought them out and served them, their real wisdom is very deep.
Because their inner practice is sincere and they have exhaustively cultivated all of their spiritual practices, their real wisdom is without measure.
In being without measure the horizontal breadth of the real wisdom is explained.
In being very deep its vertical loftiness is explained.


Yu	Myo	Sho	Jin	Myo	Sho	Fu	Mon
Brave	Valiant	Freshly	Advancing	Names	Praised	Universally	Heard

"Having bravery, valor and diligence, the praise of their names is heard everywhere."

This is the explanation of the provisional wisdom of all the Buddhas.

The door to this wisdom is hard to understand and hard to enter. Because of bravery, valor and diligence (Yumyo Shojin), they are able to enter into the door that is difficult to enter.
Having entered into the door, they receive boundless blessings and their superior virtues are respected. Because of this the praise of their names is heard everywhere (Myosho Fumon)

It is also possible to analyze these passages this way:

With bravery, valor and diligence, they are able to enter into the door of spirituality (the Dharma). This explains that the provisional wisdom is deep.
Because the praise of their names is heard everywhere, the provisional wisdom is explained as being broad.
Upon observing that the provisional words are not deep or broad, one reveals the meaning of the real wisdom that they are based on.


Jo	Ju	Jin	Jin	Mi	Zo	U	Ho
Attain	Reach	Very	Deep	Not Yet	Before	Had	Dharma


Zui	Gi	Sho	Setsu	I	Shu	Nan	Ge
Follow	Opportu- nities	Here	Teach	Intent	Aim	Difficult	To Understand

"Realizing a very deep spirituality never before known, they follow every opportunity to teach of it, its purpose being difficult to understand."

From "Realizing a very deep"...(Joju Jinjin...):

This concludes the part on the dual wisdom of all the Buddhas

Invoking the ultimate principle of reality is called Realizing (Joju).
In reaching to the other shore it is called Very deep (Jinjin).

This is the conclusion on the attainment of the real wisdom

Invoking the proper capacity of the audience is called Following every opportunity (Zuigi).
Being beyond the knowledge of the seven ways & means¹ is called Difficult to understand (Nange).

This is the conclusion on the attainment of the provisional wisdom.

In following feelings the principle is murky, and so it is called difficult to understand.
With complete discernment of the meaning the purpose is revealed, and so it is easy to comprehend.

The Inclusiveness of The Great Vehicle says:
"In the Sutras of complete meaning one depends upon the words to analyze the meaning .
In the Sutras of incomplete meaning one depends upon the meaning to analyze the words ."
This is the meaning here.

And sometimes there is another understanding:

Realizing a very deep spirituality never before known.
This concudes the part on the provisionand reality of one's own practice.
Following every opportunity to teach of it, its purpose being difficult to understand.
This concludes the part on the provision and reality of influencing others.

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Footnote:

1. The seven ways & means: There are various groupings that referred to the ways & means small vehicle practice. Here Chih-I used the seven ways & means to refer to the seven lesser vehicles of spiritual awakening:
a. The Vehicle of Personality (Humanity, Manusyas) - mastering the basic precepts of morality; character development
b. The Vehicle of Heaven (The Gods, Devas); mastery of desire, worship and meditation
c. The Vehicle of the Spiritual Disciple (Sravaka); understanding of the four truths
d. The Vehicle of the Spiritually Self-Awakened (Pratyekabuddha); freedom from causality & conditions
e. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the Three Baskets Doctrine; mastery of karma & retribution
f. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the General Doctrine; mastery of emptiness
g. The Vehicle of the Bodhisattva of the Specific Doctrine; mastery of the limitless Bodhisattva practices

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