English
English version: The Three Vehicles (Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna) in fact encompass the Five Vehicles (Human Vehicle, Deva Vehicle, Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna). However, beings of the Human and Deva Vehicles can only comprehend the cause, but not the result, because the result is indeterminate (neither good nor bad), and does not create any cause. The good deeds of the Human and Deva Vehicles have two functions: the function of the retributive cause is also not comprehended, because it has already been fully experienced. Only the function of the outflowing cause is what is now comprehended, because it has not yet been fully experienced. Comprehending the meaning of this cause is contained in the first sentence. Question: The meaning of comprehending the Three returning to One is already clear. How can we understand the breaking of the Three and establishing of the One? Answer: To understand this meaning, there are two ways: briefly and in detail. Briefly speaking, it is to break down four kinds of attachments to the Three: first, the attachment that the Three Teachings (Śrāvakayāna teaching, Pratyekabuddhayāna teaching, Bodhisattvayāna teaching) are definitely fixed and not expedient means; second, the attachment that the Three Vehicle people (Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas) are definitely different destinations; third, the attachment that the three causes (Śrāvaka cause, Pratyekabuddha cause, Bodhisattva cause) separately bring about different retributions; fourth, the attachment that the three fruits (Śrāvaka fruit, Pratyekabuddha fruit, Bodhisattva fruit) are respectively the ultimate fruits. Breaking down these four kinds of attached appearances, dispelling these four kinds of clinging views, is why the One Vehicle's reality is established. That is, establishing One Teaching breaks down the Three Teachings; establishing One Person (Buddha) breaks down the Three Vehicle people; establishing One Cause (Buddha cause) breaks down the Three Causes; establishing One Fruit (Buddha fruit) breaks down the Three Fruits; establishing One Nature can universally break down the four kinds of Three, because the four kinds of One are all the same as the principle of the One Vehicle. This is the brief explanation. In detail, it is to break down the ten kinds of attachments of ordinary people and sages, so seven kinds of parables and three kinds of equality are spoken. This meaning is explained in the Sixth Gate. The third part, explaining the function, is completed. The fourth part, explaining the title name, fully retains the Sanskrit transliteration, which should be transliterated as Saddharma-puṇḍarīka-sūtra (萨达摩分陀利修多罗). Translated into Chinese, it is the 'Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law' (妙法莲华经). Speaking of 'Wonderful Law', there are roughly four meanings: first, skillful; second, supreme; third, subtle; fourth, absolute. Speaking of skillful, this sutra skillfully opens the door of expedient means, skillfully eliminates the view of attachment to the Three, skillfully reveals the true appearance, skillfully generates the benefit of already attaining the wisdom of the One Vehicle. Because of these four meanings, it can be used as a true standard. Speaking of supreme, this sutra can proclaim all the Buddha's teachings, can display all the supernatural powers, can reveal all the secret treasures, can speak of all the profound matters. Because of these four meanings, it is most supreme and wonderful, so it is named 'Wonderful Law'. As the 'Supernatural Powers' chapter says: 'In short, all the laws possessed by the Tathāgata, all the supernatural powers of the Tathāgata, all the secret treasures of the Tathāgata, all the profound matters of the Tathāgata, are all proclaimed, displayed, and spoken in this sutra.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
故言妙法。言微妙者。此经所说一乘之果。无妙德而不圆。无杂染而不净。无义理而不穷。无世间而不度。以是四义故名微妙之法。如譬喻品云。是乘微妙清净第一出诸世间为无有上。故言妙法。言绝妙者。此经所说一乘法相。广大甚深离言绝虑。以是四义故为绝妙之法。如方便品云。是法不可示。言辞相寂灭。诸余众生类无有能得解故。此四义中。巧妙胜妙之法当能诠用立名。微妙绝妙之义从所诠宗作目。合而言之。具含如是。巧胜微绝十有六种极妙之义十方三世无二之轨以是义故名为妙法。妙法之名略释如是。莲花之喻有别有通。通者。此华必具华须台实四种。合成殊为美妙。喻于此经具四妙义合成一经。故名妙法。别而言之。即有四义。一者。莲花之类有四种。中分陀利者是白莲花。鲜白分明花开实显。喻于此经了了分明开权显实之巧妙也。二者。此花凡有三名。未敷之时名屈摩罗。将落之时名迦摩罗。已敷未衰处中之时开荣胜盛称分陀利。喻于此经大机正发之盛时宣示显说之胜妙也。三者。此花非直出离泥水。亦乃圆之香洁众美具足。喻于此经所说佛乘出烦恼浊离生死海众德圆满之微妙也。四者。此花非直荷广[廿/祸]深。亦乃不着水渧不染尘垢。喻于此经所说一乘法门广大道理甚深离言绝虑之绝妙也。由 现代汉语译本 因此称为‘妙法’。说到‘微妙’，是指这部经所说的一乘（Ekayana，唯一乘载工具）之果，没有哪种妙德不圆满，没有哪种杂染不清净，没有哪种义理不穷尽，没有哪个世间不被度化。因为这四个原因，所以称为‘微妙之法’。如《譬喻品》所说：‘是乘微妙清净第一，出于诸世间，为无有上。’所以称为‘妙法’。说到‘绝妙’，是指这部经所说的一乘法相，广大甚深，离言绝虑。因为这四个原因，所以是‘绝妙之法’。如《方便品》所说：‘是法不可示，言辞相寂灭，诸余众生类，无有能得解。’在这四个原因中，‘巧妙’和‘胜妙’之法，是能诠释和运用的，因此立名；‘微妙’和‘绝妙’之义，是从所诠释的宗旨来命名的。合起来说，就包含了巧妙、胜妙、微妙、绝妙这十六种极其精妙的含义，是十方三世唯一的轨则，因此称为‘妙法’。‘妙法’这个名称的简略解释就是这样。 莲花的比喻有别有通。通俗来说，这种花必然具备花须、花台、莲实四种，合在一起特别美好。比喻这部经具备四种妙义，合成为一部经，所以名为‘妙法’。分别来说，又有四种含义。一是，莲花的种类有四种，其中‘分陀利’（Pundarika，白莲花）是白莲花，鲜白分明，花开莲实显现。比喻这部经了了分明，开权显实（舍弃权宜之法，彰显真实之法）的巧妙。二是，这种花有三个名字。未开放时叫‘屈摩罗’（Kumuda，睡莲），将要凋落时叫‘迦摩罗’（Kamala，红莲花），已开放但未衰败，处于中间状态时，开荣胜盛，称为‘分陀利’。比喻这部经大机正发，在盛时宣示显说的胜妙。三是，这种花不仅出离泥水，而且圆满香洁，众美具足。比喻这部经所说的佛乘（Buddha-yana，成佛的乘载工具）出离烦恼浊世，脱离生死苦海，众德圆满的微妙。四是，这种花不仅荷广[廿/祸]深，而且不着水滴，不染尘垢。比喻这部经所说的一乘法门，广大道理甚深，离言绝虑的绝妙。
English
English version Therefore, it is called ‘Wonderful Dharma’. Speaking of ‘subtle and wonderful’, it refers to the fruit of the One Vehicle (Ekayana) spoken of in this sutra, in which no wonderful virtue is not complete, no defilement is not purified, no meaning is not exhausted, and no world is not delivered. Because of these four reasons, it is called ‘Subtle and Wonderful Dharma’. As the ‘Parable’ chapter says: ‘This vehicle is subtle, wonderful, pure, and foremost, surpassing all worlds, and there is nothing above it.’ Therefore, it is called ‘Wonderful Dharma’. Speaking of ‘absolutely wonderful’, it refers to the Dharma characteristics of the One Vehicle spoken of in this sutra, which are vast, profound, beyond words, and beyond thought. Because of these four reasons, it is the ‘Absolutely Wonderful Dharma’. As the ‘Expedient Means’ chapter says: ‘This Dharma cannot be shown, words and speech are extinguished, and no other living beings can understand it.’ Among these four reasons, the Dharma of ‘skillful’ and ‘supreme’ wonder is what can be explained and used, hence the name; the meaning of ‘subtle’ and ‘absolute’ wonder is named from the doctrine being explained. Taken together, it contains the sixteen kinds of extremely wonderful meanings of skillful, supreme, subtle, and absolute wonder, which is the unique standard of the ten directions and three times, and therefore it is called ‘Wonderful Dharma’. The brief explanation of the name ‘Wonderful Dharma’ is as such. The metaphor of the lotus flower has both specific and general meanings. Generally speaking, this flower must have four parts: stamens, calyx, lotus seed, which together are especially beautiful. This is a metaphor for this sutra having four wonderful meanings, combined into one sutra, hence the name ‘Wonderful Dharma’. Specifically speaking, there are four meanings. First, there are four types of lotus flowers, among which the ‘Pundarika’ (white lotus) is a white lotus, pure white and distinct, with the flower blooming and the lotus seed appearing. This is a metaphor for the skillful means of this sutra being clear and distinct, revealing the truth by abandoning expedient means. Second, this flower has three names. When it has not yet bloomed, it is called ‘Kumuda’ (water lily); when it is about to wither, it is called ‘Kamala’ (red lotus); when it has bloomed but not yet withered, in the middle state, it is called ‘Pundarika’ when it is flourishing. This is a metaphor for the supreme wonder of this sutra, with the great opportunity arising, declaring and explaining at the peak of its flourishing. Third, this flower not only emerges from mud and water, but is also complete with fragrance and purity, possessing all beauties. This is a metaphor for the Buddha-yana (vehicle to Buddhahood) spoken of in this sutra, emerging from the turbid world of afflictions, escaping the sea of birth and death, and being complete with all virtues. Fourth, this flower not only has broad leaves and deep roots, but also does not cling to water droplets and is not stained by dust. This is a metaphor for the One Vehicle Dharma spoken of in this sutra, with its vast and profound principles, beyond words and beyond thought, being absolutely wonderful. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
是四义有同妙法故。寄是喻以立题名也。 第五明教摄门者。是法华经何教所摄。为是了义为不了义。有说。此经是不了义。所以然者。大分佛教有三法轮。一者有相法轮。唯为发趣声闻乘者。依四谛相转法轮故。如阿含经等。二者无相法轮。唯为发趣菩萨乘者。依法空性转法轮故。如般若经等。三者无相无上法轮。普为发趣三乘者依诸法空。 无自性性而转法轮无上无容故。如解深密经等。此中前二是不了义。第三法轮是真了义。是义具如彼论广说。此法华经是第二摄。如偈说言。诸法从本来。常自寂灭相。佛子行道已。来世得作佛故。是故当知第二无相法轮所摄。既属第二。是不了义。此义即以二文为证。一者即彼解深密经云。一向趣寂声闻种性补特伽罗。虽蒙诸佛施设种种勇猛加行方便化道。终不能令当坐道场证得无上正等菩提何以故。由彼本来唯有下劣种性故。一向慈悲薄弱故。一向怖畏众苦故。乃至广说。二者对法论言。众生意乐。乐乐者。如为不定种性者舍离下劣意乐故。记大声闻当得作佛。又说一乘。更无第二。案云。彼经既是究竟真实了义说。说言声闻永不成佛。是知法花说诸声闻当得作佛。是方便语不了义说。是故阿毗达磨□云。是随众生意乐而说。非是直说真实道理。修多罗者。以 现代汉语译本：这是因为四种意义具有相同的精妙之处，所以用‘寄’来比喻并确立题名。 第五，阐明教义的摄受之门。这部《法华经》属于哪种教义的范畴？是了义（究竟）还是不了义（非究竟）？有人说，这部经是不了义的。原因在于，大体上佛教有三种法轮：第一种是有相法轮，专门为了引导趣向声闻乘的人，依据四谛之相来转法轮，例如《阿含经》等。第二种是无相法轮，专门为了引导趣向菩萨乘的人，依据诸法空性来转法轮，例如《般若经》等。第三种是无相无上法轮，普遍为了引导趣向三乘的人，依据诸法空、无自性性来转法轮，是无上且无法超越的，例如《解深密经》等。其中，前两种是不了义，第三种法轮才是真正的了义。这个意义在《解深密经》中有详细的阐述。这部《法华经》属于第二种法轮所摄，如偈颂所说：‘诸法从本来，常自寂灭相，佛子行道已，来世得作佛。’因此，应当知道它属于第二无相法轮所摄。既然属于第二种，就是不了义。 这个意义可以用两段经文来证明。第一段是《解深密经》所说：‘一向趣向寂灭的声闻种性的补特伽罗（补特伽罗：人），即使蒙受诸佛施设种种勇猛加行方便的教化引导，最终也不能使他们坐在菩提道场证得无上正等菩提。’为什么呢？因为他们本来只有下劣的种性，一向慈悲心薄弱，一向怖畏种种痛苦，乃至（以下省略）。第二段是《对法论》所说：‘众生的意乐，喜欢安乐的人，例如为了使不定种性的人舍离下劣的意乐，所以记说大声闻将来能够成佛。’又说一乘，没有第二乘。按此来说，《解深密经》既然是究竟真实了义的说法，说声闻永远不能成佛，那么《法华经》说诸声闻将来能够成佛，就是方便之语，是不了义的说法。所以阿毗达磨（阿毗达磨：论藏）说：‘这是随顺众生的意乐而说的，不是直接说真实道理。’修多罗（修多罗：经）是……