○終推機應以盡疑情
○ Concluding the analysis of capacities and responses to resolve all doubt
問：此經機應為本耶？為迹耶？本經何不顯迹？為久耶？近耶？
Question: Is the capacity-and-response [teaching] of this sutra based on the Original [teaching] or the Trace [teaching]? Why does the Original sutra not reveal the Trace? Is it the distant [past] or the near [past]?
答：此經機應，是迹非本，亦是近迹，非久迹也。開迹顯本，功在法華。今經方等，未預其事。
Answer: The teachings of this sutra respond to the capacities of beings, but this is the trace teaching, not the original or fundamental teaching. It is also a recent trace teaching, not the ancient, primordial trace teaching. The work of opening up the trace teachings to reveal the fundamental teaching belongs to the Lotus Sutra. This sutra, being a Vaipulya teaching, does not yet partake in that matter.
問：應者佛也，佛為弟子之師，今師之本為道樹已前之本，為道樹已後之本，前則無文所據，後則礙同法華，其本也何定乎？
Question: "The one who responds" refers to the Buddha, and the Buddha is the teacher of his disciples. Now, is the teacher's own ground the ground that precedes the Dharma-tree, or the ground that follows the Dharma-tree? The former has no scriptural basis, while the latter conflicts with the Lotus Sutra. How, then, is this ground to be determined?
【註】道樹，菩提樹也。自世尊近迹言之，六年苦行已畢，于菩提樹下實智始滿，起道樹始施權智。今言道樹已後之本，即始證之實智也。若言道樹已前之本，此中仍有遠近。法華壽量品塵點塵點所喻之劫為遠本，道樹已前一節兩節去為近本。今云道樹已前之本，即壽量品中之遠本也。言前則無文可據，後則礙同法華者，諸師既判此經同於法華，應是遠本，奈何無文可證？若云道樹已後之本，又與法華遠本有礙矣。
(“Tree of the Path” means the Bodhi tree. Speaking of the World-Honored One’s recent trace: after completing six years of austere practice, beneath the Bodhi tree his true wisdom first became full; from rising at the tree of the Path, he first bestowed provisional wisdom. What is meant here by “the root prior to the tree of the Path” is precisely the true wisdom of his initial realization. If one speaks of “the root prior to the tree of the Path,” here there are still distant and near. The kalpas illustrated by dust motes upon dust motes in the “Chapter on the Measure of the Lifespan” of the Lotus Sutra are the distant root; the one or two sections removed prior to the tree of the Path are the near root. What is now called “the root prior to the tree of the Path” is precisely the distant root within the “Chapter on the Measure of the Lifespan.” To say “prior” leaves no textual basis; to say “after” creates an obstacle to agreeing with the Lotus Sutra. Since the various masters have already judged this sutra to be the same as the Lotus Sutra, it should be the distant root—why is there no text to prove it? If one says it is “the root after the tree of the Path,” then again there is an obstacle to the distant root of the Lotus Sutra.)
答：若論說法華之佛即是今佛，法華既指遠本為本，今佛之本又豈異乎？但此經未經開顯，雖有遠本，敝而不言，隨情而說，猶是道樹已後之本，既有礙於法華，不同醍醐也明矣。
問：機者，二乘弟子也。今弟之本，為未入權實二智已前之本？為入實甚久，亦先解行權之本？先解行權，若未開顯，雖本而不敢言。今經既無開顯，何謂同於法華？
【註】妙玄云：諸經明二乘弟子不得入實智，亦不能施權智。今法華經明弟子入實甚久，亦先解行權。
問：此經之應，若謂是本，本則同於法華。法華云：我實成佛來久遠若斯。又云：一切世間皆謂今始得道，我成佛來無量無邊那由他劫。若以此經同於法華，何故無如是言耶？
答：誠如所諭，非遠本也。
問：華嚴前後推之遠迹近迹，楞嚴得非近乎？
【註】言華嚴前後推之者，自華嚴已前，塵點劫已後，中間數數唱生，數數唱滅，為遠迹。華嚴已後，五時施化，為近迹。
答：誠如所諭，是近迹也。
問：所言本迹者，此經本迹為即迹之本、即本之迹？若迹本不二，義同法華，何無文證耶？
答：若約當部言之，則本迹有殊；若跨節會之，則本迹不二。未經開顯，故無證文。
問：此經之機何機耶？為權耶？實耶？若如孤山等諸師，謂是大權，雖是小果，即同大證，所謂名同體別。若爾，苟按位升進，進何位？接何位？能接之教為別耶？圓耶？
答，當機慶喜，誠是大權。若按位升進，則所證初果，進今二信，二三果，進四五六信。既是升進信位，即是圓教受接。經雖無文，義合如之。
問：夫應者，佛也。此經之應，是何佛耶？為本菩提樹下生草為座之佛耶？為七寶菩提樹下天衣為座之佛耶？為蓮華藏世界大寶華王為座之佛耶？為以虗空為座之佛耶？機之與應，乃教之大節，置而不明，為可乎？為不可乎？
答：生草為座者，藏教佛也。天衣為座者，通教佛也。寶華為座者，別教佛也。虗空為座者，圓教佛也。圓佛是法身，別佛是報身，藏通是應身。法身屬本有，是一性。報應是莊嚴，屬二脩。雖是一性，全性起修。雖是二修，全修在性。如天王三目，世伊三點，舉一即三，言三即一者也。是故四教三佛，難以相之多少而定勝劣。須以鑒機及所說法，在圓則圓，在偏則偏矣。如今經教主，若約現迹而觀，始既休夏自恣，赴波斯匿王之請。洎阿難答發心見相之由，又曰：我見如來三十二相，勝妙殊絕。豈非藏教丈六老比丘乎？及乎敷演經義，則唯一圓理。觀機拯溺，則獨一圓鑒。由此而稽，又是圓教法身之佛。今以生草為座者，蓋是為化窮子示現如斯。所謂脫除纓絡細輭上服，更著麤敝垢膩之衣。其實垢衣內身，即是纓絡長者。祇為未經開顯群機，猶未即知。若觀阿難說偈讚佛，然亦未嘗不知今佛即以虗空為座也。問：今經唯演圓常，此說可爾。若鑑機者，且經文何處是其鑑機？那又知是圓鑑？答：天台云：佛之鑑機有乎多種：若言一日三時入定觀可度機，此三藏佛照九界機，析空感應也；若言即俗而真，不須入出，任運能知，此通教佛照九界機，體空感應也；若言用王三昧歷別照十法界機，此別佛次第感應也；若言王三昧一時照十法界機，此法佛圓妙感應也。今阿難既啟請十方如來得成菩提妙奢摩他，正是佛界寂光之機。經中又不言入定觀機等事，但云如來知彼婬術所加，此知之一字即是無緣慈悲寂而常照之地，所謂以王三昧一時頓照者也。問：如來知彼婬術所加，此則正同通教，不須入出，任運而知，云何謂是圓鑒？答：任運而知，界內通佛、界外圓佛皆有此義，須以所鑒機之多少、理之偏圓以分勝劣。如藏、通兩佛，與而言之，雖云能照九界真俗，奪而言之，秪能照於八界真俗，以菩薩所證同二乘故。若別、圓二佛俱能照於十界三諦，惟有次不次之分。今經既云我以不滅不生合如來藏十界三諦，俱非俱即，俱非破立，以後騐前，故知必是圓鑒。