Gosho 御義口伝 下 Orally Transmitted Teachings on the Lotus Sutra Part 2

結(けっ)要(ちょう)五字の付属(ふぞく)を宣(の)べ給う時・宝塔品に事起り、声(しょう)徹(てつ)下(げ)方(ほう)し近(ごん)令(りょう)有在(うざい)・遠令(おんりょう)有在(うざい)と云うて有在の二字を以て本化(ほんげ)・迹化(しゃっけ)の付属を宣(の)ぶるなり。

Therefore when the transmission of the five characters that represent the essence of the Lotus Sutra took place, the procedure began in the “Treasure Tower” chapter, when Shakyamuni Buddha spoke in a voice that penetrated to the lower regions, calling on those who are near to preserve the sutra and those who are far away to preserve it. [“The Buddha wishes to entrust this Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law to someone so that it may be preserved” (chapter eleven, TreasureTower).] With these two words “be preserved,” he declared he would entrust the sutra to the bodhisattvas of the essential teaching and the bodhisattvas of the theoretical teaching.

Shakyamuni Buddha declared the transmission of the five characters----the essence of the Lotus Sutra. This transmission began in the Treasure Tower chapter of the Lotus Sutra, in which the Buddha proclaimed the transfer of the sutra to the bodhisattvas taught by the Buddha of the essential teaching as well as to the bodhisattvas taught by the Buddha of the theoretical teaching. He stated,“I will entrust [the sutra] to those will be living closer to the time of my death;”and “I will entrust [the sutra] to those who will be born in the distant future after my death.” His voice reached downward [where the Bodhisattvas of the Earth were still under the earth].

仍(よ)つて本門の密序(みつじょ)と習うなり、

Hence we traditionally refer to this passage as the secret or veiled introduction to the essential teaching.

Thus, [the Treasure Tower chapter of the theoretical teaching] is called the secret beginning of the essential teaching.

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