The wondrous path of the Dharma Blossom is so deep and recondite. Furthermore, the Medicine King and others have become its propagators. Thus, man is lofty whereas li is recondite, separated from the mass [by the dimension of the] dark, [absolute realm]. Those of shallow intelligence have been slow in comprehending it and in fact have regressed. Though they have wanted to propagate the sūtra, they have not dared to try to put it into practice. For this reason [the Buddha] takes up the example of King Fine Adornment. King Fine Adornment had earlier been [a man] with “crooked views.” When his “crooked views” were rectified, he then became a propagator of the Dharma Blossom. Those with average intelligence thereupon resolved to propagate the sūtra. Expedient traces have been given [by the Buddha], with the result that those who are saved are many. Illustrated as well [in this chapter] is the significance of a good friend, implicitly revealing the beauty of learning lessons by way of observing another person. Thus introducing the earlier, past conditions are “the former affairs.”