法華經義記 1.118

1.118

「爾時彌勒菩薩作是念」，自此下是第三，詺為疑念序。亦有兩段：第一、先明彌勒有疑念；第二、從「爾時比丘」以下竟「今當問誰」，即敘大眾有疑念也。就彌勒疑念中凡有三念，始具兩疑，終事決成一疑。大眾有兩念，即是兩疑也。彌勒三念者，從「爾時彌勒作是念」下，竟「以何因緣而有此瑞」，此是第一念即第一疑，此正疑上二六種瑞相何故現耶？自有二句，初「爾時彌勒作是念」下，明疑前之念，次「以何因緣而有此瑞」，正明疑也。但瑞相之名皆得換易，亦可言今佛世尊現神變瑞相，以何因緣而有此瑞相？亦可雙舉言今佛世尊現神變相瑞，以何因緣而有此相瑞？神是內力，變據外用。何者？若據內談如來種智則物莫能測，即是轉海水為蘇酪、長短改度、小大相容等也。第二從「今佛世尊入于三昧」訖「當以問誰誰能答者」，此即是第二念，既有此瑞相，疑不知問誰，即是第二疑也。亦有二：初「今佛世尊入于三昧」下，明疑前之念；「當以問誰」以下，正明疑也。佛若不入定我當問佛，佛今入定我當問誰？從「復作是念是文殊師利」訖「我今當問」，此是第三念，即知文殊是可問之人，此是第三念，即決上第二疑。上第二疑不知問誰，今既知文殊是可問之人，故知即知決上第二疑也，唯有第一正疑瑞相在也。是故彌勒凡有三念始具兩疑，終成三念一疑也。

"At that time Maitreya Bodhisattva had this thought" and so forth from here down is the third [section], named the prologue of doubtful thoughts. It also has two parts: first, clarifying that Maitreya had doubtful thoughts; second, from "at that time the monks" and so forth down to "whom should we ask now?", narrating that the great assembly had doubtful thoughts. Within Maitreya's doubtful thoughts, there are altogether three thoughts: at first possessing two doubts, and finally through the resolution of the matter becoming one doubt. The great assembly had two thoughts, which are two doubts. As for Maitreya's three thoughts: from "at that time Maitreya had this thought" down to "for what cause and condition is there this portent?" is the first thought, which is the first doubt. This directly doubts why the above two sets of six kinds of auspicious signs were manifested. It naturally has two clauses: first, from "at that time Maitreya had this thought" downward clarifies the thought preceding the doubt; next, "for what cause and condition is there this portent?" directly clarifies the doubt. However, the names "portent" and "sign" can both be interchanged: one could also say "Now the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, manifests spiritual transformations as portents and signs; for what cause and condition are there these portents and signs?" One could also mention both together and say: "Now the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, manifests spiritual transformations as signs and portents; for what cause and condition are there these signs and portents?" "Spiritual" is internal power; "transformation" is based on external functioning. Why? If based on the internal, discussing the Tathāgata's omniscience, nothing can fathom it; that is, turning ocean water into clarified butter, changing lengths and measurements, making the small and large contain each other, and so forth. Second, from "Now the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, has entered samādhi" down to "Whom should I ask? Who can answer?" is the second thought. There already being these auspicious signs, he doubted not knowing whom to ask; this is the second doubt. It also has two parts: first, from "Now the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, has entered samādhi" clarifies the thought preceding the doubt; from "Whom should I ask?" onward directly clarifies the doubt. If the Buddha had not entered samādhi, I would ask the Buddha; now that the Buddha has entered samādhi, whom should I ask? From "He further thought: 'This Mañjuśrī'" down to "I should ask him now" is the third thought, namely knowing that Mañjuśrī was the person who could be asked. This is the third thought, which resolves the second doubt above. The second doubt above was not knowing whom to ask; now, knowing that Mañjuśrī is the person who could be asked, one therefore knows that the second doubt above is resolved, and only the first doubt directly concerning the auspicious signs remains. Therefore, Maitreya had altogether three thoughts, at first having two doubts, and finally becoming three thoughts and one doubt.