法華經義記 2.13

2.13

「四眾欣仰」，此下有五行，是第二釋伏難結請。亦有二者：第一，有四行，先釋四種伏難，若不釋伏難，結請之義終不成也。第二，餘一行，正結請也。四種伏難者，彌勒上言「佛子文殊願決眾疑」，文殊仍作第一伏難言，汝自道四眾有疑，四眾何曾有疑？若有疑者自當發問，何勞汝說耶？是故彌勒即用初偈釋此伏難言，「四眾欣仰瞻仁及我」，故知四眾實有疑，瞻仁欲令仁者答，及我欲令我問，那得言四眾無疑耶？文殊仍復起第二伏難言，汝今若言四眾果有疑者，但神通瑞相此事微細，我今云何專爾相答，汝但待佛出定自應問佛也。是故彌勒即用第二偈釋此伏難言，佛既入定何時當出？但大眾即今懷疑抱惑，心意不安；仁者既是智士，曾見久遠，應即時見答，令疑惑得除，云何方復令我待佛出定？我知如來何時當出定耶？是故言「佛子時答決疑令喜」，有何所以放光動地耶？文殊仍復起第三伏難言，汝若欲令我答者，夫瑞相所為實難定判，汝既是補處菩薩，微微下意共釋眾疑，那得專令我答？此則於理不可。是故彌勒仍用第三偈復釋此伏難言，仁者欲令我下意者，亦可微微厝心下意，正言我今不知如來現此瑞相，為當欲為大眾說此釋迦所得妙法？為當欲為大眾受記將來妙果？微心下意正自如此。文殊仍復起第四伏難言，若如此者自可得決，大眾心疑何用我答耶？是故彌勒仍用第四偈復釋此伏難言，祇我此意非是決斷之意，但瑞相所表難可定判，云何用我猶預之心答大眾？是故言「示諸佛土眾寶嚴淨」，此間瑞相及見諸佛，明他方瑞相此非小緣，若是小緣可令我決，既非小緣仁者應答也。（然此伏難是光宅法師傳謝寺次法師，次法師又傳江北招法師。解既名匠所傳，後生學士實宜遵奉也）

"The fourfold assembly joyfully looks up": the five verses below are the second, resolving the implicit objections and concluding the request. There are also two parts: First, there are four verses that first resolve four kinds of implicit objections; if the implicit objections are not resolved, the meaning of concluding the request would never be established. Second, the remaining one verse formally concludes the request. As for the four kinds of implicit objections: Maitreya said above, "Buddha's son Mañjuśrī, please resolve the assembly's doubts." Mañjuśrī thereupon raises the first implicit objection, saying: "You yourself say that the fourfold assembly has doubts, but when has the fourfold assembly ever had doubts? If they had doubts, they should raise questions themselves; why trouble you to speak?" Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the first verse to resolve this implicit objection, saying, "The fourfold assembly joyfully looks up, gazing at you, benevolent one, and at me." Thus we know that the fourfold assembly truly has doubts: gazing at you, benevolent one, they wish to have you answer; gazing at me, they wish to have me ask. How can one say that the fourfold assembly has no doubts? Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the second implicit objection, saying: "If you now say that the fourfold assembly indeed has doubts, yet supernatural auspicious signs are subtle matters. How can I now rashly answer you on my own? You should just wait for the Buddha to emerge from samādhi, and then naturally ask the Buddha." Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the second verse to resolve this implicit objection, saying: "Now that the Buddha has entered samādhi, when will he emerge? But the great assembly right now harbors doubts and confusion, their minds unsettled. You, benevolent one, are already a wise person who has seen [such things] long ago; you should answer at once so that their doubts and confusion may be eliminated. Why should you again have me wait for the Buddha to emerge from samādhi? How do I know when the Tathāgata will emerge from samādhi?" Therefore it says: "Buddha's son, answer in time, resolve doubts, and make them rejoice." For what reason does he emit light and shake the earth? Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the third implicit objection, saying: "If you wish to have me answer, that which is indicated by the auspicious signs is truly difficult to determine with certainty. You are already a bodhisattva in the position of one more birth; humbly offer your thoughts and let us explain the assembly's doubts together. How can you have me answer solely on my own? This is not logically admissible." Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the third verse to resolve this implicit objection again, saying: "If you, benevolent one, wish to have me offer my thoughts, I may also subtly set my mind to offering my thoughts: I simply state that I do not now know whether the Tathāgata reveals this auspicious sign because he wishes to expound for the great assembly this sublime dharma attained by Śākya, or because he wishes to bestow prophecies of the future sublime fruition upon the great assembly. My humble thoughts are just like this." Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the fourth implicit objection, saying: "If so, you can resolve it yourself; the great assembly's doubts—why do they need me to answer?" Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the fourth verse to resolve this implicit objection again, saying: "Just that this thought of mine is not a thought of definitive judgment; but what is signified by the auspicious signs is difficult to determine with certainty. How can my hesitant mind be used to answer the great assembly?" Therefore it says, "Showing all Buddha lands adorned and purified with many treasures": the auspicious signs in this world and seeing all the Buddhas clarify that the auspicious signs in other realms are no minor circumstance; if they were a minor circumstance, I could be made to resolve it, but since they are not a minor circumstance, you, benevolent one, ought to answer. (Note: These implicit objections were transmitted by Dharma Master Guangzhai from Dharma Master Ci of Xie Temple, and Dharma Master Ci in turn transmitted them to Dharma Master Zhao of Jiangbei. Since this explanation was transmitted by celebrated masters, later students should truly respect and uphold it.)