[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華經義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715) › 2.18 # 法華經義記 2.18 法華經義記 2.18 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2.18) 今且就長行中大判為四段：第一竟「演大法義」，一往髣髴思惟忖度以答彌勒也。第二從「諸善男子我於過去曾見此瑞」竟「故現斯瑞」，略引古證今，小復分明略答也。第三從「諸善男子如過去無量無邊」以下，廣出曾見之事，引古證今，事同廣答彌勒也。第四從「今見此瑞與本無異」訖長行，分明結答也。所以有此四重說法者，若實論文殊則是往古諸佛龍種如來，今既迹居釋迦弟子，那得灼然分別決判，應須次第階漸，先一往思惟忖度。雖復一往思惟忖度，但此思惟忖度非是空然，是故第二言我於過去曾見此事。此事未足可以相訓，是故第三廣出曾見之事。但昔日有瑞相與今日瑞相事同，只昔日佛現瑞相竟仍出禪定後便說《法華》，以此事同，驗知今日如來必應說《法華》，廣引既竟，時眾可以寄意，是故有第四分明結答也。 > Now, taking the prose section, it is divided broadly into four parts. First, ending at "expound the meaning of the great Dharma", he answers Maitreya with preliminary reflection and conjecture. Second, from "Good men, in the past I have seen this auspicious sign" to "hence he manifests this auspicious sign", he briefly cites the past to verify the present, answering briefly with somewhat greater clarity. Third, from "Good men, just as in the past, immeasurable and boundless" onwards, he sets forth at length the matters he has seen before, citing the past to verify the present, and because the events are identical, answers Maitreya at length. Fourth, from "Now seeing this auspicious sign, it is no different from the original" to the end of the prose section, he concludes the answer clearly. The reason there is this fourfold explanation of dharma is that, if spoken of in terms of reality, Mañjuśrī was in the distant past all the Buddhas, the Tathāgata Dragon Species; yet now, having assumed the trace of being a disciple of Śākya\[muni\], how could he make distinctions and determinations with blatant certainty? He must proceed through gradual steps: first engaging in preliminary reflection and conjecture. Although he engages in preliminary reflection and conjecture, this reflection and conjecture is not unfounded; therefore, in the second part, he says, "In the past I have seen this matter." However, this matter is not yet sufficient to serve as an instruction \[for all\]; therefore, in the third part, he sets forth at length the matters he has seen before. Since the auspicious signs of the past are identical in circumstance with the auspicious signs of today, and since just after the Buddha of the past manifested the auspicious signs he emerged from meditative absorption and then preached the Lotus Sūtra, because these circumstances are identical, he can verify and know that today the Tathāgata must certainly preach the Lotus Sūtra. The extensive citation being completed, the assembly of the time may place their trust in it; hence there is the fourth part, clearly concluding the answer. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2.17) - [Next: 2.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2.19) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715~en-mt.2.18) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.2.18) · Pramāṇa