法華經義記 2.35

2.35

「日月燈明佛於六十小劫說此經已」，自此下是第四明因人流通經同。就中有三者：第一先明日月燈明佛滅度也；第二從「佛滅度後妙光菩薩」以下，正明因妙光持經流通也；第三從「日月燈明佛八子皆師妙光」，此下名為讚歎妙光之德，顯其能流通之意。又就此三段之中，各復有三也。明佛滅度中有三者：第一從「日月燈明佛說此經已」竟「當入無餘涅槃」，此先唱欲入涅槃也；第二從「時有菩薩名曰德藏」以下，為補處大士授記；第三從「佛授記已便於中夜入無餘涅槃」，正明佛滅度。第二正明因人通經中有三重者：第一從「佛滅度後妙光菩薩持妙法蓮華經」，詺為自行也；第二言「滿八十小劫」，此一句妙光流通經時經劫數也；第三言「為人顯說」，此一句名為化他行也。第三讚歎妙光德中有三者：第一從「日月燈明佛八子皆師妙光」，此下正歎妙光道高，以八子已成佛，故言道高，數少故不言廣也；第二「八百弟子中」下，歎妙光德廣，寄數多故言德廣，不道已成佛，故不言高也；第三從「彌勒當知妙光菩薩豈異人乎」以下，會通古今也。

"Candrasūryapradīpa Buddha, having preached this sūtra for sixty minor kalpas": from here down is the fourth [part], clarifying that the transmission and circulation of the sūtra dependent on persons were identical. In this there are three [subsections]: first, it clarifies that Candrasūryapradīpa Buddha passed into extinction; second, from "After the Buddha had passed into extinction, Bodhisattva Varaprabha" downward, it directly clarifies the transmission and circulation dependent on Varaprabha's upholding of the sūtra; third, from "The eight sons of Candrasūryapradīpa Buddha all took Varaprabha as their master" downward, it is designated the praising of Varaprabha's virtues, revealing the significance of his ability to circulate [the sūtra]. Furthermore, within these three subsections, each in turn has three parts. Within the clarification of the Buddha's passing into extinction there are three: first, from "Candrasūryapradīpa Buddha, having preached this sūtra" up through "will enter nirvāṇa without remainder", this first proclaims his wish to enter nirvāṇa; second, from "At that time there was a bodhisattva named Guṇagabhīra" downward, he confers the prophecy on the mahāsattva in the stage of succession; third, from "After the Buddha conferred the prophecy, at midnight he entered nirvāṇa without remainder", it directly clarifies the Buddha's passing into extinction. Within the second [subsection], which directly clarifies the propagation of the sūtra dependent on a person, there are three tiers: first, from "After the Buddha had passed into extinction, Bodhisattva Varaprabha upheld the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka Sūtra", this is designated practice for oneself; second, the phrase "for a full eighty minor kalpas", this one phrase is the number of kalpas that elapsed while Varaprabha circulated the sūtra; third, the phrase "expounded and preached it for others", this one phrase is designated practice for converting others. Within the third [subsection], the praise of Varaprabha's virtues, there are three: first, from "The eight sons of Candrasūryapradīpa Buddha all took Varaprabha as their master" downward, it directly praises the loftiness of Varaprabha's way—because the eight sons had already attained Buddhahood, it is therefore said that his way was lofty; because their number was few, it is not said to be broad; second, from "Among the eight hundred disciples" downward, it praises the breadth of Varaprabha's virtues—by taking the large number, it therefore says his virtues were broad; because it does not state that they had already attained Buddhahood, it therefore does not say lofty; third, from "Maitreya, you should know that Bodhisattva Varaprabha could he have been anyone else?" downward, it brings together and reconciles past and present.