法華經義記 2.43

2.43

「爾時四部眾見日月燈佛」，此下一行半偈頌上第五疑眾同。上疑眾者，爾時會中有二十億菩薩樂欲聽法也。「天人所奉尊適從三昧起」，此下有二十二行半偈，頌上第二明曾見事，顯當見事應同。上當見事同中本有四：一者明因人說經同，二者言說經名同，三者言經劫數同，四者明因人流通經同。今此二十二行半偈亦備頌四種：初兩行半，頌上第一明因人說經應同；次有一句，頌上經名應同；次有一行一句，頌上經劫數應同；次有十八行半，頌上因人流通經應同也。今先有兩行半頌上因人說經同，但上長行中本有三重，今者唯頌第三重正明所因人，上言日月燈明佛從三昧起因妙光菩薩，不頌出名字與八百弟子也。「說是法華經」，此一句頌上第二說經名同。上本有三，今唯頌第二正出經名，名妙法蓮華，略不頌第一說大乘經、第三教菩薩法也。「滿六十小劫」，此下一行一句偈頌上第三經劫數同，上本有三，今但二句正頌第一正明經劫數同，餘三句偈義出，略不頌第二時眾實久謂近，亦不頌第三時眾無懈倦。「佛說是法華令眾歡喜已」，此下十八行半偈頌上第四因人流通經同。上長行中本有三段：一者先明佛滅度、二者正明因人流通經同、三者如來歎妙光德。今此十八行半偈，委悉頌此三段：初有八行半偈，正頌上第一佛滅度；次有一行，頌上第二正明因人流通經同；次有九行，頌上第三讚妙光德也。上佛滅度中本有三段：一者明佛唱滅度、二者為德藏受記、三者正入滅度。今具足頌，初從「佛說是法華」下有五行偈，正頌佛唱滅度；上言日月燈佛說此經已當入無餘涅槃，次一行半頌第二為德藏受記；次兩行頌第三正明滅度。但就前五行中凡五重義，第一從「佛說是法華」竟「諸法實相義已為汝等說」下一行半，此明欲入涅槃之意，只由實相義已彰，所以唱欲入涅槃也。第二「我今於中夜」下半行，正頌唱欲入涅槃。第三言「汝一心精進」下一偈，誡勅時眾。第四言「世尊諸子等聞佛入涅槃」下一偈，明時眾被誡勅故悲哀戀慕也。第五言「聖主法之王安慰無量眾」下一偈，向者時眾既悲哀戀慕妨亂行道，是以如來止割悲戀也。

"At that time the fourfold assembly, seeing Sun Moon Lamp Brightness Buddha"—the verse and a half from here on versifies the fifth point above, the correspondence of the doubting assembly. Regarding the doubting assembly above, at that time in the assembly there were two billion bodhisattvas who wished with joy to hear the Dharma. "The Honoured One venerated by devas and humans had just arisen from samādhi"—the twenty-two and a half verses from here on versify the second point above, explaining the events seen in the past to reveal that the events to be seen [now] should correspond. Among the correspondences in the events to be seen above, there were originally four: first, explaining that expounding the sūtra relying on a person corresponds; second, that the name of the expounded sūtra corresponds; third, that the number of kalpas of the sūtra corresponds; fourth, explaining that circulating the sūtra relying on a person corresponds. Now these twenty-two and a half verses also completely versify the four kinds: the first two and a half verses versify the first point above, that expounding the sūtra relying on a person should correspond; the next one line versifies that the name of the sūtra should correspond; the next verse and one line versify that the number of kalpas of the sūtra should correspond; the next eighteen and a half verses versify that circulating the sūtra relying on a person should correspond. Now first there are two and a half verses versifying the first point above, expounding the sūtra relying on a person corresponds. But within the prose above there were originally three tiers; now only the third tier is versified, properly explaining the person relied upon—the statement above that Sun Moon Lamp Brightness Buddha arose from samādhi relying on the Bodhisattva Varaprabha—not versifying the mention of the name and the eight hundred disciples. "Expounded this Lotus Sūtra"—this one line versifies the second point above, the correspondence of the expounded sūtra's name. Above there were originally three points; now only the second is versified, directly giving the name of the sūtra as the Sublime Dharma Lotus, while briefly omitting the first, expounding a Mahāyāna sūtra, and the third, a teaching for bodhisattvas. "Spanning sixty minor kalpas"—the one verse and one line from here on versify the third point above, the correspondence of the sūtra's kalpas. Above there were originally three points; now only two lines properly versify the first, directly explaining that the number of kalpas of the sūtra corresponds, while the remaining three lines bring out additional meaning, briefly omitting the second, that the assembly at the time felt a long time to be short, and also omitting the third, that the assembly at the time felt no indolence or fatigue. "The Buddha having expounded this Lotus and caused the assembly to rejoice"—the eighteen and a half verses from here on versify the fourth point above, the correspondence of circulating the sūtra relying on a person. In the prose above there were originally three sections: first, explaining the Buddha's parinirvāṇa; second, properly explaining that circulating the sūtra relying on a person corresponds; third, the Tathāgata praising the virtues of Varaprabha. Now these eighteen and a half verses versify these three sections in detail: the first eight and a half verses properly versify the first point above, the Buddha's parinirvāṇa; the next verse versifies the second point above, properly explaining that circulating the sūtra relying on a person corresponds; the next nine verses versify the third point above, praising the virtues of Varaprabha. Within the Buddha's parinirvāṇa above there were originally three sections: first, explaining the Buddha proclaiming his parinirvāṇa; second, bestowing prediction upon Guṇagupta; third, properly entering parinirvāṇa. Now they are completely versified: first, from "The Buddha having expounded this Lotus" below, there are five verses properly versifying the Buddha proclaiming parinirvāṇa—the statement above that Sun Moon Lamp Brightness Buddha, having expounded this sūtra, would enter nirvāṇa without remainder; the next verse and a half versifies the second, bestowing prediction upon Guṇagupta; the next two verses versify the third, properly explaining his parinirvāṇa. But within the preceding five verses there are altogether five tiers of meaning: first, the verse and a half from "The Buddha having expounded this Lotus" down to "The meaning of the true character of all phenomena has already been expounded for you all" explains the intent of wishing to enter nirvāṇa, which is solely because the meaning of the true character has already been manifested, and for this reason he proclaimed that he wished to enter nirvāṇa. Second, the half-verse below "I tonight at midnight" properly versifies proclaiming that he wished to enter nirvāṇa. Third, the one verse below the words "You should with single-minded vigor" admonishes the assembly of that time. Fourth, the one verse below the words "The sons of the World-Honoured One and the others, hearing of the Buddha's entering nirvāṇa" explains that because the assembly of that time was admonished, they felt sorrow and longing. Fifth, the one verse below the words "The Holy Lord, King of the Dharma, consoled the immeasurable assembly" explains that since the assembly of that time previously felt sorrow and longing, which disrupted their practice of the Path, the Tathāgata therefore put an end to their sorrow and longing.