法華經義記 3.44

3.44

「聲聞若菩薩」此下十一行偈，頌總諸佛門中第四顯一，上有四：初是果一，二是人一，三是因一，四是教一。今者略不頌第三因一，唯頌三一亦不次第。今「聲聞若菩薩」下一偈，頌第二人一；「十方佛土中唯有一乘法」此下一行半偈，頌第四教一；「說佛智慧故」此下八行半偈，頌第一果一。就此八行半中自開三段：第一從「說佛智慧故」下有一行三句偈，先明佛未應世時欲為眾生說一大乘果，不欲與小乘果；第二從「如其所得法定慧力莊嚴」下有四行三句偈，正明出世以來欲與一乘果；第三從「舍利弗當知我本立誓願」有兩行，明如來本行菩薩道時欲與大乘果。又此三段前一後一不開，只就第二佛出世以來欲與大乘果有四重：第一從「如其所得法」三句，正明佛將欲以大果與眾生。第二從「自證無上道」下一行半偈，釋佛出世之本意欲與大果，我若惜此大果，我是慳貪之人，無奈眾生無大果之機，是故先為說三。但時眾於中生疑，佛為自言欲與眾生大果，誰當信佛此語？故第三從「若人信歸佛」下有一行一偈引勝人證，汝言無有信者，自有人信三寶者，言佛不欺誑者，此等人信佛恒欲與眾生大果，時眾有生疑言，若使都無有信三寶者，誰當復信佛耶？第四「我以相嚴身」一偈，用佛自身功德相好，證佛與大果不虛，若是無威德人容可不實，佛既如此形相，云何當出言不實？

'Whether śrāvakas or bodhisattvas': from this below, eleven lines of verse, versing the fourth, revealing the One, within the universal approach of all Buddhas. Above there were four: first, oneness of fruition; second, oneness of persons; third, oneness of causes; fourth, oneness of teaching. Now it omits and does not verse the third, oneness of causes, only versing three onenesses, also not in sequence. Now, the one verse below 'Whether śrāvakas or bodhisattvas' verses the second, oneness of persons; from 'In the Buddha lands of the ten directions there is only the Dharma of the One Vehicle' below, one and a half lines of verse verses the fourth, oneness of teaching; from 'Because of preaching the Buddha's wisdom' below, eight and a half lines of verse verses the first, oneness of fruition. Within these eight and a half lines, it is itself divided into three sections: first, from 'Because of preaching the Buddha's wisdom' down for one line and three phrases of verse, first clarifying that before the Buddha responded to the world, he wished to preach the one Great Vehicle fruition for sentient beings and did not wish to give the lesser vehicle fruition; second, from 'In accordance with the Dharma he has attained, adorned with the power of samādhi and wisdom' down for four lines and three phrases of verse, directly clarifying that since appearing in the world he has wished to give the One Vehicle fruition; third, from 'Śāriputra, you should know that I originally made a vow' there are two lines, clarifying that when the Tathāgata originally practiced the bodhisattva path, he wished to give the Great Vehicle fruition. Furthermore, of these three sections, the preceding one and the following one are not divided; only in the second, since the Buddha appeared in the world he has wished to give the Great Vehicle fruition, are there four layers: first, from 'In accordance with the Dharma he has attained', three phrases, directly clarifying that the Buddha intends to give the great fruition to sentient beings. Second, from 'Having personally realized the unsurpassed path' down for one and a half lines of verse, explaining the Buddha's original intent in appearing in the world as wishing to give the great fruition: 'If I were stingy with this great fruition, I would be a stingy person; there is nothing to be done about sentient beings lacking the capacity for the great fruition, which is why I first preached the three for them.' But the assembly at the time gave rise to doubt about this: 'The Buddha himself says he wishes to give sentient beings the great fruition; who would believe these words of the Buddha?' Therefore, third, from 'If people have faith in and take refuge in the Buddha' down for one line and one verse, it adduces superior people as witnesses: 'You say there is no one who believes; there are people who believe in the Three Jewels and say that the Buddha does not deceive; such people believe that the Buddha constantly wishes to give the great fruition to sentient beings.' The assembly at the time had those who gave rise to doubts, saying: 'If there were none at all who believe in the Three Jewels, who then would believe the Buddha?' Fourth, the one verse 'I adorn my body with the marks' uses the merits and bodily marks of the Buddha himself to prove that the Buddha giving the great fruition is not false: if it were a person of no awe-inspiring virtue, it might well be untruthful; since the Buddha has such physical marks, how could he utter untruthful words?