法華經義記 4.12

4.12

「舍利弗汝於未來世」此下是第四段，即為上根人授記。就中亦有二者，第一盡偈以來正為舍利弗受記，第二從大眾見舍利弗得記仍起隨喜供養，比知歡喜。然舍利弗記有長行與偈頌也，只就長行中有八重：第一記行因；第二「當得作佛」下記得通別二號也；第三「國名離垢」下記國土；第四「華光如來亦以三乘教化眾生」下釋物疑也；第五「其劫名大寶莊嚴」下記人物；第六「舍利弗華光佛壽」下記壽命長短；第七「華光如來過十二小劫」下記其後佛；第八「華光佛滅度之後」下記像正二法也。上第四釋物疑，疑言華光佛國土純淨，所化之人皆是菩薩大士，則菩薩大士初不聞三乘之名，今何故言以三乘法教化眾生耶？解釋者言：「華光佛所化實是菩薩大士，所以說三乘者，此則遂大士位懷之意。何者？菩薩位心，應為說四諦者為說四諦，應說十二因緣者為說因緣，堪聞六度者為說六度。今華光佛為說三乘法用，故言以本願故說三乘法也。」

"Śāriputra, you in a future age": from here on is the fourth section, which immediately confers prophecy upon the person of superior faculties. Within this there are also two parts: first, down through the verses, it directly confers prophecy upon Śāriputra; second, from the great assembly seeing Śāriputra receive prophecy and thereupon giving rise to sympathetic joy and making offerings, their joy is known by comparison. Now, Śāriputra's prophecy has both prose and verses; just within the prose, there are eight layers: first, prophesying the practice of the causes; second, from "Shall become a Buddha" on, prophesying the general and specific designations; third, from "The land's name is Free from Defilement" on, prophesying the realm; fourth, from "Padmaprabha Tathāgata also uses the three vehicles to teach and transform sentient beings" on, resolving people's doubts; fifth, from "Its kalpa is named Great Jewel Adornment" on, prophesying the persons; sixth, from "Śāriputra, the lifespan of the Buddha Padmaprabha" on, prophesying the length of his lifespan; seventh, from "After the Tathāgata Padmaprabha passes twelve minor kalpas" on, prophesying his successor Buddha; eighth, from "After the Buddha Padmaprabha has entered extinction" on, prophesying the two dharmas of the semblant and correct [Dharma]. The fourth above resolves people's doubts, where they doubt, saying: "The Buddha Padmaprabha's land is purely clean, and the persons transformed are all great bodhisattva beings; thus, the great bodhisattva beings originally did not hear the name of the three vehicles—why is it now said that he teaches and transforms sentient beings with the dharma of the three vehicles?" The commentator says: "Those transformed by the Buddha Padmaprabha are truly great bodhisattva beings; the reason he preaches the three vehicles is that this complies with the intentions harboured by the stages of the great beings. How so? In the minds of the bodhisattva stages, for those to whom the four truths should be preached, he preaches the four truths; for those to whom the twelve links of dependent origination should be preached, he preaches dependent origination; for those capable of hearing the six perfections, he preaches the six perfections. Now the Buddha Padmaprabha applies the dharmas of the three vehicles for them; therefore it is said that because of his original vow, he preaches the dharmas of the three vehicles."