法華經義記 4.6

4.6

「而說偈言」，向言正領解中有二，第一是長行，此下是第二偈頌也。但上長行中本有三段：一正自陳得解，二悔過自責，三結領解也。今就此二十五行半偈中分為四段，初有十一行半偈，頌上長行中第一正自陳得解也。第二從「我本著邪見」下有五行偈，頌上第二悔過自責也。第三從「初聞佛所說」下有六行半偈，頌義出，不頌上長行。上長行中直明昔日疑悔形今日喜也，不言今日有新疑除；今此六行半偈，正明今日疑除，故知不頌上長行。第四「聞佛柔軟音」下兩行半偈，頌上長行中第三結領解也。又上長行第一正自陳得解中本有二：初正自陳得解，第二舉昔日之憂形釋今日之喜。今就十一行半偈中亦分為二：初有兩行半，頌上第一正領解也。第二從「我處於山谷」下有九行偈，頌第二舉昔日之憂形釋今日之喜也。今就第一兩行半偈中自有三階：初有三句正頌上領解，上言「而白佛言，今從世尊聞此法音，心懷踊躍得未曾有也」。第二「疑網皆已除」下又有三句，明惑滅生解。然惑滅生解必由佛，是故第三「佛音甚希有」一偈，稱歎如來以結得解也。

"And spoke in verse": earlier it was said that in the proper receptive understanding there are two parts: first is prose, and from here downward is the second, the verse recitation. But in the prose above there were originally three sections: first, properly declaring oneself to have attained understanding; second, repenting faults and reproaching oneself; third, concluding the receptive understanding. Now, within these twenty-five and a half verses, they are divided into four sections: first, there are eleven and a half verses, which versify the first section of the prose above, properly declaring oneself to have attained understanding. Second, from "I originally clung to wrong views" downward, there are five verses, which versify the second section above, repenting faults and reproaching oneself. Third, from "When I first heard what the Buddha taught" downward, there are six and a half verses, which bring out the meaning in verse and do not versify the prose above. The prose above directly clarified past doubt and regret contrasting with present joy, and did not state that today a new doubt was eliminated; now these six and a half verses properly clarify the elimination of doubt today, so we know they do not versify the prose above. Fourth, from "Hearing the Buddha's soft and gentle voice" downward, the two and a half verses versify the third section in the prose above, concluding the receptive understanding. Furthermore, in the first section of the prose above, properly declaring oneself to have attained understanding, there were originally two parts: first, properly declaring oneself to have attained understanding; second, adducing past sorrow to contrast with and explain present joy. Now, within the eleven and a half verses, they are also divided into two: first, there are two and a half verses, which versify the first proper receptive understanding above. Second, from "When I dwelt in mountain valleys" downward, there are nine verses, which versify the second part, adducing past sorrow to contrast with and explain present joy. Now, within the first two and a half verses, there are naturally three steps: first, there are three lines that properly versify the receptive understanding above; above it stated, "and said to the Buddha: 'Now having heard this voice of the Dharma from the World-Honoured One, my heart is leaping with joy, having attained what I had never had before'". Second, from "The net of doubts has all been eliminated" downward, there are also three lines, which clarify that confusion is extinguished and understanding is produced. Yet confusion being extinguished and understanding being produced must depend on the Buddha; therefore, third, the one verse of "The Buddha's voice is extremely rare" praises the Tathāgata to conclude the attainment of understanding.