法華經義記 5.37

5.37

「若人不信毀謗」此下五十三行半偈，是第三廣示弘經益物行因之方。今就此五十三行半偈中大分為兩段，第一有三十四行半，廣示惡人莫為說，此即廣上第二六行，略明惡人莫為說；第二從「若有利根」以下盡品有十九行偈，廣明善人應為說，此則廣上第一四行，略明善人應為說。為廣之意，其意如此。今且前明惡人中自有三，第一有四行半偈，據行惡因明惡人；第二從「其人命終」下有二十八行偈，據得惡果明惡人；第三「佛告舍利弗謗斯經者」下二行，第三總結惡人之相也。今且就前四行半明行惡因中自有三種惡因，初一行偈先明謗法之人莫為說，第二一行有疑惑人莫為說，第三兩行半謗弘經人莫為說也。今第一一行偈明謗法人，既謗毀此經云何可說？「即斷一切世間佛種」者，今此經說眾生有佛種，然諸聽法之人既毀謗此經不得宣說，故言斷佛種也。「或復頻蹙」一行，是第二明疑惑之人莫為說也。「若佛在世」下有兩行半，第三明謗弘經之人者亦不應為說也。「其人命終」此下二十八行，是第二據得惡果明惡人，即是向者三種行惡因之人得此惡果。就中有二重：初二十二行偈正明惡果報，第二「常處地獄」下六行偈，總結惡果之相也。又就此兩段之中各有二別，今且就正明惡果中有二者，初有十二行據正報明惡果，第二「若得為人」下十行偈，據餘殘報明惡果也。「死被瓦石」者此是世流布語，正言祗此人死後斬截之相，亦可是此人死後得宿命智見，人取其死尸屠割，于時緣此即生苦受，即自知由謗經之罪也。又釋此人死時終不好死，死必為刀杖所加也。「若得為人」此下有十行，是第二據餘殘報明得惡果，即是向者是正報者今得殘報也。「常處地獄」此下六行，是第二總結惡果之相，亦有二者，即結上兩段，初有兩行總結上第一據正報明得惡果也；第二從「若得為人」下有四行，總結上第二據餘報名得惡果也。「告舍利弗謗斯經者」向言三十四行半廣示惡人莫為說中本有三，初有四行偈據行惡因明惡人，第二二十八行據得惡果明惡人也，已竟此下兩行是第三總結惡人之相也。

From “If a person does not believe and slanders” onwards, the following fifty-three and a half lines of verse constitute the third [part], broadly showing methods of practicing the cause of propagating the sūtra to benefit sentient beings. Now, within these fifty-three and a half lines of verse, there is a broad division into two sections. The first consists of thirty-four and a half lines, broadly showing that one must not preach for evil people; this expands upon the preceding second [section] of six lines, which briefly explained that one must not preach for evil people. The second, from “If there are sharp faculties” down to the end of the chapter, consists of nineteen lines of verse, broadly explaining that one should preach for good people; this expands upon the preceding first [section] of four lines, which briefly explained that one should preach for good people. Such is the rationale for this broad elaboration. Now, concerning the preceding explanation of evil people, there are naturally three [parts]: the first consists of four and a half lines of verse, explaining evil people in terms of their committing evil causes; the second, from “When that person’s life ends” onwards, consists of twenty-eight lines of verse, explaining evil people in terms of their obtaining evil fruits; the third, the two lines following “The Buddha told Śāriputra: ‘Those who slander this sūtra’”, is the third, generally concluding the characteristics of evil people. Now, dealing first with the preceding four and a half lines explaining the practice of evil causes, there are naturally three kinds of evil causes: the initial first line of verse first explains that one must not preach for a person who slanders the Dharma; the second, one line, [explains] that one must not preach for a person who has doubts; the third, two and a half lines, [explains] that one must not preach for a person who slanders someone propagating the sūtra. Now, the first one line of verse explains a person who slanders the Dharma: since they slander and defame this sūtra, how could one preach [for them]? As for “They thereby sever all worldly seeds of buddhahood”, this sūtra now teaches that sentient beings possess the seed of buddhahood, but because listeners to the Dharma who slander and defame this sūtra cannot have it proclaimed to them, it says that they “sever the seed of buddhahood”. The one line “Or again frown with knit brows” is the second, explaining that one must not preach for a person who has doubts. The two and a half lines following “If during the Buddha’s lifetime” are the third, explaining that for someone who slanders a person propagating the sūtra, one should also not preach. The twenty-eight lines following “When that person’s life ends” are the second [part], explaining evil people in terms of their obtaining evil fruits; that is, the aforementioned three kinds of people who committed evil causes obtain these evil fruits. Within this there are two layers: the initial twenty-two lines of verse directly explain the evil retribution, and the second, the six lines of verse following “Constantly dwelling in hell”, generally conclude the characteristics of the evil fruits. Furthermore, within these two sections there are each two distinctions. Now, dealing first with the direct explanation of the evil fruits, there are two [aspects]: the first consists of twelve lines explaining the evil fruits in terms of the primary retribution; the second, the ten lines of verse following “If they manage to become human”, explains the evil fruits in terms of the remaining residual retribution. “In death pelted with tiles and stones” is a colloquial idiom, simply speaking of the manner in which this person, after death, is cut to pieces; it may also be that after death this person attains the knowledge of past lives and sees people taking their corpse and butchering it, at which time, conditioned by this, painful sensations immediately arise, and they directly know for themselves that this is due to the sin of slandering the sūtra. It is also explained that at the time of death, this person will never die a good death; at death they will inevitably suffer violence from swords and clubs. The ten lines following “If they manage to become human” are the second [aspect], explaining the attainment of evil fruits in terms of the remaining residual retribution; that is, what was previously the primary retribution now receives residual retribution. The six lines following “Constantly dwelling in hell” are the second [layer], generally concluding the characteristics of the evil fruits; it also has two [aspects], concluding the above two sections: the first consists of two lines generally concluding the first [aspect] above that explained obtaining evil fruits in terms of primary retribution; the second, the four lines following “If they manage to become human”, generally concludes the second [aspect] above that explained obtaining evil fruits in terms of residual retribution. As for “Told Śāriputra: ‘Those who slander this sūtra’”, within the thirty-four and a half lines mentioned earlier that broadly show that one must not preach for evil people, there were originally three: first, four lines of verse explaining evil people in terms of committing evil causes; second, twenty-eight lines explaining evil people in terms of obtaining evil fruits—these being finished, the two lines below are the third, generally concluding the characteristics of evil people.