法華經義記 7.14

7.14

「爾時東方」此下是第四，明十方諸梵請佛轉法輪。就中亦有三者，第一先明東方、東南方二方諸梵請轉小乘法輪；第二從南方乃至下方有七方諸梵請佛轉大乘法輪；第三明上方一方諸梵併請轉大小二乘法輪。就第一明東方、東南方諸梵請中有二：第一先明東方諸梵請，第二東南方諸梵請也。但就一方諸梵中凡有七義：第一先明彼佛光明照相與驚怪；第二明共議此光明所以；第三明諸梵眾中有聰明者，仍大判光明之意；第四明諸梵等尋光至佛所；第五明諸梵既至佛所，故三業致敬；第六正明請佛轉法輪；第七明大通智勝佛默然為許之。東南方諸梵七義亦爾。「又諸比丘南方」此下是第二，明七方諸梵請轉大乘法輪，亦有二，第一先具明南方諸梵七義；第二西南方以下總據六方，帖同南方也。「爾時上方」此下是第三，明上方諸梵併請轉大小二乘法輪，唯有六義，闕無第七如來默然許之。何以故？爾時已亦請竟，佛仍受請說法，是故無有默然許之。但第六請說法中兩偈，前偈請小乘，後偈請大乘法輪也。此四階之中各有三重，合是結緣之遠由也。

From "At that time, the eastern direction" below is the fourth, clarifying that the Brahmās of the ten directions requested the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma. Within this there are also three: first, it clarifies that the Brahmās of the two directions, east and southeast, requested the turning of the wheel of the Dharma of the Small Vehicle; second, from the south down to the nadir, the Brahmās of the seven directions requested the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma of the Great Vehicle; third, it clarifies that the Brahmās of the one zenith direction jointly requested the turning of the wheel of the Dharma of both the Great and Small Vehicles. Regarding the first, clarifying the requests by the Brahmās of the east and southeast, there are two: first, it clarifies the request by the Brahmās of the east; second, the request by the Brahmās of the southeast. However, within the Brahmās of one direction, there are altogether seven points: first, it clarifies the appearance of that Buddha's light shining and their astonishment; second, it clarifies their joint discussion on the cause of this light; third, it clarifies that among the assembly of Brahmās there was an intelligent one who made a general judgment on the meaning of the light; fourth, it clarifies that the Brahmās and others followed the light and arrived at the Buddha's place; fifth, it clarifies that having reached the Buddha's place, the Brahmās paid reverence with the three karmas; sixth, it directly clarifies the request for the Buddha to turn the wheel of the Dharma; seventh, it clarifies that the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū silently consented. The seven points for the Brahmās of the southeast are also like this. From "Moreover, monks, the south" below is the second, clarifying that the Brahmās of the seven directions requested the turning of the wheel of the Dharma of the Great Vehicle. This also has two parts: first, it fully clarifies the seven points for the Brahmās of the south; second, from the southwest onward, it encompasses the six directions in general, aligning them as identical to the south. From "At that time, the zenith" below is the third, clarifying that the Brahmās of the zenith jointly requested the turning of the wheel of the Dharma of both the Great and Small Vehicles. It has only six points, lacking the seventh, the Tathāgata's silent consent. Why? Because at that time the request had already been concluded, and the Buddha accepted the request and preached the Dharma; therefore there was no silent consent. However, in the two verses of the sixth point requesting the preaching of the Dharma, the former verse requests the Small Vehicle, and the latter verse requests the wheel of the Dharma of the Great Vehicle. Each among these four stages has three tiers, which together form the remote reasons for establishing ties.