法華經義記 7.34

7.34

「無量慧世尊」此下十行半頌上第二近因由。上亦有四段：第一受請說二乘法，第二王子請說大乘法，第三為說《法華》，第四入定。今此十六行半中，初五行頌第一，次有兩行頌第二，次有兩行半頌第三，次有一行頌第四。但上四段各有三，今五行頌第一，上第一中有三段，今初半行頌第一受請也。「為宣種種法」下一行半頌第二轉法輪之相也。次「宣暢是法時」下三行頌第三感悟也。「時十六王子」此下兩行頌第二王子請，上有三，今初半行頌第一為請故出家也。後一行半頌第二正請，略不頌第三眷屬出家也。「佛知童子心」此下兩行半頌第三受請說《法華》，上有三段，今唯頌第一，而有兩行半者，先有四行明如來先說三乘法。上言大通智勝受請之後，過二萬乃說《法華》，是則未說《法華》之前，應先說三乘次說是《法華經》，「如恒河沙偈」此半行正頌上第一受請說《法華》也。「彼佛說經已」此下一行頌第四入定，本有三，今「彼佛說經已靜室」此七字頌第一，「入禪定一心一處坐」此七字頌第二，「八萬四千劫」五字頌第三也。

From "The World-Honoured One of Measureless Wisdom" onwards, ten and a half verses praise the second [part] above, the proximate causes and reasons. Above, there were also four sections: first, accepting the request to preach the Dharma of the two vehicles; second, the princes requesting the preaching of the Great Vehicle Dharma; third, preaching the Lotus Sūtra for them; fourth, entering meditative absorption. Now within these sixteen and a half verses, the first five verses praise the first; next there are two verses praising the second; next there are two and a half verses praising the third; next there is one verse praising the fourth. However, each of the four sections above has three [points]: now five verses praise the first, and as the first [section] above had three sections, here the initial half verse praises the first, accepting the request; the one and a half verses following "To proclaim various dharmas" praise the second, the characteristics of turning the wheel of the Dharma; next, the three verses following "When expounding this Dharma" praise the third, inspiration and awakening. From "At that time the sixteen princes" onwards, two verses praise the second, the princes' request: above there were three, now the first half verse praises the first, going forth from the household life for the sake of requesting; the subsequent one and a half verses praise the second, properly requesting, while abbreviating and not praising the third, the retinue going forth from the household life. From "The Buddha, knowing the boys' minds" onwards, two and a half verses praise the third, accepting the request to preach the Lotus Sūtra: above there were three sections, now it praises only the first; the reason there are two and a half verses is that there are first four lines clarifying that the Tathāgata first preached the teachings of the three vehicles. Above, it was said that after Great Penetrating Surpassing Wisdom accepted the request, only after twenty thousand kalpas had passed did he preach the Lotus Sūtra; this means that before preaching the Lotus Sūtra, he had to preach the three vehicles first and then preach this Lotus Sūtra; the half verse "verses like the sands of the Ganges" properly praises the first [point] above, accepting the request to preach the Lotus Sūtra. From "That Buddha, having preached the sūtra" onwards, one verse praises the fourth, entering meditative absorption: originally there were three [points], now the seven characters "That Buddha, having preached the sūtra, [entered] the quiet room" praise the first; the seven characters "entered dhyāna, sitting single-mindedly in one place" praise the second; and the five characters "for eighty-four thousand kalpas" praise the third.