法華經義記 7.77

7.77

命覓通經中有兩段，第一是〈法師品〉明釋迦自命通經之人，此品是第二明多寶助命覓通經之人。由多寶如來讚歎釋迦言誰能於此廣此經，因此得助釋迦。此兩段各開為二。前釋迦自命中有二者，一者舉勳報命通經人，第二舉通經軌則已命覓通經之人，此二已竟。今此品助命覓通經人，中有二段者，即是長行與偈為二。長行中自有二十段：第一經家敘寶塔之相；第二塔中出聲讚歎釋迦；第三大眾起疑；第四大樂說諮問佛；第五佛答寶塔來竟；第六大樂說願見多寶如來；第七佛答應先集分身諸佛；第八大樂說復欲見分身諸佛；第九釋迦放光照諸佛；第十分身諸佛共議欲來；第十一釋迦三過變土；第十二分身諸佛來相問於釋迦；第十三釋迦在空開塔；第十四明大眾見多寶佛之相；第十五明大眾散華供養；第十六多寶分座與釋迦；第十七釋迦就座；第十八大眾願在虛空；第十九佛神力接大眾在空；第二十正唱慕覓通經人也。初品以來是第一經家敘寶塔之相。從「爾時寶塔中出大音聲」下是第二讚歎釋迦。從「爾時四眾」下是第三，明時眾既見寶塔相與生疑。「爾時有菩薩名大樂說」下是第四，明大樂說既知時眾有疑，即諮問如來。從「爾時佛告大樂說」以下是第五，明如來答大樂說述寶塔來意，下偈正頌此也。從「是時大樂說」下，第六明大樂說仍發願欲見多寶如來。從「佛告大樂說」下，第七答大樂說，言「汝若欲見多寶如來者，應先集十方分身諸佛」，下偈中亦頌。此中從「大樂說白佛言」下，第八明大樂說既開佛道欲集分身諸佛，仍發願欲見分身諸佛。從「爾時放白毫一光」此下是第九，明釋迦如來放光照十方分身諸佛如來，于時直放光無有言語，但是經家語而已。所以放光集諸分身佛者，此品為欲顯發願通經，告言十方諸佛尚為法來尊重此法，汝等云何不流通此法？且自十方佛在一處欲表明同歸之義。又解釋第四疑，疑久滅度佛云何得來？今云應不實應，顯滅不實滅也。「爾時十方諸佛各告眾菩薩言」下，第十明十方諸佛既被光明所照與諸菩薩共議欲來。「時娑婆世界即變清淨」此下是第十一，明釋迦如來三過變土欲容諸分身佛，于時只是如來神力變土，是故經家述之。所以三變者，表明破三乘執心也。則其土轉廣二乘之狹意也，下偈中亦頌此也。「是時諸佛皆遣待者」此下是第十二，明諸佛既集遣使相問於釋迦。「爾時牟尼佛見所分身佛悉已來集」此下是第十三，明釋迦如來既得相問欲開寶塔，即起在空開塔。「即時一切眾會此」下是第十四，經家敘大眾既見多寶如來之相。「爾時四眾等見過去」此下是第十五，明大眾既見多寶如來，散華供養說如是言。有人解言：「于時時眾有語，但經文略不載多。」意謂不爾，此只取上多寶如來讚歎釋迦之言也。「爾時多寶如來於寶塔中分半座」此下是第十六，明多寶分座釋迦坐。「即時是釋迦牟尼佛」此下是第十七，明釋迦就坐，所以言多寶佛與釋迦共者，滅度佛既坐此，意表釋迦不生而現生，釋迦與多寶竝坐者，此明雙樹滅非實滅。「爾時大眾見二如來」此下是第十八，明大眾既見二如來在空，仍復願在於空。「即時釋迦以神力」此下是第十九，明如來即以神力接大眾在空。「以大音聲」下竟長行是第二十段，正唱慕覓通經之人，下偈亦頌此也。

In summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra, there are two sections: the first is the 'Dharma Master' chapter, which explains how Śākya personally summons people to propagate the sūtra; this chapter is the second, which explains how Prabhūtaratna assists in summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra. Because Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata praised Śākya, saying, 'Who is able to broadly [expound] this sūtra here?', he was thereby able to assist Śākya. These two sections each open into two parts. In the previous section where Śākya personally summoned, there were two parts: the first was adducing the merit and retribution to summon people to propagate the sūtra, and the second was adducing the regulations for propagating the sūtra to summon and seek people to propagate the sūtra; these two are already finished. Now, in this chapter where he assists in summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra, there are two parts: that is, the prose and the verses constitute the two. Within the prose there are inherently twenty sections: first, the compiler of the scripture narrates the appearance of the jewel stupa; second, a sound issues from within the stupa praising Śākya; third, the great assembly gives rise to doubt; fourth, Mahāpratibhāna inquires of the Buddha; fifth, the Buddha replies that the jewel stupa has arrived; sixth, Mahāpratibhāna vows to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata; seventh, the Buddha replies that he must first assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; eighth, Mahāpratibhāna further desires to see the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; ninth, Śākya emits a light shining upon the Buddhas; tenth, the Buddhas who are emanations of his body deliberate together, desiring to come; eleventh, Śākya transforms the land three times; twelfth, the Buddhas who are emanations of his body arrive and send inquiries to Śākya; thirteenth, Śākya opens the stupa in the air; fourteenth, explaining the great assembly's seeing of Prabhūtaratna Buddha's appearance; fifteenth, explaining the great assembly's scattering of flowers in offering; sixteenth, Prabhūtaratna shares his seat with Śākya; seventeenth, Śākya takes his seat; eighteenth, the great assembly vows to be in the air; nineteenth, the Buddha uses supernatural power to raise the great assembly into the air; twentieth, directly calling out and soliciting people to propagate the sūtra. From the beginning of the chapter onward is the first, where the compiler of the scripture narrates the appearance of the jewel stupa. From 'At that time, a great sound issued from within the jewel stupa' downward is the second, praising Śākya. From 'At that time, the fourfold assembly' downward is the third, explaining that when the assembly of that time saw the appearance of the jewel stupa, they collectively gave rise to doubt. From 'At that time, there was a bodhisattva named Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the fourth, explaining that once Mahāpratibhāna knew the assembly of that time had doubts, he inquired of the Tathāgata. From 'At that time, the Buddha told Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the fifth, explaining that the Tathāgata replied to Mahāpratibhāna by relating the purpose of the jewel stupa's coming; the verse below directly versifies this. From 'At that time, Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the sixth, explaining that Mahāpratibhāna subsequently made a vow, desiring to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata. From 'The Buddha told Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the seventh, replying to Mahāpratibhāna, saying: 'If you wish to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, I must first assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of my body in the ten directions'; this is also versified in the verse below. Herein, from 'Mahāpratibhāna addressed the Buddha, saying' downward is the eighth, explaining that once Mahāpratibhāna heard the Buddha's path of wishing to assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body, he subsequently made a vow, desiring to see the Buddhas who are emanations of his body. From 'At that time, he emitted a single light from the white curl between his eyebrows' downward is the ninth, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata emitted a light shining upon the Tathāgatas who are emanations of his body in the ten directions; at that time he simply emitted light without any speech—these are merely the words of the compiler of the scripture. As for why he emitted light to assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body: in this chapter, in order to manifest the making of vows to propagate the sūtra, he proclaims, 'Even the Buddhas of the ten directions come for the sake of the Dharma and venerate this Dharma; how could you not circulate this Dharma?' Furthermore, the Buddhas of the ten directions assembling in one place is intended to manifest the meaning of their common return. Moreover, it resolves the fourth doubt: doubting how a Buddha who has long been extinguished could come. Now it is stated that the manifestation of his response body was not a real manifestation, showing that his extinction was not a real extinction. From 'At that time, the Buddhas of the ten directions each addressed the host of bodhisattvas, saying' downward is the tenth, explaining that the Buddhas of the ten directions, having been illuminated by the light, deliberated together with the bodhisattvas, desiring to come. From 'At that time, the Sahā world was immediately transformed into purity' downward is the eleventh, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata transformed the land three times in order to accommodate the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; at that time it was merely the Tathāgata's supernatural power transforming the land, and therefore the compiler of the scripture relates it. As for why there were three transformations: it manifests the shattering of the adhering mind of the three vehicles. That the land became broader further represents the narrow mentality of the two vehicles; this is also versified in the verse below. From 'At that time, the Buddhas all sent attendants' downward is the twelfth, explaining that the Buddhas, having assembled, sent messengers to inquire after Śākya. From 'At that time, Śākyamuni Buddha, seeing that the Buddhas who were emanations of his body had all arrived and assembled' downward is the thirteenth, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata, having received their inquiries and wishing to open the jewel stupa, thereupon arose in the air and opened the stupa. From 'At that time, the entire assembly' downward is the fourteenth, where the compiler of the scripture narrates the great assembly's seeing of Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata's appearance. From 'At that time, the fourfold assembly, seeing the past...' downward is the fifteenth, explaining that the great assembly, having seen Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, scattered flowers in offering and spoke such words. Someone explained: 'At that time the assembly of that time spoke words, but the text of the scripture abridged and did not record much.' The sense here is that this is not so: this merely takes up the previous words of Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata praising Śākya. From 'At that time, Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata shared half his seat in the jewel stupa' downward is the sixteenth, explaining that Prabhūtaratna shared his seat for Śākya to sit. From 'At that time, Śākyamuni Buddha...' downward is the seventeenth, explaining that Śākya took his seat. As for why it is said that Prabhūtaratna Buddha and Śākya sat together: since the extinguished Buddha sat here, the intention manifests that Śākya is unarisen yet manifests arising; that Śākya and Prabhūtaratna sat side by side explains that the extinction beneath the twin trees was not a real extinction. From 'At that time, the great assembly saw the two Tathāgatas' downward is the eighteenth, explaining that the great assembly, having seen the two Tathāgatas in the air, subsequently further wished to be in the air. From 'At that time, Śākya, using his supernatural power...' downward is the nineteenth, explaining that the Tathāgata immediately used supernatural power to raise the great assembly into the air. From 'With a great voice' downward to the end of the prose is the twentieth section, directly calling out and soliciting people to propagate the sūtra; the verse below also versifies this.