法華經義記 8.26

8.26

「一切世間」此下竟品是第二，正廣說壽命長遠，就中自有二，即是長行與偈為二段。今且就長行之中自有二：第一是法說，明長遠相益物；第二「譬如良醫」以下訖長行是譬說。今且就法說之中應有四段，但文略唯有三段。今玄出第三段，故為四段。何以知此？下譬中及偈中盡有，是故得知長行中應有第三段也。四段名字者：第一明釋迦如來過去世中神通益物，此即是上述勸序中言「諸佛自在神通之力」；第二從「諸善男子如來見諸眾生樂於小法」以下，明如來現在中神通益物，此則是上「諸佛師子奮迅之力」；第三應明如來未來世中神通益物，此則是上「諸佛威猛大勢之力」，此是法說中所無者，今者玄出應下譬中及偈中有。第四「又善男子諸佛如來法皆如是」下通三世隱顯，明益物不虛妄，止物誹謗之心。就此四段中各有三文。今且就明過去世神通益物中有三者，第一明應身成佛壽長久但惑者謂言近，即是開近義也。第二「我實成佛以來無量無邊」下，明應家之本身壽命長遠之相，即是顯遠義。第三「自從是來」下，正明過去世中神通益物。就此三段中增一明義，第一有一，第二有二，第三有三也。今者言「一切世間皆謂今釋迦出釋氏宮」此下是第一，明成佛實久但惑者謂近，此第一段唯一不開也。

From "All the worlds" onward to the end of the chapter is the second [part], properly and extensively explaining the long duration of the life span; within it there are naturally two, namely, the prose and the verses constitute the two sections. Now within the prose there are naturally two: first is the exposition by dharma, explaining the long duration of marks benefiting beings; second, from "Just as a skilled physician" onward to the end of the prose is the exposition through parable. Now within the exposition by dharma there ought to be four sections, but the text is abbreviated and only has three sections. Now I implicitly draw out the third section, thus making four sections. How is this known? In the parable below and in the verses, they are entirely present; therefore one knows that in the prose there ought to be a third section. As for the names of the four sections: the first explains the Śākyamuni Tathāgata's benefiting beings through supernatural power in past ages, which is precisely what was referred to above in the preface of recounting and exhortation as "the power of the sovereign supernatural powers of the Buddhas"; the second, from "Good sons, the Tathāgata sees all sentient beings delighting in inferior dharmas" onward, explains the Tathāgata's benefiting beings through supernatural power in the present, which is then the above "power of the lion-like exertion of the Buddhas"; the third ought to explain the Tathāgata's benefiting beings through supernatural power in future ages, which is then the above "power of the formidable and mighty strength of the Buddhas"—this is what is absent in the exposition by dharma, but which is now implicitly drawn out as what ought to be present in the parable below and in the verses; the fourth, from "Moreover, good sons, the dharmas of the Buddha Tathāgatas are all like this" onward, encompasses the hidden and the manifest across the three periods of time, explaining that benefiting beings is not false, and putting an end to beings' thoughts of slander. Within these four sections each has three textual [units]. Now within explaining the benefiting of beings through supernatural power in past ages there are three: first, explaining that the responsive body's attainment of buddhahood and life span are long and enduring, but deluded ones say it is recent—this is the meaning of opening the recent; second, from "Since I actually attained buddhahood, it has been immeasurable and boundless" onward, explaining the long and enduring marks of the life span of the origin of the responsive [manifestation]—this is the meaning of revealing the distant; third, from "Ever since then" onward, properly explaining the benefiting of beings through supernatural power in past ages. Within these three sections the points of meaning increase by one: the first has one, the second has two, and the third has three. Now saying, "All the worlds think that the present Śākya came forth from the palace of the Śākyas" onward is the first, explaining that the attainment of buddhahood was truly long ago, but deluded ones say it is recent; this first section is single and does not unfold.