法華經義記 8.30

8.30

「諸善男子如來所演經典」此下是第二，明釋迦如來現生之後、應滅之前中間神通益物。就此中亦有四者：初一行半明教益物，第二「或示己身」以下明形益物，第三「諸所言說」下一句結教益物不虛，第四「所以者何」下通釋形教兩益物。又就此四階之中，第一第二第四各自有兩階，第三不開也。第一教益有兩階者：第一言「如來所演經典，皆為度脫眾生」此總門明教益物，吐言陳教皆是利益於物；第二言「或說己身」此下二句，據別門明教益物。「或說己身」者，說己身為他身；「或說他身」者，即說他身為己身。何者？今言「或說己身」即說己為他，故知我此丈六之體是燃燈如來家之分身，故此身非是我有。「或說他身」者，即說他身為己身，故知〈寶塔品〉所明十方分身諸佛，皆是我有也。第二形益中有兩階者：第一「或示己身」等兩句明事家之身，即是正報；第二「或示己事」等兩句明身家之事，即是依報也。今者第一「或示己身」者，或示自己身為他身，故如此國土人物八部大眾然皆釋迦所化眾生，法主應是釋迦，而法座上者遂是無量壽佛，此即示己身為他身。「或示他身」者，即是示他身為己，故如西方國土人物四眾皆是無量壽佛所化之眾，但法座上應是無量壽佛，而法座上者遂是釋迦形容，此則是示他身為己身，皆明變他為己、變己為他也。「或示己事」此下兩句，是形益中第二明身家之事。「或示己事」者，此則示己事為他事形，故如西方無量壽佛自應有西方天龍八部聽法，而彼佛眷屬皆是釋迦眷屬弟子。「或示他事」者，釋迦自應有眷屬，而眷屬皆是無量壽佛眷屬，此則是示他事為己事也。「諸所言說皆實不虛」，此是第三別結明教益不虛，唯此第三不開。

'Good sons! The scriptures expounded by the Tathāgata' onward is the second [division], explaining Śākyamuni Tathāgata's benefiting beings through supernormal power during the period between his manifestation of birth and before his response-extinction. Within this there are also four [parts]: the initial line and a half explains benefiting beings through teaching; the second, from 'sometimes showing his own body' onward, explains benefiting beings through form; the third, the single line after 'all that he utters,' concludes that benefiting beings through teaching is not empty; the fourth, from 'Why is this?' downward, comprehensively explains both benefits through form and through teaching. Furthermore, within these four steps, the first, second, and fourth each have two subdivisions, while the third is not subdivided. That the first, benefit through teaching, has two subdivisions [means]: first, saying 'The scriptures expounded by the Tathāgata are all for liberating living beings' is the general approach explaining the benefit of beings through teaching—uttering words and setting forth teachings are all to benefit beings; second, the two lines after the words 'or speaking of his own body' rely on the specific approach to explain the benefit of beings through teaching. Regarding 'or speaking of his own body,' this means speaking of his own body as another's body; regarding 'or speaking of another's body,' this means speaking of another's body as his own body. Why is this? Now, saying 'or speaking of his own body' means speaking of oneself as another; thus we know that this sixteen-foot body of mine is an emanation body of the house of Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata, and so this body is not possessed by me. Regarding 'or speaking of another's body,' this means speaking of another's body as his own body; thus we know that the Buddhas who are emanation bodies throughout the ten directions explained in the 'Treasure Stūpa Chapter' are all possessed by me. In the second, benefit through form, there are two subdivisions: first, the two lines 'or showing his own body,' etc., explain the body belonging to the entity, which is the primary retribution; second, the two lines 'or showing his own affairs,' etc., explain the affairs belonging to the body, which is the environmental retribution. Now, as for the first, 'or showing his own body,' this means sometimes showing his own body as another's body; thus, in this land, the humans and beings of the eight departments of the great assembly are indeed all living beings transformed by Śākya, and the Dharma master should be Śākya, yet the one on the Dharma seat is Amitāyus Buddha—this is showing his own body as another's body. 'Or showing another's body' means showing another's body as his own; thus, as in the Western Land, the humans and beings of the four assemblies are all the assembly transformed by Amitāyus Buddha, and the one on the Dharma seat should be Amitāyus Buddha, yet the one on the Dharma seat is Śākya's form—this is showing another's body as his own body; both explain transforming another into oneself and transforming oneself into another. The two lines after 'or showing his own affairs' are the second [subdivision] within benefit through form, explaining the affairs belonging to the body. Regarding 'or showing his own affairs,' this shows his own affairs in the form of another's affairs; thus, as with the Western Amitāyus Buddha who naturally should have the Western devas, nāgas, and eight departments listening to the Dharma, yet that Buddha's retinue are all Śākya's retinue and disciples. Regarding 'or showing another's affairs,' Śākya naturally should have his retinue, yet the retinue are all Amitāyus Buddha's retinue—this is showing another's affairs as his own affairs. 'All that he utters is true and not empty' is the third [part], separately concluding and explaining that benefit through teaching is not empty; only this third [part] is not subdivided.