法華經義記 8.47

8.47

「復小千國土」下，此是第二寄損生授果地記。所言果地記者，此中皆舉果以明損生，此是但人解此損生不同，今且就一家所習，從七地至金剛心，凡有九品作損生之義，但煩惱是生因，七地以上果報無有期限難可得判，只就斷煩惱品數百千萬種，今就一種作義。從七地以上至金剛心斷煩惱凡作九品，上上、上中、上下也；中上、中中、中下也；下上、下中、下下也。何者？七地所斷者作二品：上品、上中品；八地所斷者作二品：上下品、中上品；九地所斷者作二品：中中品、中下品；十地所斷作二品；下上品、下中品；金剛心所斷者作一品下下品。此九品煩惱皆得生，故言九生也。若依《十地》解忍者，地地之中各有三忍，今欲消此經文，故七地以上各有三忍，六地菩薩聞壽量之說得登七地下忍，即斷一品煩惱，所餘八品為八生作因，故言八生當得菩提。七地下忍菩薩聞說壽量得登七地上忍，于時即斷一品煩惱，即損二品生，即七生當得菩提。七地上忍菩薩聞說壽量進登八地下忍，于時即斷一品煩惱，已損三品生，餘有六品煩惱，即是六生當得菩提。八地下忍菩薩聞說壽量進登八地上忍，于時即斷一品，已損四品生，餘有五品，即是五生當得菩提。八地上忍菩薩聞說壽量進登九地下忍，于時即斷一品煩惱，已損五品生，餘有四品，即是四生當得菩提。九地下忍菩薩聞說壽量進登九地上忍，于時即斷一品，已損六品生，餘有三品煩惱，即是三生當得菩提。九地上忍菩薩聞說壽量進登十地下忍，于時即斷一品，已損七品生，餘有二品煩惱，即是二生當得菩提。十地下忍菩薩聞說壽量進登十地上忍，于時即斷一品煩惱，已損八品生，餘有金剛心所斷一品煩惱，即是一生當得菩提。但文句略，故從八生仍超至四生也。

From "Again, [in dust-motes of worlds of] a small-thousand [realm]" downwards, this is the second [section], in which the prophecy for the stage of fruition is conferred by relying on the reduction of rebirths. That which is called conferring a prophecy for the stage of fruition means that herein the fruition is consistently adduced to explain the reduction of rebirths. It is simply that people's interpretations of this reduction of rebirths differ; now, proceeding provisionally according to what our own lineage practices, from the seventh ground up to the vajra-mind, there are in all nine grades that constitute the meaning of the reduction of rebirths. Yet, defilement is the cause of rebirth, while the retribution for the seventh ground and above has no fixed limit and is difficult to determine; merely with respect to the grades of defilements severed, there are hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of kinds, but here we construct the meaning with respect to one single kind. From the seventh ground and above up to the vajra-mind, the defilements severed are divided in all into nine grades: upper-upper, upper-middle, and upper-lower; middle-upper, middle-middle, and middle-lower; lower-upper, lower-middle, and lower-lower. How is this so? Those severed at the seventh ground constitute two grades: the upper-upper grade and the upper-middle grade. Those severed at the eighth ground constitute two grades: the upper-lower grade and the middle-upper grade. Those severed at the ninth ground constitute two grades: the middle-middle grade and the middle-lower grade. Those severed at the tenth ground constitute two grades: the lower-upper grade and the lower-middle grade. That severed at the vajra-mind constitutes one grade: the lower-lower grade. These nine grades of defilements are all capable of producing rebirth; hence they are called "nine rebirths". If one explains patient endurance according to the Daśabhūmika, within ground after ground there are each three tolerances. Now, wishing to parse the text of this sūtra, thus for the seventh ground and above there are each three tolerances: when a bodhisattva of the sixth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he attains accession to the lower tolerance of the seventh ground, whereupon he severs one grade of defilement; the remaining eight grades serve as the cause for eight rebirths, and hence it says that in eight rebirths he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the lower tolerance of the seventh ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he attains accession to the upper tolerance of the seventh ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade of defilement, which then reduces two grades of rebirths, so that in seven rebirths he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the upper tolerance of the seventh ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the lower tolerance of the eighth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade of defilement and has already reduced three grades of rebirths, so that with six grades of defilements remaining, it is in six rebirths that he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the lower tolerance of the eighth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the upper tolerance of the eighth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade, having already reduced four grades of rebirths, so that with five grades remaining, it is in five rebirths that he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the upper tolerance of the eighth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the lower tolerance of the ninth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade of defilement and has already reduced five grades of rebirths, so that with four grades remaining, it is in four rebirths that he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the lower tolerance of the ninth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the upper tolerance of the ninth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade, having already reduced six grades of rebirths, so that with three grades of defilements remaining, it is in three rebirths that he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the upper tolerance of the ninth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the lower tolerance of the tenth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade, having already reduced seven grades of rebirths, so that with two grades of defilements remaining, it is in two rebirths that he will attain bodhi. When a bodhisattva of the lower tolerance of the tenth ground hears the exposition of the life-span, he advances to ascend to the upper tolerance of the tenth ground; at that time he immediately severs one grade of defilement, having already reduced eight grades of rebirths, so that with the one grade of defilement remaining to be severed by the vajra-mind, it is in one rebirth that he will attain bodhi. It is merely because the phrasing of the text is abridged that from eight rebirths it directly skips to four rebirths.