法華經義記 8.50

8.50

「爾時彌勒即說偈言」此下有十九行偈，是第三彌勒說偈頌佛長行，即是領解之義。就此領解中自有四段文句：初有兩行是第一，先稱讚時眾得解壽量故歡喜；第二「或住不退地」有九行頌佛長行，正是領解之義；第三「雨曼陀羅」有七行，明彌勒自述于時事，不頌上長行。有人言：「頌上長行，上是出經者述取于時供養之相，佛爾時無言無說，不容用彌勒偈頌經家語。」「佛名聞十方」一行，是第四歎佛結領解也。「或住不退地」此下有九行，是第二正頌佛長行，正是領解之意。上佛正授記中本有三：一者授因地記，二者授果地記，三者授外凡等記。今就此九行自分為四段：第一「或住不退地」下有三行，即頌上第一授因地記；第二「復有小千界微塵數菩薩」下有四行，即頌上第二授果地記；第三「復有八世界微塵數眾生」下有一行，頌上第三授外凡中發心記；第四言「世尊說無量」下一行，總結授記，此不頌上也。「雨曼陀羅」此下有七行，是第三彌勒自述于時事也。「佛名聞十方」此一行是第四歎佛結領解也。

From "At that time Maitreya immediately spoke in verse, saying:" downwards, there are nineteen lines of verse; this is the third [section], in which Maitreya speaks verses praising the Buddha's prose, which constitutes the meaning of expressing reception and understanding. Within this expressing of reception and understanding, there are themselves four passages of text: the initial two lines are the first, in which he first praises the assembly of that time for rejoicing because of gaining understanding of the life-span; the second, from "Some abide on the ground of non-retrogression", consists of nine lines praising the Buddha's prose, which is precisely the meaning of expressing reception and understanding; the third, from "Raining down māndārava flowers", consists of seven lines, which clarify Maitreya's own recounting of the events of that time, not versifying the preceding prose—someone said: "Versifying the preceding prose: the above is the editor of the sūtra describing the appearance of the offerings at that time; the Buddha at that time made no speech or utterance, and it is inadmissible to use Maitreya's verses to praise the words of the compiler of the sūtra"; the fourth, the single line "The Buddha's name is heard throughout the ten directions", is the fourth, in which he praises the Buddha and concludes the expressing of reception and understanding. From "Some abide on the ground of non-retrogression" downwards, there are nine lines, which is the second, properly versifying the Buddha's prose, being precisely the sense of expressing reception and understanding. In the Buddha's actual conferral of prophecies above, there were originally three: first, conferring prophecies for the stage of cause; second, conferring prophecies for the stage of fruition; third, conferring prophecies for external ordinary beings and the like. Now, within these nine lines, they are themselves divided into four sections: first, from "Some abide on the ground of non-retrogression" downwards, there are three lines, which directly versify the first above, the conferral of prophecies for the stage of cause; second, from "Again, there are bodhisattvas [in count] like the dust-motes of a small-thousand realm" downwards, there are four lines, which directly versify the second above, the conferral of prophecies for the stage of fruition; third, from "Again, there are sentient beings [in count] like the dust-motes of eight worlds" downwards, there is one line, versifying the third above, the prophecy of generating the mind [of awakening] among external ordinary beings; fourth, the single line starting from "The World-Honoured One spoke of immeasurable..." downwards, sums up the conferral of prophecies, and does not versify the above. From "Raining down māndārava flowers" downwards, there are seven lines, which is the third, in which Maitreya himself recounts the events of that time. This single line, "The Buddha's name is heard throughout the ten directions", is the fourth, which praises the Buddha and concludes the expressing of reception and understanding.