法華經義記 2.13

2.13

"The fourfold assembly joyfully looks up": the five verses below are the second, resolving the implicit objections and concluding the request. There are also two parts: First, there are four verses that first resolve four kinds of implicit objections; if the implicit objections are not resolved, the meaning of concluding the request would never be established. Second, the remaining one verse formally concludes the request. As for the four kinds of implicit objections: Maitreya said above, "Buddha's son Mañjuśrī, please resolve the assembly's doubts." Mañjuśrī thereupon raises the first implicit objection, saying: "You yourself say that the fourfold assembly has doubts, but when has the fourfold assembly ever had doubts? If they had doubts, they should raise questions themselves; why trouble you to speak?" Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the first verse to resolve this implicit objection, saying, "The fourfold assembly joyfully looks up, gazing at you, benevolent one, and at me." Thus we know that the fourfold assembly truly has doubts: gazing at you, benevolent one, they wish to have you answer; gazing at me, they wish to have me ask. How can one say that the fourfold assembly has no doubts? Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the second implicit objection, saying: "If you now say that the fourfold assembly indeed has doubts, yet supernatural auspicious signs are subtle matters. How can I now rashly answer you on my own? You should just wait for the Buddha to emerge from samādhi, and then naturally ask the Buddha." Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the second verse to resolve this implicit objection, saying: "Now that the Buddha has entered samādhi, when will he emerge? But the great assembly right now harbors doubts and confusion, their minds unsettled. You, benevolent one, are already a wise person who has seen [such things] long ago; you should answer at once so that their doubts and confusion may be eliminated. Why should you again have me wait for the Buddha to emerge from samādhi? How do I know when the Tathāgata will emerge from samādhi?" Therefore it says: "Buddha's son, answer in time, resolve doubts, and make them rejoice." For what reason does he emit light and shake the earth? Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the third implicit objection, saying: "If you wish to have me answer, that which is indicated by the auspicious signs is truly difficult to determine with certainty. You are already a bodhisattva in the position of one more birth; humbly offer your thoughts and let us explain the assembly's doubts together. How can you have me answer solely on my own? This is not logically admissible." Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the third verse to resolve this implicit objection again, saying: "If you, benevolent one, wish to have me offer my thoughts, I may also subtly set my mind to offering my thoughts: I simply state that I do not now know whether the Tathāgata reveals this auspicious sign because he wishes to expound for the great assembly this sublime dharma attained by Śākya, or because he wishes to bestow prophecies of the future sublime fruition upon the great assembly. My humble thoughts are just like this." Mañjuśrī thereupon further raises the fourth implicit objection, saying: "If so, you can resolve it yourself; the great assembly's doubts—why do they need me to answer?" Therefore, Maitreya immediately uses the fourth verse to resolve this implicit objection again, saying: "Just that this thought of mine is not a thought of definitive judgment; but what is signified by the auspicious signs is difficult to determine with certainty. How can my hesitant mind be used to answer the great assembly?" Therefore it says, "Showing all Buddha lands adorned and purified with many treasures": the auspicious signs in this world and seeing all the Buddhas clarify that the auspicious signs in other realms are no minor circumstance; if they were a minor circumstance, I could be made to resolve it, but since they are not a minor circumstance, you, benevolent one, ought to answer. (Note: These implicit objections were transmitted by Dharma Master Guangzhai from Dharma Master Ci of Xie Temple, and Dharma Master Ci in turn transmitted them to Dharma Master Zhao of Jiangbei. Since this explanation was transmitted by celebrated masters, later students should truly respect and uphold it.)