法華經義記 2.42

2.42

"Before the Buddha left home"—the sixteen and a half verses from here on versify the five points of correspondence in the third section of the prose above. Within this there are five: the first half-verse versifies the first point above, the correspondence of having sons; the next half-verse versifies the second point, the correspondence of the princes leaving home; the next four verses versify the third point, the correspondence of manifesting auspicious signs in this [world]; the next ten verses versify the fourth point, the correspondence of manifesting auspicious signs in other directions; the next verse and a half versifies the fifth point, the correspondence of the doubting assembly. Now, the statement "Before the Buddha left home, the eight princes he fathered" is the half-verse that versifies the first point above, having sons—the statement above that the final buddha, before leaving home, had eight princes. "Seeing the Great Sage leave home" is the half-verse that versifies the second point above, the princes leaving home—the statement above that they all renounced the royal throne and likewise followed him in leaving home. "At that time the Buddha expounded the Great Vehicle"—the four verses from here on versify the third point above, manifesting auspicious signs in this [world]. Originally there were six sections, and all are now versified. Among these four verses, the first verse versifies the correspondence of expounding the *Sūtra of Immeasurable Meanings*. The next verse versifies the correspondence of entering samādhi. The next half-verse versifies the correspondence of the rain of flowers. Some interpret this by saying: "The heavenly beings, dragons, ghosts, and spirits below still belong to the rain of flowers." Now, what our lineage teaches is not so: these flowers originally were not rained down by the gods; it was purely through the Tathāgata's supernatural power that flowers were rained down, and likewise it was through the Tathāgata's supernatural power that the earth quaked. Since the earth's quaking was not done by the earth deities, how could the flowers that were rained down have anything to do with being cast down by the gods? Now, the statement "The devas, nāgas, ghosts, and spirits / made offerings to the Honoured One Among Humans" is a half-verse that leaps ahead to versify the fifth point, the joy of the fourfold assembly. The next half-verse looks back to versify the fourth point, the earth quaking. "The Buddha emitted a light from between his brows" is the half-verse that versifies the sixth point, the correspondence of emitting light. "This light illuminated the eastern direction, eighteen thousand buddha-lands"—the ten verses from here on versify the fourth point above, the correspondence of manifesting auspicious signs in other lands. The statement above, "just as are now seen all these buddha-lands," had only two phrases, and though the phrasing was brief, its meaning contained six kinds. Now these ten verses should be divided into two: the first half-verse first versifies the source of the auspicious signs, the source being the radiant light; the second nine and a half verses properly versify the auspicious signs—not versifying the sixth, but only versifying the first five kinds of auspicious signs. The first half-verse versifies seeing the sentient beings of the six destinies. Next, three verses versify seeing the buddhas. Next, one verse versifies hearing the buddhas expound the Dharma. Next, one verse versifies seeing the practice of persons of the two vehicles. Next, four verses versify seeing the practice of bodhisattvas, persons of the Great Vehicle. Now, the statement "showing where all sentient beings receive the karmic retributions of birth and death" is the half-verse versifying the sight of sentient beings of the six destinies in other directions. "Again seeing all the buddha-lands"—the three verses from here on versify seeing the buddhas of other lands. Within these three verses there are four points of meaning: the first verse first describes seeing the marks of the adornments of other lands, which was absent in the prose, its meaning being brought out here. Second, the statement "and seeing all the devas and humans"—the one verse from here on explains seeing the fourfold assemblies in other directions making offerings to the buddhas in other directions; this also was absent in the prose, its meaning being brought out in the verse. Third, from "Again seeing all the Tathāgatas naturally realize the Buddha path," there is a half-verse properly versifying seeing the buddhas in other directions. Fourth, from "Their physical color like a golden mountain," the half-verse below is a simile praising the buddhas; this also was absent in the prose above. From "Just as within pure lapis lazuli," the one verse below versifies seeing the buddhas in other directions expounding the Dharma; it naturally has two parts: the first half-verse introduces the simile, and the second half applies the simile. "In each and every buddha-land"—the one verse from here on versifies seeing the practice of persons of the two vehicles in other directions. "Or there are monks"—the four verses from here on versify seeing the practice of Mahāyāna bodhisattvas in other directions; "monks" refers to renunciant bodhisattvas. The essential practices of a bodhisattva do not exceed the six perfections, and here the six perfections are explained. The first verse first explains the two pāramitās of vigor and morality. The next verse explains the two kinds of giving and patience: practicing giving is the dāna-pāramitā, and forbearance is the kṣānti-pāramitā. The next verse is the dhyāna-pāramitā. The next verse is the prajñā-pāramitā.