法華經義記 3.9

3.9

"At that time, in the great assembly there were śrāvakas": from this point down to the earnest triple request, within clarifying the cause there are four sections; from here downward is the second section, in which the assembly harbours doubt and presents a request. Within this, there are of themselves two parts: first, from "At that time, in the great assembly" down to "and now they do not know what this meaning tends toward," it first clarifies that the compiler of the sūtra sets forth the doubt of the great assembly; second, from "At that time, Śāriputra knew the doubt in the minds of the four assemblies, and also did not understand it himself" through to the end of the triple request, this is termed Śāriputra directly raising the doubt and presenting the request. Since the Buddha had said that by the power of skilful means he showed the teaching of the three vehicles, whereas in the past he had not said that the three vehicles were skilful means, yet now suddenly proclaimed that the three vehicles are skilful means, this then contradicted what was said in the past; therefore, Śāriputra raised the doubt and presented the request to seek a definitive decision from the Great Sage. Furthermore, within the compiler of the sūtra setting forth the doubt of the great assembly, there are of themselves two sections: first, from "At that time, in the great assembly there were śrāvakas" down to "upāsakas and upāsikās," this is termed the compiler of the sūtra setting forth and citing the living beings who doubted; second, from "each had this thought" down to "and now they do not know what this meaning tends toward," it directly identifies what they doubted, and what they doubted were the two knowledges. Furthermore, each of these two sections opens into two parts. Within the compiler of the sūtra setting forth and citing the doubting assembly, there are two: first, saying "twelve hundred people," this means the non-learners had doubts; second, saying "as well as those who had resolved their minds on being śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas" down to "upāsikās," this identifies that the learners had doubts. Within the second [section], identifying what they doubted, there are two parts: first, from "each had this thought" down to "beyond the reach of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas," it first identifies the doubt: why did the Buddha praise the two knowledges above? This doubt arose from the first [part], vaguely opening the essential tenet by praising the two knowledges; second, from "The Buddha spoke of the meaning of a single liberation" down to "and now they do not know what this meaning tends toward," it clarifies that the great assembly doubted within themselves whether the liberation they had attained was ultimate or not ultimate; this doubt arose from the second section, clearly opening the three and revealing the one.