法華經義記 4.12

4.12

"Śāriputra, you in a future age": from here on is the fourth section, which immediately confers prophecy upon the person of superior faculties. Within this there are also two parts: first, down through the verses, it directly confers prophecy upon Śāriputra; second, from the great assembly seeing Śāriputra receive prophecy and thereupon giving rise to sympathetic joy and making offerings, their joy is known by comparison. Now, Śāriputra's prophecy has both prose and verses; just within the prose, there are eight layers: first, prophesying the practice of the causes; second, from "Shall become a Buddha" on, prophesying the general and specific designations; third, from "The land's name is Free from Defilement" on, prophesying the realm; fourth, from "Padmaprabha Tathāgata also uses the three vehicles to teach and transform sentient beings" on, resolving people's doubts; fifth, from "Its kalpa is named Great Jewel Adornment" on, prophesying the persons; sixth, from "Śāriputra, the lifespan of the Buddha Padmaprabha" on, prophesying the length of his lifespan; seventh, from "After the Tathāgata Padmaprabha passes twelve minor kalpas" on, prophesying his successor Buddha; eighth, from "After the Buddha Padmaprabha has entered extinction" on, prophesying the two dharmas of the semblant and correct [Dharma]. The fourth above resolves people's doubts, where they doubt, saying: "The Buddha Padmaprabha's land is purely clean, and the persons transformed are all great bodhisattva beings; thus, the great bodhisattva beings originally did not hear the name of the three vehicles—why is it now said that he teaches and transforms sentient beings with the dharma of the three vehicles?" The commentator says: "Those transformed by the Buddha Padmaprabha are truly great bodhisattva beings; the reason he preaches the three vehicles is that this complies with the intentions harboured by the stages of the great beings. How so? In the minds of the bodhisattva stages, for those to whom the four truths should be preached, he preaches the four truths; for those to whom the twelve links of dependent origination should be preached, he preaches dependent origination; for those capable of hearing the six perfections, he preaches the six perfections. Now the Buddha Padmaprabha applies the dharmas of the three vehicles for them; therefore it is said that because of his original vow, he preaches the dharmas of the three vehicles."