法華經義記 4.5

4.5

In the third part, concluding the receptive understanding, there are two parts: first, from "From the past onwards" down to "I would always reproach myself", first concludes past sorrow. Second, from "Yet now from the Buddha" downward, concludes joy because of attaining understanding today. Following the precedent, there are two: first, from "Yet now from the Buddha having heard what I had never heard before" down to "quickly attained peace and security", this is designated as joy because bad things have departed. Second, from "Today I finally know that I am truly a son of the Buddha" downward, is designated as joy because good things have arrived. In the past, he thought that those of the two vehicles would definitely not attain buddhahood and could not inherit and continue the Buddha-lineage, and therefore were not sons of the Buddha; now that it is said that what you practice is the bodhisattva path and you will certainly inherit and continue the Buddha-lineage, he therefore says 'true son of the Buddha'.