法華經義記 4.7

4.7

"I was dwelling in mountain valleys": the nine verses from here on versify the second [section], which cites past sorrow to contrast with and explain present joy. Now, within the explanation in the prose above, there were originally two parts: first, citing past regret; second, citing past doubt. These nine verses are likewise divided into two: first, there are six verses versifying the past regret above; second, there are three verses versifying the past doubt above. Within the first six verses versifying regret, there are themselves three stages: first, one and a half verses first set forth the places where regret arose and directly versify the regret; second, there are three verses setting forth the dharmas that were regretted in the past; third, there is one and a half verses concluding the arising of the mind of regret. As for the first: above, it only spoke of regret, and it was not known in what place or at what time this doubt and regret arose; now, since it is expanded in the verses, it therefore sets forth the places where doubt and regret arose: merely while sitting quietly or walking the path in mountain valleys and forests, at that time he gave rise to a mind of doubt and regret and produced sentiments of resentment and lamentation. How is this known to be so? In the past, the Tathāgata only bestowed prophecies of attaining Buddhahood upon the bodhisattvas and did not speak of voice-hearers attaining Buddhahood; by reason of this meaning, he gave rise to a mind of doubt and regret. Yet in the great assembly there was also doubt and regret, and in the mountain valleys there was also doubt and regret: regretting that I did not seek the Great Vehicle, and giving rise to doubt, thinking, "Since we equally enter into the dharma-nature, why did the Tathāgata cross me over by means of the Lesser Vehicle and cross them over by means of the Great Vehicle? Since the dharma-nature is the same, there should not be the difference of lesser and greater." This is confusing the teaching by means of the principle. Furthermore, [he thought], "The Tathāgata himself preached that there are distinctions among the teachings of the three vehicles; why must the principle of the dharma-nature be the same?" This is confusing the principle by means of the teaching. Now, hearing from the *Mahāvibhāṣā* (*Duo lun*), when in the great assembly, seeing with one's eyes and hearing with one's ears the superior matters of the bodhisattvas and the extolling of the great beings' lofty virtues and far-reaching practices, since I was not included in this category, at that time I could only give rise to regret and resentment, having no leisure to give rise to thoughts of doubt and perplexity; but when in quiet places in mountains and forests, at that time I mostly gave rise to a mind of doubt and perplexity. "We, too, are Buddha-sons, equally entering the untainted dharma": the three verses from here on are the second [stage], setting forth the dharmas that were regretted in the past. These contain three points: the first verse clarifies the generation of the benefit of preaching the Dharma; the next verse clarifies the generation of internal and external merits such as the thirty-two marks; the last verse clarifies the generation of internal and external merits such as the eighty minor characteristics. "When I was walking alone": the one and a half verses from here on are the third [stage], citing the quiet places of mountain valleys as well as being in the great assembly to conclude the arising of the mind of regret; this indicates that regret could also arise in quiet places. "Day and night I constantly": the three verses from here on versify the citing of past doubt above to contrast with and explain present joy. Within these three verses, being expanded, they are naturally divided into three stages: the first verse directly versifies the existence of doubt in the past; the second verse sets forth the matters that were doubted in the past; the third verse clarifies that because present understanding is attained, past doubts are eliminated. As for the first: confusing the principle by means of the teaching, he therefore speaks of it as "a loss"; at other times, further confusing the teaching by means of the principle, he therefore speaks of it as "not a loss." Therefore, speaking of confusing the teaching by means of the principle and confusing the principle by means of the teaching, wavering between principle and teaching, he therefore says, "whether it was a loss or not a loss"; this is what it means. "I constantly saw the World-Honoured One praising the bodhisattvas": this one verse is the second [stage], which immediately sets forth the matters that were doubted; it was solely because of seeing the Tathāgata, at the time of teaching the *Great Perfection of Wisdom* (*Dapin*), exclusively praising the lofty virtues and beautiful practices of the bodhisattvas as all being able to attain Buddhahood; it was because of this matter that he had doubts. "Now hearing the Buddha's voice": this one verse is the third [stage], clarifying that because present understanding is attained, past doubts are eliminated, which has two points: the upper half of the verse clarifies understanding the opening of the three; the lower half of the verse clarifies understanding the revelation of the one. This point reveals that in the past, confusing the teaching by means of the principle was right, and confusing the principle by means of the teaching was wrong; now, the untainted, inconceivable power leads sentient beings to the place of enlightenment—these words indeed correspond to his past confusing of the teaching by means of the principle.