法華經義記 7.77

7.77

In summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra, there are two sections: the first is the 'Dharma Master' chapter, which explains how Śākya personally summons people to propagate the sūtra; this chapter is the second, which explains how Prabhūtaratna assists in summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra. Because Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata praised Śākya, saying, 'Who is able to broadly [expound] this sūtra here?', he was thereby able to assist Śākya. These two sections each open into two parts. In the previous section where Śākya personally summoned, there were two parts: the first was adducing the merit and retribution to summon people to propagate the sūtra, and the second was adducing the regulations for propagating the sūtra to summon and seek people to propagate the sūtra; these two are already finished. Now, in this chapter where he assists in summoning and seeking people to propagate the sūtra, there are two parts: that is, the prose and the verses constitute the two. Within the prose there are inherently twenty sections: first, the compiler of the scripture narrates the appearance of the jewel stupa; second, a sound issues from within the stupa praising Śākya; third, the great assembly gives rise to doubt; fourth, Mahāpratibhāna inquires of the Buddha; fifth, the Buddha replies that the jewel stupa has arrived; sixth, Mahāpratibhāna vows to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata; seventh, the Buddha replies that he must first assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; eighth, Mahāpratibhāna further desires to see the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; ninth, Śākya emits a light shining upon the Buddhas; tenth, the Buddhas who are emanations of his body deliberate together, desiring to come; eleventh, Śākya transforms the land three times; twelfth, the Buddhas who are emanations of his body arrive and send inquiries to Śākya; thirteenth, Śākya opens the stupa in the air; fourteenth, explaining the great assembly's seeing of Prabhūtaratna Buddha's appearance; fifteenth, explaining the great assembly's scattering of flowers in offering; sixteenth, Prabhūtaratna shares his seat with Śākya; seventeenth, Śākya takes his seat; eighteenth, the great assembly vows to be in the air; nineteenth, the Buddha uses supernatural power to raise the great assembly into the air; twentieth, directly calling out and soliciting people to propagate the sūtra. From the beginning of the chapter onward is the first, where the compiler of the scripture narrates the appearance of the jewel stupa. From 'At that time, a great sound issued from within the jewel stupa' downward is the second, praising Śākya. From 'At that time, the fourfold assembly' downward is the third, explaining that when the assembly of that time saw the appearance of the jewel stupa, they collectively gave rise to doubt. From 'At that time, there was a bodhisattva named Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the fourth, explaining that once Mahāpratibhāna knew the assembly of that time had doubts, he inquired of the Tathāgata. From 'At that time, the Buddha told Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the fifth, explaining that the Tathāgata replied to Mahāpratibhāna by relating the purpose of the jewel stupa's coming; the verse below directly versifies this. From 'At that time, Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the sixth, explaining that Mahāpratibhāna subsequently made a vow, desiring to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata. From 'The Buddha told Mahāpratibhāna' downward is the seventh, replying to Mahāpratibhāna, saying: 'If you wish to see Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, I must first assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of my body in the ten directions'; this is also versified in the verse below. Herein, from 'Mahāpratibhāna addressed the Buddha, saying' downward is the eighth, explaining that once Mahāpratibhāna heard the Buddha's path of wishing to assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body, he subsequently made a vow, desiring to see the Buddhas who are emanations of his body. From 'At that time, he emitted a single light from the white curl between his eyebrows' downward is the ninth, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata emitted a light shining upon the Tathāgatas who are emanations of his body in the ten directions; at that time he simply emitted light without any speech—these are merely the words of the compiler of the scripture. As for why he emitted light to assemble the Buddhas who are emanations of his body: in this chapter, in order to manifest the making of vows to propagate the sūtra, he proclaims, 'Even the Buddhas of the ten directions come for the sake of the Dharma and venerate this Dharma; how could you not circulate this Dharma?' Furthermore, the Buddhas of the ten directions assembling in one place is intended to manifest the meaning of their common return. Moreover, it resolves the fourth doubt: doubting how a Buddha who has long been extinguished could come. Now it is stated that the manifestation of his response body was not a real manifestation, showing that his extinction was not a real extinction. From 'At that time, the Buddhas of the ten directions each addressed the host of bodhisattvas, saying' downward is the tenth, explaining that the Buddhas of the ten directions, having been illuminated by the light, deliberated together with the bodhisattvas, desiring to come. From 'At that time, the Sahā world was immediately transformed into purity' downward is the eleventh, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata transformed the land three times in order to accommodate the Buddhas who are emanations of his body; at that time it was merely the Tathāgata's supernatural power transforming the land, and therefore the compiler of the scripture relates it. As for why there were three transformations: it manifests the shattering of the adhering mind of the three vehicles. That the land became broader further represents the narrow mentality of the two vehicles; this is also versified in the verse below. From 'At that time, the Buddhas all sent attendants' downward is the twelfth, explaining that the Buddhas, having assembled, sent messengers to inquire after Śākya. From 'At that time, Śākyamuni Buddha, seeing that the Buddhas who were emanations of his body had all arrived and assembled' downward is the thirteenth, explaining that Śākyamuni Tathāgata, having received their inquiries and wishing to open the jewel stupa, thereupon arose in the air and opened the stupa. From 'At that time, the entire assembly' downward is the fourteenth, where the compiler of the scripture narrates the great assembly's seeing of Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata's appearance. From 'At that time, the fourfold assembly, seeing the past...' downward is the fifteenth, explaining that the great assembly, having seen Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata, scattered flowers in offering and spoke such words. Someone explained: 'At that time the assembly of that time spoke words, but the text of the scripture abridged and did not record much.' The sense here is that this is not so: this merely takes up the previous words of Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata praising Śākya. From 'At that time, Prabhūtaratna Tathāgata shared half his seat in the jewel stupa' downward is the sixteenth, explaining that Prabhūtaratna shared his seat for Śākya to sit. From 'At that time, Śākyamuni Buddha...' downward is the seventeenth, explaining that Śākya took his seat. As for why it is said that Prabhūtaratna Buddha and Śākya sat together: since the extinguished Buddha sat here, the intention manifests that Śākya is unarisen yet manifests arising; that Śākya and Prabhūtaratna sat side by side explains that the extinction beneath the twin trees was not a real extinction. From 'At that time, the great assembly saw the two Tathāgatas' downward is the eighteenth, explaining that the great assembly, having seen the two Tathāgatas in the air, subsequently further wished to be in the air. From 'At that time, Śākya, using his supernatural power...' downward is the nineteenth, explaining that the Tathāgata immediately used supernatural power to raise the great assembly into the air. From 'With a great voice' downward to the end of the prose is the twentieth section, directly calling out and soliciting people to propagate the sūtra; the verse below also versifies this.