法華經義記 7.9

7.9

Within the third part of clarifying the causes, the broad exposition that opens the three and reveals the One, there are three sections, that is, transforming persons of the three capacities constitutes three sections. From here down through the Chapter on the Prophecy of Learners and Non-Learners, there are three chapters of the sūtra, which constitute the third: clarifying past karmic connections to expound the principle of opening the three and reveals the One so as to transform persons of lower capacity. However, among the persons of superior capacity and medium capacity there were four sections each; now, if one follows the above analogy for transforming persons of lower capacity, there should be four sections, yet in following the meaning there are only three points: there is the expounding of past karmic connections, there is the conferral of prophecy, and there is the understanding; there is no confirmation. Although there are three points, there are only two sections. How is this known? The understanding is merged into the text of the conferral of prophecy, so it is straightforwardly divided into two sections: first, this "Parable of the Conjured City" directly clarifies expounding past karmic connections to transform persons of lower capacity; second, the remaining two chapters confer prophecy upon persons of lower capacity. The general idea is simply saying: 'In the past, at the place of the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence, when I was among the sixteen princes, I had already re-expounded and preached the Lotus Sūtra for you; now I expound it for you again, so how is it that having heard it three times you do not understand?' Therefore the subsequent sūtra text says: 'When I was among the sixteen, I also formerly expounded it for you; through this fundamental condition, I now expound the Lotus Sūtra.' Yet those of lower capacity were attached to it; they only hear of these past connections to awaken and understand together. Within this chapter it is broadly judged into two sections: first, from the beginning of the prose through the verses, it first clarifies that the Buddha's wisdom can see ancient and distant matters; second, from below "The Buddha addressed the monks" from the beginning of the prose through the verses, it directly clarifies the expounding of past karmic connections. Furthermore, within these two sections each has two tiers, both having prose and verses as two tiers. Now, within the preceding prose clarifying that the Buddha's wisdom can see ancient and distant matters, there are three stages: first, it first recounts past matters, that is, the Buddha Great Universal Wisdom Excellence. Second, from "Monks, since that Buddha's passing into extinction" below, it uses the three-thousand great thousand worlds to make ink, making a parable for the ancient and distant. Third, it says: 'Because of the power of the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision, I view that distant [past] just like today,' directly clarifying that the Tathāgata can see distant matters.