法華經義記 8.72

8.72

This chapter clarifies Bhaiṣajyarāja's past ascetic practices to propagate the sūtra, and this provides the title of the chapter. From this point downward are five chapters, which form the third section: demonstrating to beings the rules and models for propagating the sūtra. Now, the rules and models were already clarified above in the discussion of causes; the reason rules are clarified again here is simply that previously, passages such as 'entering the Tathāgata's room' clarified the Dharma, using the Dharma as the model for propagating the sūtra, whereas here it is properly using persons, such as Bhaiṣajyarāja, as the model. These five chapters demonstrate to beings the models for propagating the sūtra; they are now analyzed into three sections: first, the three chapters of 'Bhaiṣajyarāja', 'Gadgadasvara', and 'Avalokiteśvara', which properly demonstrate to beings the models for propagating the sūtra; second, the 'Dhāraṇī Chapter', which encourages and exhorts those in the assembly who might regress and fall away, using the proclamation of dhāraṇīs to protect those who propagate the sūtra, so that one cannot fail to propagate the sūtra; third, the 'Chapter on the Past Events of King Śubhavyūha', which reveals the benefit of propagating the sūtra by turning his father's wrong views to return to correct understanding. Now, taking the first section, it inherently contains two parts: first, this 'Chapter on Bhaiṣajyarāja' first clarifies ascetic practices to propagate the sūtra, providing a model for beings; second, the two chapters on 'Gadgadasvara' and 'Avalokiteśvara' clarify manifesting physical forms universally to propagate the sūtra and benefit beings. If one clarifies Bhaiṣajyarāja's ascetic practices, the two persons below are likewise so; if one clarifies the latter two persons manifesting physical forms universally to propagate the sūtra and benefit beings, Bhaiṣajyarāja should also be so; thus, by citing each other, their mutual reflections bring each other to light. However, this Bhaiṣajyarāja is a bodhisattva of this home land, whereas Gadgadasvara, Avalokiteśvara, and the others are great beings of other lands; moreover, Gadgadasvara is a bodhisattva of the eastern quarter, and Avalokiteśvara is a great being of the western realm; although distinct between east and west, they assemble together in one place in order to signify the principle of common convergence and testify to the teaching of non-duality.