法華經義記 8.92

8.92

"Akṣayamati addressed the Buddha, saying" onwards is the second section of the chapter, directly explaining the universal manifestation of physical bodies to propagate the sūtra, having two parts: first, the question; second, the Buddha's answer. Now, to explain the question, it naturally contains two intents across three textual phrases: the first question says, "How does he travel in the Sahā [world]?"—this asks about form. The second question says, "How does he preach the Dharma for sentient beings?"—this asks about teaching. "How does the work of his power of skilful means proceed?"—this is the third, generally concluding the preceding questions, as both dharmas of form and teaching are the power of skilful means. In the Buddha's answer there are two parts: first, the direct answer; second, the concluding answer. Within the direct answer there are altogether nineteen responses, as each of them answers the two questions above: "manifesting form" answers the earlier question about form, and "preaching the Dharma for them" answers the later question about teaching. Here, the initial clause, "If there are sentient beings who should be liberated through a Buddha's body," explains the dispositions of sentient beings; the subsequent clauses are all alike by analogy, with the sūtra text omitting "sentient beings" for brevity. From "Akṣayamati, this Avalokiteśvara" onwards is the second, the concluding answer.