妙法蓮華經玄義 7.72

7.72

○四、引文證者，不遠索他經，亦不通引部內，但就本門證成十義也。然先佛法華，如恒河沙阿閦婆偈，今佛靈山八年說法，胡本中事，復應何窮？真丹邊鄙，止聞大意，人見七卷，謂為小經，胡文浩博，何所不辨？今就數紙之內，十證宛然。文云：「我本行菩薩道時所成壽命，今猶未盡」者，即是本之行因妙也。文云：「我實成佛已來，無量無邊億那由他。」又云：「我實成佛已來，久遠若斯，但以方便教化眾生，作如此說。」即是本果妙也。文云：「我於娑婆世界得三菩提已，教化示導是諸菩薩。」又云：「自從是來，我常在此娑婆世界說法教化，亦於餘處導利眾生。」此之國土非復今時娑婆，即本國土妙也。文云：「若有眾生來至我所，我以佛眼觀其信等諸根利鈍。」此即本時照機之智，是感應妙也。文云：「如來祕密神通之力。」又中間文云：「或示己身、或示他身；或示己事、或示他事。」即是垂形十界，作種種像，驗本亦然，是本神通妙也。文云：「是諸菩薩悉是我所化，令發大道心，今皆住不退，修學我道法。」又中間，或說己事、或說他事，驗本亦然，即本說法妙。文云：「此諸菩薩身皆金色，下方空中住，此等是我子，我從久遠來，教化是等眾。」即本眷屬妙也。文云：「又復言其入於涅槃，如是皆以方便分別。」又云：「今非實滅，而便唱言當取滅度。」往緣既訖而唱入滅，中間既唱涅槃，例本亦有涅槃，即本涅槃妙。文云：「處處自說名字不同，年紀大小。」年即壽命，大小即長短常無常也。中間既爾，本壽亦然，即本壽命妙也。文云：「又以方便說微妙法，能令眾生發歡喜心。」即中間利益。又云：「聞佛說壽命劫數長遠如是，無量無邊阿僧祇眾生得大饒益。」即迹中之益。迹與中間既爾，例本亦然，即是本利益妙也。十據在經非人造也。

Fourth, citing textual evidence: we do not search far into other sūtras, nor do we cite broadly from within this division; we merely establish the ten meanings on the basis of the original section itself. Yet the Lotus Sūtra of previous buddhas had gāthās as numerous as the sands of the Ganges or akṣobhyas; the present Buddha preached the Dharma on Vulture Peak for eight years—how could the events in the Indic manuscripts ever be exhausted? China is a remote frontier and has heard only the general drift; people see seven scrolls and consider it a small sūtra, but the Indic text is vast and extensive—what does it not distinguish? Now, within a few sheets [of paper], the ten proofs are fully evident. The text says: 'The lifespan I achieved when formerly practicing the bodhisattva path is even now not yet exhausted'—this is the wondrousness of the original practicing cause. The text says: 'Since I truly achieved buddhahood, it has been immeasurable, boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas [of kalpas].' It also says: 'Since I truly achieved buddhahood, it has been as long as this; it is merely by expedients to teach and transform sentient beings that I make such a statement.' This is the wondrousness of the original fruit. The text says: 'After I attained saṃbodhi in the sahā world, I taught, transformed, showed, and guided these bodhisattvas.' It also says: 'Ever since that time, I have constantly been in this sahā world preaching the Dharma and teaching and transforming, and have also guided and benefited sentient beings in other places.' This land is no longer the sahā world of the present time; this is the wondrousness of the original land. The text says: 'If there are sentient beings who come to my place, I use the buddha-eye to observe their faculties of faith and so forth, whether sharp or dull.' This is the wisdom illuminating capacities at the original time; it is the wondrousness of stimulus and response. The text says: 'The Tathāgata's secret supernormal power.' Furthermore, an intermediate passage says: 'Sometimes I show my own body, sometimes another's body; sometimes I show my own affairs, sometimes another's affairs.' This is manifesting forms throughout the ten realms and displaying various images; examining the original source, it is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original supernormal powers. The text says: 'All these bodhisattvas are those whom I transformed, causing them to bring forth the mind of the great Way; now they all dwell in non-retrogression, cultivating and training in my Way and Dharma.' Moreover, in the intermediate [periods] he sometimes spoke of his own affairs and sometimes of another's affairs; examining the original source, it is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original preaching of the Dharma. The text says: 'These bodhisattvas all have golden-colored bodies and dwell in the empty space below. These are my sons; from the distant past I have taught and transformed these multitudes.' This is the wondrousness of the original retinue. The text says: 'Again, he speaks of entering into nirvāṇa; all such things are distinctions made by expedients.' It also says: 'Now I am not truly extinct, yet I proclaim that I am about to take extinction.' When past conditions were concluded, he proclaimed entering extinction; since he proclaimed nirvāṇa in the intermediate [periods], by analogy the original source also has nirvāṇa, which is the wondrousness of the original nirvāṇa. The text says: 'In various places, he speaks of himself with different names and different ages.' 'Age' is lifespan; 'large and small' means long and short, permanent and impermanent. Since this is so in the intermediate [periods], the original lifespan is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original lifespan. The text says: 'Again, through expedients he expounds the subtle and wondrous Dharma, able to cause sentient beings to bring forth a joyful mind.' This is the intermediate benefit. It also says: 'Hearing the Buddha speak of a lifespan of such long kalpas, immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya sentient beings attained great benefit.' This is the benefit in the trace. Since this is so in the trace and the intermediate [periods], by analogy the original source is also thus, which is the wondrousness of the original benefits. The ten proofs are in the sūtra; they are not human fabrications.