法華玄義釋籤 15.16

15.16

七眷屬妙中但出本相，從文殊觀音至惑者未了，略出迹中不同之相，隨諸部中列聖之相，亦可以為四相不同。今初，如文。次釋，釋中又二：初正釋，次釋疑。初言「法性虛空之寂光」者，即以下方及塔在此方虛空表寂光也。此諸菩薩住下方虛空，湧出已後亦住虛空，此土得聞開權顯實得無生忍者，亦住虛空之寂光也。雖俱虛空以表寂光，能住之人不無久近，涌出菩薩得忍已久，是故迹中始近入者不識久者。次迹中文云「文殊觀音或為師為弟子」者，文殊昔為妙光菩薩教化燈明八王子，是八王子相次授記，其最後者名曰然燈，然燈既是釋迦之師，妙光乃成釋迦九代祖師。《觀音經》中釋迦過去於正法明如來所學習道法，正法明如來即觀音本身，故知文殊、觀音並曾為師。調達即是阿私陀仙，具如今經。如是等人却為弟子。「問本迹相望千界塵少增道數多」者，三千世界地涌菩薩是本時眷屬，秖云三千地皆震裂無量菩薩同時涌出，若望今時迹中眷屬，如〈分別功德品〉增道損生，初六百八十萬億那由他恒河沙眾生得無生法忍，復千倍得聞持，一界塵得辯才，大千塵得不退，中千小千乃至一四天下及八界塵初始發心，比於涌出，涌出甚少。四句分別亦例前文，但以久近而判本迹，終不以法身深淺、化緣廣狹等判也。

Seventh, in the marvel of retinue, it only presents the characteristics of the origin; from Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara down to those who are deluded and have not yet understood, it briefly presents the characteristics of difference in the traces; following the characteristics of the array of noble ones in the various sections, they can also be taken as the four differing characteristics. The initial one is as in the text. Next is the explanation; within the explanation there are also two parts: first, the formal explanation; next, resolving doubts. When it first says "the quiescent light of the empty space of dharma-nature," this means that using the space below and the stūpa being in the empty space of this realm expresses the Quiescent Light. These bodhisattvas dwell in the empty space below, and after welling forth they also dwell in empty space; those in this land who hear the opening of the provisional and revealing of the real and attain the forbearance of non-arising also dwell in the Quiescent Light of empty space. Although both use empty space to express Quiescent Light, the persons who can dwell in it are not without differences of long ago and recent: the bodhisattvas who welled forth attained forbearance long ago, which is why those in the traces who have just recently entered do not recognize those of long ago. Next, regarding the text on the traces saying, "Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara were sometimes teachers and sometimes disciples," Mañjuśrī formerly as Bodhisattva Varaprabha taught and transformed the eight princely sons of the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa; these eight sons were successively given prophecies, the last of whom was named Dīpaṃkara. Since Dīpaṃkara was the teacher of Śākyamuni, Varaprabha was thus the ninth-generation ancestral master of Śākyamuni. In the Avalokiteśvara Sūtra, Śākyamuni in the past studied the path and Dharma under the Tathāgata Samyakdharmavidyā; the Tathāgata Samyakdharmavidyā is Avalokiteśvara's original person. Therefore we know that both Mañjuśrī and Avalokiteśvara were once his teachers. Devadatta was the rishi Asita, fully as in the present sūtra. Such persons nevertheless became his disciples. As for "Question: Comparing the origin and traces, the dust motes of a thousand realms are few, while the number of those increasing on the path is many": the bodhisattvas welling forth from the earth in the three-thousandfold world are the retinue of the origin time; it merely says that the earth of the three-thousandfold world all split open and immeasurable bodhisattvas welled forth at the same time. If compared to the retinue in the traces of the present time, as in the 'Chapter on the Discrimination of Merits' where they increase on the path and decrease births, at first six hundred and eighty myriad koṭis of nayutas of Gaṅgā-sands of sentient beings attain the forbearance of non-arising of dharmas; a thousandfold more attain the retention of what they hear; dust motes of one realm attain eloquence; dust motes of a great thousand attain non-retrogression; medium thousand, small thousand, down to one four-continent world and dust motes of eight realms initially give rise to the mind—compared to those who welled forth, those who welled forth are extremely few. The distinction by four propositions is also modeled on the previous text; one distinguishes origin and traces solely by temporal distance, never by the depth of the dharma body or the breadth of teaching conditions.