妙法蓮華經文句 10.2

10.2

從「餘失心者」下，譬上非滅現滅。上有二：一、不久應死，譬上非滅現滅；二、諸子醒悟，譬上唱滅利益。又唱死之由，由子不服，譬上薄德見佛常在但增憍恣。上現滅中有二：一、本實不滅，二、非滅唱滅，不出現滅之由由，亦是唱滅利益中。今譬不譬第一，而明現滅之由，正由眾生薄德見佛不修行，即是不肯服藥也。「我今當設」下，正唱應死，譬非滅唱滅。此中明衰老為二：一、擬宜去住，譬上住有損、滅有益；二、「即作是言」下，唱應死，正譬現滅化期將竟也。「死時已至」者，當入涅槃也。留經教在，故云「是好良藥今留在此」。「復至他國」者，即是此方現滅、他方現生，上文云「願在他方遙見守護」，即其義也。「遣使」者，或取涅槃中大聲普告為使人，或用神通，或用舍利，或用經教等為使人，今用四依菩薩語眾生云佛已滅度，但留此法我今宣弘，汝當受行也。後時眾生若無四依傳述經法，豈能自知佛已滅度？故用四依是使人也。二、「是時諸子」下，諸子醒悟譬現滅利益。上文有二：一、明損益，二、釋損益，今但譬得益。此中「自惟孤露」下，明滅後得益，如優波笈多所化之流也。又為二：一、現滅利益，二、是未來機感。良由滅後眾生醒悟服藥修行以作因緣，能感未來應化，如《遺教》云「其未度者作得度因緣」；亦有現得感見，《普賢觀》云「精進苦到得見釋迦分身、多寶、東力、善德等及七佛世尊」。第三，「其父聞子悉已得差」下，即是未來益物威猛之力。父聞子差即機咸使見之，即是起未來之應化，方將形聲兩益也，如文。從「諸善男子於意云何」下，牒不虛譬，明三世利益不虛也。從「佛言我亦如是」去，明合譬也。「成佛已來無量劫」者，合過去世也。「方便力言當滅度」，合現在世也。文略不合未來，亦無能說我虛妄，合益物不虛也。

From "the other sons, who had lost their minds" onwards, this illustrates above [the teaching of] "not passing away, yet manifesting passing away." Above, there were two parts: first, "would soon die," which illustrates above not passing away, yet manifesting passing away; second, the sons awakened, which illustrates above the benefit of proclaiming extinction. Furthermore, the reason for proclaiming death is that the sons would not take the medicine, which illustrates above that those of meager virtue, seeing the Buddha constantly present, only become arrogant and neglectful. In the manifestation of extinction above, there were two parts: first, fundamentally and truly not passing away; second, not passing away, yet proclaiming extinction. It did not present the causes and conditions for manifesting extinction; this also falls within the benefits of proclaiming extinction. Here, the parable does not illustrate the first, but rather clarifies the cause of manifesting extinction: it is precisely because sentient beings of meager virtue see the Buddha and do not practice, which corresponds to being unwilling to take the medicine. From "I should now devise [an expedient]" onwards, he directly proclaims that he must die, illustrating proclaiming extinction when there is no extinction. Here, clarifying declining old age has two parts: first, deliberating whether to stay or go, which illustrates above that staying causes harm while passing away brings benefit; second, from "he spoke these words" onwards, he proclaims that he must die, which directly illustrates that the period of teaching through manifested extinction is about to end. "The time of death has arrived" means he will enter nirvāṇa. Because he leaves the scriptural teachings behind, it says: "This good, excellent medicine is now left here." "Again went to another country" means manifesting extinction in this land and manifesting birth in another land; the earlier passage stating, "wishing to be seen and guarded from afar in another land," has this very meaning. As for "sent a messenger," one may take the great voice universally proclaiming in the [Mahāparinirvāṇa-]sūtra as the messenger, or use supernatural powers, or use relics, or use scriptural teachings and the like as the messenger. Here, the four-reliance bodhisattvas are used to tell sentient beings: "The Buddha has already entered extinction; he has only left this Dharma. I now propagate it, and you must accept and practice it." If later sentient beings had no four-reliance [teachers] to transmit and expound the scriptures and Dharma, how could they know of themselves that the Buddha has already entered extinction? Therefore, the four-reliance [teachers] are used as messengers. Second, from "at that time, the sons" onwards, the sons' awakening illustrates the benefit of manifesting extinction. The earlier text had two parts: first, clarifying harm and benefit; second, explaining harm and benefit. Here, it only illustrates obtaining benefit. Here, from "reflecting that they were bereft and abandoned" onwards, it clarifies obtaining benefit after extinction, like the company converted by Upagupta. Furthermore, there are two parts: first, the benefit of manifesting extinction; second, the receptive capacity of the future. It is precisely because after extinction sentient beings awaken, take the medicine, and practice as the causes and conditions, that they are able to elicit future responsive manifestations, as the Legacy Teachings say: "For those not yet saved, he establishes the causes and conditions for their salvation." There are also those who obtain a receptive vision in the present; the Samantabhadra Contemplation says: "Through vigorous and earnest exertion, one is able to see Śākyamuni's emanations, Prabhūtaratna, [the Buddha] of the East, Śrītejas, and the others, up to the seven Buddha World-Honoured Ones." Third, from "the father heard that the sons had all recovered" onwards, this is the formidable power to benefit beings in the future. When the father hears that his sons have recovered, that is, when their capacities are receptive, he causes them to see him; this is the arising of future responsive manifestations, about to bring about the two benefits of form and voice, as in the text. From "What do you think, good men?" onwards, he takes up the parable of not being false, clarifying that the benefits across the three periods of time are not false. From "The Buddha said: I too am like this" onwards, he clarifies the application of the parable. "Since I attained buddhahood, immeasurable kalpas have passed" applies to the past. "By the power of expedients, I say that I will pass into extinction" applies to the present. The text is abbreviated and does not apply it to the future. "Nor can anyone say that I am speaking falsely" applies to the fact that benefiting beings is not false.