妙法蓮華經文句 2.147

2.147

「爾時世尊」下，訖品，名別序。文為五：一、眾集，二、現瑞，三、疑念，四、發問，五、答問。光宅逆順生起，由眾集故現瑞，乃至由問故答，答由於問，乃至瑞由眾集，此乃翻覆緣起，鉤鎖相連，序於正意，竟自未顯，直是因緣一釋，尚自不明，況二三四緣，了無趣向。今明五序，序正中四一，集眾敘人一，現瑞敘理一，疑念敘行一，問答敘教一，此則因緣釋也。約教者，此序序正，非三藏，非通、非別，乃是序於圓正耳。約本迹者，若以序序〈壽量〉中本地四一者，此義自可知，不復記。觀心可解（云云）。就眾集又二，初眾集威儀，次眾集供養，《法華論》目此為威儀如法住。

From "At that time the World-Honoured One" down to the end of the chapter is called the Specific Preface. The text comprises five sections: first, the gathering of the assembly; second, the manifestation of auspicious signs; third, doubt and reflection; fourth, raising questions; fifth, answering questions. Guangzhai explains their reciprocal arising: because the assembly gathers, auspicious signs appear; and so forth, down to because questions are raised, answers are given; answers depend on questions, and so forth, down to auspicious signs depending on the assembly gathering. This is merely an inverted and sequential dependent origination, like interlinked chains; it fails to reveal the primary intent of the preface. It is merely a single explanation based on causality, and even that is unclear, to say nothing of the second, third, and fourth conditions, which have no direction at all. Now we explain that the five prefaces introduce the four unities in the main part of the sūtra: the gathering of the assembly introduces the unity of persons; the manifestation of auspicious signs introduces the unity of principle; doubt and reflection introduces the unity of practice; and questions and answers introduce the unity of teaching. This, then, is the explanation according to causes and conditions. In terms of teachings: this preface introduces the main body not of the Tripiṭaka, nor of the shared or distinctive, but rather introduces the perfect main body. In terms of origin and traces: if one takes this preface to introduce the four unities of the origin ground in the "Life Span" chapter, this meaning will be self-evident and need not be noted again. It can be understood through the contemplation of mind (and so forth). Within the gathering of the assembly there are again two parts: first, the deportment of the gathered assembly; second, the offerings of the gathered assembly. The Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa designates this as "dwelling in deportment in accordance with the Dharma".