妙法蓮華經文句 3.43

3.43

次、「爾時四部眾」下，第二、一行半，追頌昔佛四眾疑念，如文。從「天人所奉尊」下，二十二行半，頌曾與今當同，文為六：初、兩行二句，頌因人同；次、「說是法下」，第二、一句，頌上說法同；次、「滿六十小劫」下，第三、一行一句，頌時節同，約不思議延促劫智也，妙光皆悉受持昔佛法也，亦如身子受佛付囑也；次、「佛說是法華」下，第四、五行，頌上唱滅同，即是答上他土入滅之意也，就此文有唱滅、有囑累，囑累如《遺教》，有悲泣如《涅槃》，有慰喻亦如《遺教》，其得度者悉皆得度，未度者作得度因緣，例如今佛將付彌勒（云云）。次、「是德藏」下，第五、有一行半，頌上授記；次、「佛此夜」，第六、有十二行，頌上通經，通經又為五：初、有兩行，頌上佛滅後時節四眾得益，「如薪盡火滅」者，小乘佛以果報身為薪、智慧為火，慧依報身、身滅智亡；大乘佛以機為薪、逗應為火，眾生機盡、應形亦滅。「倍加精進」者，應以滅度度者也。次、「是妙光」下，第二、有兩句，頌上能弘經之人。次、「八十小劫」下，第三、有兩句，頌上行經時節；次、「是諸八王」下，第四、有八行，頌上所益弟子，又為二：初、三行頌已成弟子；次、「是妙光」下，第二、五行頌當成弟子。次、「彼佛滅」下，第五、有一行，頌上結會古今。後四偈，舊云是結成令物慕仰，今釋不爾，上長行有分明判答，此文頌之，文為三：初、「我見燈」下，初、有一行，頌上當說大乘經；次、「今相如本」下，第二、兩行，頌上教菩薩法；次、「諸求三乘人」下，第三、一行，頌上佛所護念，在文可解。又前彌勒釋四伏難，令文殊必定有答，此中是文殊斷四伏疑，使彌勒莫復更問。初、第一疑，因文殊廣引先佛曾說《法華》，故彌勒潛疑欲問：「諸佛赴緣，人時各異，古佛雖名《法華》，今佛何必如此？」文殊即以第一偈斷云：「我見燈明佛，本光瑞如此，以是知今佛，欲說法華經。」此斷其疑名之問也。彌勒因此又疑：「自有名同義同，自有名同義異，此名何所顯召？」文殊即以第二偈斷云：「今相如本瑞，是諸佛方便，今佛放光明，助發實相義。」此是斷其疑體之問。彌勒因此又疑：「實相無相，何人會之？」文殊即以第三偈斷云：「諸人今當知，合掌一心待，佛當雨法雨，充足求道者。」此斷其疑宗之問。彌勒因此又疑：「佛雨法雨，止洽菩薩？亦潤二乘？」文殊即以第四偈斷云：「諸求三乘人，若有疑悔者，佛當為除斷，令盡無有餘。」此即斷其疑用之問。彌勒聯翩構疑，文殊頻煩為斷，既事窮理盡即得之於懷，可謂善於問答，具二莊嚴。光宅但知述於釗師釋四種伏難，使文殊必答，顯彌勒之美；不見文殊釋四伏疑，令彌勒不問，抑妙德之能。此義出自天台，非傳他疏。寄語後賢勿遏人長也，自釗師已後，數百年中，講《法華》者溢路，頗有見斯意不非長何（謂也）？

Next, from 'At that time the four assemblies' onward, there is one and a half verses, which retrospectively versifies the doubts of the four assemblies of the past Buddha, as in the text. From 'The Honoured One revered by gods and humans' onward, there are twenty-two and a half verses, which versify that the past must be identical with the present. The text has six parts: First, two verses and two lines versify the identity of the causal persons. Next, from 'Having preached this dharma,' the second part consists of one line, versifying the identity of the preaching of the dharma above. Next, from 'Fulfilling sixty minor kalpas,' the third part consists of one verse and one line, versifying the identity of the time period, in terms of the inconceivable wisdom of extending and shortening kalpas; [it also shows that] Myōgō (Varaprabha) upheld all of the past Buddha's teaching, just like Śāriputra receiving the Buddha's entrustment. Next, from 'The Buddha, having preached this Lotus,' the fourth part consists of five verses, versifying the identity of proclaiming extinction above; this answers the question above regarding entering extinction in other lands. Within this passage, there is proclaiming extinction and there is entrustment; entrustment is as in the *Sūtra of the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching*, weeping is as in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, and consolation is also as in the *Sūtra of the Buddha's Bequeathed Teaching*. Those who could be liberated have all been liberated, and for those not yet liberated, conditions for their liberation have been established—just as the present Buddha is about to entrust [the teaching] to Maitreya, and so on. Next, from 'This Tokuzō (Guṇagarbha),' the fifth part consists of one and a half verses, versifying the prediction above. Next, from 'The Buddha on this night,' the sixth part consists of twelve verses, versifying the transmission of the sūtra above. The transmission of the sūtra again has five parts: First, two verses versify the time period after the Buddha's extinction when the four assemblies attain benefit. As for 'like fire extinguished when the firewood is exhausted,' the Hīnayāna Buddha takes the retribution body as firewood and wisdom as fire; wisdom depends on the retribution body, so when the body is extinguished, wisdom vanishes. The Mahāyāna Buddha takes the capacity [of beings] as firewood and the responsive manifestation as fire; when the capacity of sentient beings is exhausted, the responsive form is also extinguished. As for 'redoubled their diligence,' this refers to those who ought to be saved by means of [the Buddha's] extinction. Next, from 'This Varaprabha,' the second part consists of two lines, versifying the person able to propagate the sūtra above. Next, from 'For eighty minor kalpas,' the third part consists of two lines, versifying the time period of practicing the sūtra above. Next, from 'These eight princes,' the fourth part consists of eight verses, versifying the disciples who were benefited above; this again has two parts: first, three verses versify disciples who have already attained fruition; next, from 'This Varaprabha,' the second part consists of five verses versifying disciples who will attain fruition in the future. Next, from 'After that Buddha was extinguished,' the fifth part consists of one verse, versifying the conclusion harmonizing the past and the present. Regarding the last four gāthās, the old interpretation said that they conclude by leading beings to yearn and admire, but the present explanation does not hold this. The prose above clearly resolved and answered [the questions], and this passage versifies it; the text has three parts: First, from 'I saw Candrasūryapradīpa,' the first part consists of one verse, versifying that he will preach the Mahāyāna sūtra above. Next, from 'Now the signs are like the former portents,' the second part consists of two verses, versifying the dharma taught to bodhisattvas above. Next, from 'All those seeking the Three Vehicles,' the third part consists of one verse, versifying what is protected and kept in mind by the buddhas above; this can be understood from the text. Furthermore, previously Maitreya explained four hidden objections so that Mañjuśrī would definitely have an answer; here, Mañjuśrī cuts off four hidden doubts so that Maitreya will ask no further. First, regarding the first doubt: because Mañjuśrī extensively cited that past buddhas preached the *Lotus*, Maitreya had a hidden doubt and wished to ask: 'When buddhas respond to conditions, the persons and times differ. Although the ancient Buddha called it *Lotus*, why must the present Buddha do the same?' Mañjuśrī immediately cuts off this doubt with the first gāthā, saying: 'I saw Candrasūryapradīpa; / His original radiant portents were just like these. / By this I know that the present Buddha / Wishes to preach the Lotus Sūtra.' This cuts off his question doubting the name. Because of this, Maitreya doubted again: 'There are cases where names are the same and meanings are the same, and cases where names are the same and meanings differ; what does this name reveal and denote?' Mañjuśrī immediately cuts off this doubt with the second gāthā, saying: 'Now the signs are like the former portents; / These are the expedient means of all buddhas. / Now the Buddha emits bright light / To help reveal the meaning of the True Characteristic.' This cuts off his question doubting the substance. Because of this, Maitreya doubted again: 'The True Characteristic is without characteristics; who can realize it?' Mañjuśrī immediately cuts off this doubt with the third gāthā, saying: 'All of you should know now: / Join your palms and wait single-mindedly; / The Buddha will rain the dharma rain / To satisfy those seeking the Path.' This cuts off his question doubting the theme. Because of this, Maitreya doubted again: 'Does the Buddha raining the dharma rain solely nourish bodhisattvas, or does it also moisten the two vehicles?' Mañjuśrī immediately cuts off this doubt with the fourth gāthā, saying: 'All those seeking the Three Vehicles, / If they have doubts or regrets, / The Buddha will sever and eliminate them, / Bringing them to an end without remainder.' This cuts off his question doubting the function. Maitreya formed doubts one after another, and Mañjuśrī repeatedly severed them; once matters and principles were both exhausted, understanding was attained in their minds. They can truly be called skilful in questioning and answering, equipped with the two adornments. Guangzhai only knew how to follow Master Zhao's explanation of the four kinds of hidden objections to ensure Mañjuśrī must answer, thus revealing Maitreya's excellence, but failed to see Mañjuśrī resolving the four hidden doubts so that Maitreya would not ask further, thereby diminishing the ability of Mañjuśrī. This meaning originates from Tiantai and is not transmitted from other commentaries. A word to later worthies: do not suppress others' merits! In the several centuries since Master Zhao, lecturers on the *Lotus* have crowded the roads, yet has anyone seen this meaning? If this is not a merit, what is?