妙法蓮華經文句 5.44

5.44

譬說文為二：一請、二答。請為三，一、自述無疑，二、述同輩有惑，三、普為四眾。自述如文。同輩是同行，懷舊故須為請。四眾是化境，今新運大悲則普為請。「佛常教化」下，執昔三教也。「而今於世尊前」下，執昔一理也。昔說三是究竟，今又說一為真實，矛盾致迷，故言「皆墮疑惑」。有人云：「身子新舊兩疑，千二百止有新疑。」今謂上根疑少，中下疑多，云何倒解？「善哉世尊」下，為四眾普請也。因緣者，前三後一之因緣也。

The parabolic exposition is divided into two: first, the request; second, the answer. The request has three parts: 1. Stating that he himself has no doubts; 2. Stating that his peers have confusion; 3. Requesting generally on behalf of the fourfold assembly. Stating for himself is as in the text. His peers are his fellow practitioners; having old attachments, he must make a request for them. The fourfold assembly is the realm of conversion; now newly giving rise to great compassion, he universally requests on their behalf. From "The Buddha constantly taught and transformed" downwards refers to clinging to the three previous teachings. From "Yet now before the World-Honoured One" downwards refers to clinging to the former single principle. Formerly, preaching the three was considered ultimate, yet now the one is declared to be the real; the contradiction leads to delusion, hence it says "they have all fallen into doubt and confusion." Someone said: "Śāriputra had both new and old doubts, whereas the twelve hundred had only the new doubt." We say now that those of higher faculties have few doubts, while those of middling and lower faculties have many doubts; how could one interpret it backwards? From "Excellent, World-Honoured One" downwards is the universal request for the fourfold assembly. Causal conditions refers to the causal conditions of the prior three and the subsequent one.