妙法蓮華經文句 7.52

7.52

「諸比丘若如來」下，第二，正明今日還說《法華》。就此復三：一、時眾清淨，二、正說《法華》，三、釋前開三意。「涅槃時到」者，諸佛出世教道將畢之時，即說此經，如迦葉佛、日月燈明等，說此經竟即入涅槃，釋迦說《法華》竟仍唱當滅。「眾又清淨」者，即斷德也。「信解堅固」者，信即四不壞信，解即無漏正解。了達真諦具諸禪定，此智斷立也。爾時堪教大道，聞必信受也。復次「眾又清淨」者，得三藏教益免難也。「信解堅固」者，於方等教心相體信也。「了達空法」，聞般若教說法，於空法中心得了達，即轉教意也。「便集諸菩薩」下，正說《法華》。集菩薩是聚親族等，是說此經也。上釋親族法身大士影嚮眾，以此文驗之，其義明也。「集諸菩薩」是會親族，「及聲聞眾」是命其子也。「比丘當知如來方便」下，釋開三意也。若世無二乘得滅度者，何故如來前說權教？釋云，比丘當知如來方便，深知眾生有小性欲，著於五塵、弊於五濁，故先說三令破蔽免難，後說一也。

From "Bhikṣus, when the Tathāgata..." onward is the second, directly clarifying that today he again expounds the Lotus Sūtra. Regarding this, there are again three: first, the assembly of the time is pure; second, he directly expounds the Lotus Sūtra; third, he explains the former intention of opening the three. "The time of nirvāṇa has arrived" means that when the teaching and guidance of the buddhas appearing in the world is about to finish, they then expound this sūtra; like Kāśyapa Buddha, Candrasūryapradīpa, and others, having finished expounding this sūtra they then entered nirvāṇa; Śākyamuni, having finished expounding the Lotus Sūtra, likewise proclaimed his approaching parinirvāṇa. "The assembly is also pure" is the virtue of cessation. "Faith and understanding are firm": "faith" is the four unwavering confidences, and "understanding" is uncontaminated correct understanding. Completely penetrating the ultimate truth and possessing all concentrations—here wisdom and cessation are established. At that time, they are capable of being taught the Great Way; hearing it, they will surely believe and accept it. Furthermore, "the assembly is also pure" means having obtained the benefit of the Tripiṭaka teaching and escaping disasters. "Faith and understanding are firm" means their minds and dispositions embody faith in the vaipulya teaching. "Completely penetrating empty dharmas" means hearing the prajñā teaching expound the Dharma, their minds completely penetrated empty dharmas, which is the intention of turning the wheel of teaching. From "then gathered the bodhisattvas" onward is directly expounding the Lotus Sūtra. Gathering the bodhisattvas is assembling the relatives and so on; that is expounding this sūtra. The previous explanation of relatives as the Dharmakāya great beings and the shadow-echo assembly—verified by this passage, its meaning is clear. "Gathering the bodhisattvas" is assembling the relatives; "and the assembly of śrāvakas" is summoning his sons. From "Bhikṣus, you should know that the Tathāgata's expedient means..." onward explains the intention of opening the three. If in the world there are no two vehicles who attain parinirvāṇa, why did the Tathāgata previously expound the expedient teaching? The explanation states: "Bhikṣus, you should know that the Tathāgata's expedient means deeply knows that living beings have small dispositions and desires, cling to the five dusts, and are corrupted by the five turbidities; therefore he first expounded the three to enable them to break through corruption and escape disasters, and later expounded the one."