妙法蓮華經文句 8.64

8.64

第一有三：一、明往昔師弟持經之相，二、結會古今，三、勸信。第一有長行、偈頌。長行有四：一、明求法時節；二、「於多劫中」下，正明求法；三、「時有仙人」下，明求得法師；四、「王聞」下，明受法奉行。第一如文。「於多劫中」下，第二，復二：一、明發願；「為欲滿足」下，二，明修行。行中復二：一、明欲滿檀那勤行布施，如文；二、「時世人民」下，明為滿般若推求妙法。偈有七行半，頌上長行。初二句，頌第一求法時節；次「雖作」下，第二，一行半，頌第二正求法；次「時有阿私」下，第三，一行半，頌第三得說法師；「時王聞仙言」下，第四，二行半，頌受法奉行；「後亦不為已」下，第五，一行半，結證勸信。

The first has three: first, explaining the former aspects of master and disciple upholding the sūtra; second, concluding and linking ancient and modern; third, encouraging faith. The first has prose and verse. The prose has four: first, explaining the time of seeking the Dharma; second, from "Throughout many kalpas" onward, directly explaining seeking the Dharma; third, from "At that time there was a seer" onward, explaining finding the Dharma master; fourth, from "The king heard" onward, explaining receiving the Dharma and practicing it. The first is as in the text. From "Throughout many kalpas" onward, second, again has two: first, explaining making vows; from "Wishing to fulfill" onward, second, explaining cultivating practice. In practice there are again two: first, explaining that wishing to fulfill dāna, he diligently practiced giving, as in the text; second, from "The people of the world at that time" onward, explaining seeking the wondrous Dharma to fulfill prajñā. The verse has seven and a half lines, which versify the prose above. The first two lines versify the first, the time of seeking the Dharma; next, from "Although I was..." onward, second, one and a half lines versify the second, directly seeking the Dharma; next, from "At that time there was Asita" onward, third, one and a half lines versify the third, obtaining the master who preaches the Dharma; from "At that time the king heard the seer's words" onward, fourth, two and a half lines versify receiving the Dharma and practicing it; from "Later, not for myself either" onward, fifth, one and a half lines conclude with verification to encourage faith.