妙法蓮華經文句 7.45

7.45

From 'At that time, the sixteen princes all left home' below is the second, repeatedly requesting the Dharma wheel of the complete word. The text has seven [parts]: first, leaving home; second, requesting the Dharma; third, those they led also leaving home; fourth, the Buddha accepting the request; fifth, the assembly at the time having understanding and non-understanding; sixth, the duration of time; seventh, having spoken, entering into samādhi. 'All faculties' refers to the six faculties; because the six faculties are purified, it says 'unobstructed and sharp'. Furthermore, because the six faculties function interchangeably, it says 'unobstructed'; because they enter the realm of the Buddha, it says 'sharp'. 'Wisdom was clear and distinct' refers to opening, demonstrating, awakening to, and entering; that Buddha initially expounded the round and sudden, and the princes were completely endowed with the Mahāyāna merits; pitying those of expedient means, they repeatedly requested the Buddha to open the expedient and reveal the real. 'The śrāvakas have all already accomplished' clarifies that their obstacles were eliminated and their capacities stirred, which is why they made the request. 'We aspire to the Tathāgata's knowledge and vision': this *Lotus Sūtra* elucidates only the knowledge and vision of the Buddha; aspiring solely to this is precisely the text directly requesting the complete word and abolishing the half, manifestly clear like this. 'Passing twenty thousand kalpas': since the opening of the three above was long ago, there could not have been nothing happening in the interval; looking at the meaning of the subsequent text, within the twenty thousand kalpas he must have expounded the Vaipulya and *Prajñā*. The text states, 'He spoke of the six pāramitās and various matters of supernatural powers'; prajñā is the practice, and supernatural powers are the matters; the various Vaipulya sūtras mostly clarify inconceivable matters and practices. The gāthā also says, 'distinguishing the true and real Dharma', which is the meaning of the *Larger Prajñāpāramitā* clarifying the prajñā of the true mark. The sixteen śrāmaṇeras faithfully receiving it and the two vehicles are those who believed and attained understanding; the remaining thousands of myriads all gave rise to doubt and perplexity, being the assembly that did not understand. This assembly that did not understand is precisely those who formed affinities with the sixteen sons regarding the Lotus. Seventh, clarifying that having expounded the Dharma, he entered into samādhi: this is precisely the proximate cause for forming affinities. Because the Buddha entered into samādhi and did not emerge, the assembly of various doubters had no one to consult, so the sixteen subsequently reviewed, re-explained, and expounded the sūtra for those who did not understand. The text clarifies the place of entering samādhi, which is the quiet chamber; directly entering samādhi is abiding in meditative stabilization; the duration of entering samādhi is eighty-four thousand kalpas (and so forth).