法華文句記 3.153

3.153

釋疑意者，彌勒雖在八百之數，多遊棄習名曰求名，雖藉宿因補釋迦處，豈若妙德諸教盛譚，況曾為師釋疑非謬？言「密開壽量」者，預擊時眾密發疑端，豈有伽耶適成而已。師為弟子，兩時弟子何者為尊？二處之師誰為實說？既師弟無定實本迹難憑，終須剋覈令理有歸，密生其端本門方密。「九代祖師」者，若論八子皆師妙光，則八子皆以妙光而為父師，既云八子展轉授記，雖同師妙光應先記長子，餘者次第展轉為師，故得妙光居八代之首。八子最後名曰然燈，然燈既為釋迦之師，是故妙光為九代祖。「生非生」等者，既師弟更互，當知師弟生實非生，爾前曾滅滅亦非滅，必久曾證非生非滅常住理故，迹示生滅故云「非等」。又迹難測故故生非生，本理妙故故滅非滅，本迹雖殊不思議一，是故須以非生非滅之師弟預密表之。

Regarding the intent of resolving the doubt: although Maitreya was among the eight hundred and frequently wandered about, abandoning his training—hence called Fame-seeker—and although he relied on past causes to occupy the position of succeeding Śākyamuni, how could he compare to the widespread discussions of the wondrously virtuous [Mañjuśrī] across the teachings? Moreover, having once been his master, his resolving the doubt was not mistaken. Regarding "secretly revealing the Life Span," it forewarned the assembly of the time and secretly produced the origin of doubts: how could it be that [the Buddha] merely attained [awakening] just recently at Gayā? Master becomes disciple: of the disciples at the two times, which one is supreme? Of the masters in the two places, which is the real preaching? Since master and disciple are not fixed, and the real and traces are hard to rely upon, one must ultimately investigate thoroughly so that the principle has its proper resolution; by secretly generating this beginning, the origin door subsequently becomes profound. Regarding "the ancestral master of nine generations," if we consider that all eight sons took Prabhāpāla as their master, then all eight sons took Prabhāpāla as both father and master. Since it is said that the eight sons successively conferred predictions, although they shared Prabhāpāla as master, he should have first conferred the prediction upon the eldest son, and the others would successively act as masters; hence Prabhāpāla is situated at the head of the eight generations. The last of the eight sons was named Dīpaṃkara; since Dīpaṃkara was the master of Śākyamuni, Prabhāpāla is therefore the ancestral master of nine generations. Regarding "arising is non-arising," etc.: since master and disciple alternate, one should know that the arising of master and disciple is truly non-arising, and the extinction prior to that is also non-extinction. This must be because they had long realized the constantly abiding principle of non-arising and non-extinction; because traces display arising and extinction, it says "non-equal." Furthermore, because the traces are difficult to fathom, arising is non-arising; because the origin principle is wondrous, extinction is non-extinction. Although the origin and traces are distinct, they are an unfathomable unity; therefore, one must secretly foreshadow this in advance through the master and disciple of non-arising and non-extinction.