法華文句記 3.78

3.78

答問為四：初開章，次生起，三「惟忖」下所以，四廣解。生起中云「罔像」者，亦可云仿像，未實貌也。「髣髴」二字古作「仿佛」，上敷往切，下方物切，上相似也，下不審也。若準此義，上字正當惟忖答也，惟忖答上此土瑞者。欲說等五句既對六瑞，即是以五忖此六瑞。略曾既云放斯光已即說大法，他土六瑞以光為總，因光先覩聖主演說，故知答他土問也。廣曾具述燈明六瑞及光所照，如今所見，乃至定起說經，即是雙答二土問也。雙問意在問於定後，故云雙答。「惟忖」下當因緣釋。「然文」下本迹也。據未廣述似同未知，既云今昔，昔即廣曾但未彰言先示惟忖，故先五句酬序六疑。

The answer to the question has four parts: first, opening the section; second, giving rise to it; third, from “reflecting” downward, the reason; fourth, broad explanation. In giving rise to it, “indistinct” (wangxiang) can also be said to be fangxiang, the appearance of not yet being real. The two characters fangfu (faintly/vaguely) were anciently written as fangfu: the first is the fanqie fu-wang, the second is fang-wu; the first means resemblance, the second means uncertain. If judged according to this meaning, the first character corresponds precisely to answering by reflecting; answering by reflecting upon the above portents of this land. Since the five lines such as “wishing to expound” correspond to the six portents, this is using the five to reflect upon these six portents. As the brief past already says that having emitted this light he will immediately expound the Great Dharma, the six portents of other lands take the light as general; seeing the Holy Lord expounding beforehand due to the light, we therefore know that it answers the question about the other lands. The extensive past fully recounts the six portents of Candrasūryapradīpa and the illumination of the light, like what is seen now, up to arising from samādhi and expounding the sūtra, which is answering both questions about the two lands. The intention of the dual question lies in questioning what happens after samādhi, hence it is called a dual answer. From “reflecting” downward corresponds to the explanation of causes and conditions. From “however, the text” downward is origin and traces. Based on not having extensively recounted it, it seems like not yet knowing; since it says “present and past,” the past is precisely the extensive past, but not having manifested words, he first displays reflection; hence five lines first respond to the six doubts of the preface.