法華文句記 6.19

6.19

○「獲記」下「云云」者，亦應騰於此，及下周四段，皆約譬及因緣。「後文在法師品中云云」者，宿世文後四眾歡喜，指〈法師〉中初段長行，初出人類中具列四眾三乘人已，云「如是等類咸於佛前，聞妙法華經一句一偈，一念隨喜」，亦當歡喜文也。「今新運大悲」等者，初周本為自疑，此中一向利物新運大悲，此即更須修淨土行，是菩薩行之基也。準此釋前意則可見。「有人」下，古人意云：身子法譬二周之初，各有一疑故云新舊，以千二百初周未疑，故止有新。「今謂」等者，上根初聞略說動執生疑，蒙五佛章便獲大悟；中根執重，略說之時與上同疑，法說未悟其疑猶存，豈非中根疑多於上？故身子自敘云「我今無復疑悔」。是諸千二百等述同輩有惑，云何却云身子疑多？

Regarding the passage from “receives the prediction” down through “and so forth”: it should also be carried over to this point; and the four sections of the following cycle [of preaching] are all based upon the parable and the [past] causes and conditions. Regarding the phrase “The later passage is in the ‘Teacher of the Dharma’ Chapter, and so forth”: this refers to the prose of the initial section of the “Teacher of the Dharma” [Chapter] that follows the account of past lives, where the fourfold assembly rejoices. After first listing the fourfold assembly and the persons of the three vehicles among humanity, it states: “People such as these, in the presence of the Buddha, hearing a single verse or a single phrase of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus Sūtra and giving rise to a single thought of rejoicing in accord [with it]…”—this also corresponds to the text on rejoicing. As for “now newly activating great compassion” and so forth: the first cycle was originally on account of their own doubts; here, it is solely to benefit living beings that they newly activate great compassion. This means they must further cultivate the practices for purifying the buddha-land, which is the foundation of the bodhisattva path. In accordance with this, the intention of the preceding explanation can be understood. In the phrase “some people” below, the view of the ancients was: Śāriputra had a doubt at the beginning of each of the two cycles of Dharma and parable, which is why they are called “new” and “old.” Since the twelve hundred did not have doubts in the first cycle, they had only the new. As for “Now it is maintained” and so forth: when those of superior faculties first heard the brief explanation, their attachments were shaken and doubts arose, but upon receiving the section on the five buddhas, they at once attained great awakening; those of medium faculties had heavier attachments, so at the time of the brief explanation they shared the doubts of the superior, and having not awakened at the Dharma exposition, their doubts still persisted. Is this not a case of the medium faculties having more doubts than the superior? Hence Śāriputra himself related, “I now have no further doubts or regrets.” When the twelve hundred and others stated that their peers had perplexities, how could it instead be said that Śāriputra had more doubts?