法華文句記 8.85

8.85

言「外凡」至「不慮危苦」者，外凡五品欣弘通之福，聲聞一向絕利物心，聞諸大士被眾擯棄，自顧觀力未深，若不依之，內污淨觀、外招譏議，失利人之道，故佛為說四安樂行令無是患，遠彼十惱故云「不慮」。「且證且助」者，寶塔證經故來，分身助開故集，由證由助因慕流通。「又示通經方軌」者，著衣等三具如後說。「因告」等者，本託藥王因茲告餘，此流通。初「先告八萬大士」者，《大論》云：「法華是祕密付諸菩薩」，如今下文召於下方，尚待本眷驗餘未堪。「總別記」者，總與七百，別與劫國等，「絓」乎卦切，挫也、預也。「乃至一念」等者，明乘此念必得菩提。遠因不亡藉茲而發，不同餘善是故簡之。究而論之，必須盡行諸佛道法，二乘記已尚經劫數，然曉其經旨與具足何殊？但自行化他令始未耳。「聞一句一偈」者，通論但云聞極少法，舉經功深，部內隨取一句一偈；別論但今義合權實本迹十妙四一之流，功福皆爾。然義通大小，故下引《增一》集云「如四諦之流」，及下引四安樂行等，今亦準之。言「皆與授記」者，必由此經成菩提故，雖無劫國當得理同，此中容用別時意趣，是故應須以聞約行廣明供養，宣通益他內觀具足，具如《止觀》。豈可端拱唯仰初心？「中上亦然」者，若不爾者，豈可上周唯在一人，中周四人得記者耶？說寄在此、事乃通彼，故云「亦然」。「見實三昧經」等者，第四云，先記八部，次第五卷〈空天品〉空行諸天見諸八部供養得記，即便供養悉皆得記，同名火持。次〈三十三天授記品〉中，有八億忉利諸天，見前諸天供養獲記，亦皆化為諸供養具，同時得記名因陀羅幢，說如幻法。次〈夜摩天品〉，有四億夜摩亦見諸天供養獲記，亦以化事及以說偈供養佛已，同時得記，同名淨智。言「拘翼」者，彼經無，恐誤。

Regarding the passage from 'External ordinary beings' to 'not worrying about danger and suffering': the external ordinary beings of the five grades rejoice in the blessing of propagation; the voice-hearers have completely cut off the mind to benefit beings. Hearing that the great beings are banished and rejected by the multitude, they reflect that their own power of contemplation is not yet deep; if they do not rely on this, internally they will defile their pure contemplation, and externally they will incur ridicule and criticism, losing the path of benefiting people. Therefore, the Buddha expounded the four peaceful practices for them so that they would be free from these troubles; keeping distant from those ten afflictions, it is said that they 'do not worry'. Regarding 'both verifying and assisting': the jeweled stupa comes in order to verify the sūtra; the emanation bodies gather in order to assist in opening it; because of verification and assistance, they consequently admire transmission. Regarding 'furthermore showing the rules and methods for propagating the sūtra': the three such as wearing the robe are fully as explained below. Regarding 'taking the opportunity to tell', and so forth: originally entrusted to Bhaiṣajyarāja, by this means he tells the rest; this is the transmission. In the beginning, 'first telling the eighty thousand great beings': the Great Treatise says, 'The Lotus is a secret, entrusted to the bodhisattvas.' Just as in the text below, summoning those from below the earth, it still awaits their original retinue, proving that the others are not yet competent. Regarding 'general and specific predictions': generally given to the seven hundred, specifically given with kalpas, lands, and so forth. 'Guà' is the fanqie of hu and gua; it means to hinder or to involve. Regarding 'even a single thought', and so forth: it clarifies that riding on this single thought, one is certain to attain bodhi. The distant cause is not lost, but arises relying on this; it is not like other goods, and for this reason it is distinguished. Investigating and discussing it, one must fully practice the path and dharmas of all buddhas; even after the two vehicles received their predictions, kalpas still elapsed. Yet, what difference is there between comprehending the sūtra's purport and full completion? It is only that one's own practice and converting others are beginning versus completion. Regarding 'hearing a single line or a single verse': generally discussed, it simply says hearing the minimal amount of Dharma, elevating the profound power of the sūtra, taking any single line or single verse within the text; specifically discussed, it is only when the present meaning accords with the provisional and real, origin and traces, the ten subtleties, the four unities, and the like, that the power and blessings are all like this. However, the meaning runs through both Great and Small [Vehicles]; therefore, below it cites the Ekottarika collection saying 'like the stream of the four truths', and below it cites the four peaceful practices and so forth, which here are also to be understood accordingly. Regarding 'all are given predictions': because they are certain to achieve bodhi through this sūtra, although there are no kalpas or lands, their future attainment is identical in principle; in this, the intent of a different time can be accommodated. Therefore, one should, using hearing to restrict practice, extensively clarify offerings, proclaiming and propagating to benefit others, being internally endowed with contemplation, fully as in Cessation and Contemplation. How could one fold one's hands and look up only to the initial mind? Regarding 'the middle and higher are also like this': if not so, how could the higher cycle be only for one person, and the middle cycle for four persons who receive predictions? The expounding is lodged here, but the matter extends to those; hence it says 'also like this'. Regarding the 'Sūtra on the Samādhi of Seeing the Real' and so forth: the fourth fascicle says that first predictions were given to the eight classes; next, in the fifth fascicle, 'Chapter on the Sky Devas', the sky-faring devas, seeing the eight classes make offerings and obtain predictions, then made offerings and all received predictions, all with the same name Fire-Holder. Next, in the 'Chapter on the Predictions for the Thirty-Three Devas', there are eight hundred million Trāyastriṃśa devas who, seeing the previous devas make offerings and obtain predictions, also magically manifested various offering articles, simultaneously receiving predictions under the name Indra's Banner, and expounding the dharma like an illusion. Next, in the 'Yāma Deva Chapter', four hundred million Yāmas also saw the devas make offerings and obtain predictions, and having also made offerings to the Buddha with magical phenomena and verses, simultaneously received predictions, all with the same name Pure Wisdom. Regarding 'Jūyì', it is not in that sūtra, and is probably an error.