法華文句記 9.206

9.206

「自說名字」等者，既對十界，或但論四聖以辯勝負及應勝劣，當知此中且對佛界勝劣應耳。所以頻論者，恐仍謂法身說法故也。「橫論即十方」者，昔十方也。「約豎處所」至「然燈佛」等者，以釋迦望昔值然燈名儒童時，非取他然燈以望我也。若取他佛，非我豎也。若指然燈佛身，則可引類而已，故云「如今」等也。言「生法」者，如下所釋勝劣各有生法二身。次約橫中云「亦如華嚴十號」等者，〈名號品〉云：「如來於此四天下，現種種身，種種名，種種食，種種形，種種相，種種脩短，種種壽命，種種處，種種根，種種生，種種業，令諸眾生各別知見。又於十方各有十千名號，令諸眾生各別知見。」既云「如來於此四天下」等，故不得將他佛以望我也。豎中亦然。「又諸經」下明佛有三身，自互相望名字不同。初通標，「或說」去舉三身相望亦得是橫，「法身佛」去乃至「般若首楞嚴」者，於法身中又有異名不同，《般若》是智、《楞嚴》是定，不思議定慧並法身之異名，具如《止觀》釋名中。以《大經》佛性有五名也，但舉法身餘二仍略，以橫望故即得以佛望佛，如前豎望秖得以佛望往菩薩身耳。今既已成，可得橫望。「或說壽二萬」至「可知」者，此借他佛以顯釋迦，如彼諸佛故皆云「如」也。「縱橫可知」者，釋迦、彌勒即縱也，對現十方即橫也。若自身今望往日壽即豎也，望自身壽即橫也。「如玄義云云」者，彼《玄》文壽命妙中，具明迹中四佛壽命，及以本中大小不同、優劣相望，及以彼此而論橫豎，然不以優劣判本迹，但以久近判本迹耳。令辯同異故注「云云」。

Regarding “himself speaking of names” and so forth: since it is contrasted with the ten realms, or only discusses the four noble ones to discern superior and inferior as well as the superior and inferior responses, one should know that here it merely contrasts the superior and inferior responses of the buddha-realm. The reason it is repeatedly discussed is the fear that people would still think the dharmakāya preaches the Dharma. “Viewed horizontally, it is the ten directions” means the ten directions of the past. Regarding the passage from “in terms of vertical places” to “Dīpaṃkara Buddha” and so forth: this is viewing Śākyamuni’s former encounter with Dīpaṃkara when he was named the Learned Youth (Māṇava), not taking another Dīpaṃkara to compare with myself. If one took another buddha, it would not be my vertical [sequence]. If referring to Dīpaṃkara Buddha’s body, one can merely draw a comparison, hence it says “as now” and so forth. The word “birth and dharma” refers to what is explained below, where superior and inferior each possess both birth and dharma bodies. Next, in the horizontal perspective, it says “also like the ten titles of the Avataṃsaka” and so forth: the “Chapter on Names” says: “The Tathāgata in these four continents manifests various bodies, various names, various foods, various forms, various marks, various lengths, various life spans, various places, various faculties, various births, and various karmas, causing all sentient beings to individually perceive them. Furthermore, in the ten directions each has ten thousand names, causing all sentient beings to individually perceive them.” Since it says “The Tathāgata in these four continents” and so forth, one must not take another buddha to compare with myself. It is likewise in the vertical [perspective]. Below, “furthermore, in various sūtras” clarifies that buddhas have three bodies, which when mutually compared have different names. First is the general presentation; from “or speaking of” onward, presenting the mutual comparison of the three bodies can also be horizontal; from “the dharmakāya buddha” down to “prajñā and śūraṅgama,” within the dharmakāya there are again different names: *prajñā* is wisdom and *śūraṅgama* is samādhi; inconceivable samādhi and wisdom are both alternate names for the dharmakāya, fully detailed in the explanation of names in *Cessation and Contemplation*. Because in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* the buddha-nature has five names, it merely presents the dharmakāya and still omits the other two; because it is a horizontal comparison, one can compare buddha with buddha, whereas in the previous vertical comparison one could only compare a buddha with the past bodhisattva body. Now that he has already attained it, they can be compared horizontally. Regarding the passage from “or speaking of a life span of twenty thousand” to “can be known”: this borrows other buddhas to reveal Śākyamuni; being like those buddhas, it repeatedly says “like.” “Vertical and horizontal can be known”: Śākyamuni and Maitreya are vertical; contrasting with the present ten directions is horizontal. If one’s own body today looks back to the life span of past days, it is vertical; looking to one’s own body’s life span is horizontal. Regarding “as detailed in the Profound Meaning”: in that *Profound Meaning*, in the section on the wondrousness of life span, it fully clarifies the life spans of the four buddhas in the traces, as well as the differences between great and small in the origin, comparing superior and inferior, and discussing horizontal and vertical in terms of self and other; however, it does not distinguish origin and traces by superior and inferior, but merely distinguishes origin and traces by long ago and recently. To prompt discernment of similarities and differences, the commentary notes “and so forth.”