法華玄論 1.52

1.52

次明所弘之經。此經有十種不可思議：一者化主不可思議，諸餘經典之所無有。如〈見寶塔品〉說十方諸佛並皆雲集，一一方四百萬億那由他恒河沙諸佛如來遍滿其中。又多寶踊出謂過去佛集，分身佛會謂現在佛集，十方菩薩來會謂未來佛集，略而言之十方三世並會鷲山。自此以外，未有如斯之盛集也。二徒眾不可思議者，十方世界一一方四百萬億那由他諸佛侍者遍滿其中，又下方千世界塵數菩薩從地踊出遍滿十方虛空，如是等眾不可稱計。雖復始蓮華藏、終跋提河，亦未有如斯之眾，謂徒眾不思議也。三教門不可思議者，諸餘經典之所無有，如《華嚴》、《大波若》等各十萬偈，尚已為多。《釋論》云「《法華》無量無邊，如大海水。」又大通智勝佛說是法華經，如恒河沙偈。威音王佛說此《法華經》，二十千萬億那由他偈。斯則教門不可思議也。四時節不可思議，日月燈明佛說此《法華經》六十小劫，妙光菩薩於八十小劫說《法華經》，大通智勝佛於八千劫說《法華經》，十六沙彌於八萬四千劫說《法華經》。釋迦佛說此經時，踊出菩薩問訊諸佛，如是時聞經五十小劫說《法華經》。時節何可秤計，故名時節不可思議也。五者利益不可思議，如〈分別功德品〉初有十二種利益，始自無量恒河沙菩薩悟無生忍，終到八佛世界塵數眾生發菩提心，諸餘經教悟道者亦未有如斯之例，故利益不可思議也。六者國土不可思議，如釋迦牟尼欲容受分身諸佛故，各變八方六萬億那由他國皆成淨土。又〈神力品〉云「于時十方世界通為一佛國土」。說餘經時，或有變土或不變土、或變一土或變一會，未有如斯莊嚴事也，故國土不可思議也。七神力不可思議，如釋迦及十方佛一時現七種神力滿百千歲。諸餘經典雖現神力，或但一佛或但一時，亦未有如斯之事，故神力不可思議也。八功德不可思議，如第五十人展轉聞經一念隨喜者，勝布施四百萬億阿僧祇世界六趣眾生一切樂具及令得阿羅漢道，況受持讀誦解脫福不可量，故功德不可思議也。九者結束始終融會權實，一化教門煥然可領。諸餘經典直說而已，謂教門不可思議也。十者開近顯遠融會真應，無方大用三世益物。餘教不明此經獨有，謂身不思議也。以有如是十種難思事，持說之人累滅於內、瑞獲于外，僧弼廣載豈徒然哉。

Next, the sūtra being propagated will be explained. This sūtra has ten kinds of incomprehensibility. First is the incomprehensibility of the transformational master, which is found in no other scripture. As the "Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa" chapter states, all the buddhas of the ten directions gathered like clouds, with buddhas and tathāgatas filling each direction to the number of four million nayutas of Ganges sands. Furthermore, the emergence of Prabhūtaratna represents the assembly of past buddhas; the assembly of the emanated buddhas represents the assembly of present buddhas; and the arrival and assembly of the bodhisattvas of the ten directions represents the assembly of future buddhas. To put it briefly, [the buddhas of] the ten directions and the three times all assembled at Gṛdhrakūṭa. Outside of this, there has never been such a magnificent assembly. Second is the incomprehensibility of the disciples: the attendants of all the buddhas in the worlds of the ten directions filled each direction to the number of four million nayutas; furthermore, bodhisattvas numbering the dust motes of a thousand worlds in the region below welled forth from the earth, filling the open spaces of the ten directions. Such assemblies cannot be calculated. Even from the Lotus Treasury [world] at the beginning to the Nairañjanā River at the end, there was never such an assembly; this is called the incomprehensibility of the disciples. Third is the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates, which is found in no other scripture. Texts such as the Avataṃsaka and the Mahāprajñāpāramitā each have one hundred thousand gāthās, which is already considered vast. The Commentary states: "The Lotus Sūtra is immeasurable and boundless, like the great ocean water." Furthermore, the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū preached this Lotus Sūtra in verses as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. The Buddha Bhīṣmagarjitasvararāja preached this Lotus Sūtra in twenty billion nayutas of verses. This is the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates. Fourth is the incomprehensibility of the duration of time: the Buddha Candrasūryapradīpa preached this Lotus Sūtra for sixty small kalpas; Bodhisattva Varaprabha preached the Lotus Sūtra for eighty small kalpas; the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū preached the Lotus Sūtra for eight thousand kalpas; and the sixteen śrāmaṇeras preached the Lotus Sūtra for eighty-four thousand kalpas. When Śākyamuni Buddha preached this sūtra, the bodhisattvas who welled forth inquired after the buddhas, and such hearing of the preaching of the Lotus Sūtra lasted for fifty small kalpas. How could such durations of time be calculated? Hence it is called the incomprehensibility of time. Fifth is the incomprehensibility of benefit: as the beginning of the "Discrimination of Merits" chapter states, there are twelve kinds of benefits, starting from bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of immeasurable Ganges rivers who realized the forbearance of non-arising, down to sentient beings numbering the dust motes of eight buddha worlds who generated the aspiration for bodhi. In all the other scriptures and teachings, there has never been such an instance of realizing the path; hence the benefits are incomprehensible. Sixth is the incomprehensibility of the lands: for Śākyamuni Buddha, wishing to accommodate his emanated buddhas, transformed sixty thousand billion nayutas of lands in each of the eight directions into pure lands. Furthermore, the "Supernatural Powers" chapter states: "At that time, the worlds of the ten directions were joined together as a single buddha land." When other sūtras were preached, sometimes a land was transformed and sometimes not, or only a single land or a single assembly was transformed; there was never such an adornment as this. Hence the lands are incomprehensible. Seventh is the incomprehensibility of supernatural powers: as Śākyamuni and the buddhas of the ten directions simultaneously manifested seven kinds of supernatural powers for a full hundred thousand years. Although supernatural powers were manifested in other scriptures, they were performed by only a single buddha or for only a single occasion; there was never anything like this. Hence the supernatural powers are incomprehensible. Eighth is the incomprehensibility of merit: as the fiftieth person who successively hears the sūtra and feels joy with a single thought of rejoicing surpasses one who gives all enjoyable objects to the sentient beings of the six destinies across four million asaṃkhyeya worlds and causes them to attain the arhat path—how much more immeasurable is the merit of liberation for those who uphold, read, and recite it! Hence the merit is incomprehensible. Ninth is the summing up from beginning to end and the harmonious blending of the provisional and the real, so that the teachings of a whole lifetime's transformation can be clearly apprehended. Other scriptures merely state doctrines plainly; this is called the incomprehensibility of the doctrinal gates. Tenth is the opening of the near and revealing of the far, harmoniously blending the true and the responsive, with unfathomable great function benefiting beings throughout the three times. Other teachings do not clarify this; it belongs exclusively to this sūtra. This is called the incomprehensibility of the body. Because it possesses these ten kinds of incomprehensible matters, those who uphold and preach it will have their defilements extinguished within and auspicious signs manifested without. How could Sengbi's extensive record have been in vain?