法華玄論 1.87

1.87

答：二乘之人有二種疑，一者舊疑，如身子云：三乘同入法性，云何見諸菩薩受記作佛、二乘不作佛？欲以問世尊，為先為不先？未說《法華》有此疑也。又云初聞佛所說，心中大驚疑。此新疑也。菩薩之人亦有二疑：一者始行之人，昔日雖聞修菩薩行得成佛道，未知為定成佛、為退作二乘？此舊疑也。今聞法華明無三有一，心復生疑，若無三乘，佛昔何故說有三耶？今欲斷聲聞、菩薩二種疑，故說是經也。晚見論釋三請文，明聲聞、菩薩皆有舊疑，現索章義說與今文符會。

Answer: People of the two vehicles have two kinds of doubts. The first is old doubt: as Śāriputra said, 'The three vehicles equally enter the Dharma-nature; why do I see the bodhisattvas receive prophecies of becoming buddhas, while the two vehicles do not become buddhas? I wish to ask the World-Honoured One whether this is first or not first.' Before the Lotus Sūtra was preached, there was this doubt. It also says: 'When I first heard what the Buddha preached, my heart was greatly startled and doubtful.' This is a new doubt. People who are bodhisattvas also have two doubts: First, people of initial practice formerly heard that cultivating bodhisattva practices leads to the realization of the buddha-way, but did not know whether they would definitely become buddhas or regress to become of the two vehicles. This was an old doubt. Now, hearing the Lotus clarify that the three do not exist and only the one exists, their minds again give rise to doubt: 'If the three vehicles do not exist, why did the Buddha formerly say there were three?' Now, desiring to cut off both kinds of doubt of the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas, this sūtra is preached. Later I saw that the commentary's explanation of the three requests clarifies that both śrāvakas and bodhisattvas have old doubts; searching for its chapter and section, the explanation accords with the present text.