法華玄論 6.33

6.33

Answer: It possesses both meanings. First, asking for what was promised is called asking, referring to the meaning of the people of the three vehicles asking for the fruit. If seeking and requesting is called asking, then since the Mahāyāna capacity was stirred, knocking upon the Buddha to preach the one Buddha-vehicle, there is asking for what was not promised. This distinction is made based on whether there was an explicit promise or not. If one discusses the words and the intention in combination, both are promises: the words promised the three, and therefore they asked for the three; the intention promised the one, and for that reason they asked for the one. This is also the twofold promise—explicit and implicit—and the twofold asking—explicit and implicit. Explicitly he promised the three; implicitly he wished to grant the one. In words, they explicitly asked for the three capacities; implicitly, they asked for the one.