法華義疏 1.314

1.314

由文殊故得開乘權、乘實，故因文殊開前分經也。由文殊是燃燈之師，燃燈復是釋迦之師，因此覆遠之言，得說身權、身實，則開後分經也。下文當具明之。又河西道朗云：「文殊是遊方菩薩，十方法會多為開發之端，故偏因文殊也。」又文殊是北方歡喜世界歡喜藏摩尼寶積佛，今猶現在，聞此佛名者能滅四重等罪，今示為菩薩影嚮釋迦，有此功德故在初列之。又文殊具三世佛，過去世為龍種尊佛，現在世為摩尼寶積佛，復當來作佛，是故初列也。

Because of Mañjuśrī, the provisional vehicle and the real vehicle could be revealed; thus the earlier part of the sūtra is opened on account of Mañjuśrī. Because Mañjuśrī was the teacher of Dīpaṃkara, and Dīpaṃkara in turn was the teacher of Śākyamuni, it is on the basis of these veiled and remote words that the provisional body and the real body could be expounded, thereby opening the latter part of the sūtra. This will be fully explained in the text below. Furthermore, Daolang of Hexi said: 'Mañjuśrī is a bodhisattva who travels through the regions; in the Dharma assemblies throughout the ten directions, he often serves as the inception of revelation, which is why it is specifically through Mañjuśrī.' Furthermore, Mañjuśrī is the Buddha Ratnacchatrakūṭasaṃcayarāja (Mani Baoji) of the Huanxi world in the north, who still exists in the present; those who hear the name of this buddha can eliminate sins such as the four grave offenses. He now manifests as a bodhisattva to accompany Śākyamuni like a shadow; possessing such merits, he is listed first. Moreover, Mañjuśrī embodies the buddhas of the three times: in the past he was the Buddha Longzhongzun (Venerable Dragon Lineage), in the present he is the Buddha Mani Baoji, and in the future he will again become a buddha; therefore he is listed first.