法華義疏 1.349

1.349

「爾時釋提桓因」下，第三、列凡眾。然上明聲聞菩薩，必是聖眾，今既不入大小兩聖，故迹示凡夫，故說為凡眾。然諸佛降生有諸同行各散身六道，佛說法時皆引其眷屬同入一乘，故就主而言多是方便也。就文為二：一、列幽眾；二、列顯眾。幽眾道勝有大勢力故前列，顯眾道劣無勢力故後立也。即是從勝至劣，如上聲聞勝菩薩、僧眾以勝尼也。前客眾，後是舊眾也。就幽眾之內凡有六眾，如文所辨，六趣之中但無地獄眾，由苦重故不來。《陀羅尼經》明有地獄眾，別有因緣，如彼文釋。三界之中無無色界眾者，凡有二義：一者、大小乘經多說無色界無形不能來聽法；二者、設微細之形，以無因緣故則不來也。

From 'At that time Śakra Devānām Indra' onward, third, the mundane assembly is listed. Previously, the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas were expounded, who were necessarily the noble assembly; now, since these do not fall into the two noble ranks of the Mahāyāna or Hīnayāna, their traces manifest as ordinary beings, and they are therefore spoken of as the mundane assembly. However, when the various buddhas descend to be born, their various fellow practitioners separately disperse their bodies throughout the six destinies; when the Buddha preaches the Dharma, they all lead their retinues to enter the ekayāna together; hence, in terms of their true identities, they are mostly expedient manifestations. Regarding the text, there are two parts: first, listing the invisible assembly; second, listing the visible assembly. Because the invisible assembly is superior in the Way and possesses great influence, it is listed first; because the visible assembly is inferior in the Way and lacks influence, it is listed afterward. That is, proceeding from superior to inferior, just as above the śrāvakas are superior to the bodhisattvas, and the assembly of monks is superior to the nuns. The former are visiting members, and the latter are native members. Within the invisible assembly, there are six groups altogether, as explained in the text. Among the six destinies, there is only no assembly from the hells, because their suffering is so severe that they do not come. The Dhāraṇī Sūtra explains that there is an assembly from the hells, which involves a distinct circumstance, as explained in that text. Among the three realms, there are no beings from the formless realm, for two reasons: First, the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna sūtras mostly state that the formless realm lacks form and cannot come to hear the Dharma. Second, even supposing they have subtle forms, because they lack the conditions, they do not come.