法華義疏 10.103

10.103

「是諸菩薩」下，第四、歎菩薩德。明所化德高，顯能化成佛必久也。「先盡在此」下，第五、明菩薩來處。昔以生滅之教覆佛無生滅虛空法身，故言在此世界之下虛空中住。若不作此釋文，諸大士等分形六趣弘道利人，何由乃居世界之下虛空中住？故知必有所表也。「是諸菩薩」下，第六、明菩薩來意。聞〈塔品〉命持經之人，是故發來，欲開顯壽量及流通此經也。「一一菩薩」下，第七、列諸菩薩數。所以列數多者，良由所化數多，顯成佛已久，如見學士積德數多，則知法師敷講義來久。此中列數皆從少至多，但初導主少而眷屬多，後明導主多眷屬少，譬如領六萬人來者唯有一師，領五萬弟子來者則有二師，如是轉倍也。「是諸菩薩」下，第八、明涌出儀則。至釋迦多寶佛所者，欲顯釋迦久證法身無生滅，應身有生滅也。至分身佛所者，欲顯釋迦久得本一迹多也。〈塔品〉明諸佛來以顯法身，今辨菩薩出欲顯壽量，故至二佛所。「是諸菩薩」下，第九、明問訊時節。所以明時節久者欲顯菩薩數多，由菩薩數多故得顯佛成道已久也。「爾時四眾」下，第十、明大眾覩見。任大眾力不能盡見，今假佛威神故能見，明大眾得見表假佛說身權實方得領悟也。

From "These bodhisattvas..." onward is the fourth point: praising the virtues of the bodhisattvas. Clarifying the high virtue of those who are transformed reveals that the one who transforms must have attained buddhahood long ago. From "previously all dwelt here..." onward is the fifth point: explaining the place from which the bodhisattvas came. In the past, using the teaching of arising and perishing concealed the Buddha's empty-space dharmakāya of non-arising and non-perishing; hence it says that they dwelt in the empty space beneath this world. If the text were not explained in this way, why would these great beings, who divide their forms across the six destinies to propagate the Way and benefit people, dwell in the empty space beneath the world? Therefore, we know it must signify something. From "These bodhisattvas..." onward is the sixth point: explaining the intention of the bodhisattvas in coming. Having heard the summoning of persons to uphold the sūtra in the Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter, they set forth and came, wishing to disclose and reveal the lifespan and circulate this sūtra. From "Each bodhisattva..." onward is the seventh point: listing the number of bodhisattvas. The reason a great number is listed is precisely because the great number of those transformed reveals that the attainment of buddhahood was long ago, just as seeing that students have accumulated great virtue lets one know that the Dharma master has been lecturing on the doctrines for a long time. In this passage, the listed numbers all go from few to many, but at first the leading masters are few while the retinues are many, and later the leading masters are many while the retinues are few; for instance, among those who came leading sixty thousand people, there was only one master, while among those who came leading fifty thousand disciples, there were two masters, and in this way it progressively doubles. From "These bodhisattvas..." onward is the eighth point: explaining the protocol of the emergence. That they went to the place of the buddhas Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna is because it is intended to reveal that Śākyamuni long ago realized that the dharmakāya has no arising or perishing, while the response body has arising and perishing. That they went to the places of the emanated buddhas is because it is intended to reveal that Śākyamuni long ago attained the single origin and manifold traces. The Apparition of the Jeweled Stūpa Chapter explains that the buddhas came in order to reveal the dharmakāya; now it explains that the bodhisattvas emerged wishing to reveal the lifespan, so they went to the places of the two buddhas. From "These bodhisattvas..." onward is the ninth point: explaining the duration of the inquiries. The reason the duration is explained as long is because it wishes to reveal the great number of bodhisattvas, and because of the great number of bodhisattvas, it can reveal that the Buddha's realization of the Way was long ago. From "At that time the fourfold assembly..." onward is the tenth point: explaining the seeing by the great assembly. By the great assembly's own power they could not see completely, but now, relying on the Buddha's supernatural power, they were able to see, clarifying that the great assembly's being able to see symbolizes that only by relying on the Buddha's exposition of the provisional and real natures of the body could they achieve comprehension.