法華義疏 10.112

10.112

「爾時釋迦牟尼」下，第三段，誡許序。又開二別：初、歎問；次、誡許。言「大事」者，因此問得顯壽量佛果大事。又因此問，時眾得十二種大益。又因此問，廣說壽量，利益未來無邊眾生，故名大事。《大品》云「波若為大事故起者，謂救濟一切眾生也」。「汝等當共」下，第二、誡許。前長行，次偈。長行，前誡、次許。「被精進鎧」者，為說大法，當精進求取之也。「發堅固意」者，今聞說大法，勿退沒也。「如來今欲」下，第二、許說。文有四句：一、「宣示諸佛智慧力」者，開身權身實，理無不鑒謂智慧力也。故下文云「或為此眾故說佛壽無量，久乃見佛者為說佛難值，我智力如是、慧光照無量，故知明佛慧長短」，即是明佛智也。「諸佛自在神通之力」者，然諸佛法身非長非短而能長短適化，故名自在神通力也。「諸佛師子奮迅之力」者，師子本伏今起名為奮迅。所以奮迅，凡有三義：一、欲袪塵；二、欲申舒；三、顯無畏。今說法身無生滅始終，破凡夫二乘始終生滅之執，喻同袪塵。昔以權教覆實實則不顯，今開身權身實則真應義顯，如師子舒申義也。昔為緣不堪故不說法身真實，故名有畏。今大機已熟堪聞說之，故喜無畏，如師子不懼也。「諸佛威猛大勢之力」者，既顯法身常住，雙樹無常莫能摧伏，故名威猛大勢力。又今說法身必能滅惑生解，故稱大勢力也。

From "At that time Śākyamuni" downward is the third section, the prologue of admonition and assent. It is again divided into two distinct parts: first, praising the questioning; next, admonishing and assenting. The term "great matter" means that through this question, the great matter of the Buddha-fruit of the lifespan can be revealed. Furthermore, through this question, the assembly of the time attains twelve kinds of great benefit. Moreover, through this question, the lifespan is widely expounded to benefit boundless sentient beings of the future; hence it is called a great matter. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra states: "Prajñā arises for the sake of the great matter, meaning the salvation of all sentient beings." From "You all together should..." downward is the second, admonishing and assenting. First is the prose, next are the verses. In the prose, first comes the admonition, next the assent. "Put on the armor of diligence" means that for the sake of expounding the Great Dharma, one must diligently seek it. "Produce a resolute mind" means that now, hearing the Great Dharma expounded, one must not fall back or sink down. From "The Tathāgata now wishes to..." downward is the second, assenting to expound. The text has four clauses: First, "proclaim the power of wisdom of the Buddhas" means opening up the provisional body and the real body, where no principle is not illuminated; this is called the power of wisdom. Hence the text below states: "Sometimes for this assembly I expound the Buddha's lifespan as immeasurable, while for those who see a Buddha only after a long time I expound that a Buddha is difficult to encounter; such is my power of knowledge, with wisdom's light illuminating immeasurably." Thus we know that explaining the length or shortness of the Buddha's wisdom is precisely explaining the Buddha's knowledge. "The power of sovereign supernatural penetration of the Buddhas": the dharmakāya of the Buddhas is neither long nor short, yet it can display length or shortness to accord with conversion; therefore it is called the power of sovereign supernatural penetration. "The power of the Buddhas' lion-like swift vigor": a lion was originally crouching and now rises; this is termed swift vigor. The reasons for swift vigor are three in total: first, wishing to shake off dust; second, wishing to stretch out; third, manifesting fearlessness. Now expounding that the dharmakāya is without arising or cessation, beginning or end, refutes the attachments of ordinary beings and the two vehicles to beginning, end, arising, and cessation; its metaphor is the same as shaking off dust. In the past, the provisional teaching covered the real, so the real was not displayed; now, opening up the provisional body and the real body displays the meaning of the true and the responsive, which is like the lion's stretching out. In the past, because conditions were not yet ready, he did not expound the reality of the dharmakāya, and so it was called having fear. Now, the great capacities have matured and are capable of hearing it expounded; hence there is joyful fearlessness, like a lion feeling no dread. "The power of the Buddhas' formidable, great might": having revealed the dharmakāya as eternally abiding, which the impermanence of the twin trees cannot subjugate, it is called formidable, great might. Furthermore, now expounding the dharmakāya will certainly extinguish delusions and generate understanding; hence it is called great might.