法華義疏 10.128

10.128

「爾時彌勒」下，第三大段，執動疑生申疑致請。彌勒所以疑者，不知是昔日伽耶故生疑也。初長行，次偈。長行有二：初疑問，次請答。就初又二：前、懷疑；「即白佛言」下，第二、正問。又開為三：謂法、譬、合。法說又二：初、明佛成道近，云何於此少時頓能化爾許。「斯等久遠」，第二、明菩薩修行來久，不應始就佛受學。「譬如」下，第二、譬說。又兩父少譬佛成道近，子老譬菩薩修行久。合譬為三：初、明成道近，合父少譬。「如此大眾」下，合子老譬。「今日世尊」下，合父子老少互相指譬也。

From "At that time Maitreya" downward is the third major section, wherein attachments are shaken, doubts arise, and doubts are expressed to make a request. The reason Maitreya doubted is that he did not know it was the Gayā of the past, and so doubts arose. First is the prose, next are the verses. The prose has two parts: first, inquiring with doubt; next, requesting an answer. In the first part there are again two: first, harbouring doubt; from "He then addressed the Buddha, saying" downward is the second, the question proper. This is again divided into three: namely, the Dharma exposition, the parable, and the application. The Dharma exposition has two parts: first, explaining that the Buddha's attainment of the Way was recent—how could he in this short time suddenly transform so many? "These [bodhisattvas] for long kalpas..." is the second, explaining that the bodhisattvas' cultivation has been long-standing, and they should not only just now have received instruction from the Buddha. From "It is like..." downward is the second, the parable exposition. There are also two: the young father illustrates the Buddha's attainment of the Way being recent; the old sons illustrate the bodhisattvas' cultivation being long-standing. The application of the parable has three parts: first, explaining the attainment of the Way as recent applies to the parable of the young father; from "Such a great assembly as this" downward applies to the parable of the old sons; from "Today the World-Honoured One..." downward applies to the mutual reference of the father and sons being old and young.