法華義疏 10.165

10.165

「諸善男子我本行菩薩道」下，第二、明未來無後。一證法身湛然無滅，故知雙林非是其終。就文亦三，一、明未來無終，二、釋疑，三、辨不虛，初中舉行菩薩道者既明佛果壽量遠，必須辨因長，故前顯於長果；今開於長因，明長果長因謂顯真實義，辨短因短果即開方便門，如乘權乘實中亦明斯二，辨三因三果此是方便，一因一果名為真實也。「行菩薩道」者，即長因也。「所成壽命」者，成謂成就即長壽成就也。故下偈云「壽命無量劫久修業所得」也。「今猶未盡」者，《法華論》稱為「未滿」，以眾生界未盡故佛本願未滿，非謂菩提未滿足也。今經文稱未盡者，依論釋此文者，蓋是明所度眾生未盡，不論佛壽未盡，故與《法華論》經義相成也。「復倍上數」者，依《法華論》云「所成壽命復倍上數」，上明本願未滿，故佛不得入無餘永滅涅槃，故將本願未滿以釋常義，斥小乘人謂佛無常永入無餘，則是違於本願。今明復倍上數，舉壽命不可數以釋成常義，蓋是具舉因果兩義以釋於常，但經文語迮，又講者不詳論意，故合釋之耳。所言「復倍上數」者，上明過去無前有三不可數：一、世界不可數；二、抹世界為塵不可數；三、成佛復過此數故不可數。凡夫、二乘、菩薩尚不知初一數，況能知餘二耶？今言「復倍」者，則是不可數不可數也。欲顯如來壽出數量表，是故為常。如《淨名經》云「佛身無為不墮諸數」。如叡公傳羅什法師解云：「壽量定其非數」。又《普賢觀》云「信一實道知佛不滅，是名懺悔五逆十惡」。又如《法華論》云「復倍上數者，示現如來常命，方便顯多數，過上數量不可數知，故以眾事推之則知，顯了明佛常矣」。

From "Good sons! I originally practiced the bodhisattva path" onwards is the second [section], explaining that the future is without end. Once having realized the dharmakāya, it is serene and without extinction; therefore we know that the twin [śāla] trees were not his end. Within the text there are also three parts: first, explaining that the future is without end; second, resolving doubts; third, showing that it is not false. In the first part, adducing the practice of the bodhisattva path: having explained that the fruit of buddhahood is of distant lifespan, one must necessarily explain the length of the cause. Thus previously the long fruit was revealed; now the long cause is disclosed. Explaining the long fruit and long cause means revealing the real meaning; discerning the short cause and short fruit means opening the gateway of expedient means. As in the expedient and real vehicles, these two are also explained: discerning three causes and three fruits is an expedient means, while one cause and one fruit is called the real. "Practicing the bodhisattva path" is the long cause. "The lifespan achieved"—"achieved" means accomplished, namely, accomplishing a long lifespan. Hence the verse below says, "A lifespan of immeasurable kalpas, obtained through deeds long cultivated." "Even now is not yet exhausted": the Fahua lun calls this "not yet fulfilled" (未滿), because as the realm of sentient beings is not yet exhausted, the Buddha's original vow is not yet fulfilled; it does not mean that bodhi is not fully satisfied. Now the sūtra text says "not yet exhausted"; explaining this text according to the treatise, it probably explains that the sentient beings to be saved are not yet exhausted, not that the Buddha's lifespan is not yet exhausted. Hence it accords with the doctrinal meaning of the Fahua lun. "Still twice that number": according to the Fahua lun, "The lifespan achieved is still twice that number." Above it explained that the original vow is not yet fulfilled, so the Buddha cannot enter the nirvāṇa of permanent extinction without remainder. Thus, taking the original vow's unfulfillment to explain the meaning of permanence refutes the Hīnayāna adherents who claim the Buddha is impermanent and permanently enters [nirvāṇa] without remainder, which would violate his original vow. Now, explaining that it is twice that number adduces the incalculability of his lifespan to establish the meaning of permanence. This fully adduces both the cause and the fruit to explain permanence; but because the sūtra text is concise, and lecturers often do not grasp the meaning of the treatise, they simply combine the explanations. Regarding the words "still twice that number": above, in explaining that the past is without beginning, there were three incalculables: first, worlds are incalculable; second, grinding worlds into dust is incalculable; third, his attaining buddhahood further exceeds this number and is therefore incalculable. Ordinary persons, the two vehicles, and bodhisattvas do not even know the first number, how much less could they know the remaining two? Now saying "still twice" means an incalculable of incalculables. It intends to reveal that the Tathāgata's lifespan transcends the realm of calculation and quantity, and is therefore permanent. As the Vimalakīrti Sūtra says, "The Buddha's body is unconditioned and does not fall into numbers." As Master Sengrui's account of Dharma Master Kumārajīva's explanation says, "Lifespan is definitely non-numerical." Furthermore, the Samantabhadra Contemplation says, "Believing in the One Real Path and knowing that the Buddha does not perish: this is called repenting the five heinous sins and the ten unwholesome deeds." Moreover, as the Fahua lun says, "'Still twice that number' manifests the Tathāgata's permanent lifespan; through expedient means it shows a great number, exceeding the above quantity and impossible to know through counting; therefore, inferring it from various matters, one knows that it clearly illuminates the Buddha's permanence."