法華義疏 10.171

10.171

「所以者何」下，第二，釋章門。釋中，前明不示滅則有損無益，次明示滅則無損有益。「薄德之人不種善根」者，過去不久種見佛因也。「貧窮下賤」者，以不種善根故貧窮下賤也。「貪著五欲」者，前明無善，此明有惡。惡義雖多不出愛見，貪惜五欲謂起愛也。「入於憶想妄見網中」，明起見也。「若見如來常在不滅」者，上敘眾生心行，今明佛不得不滅。「便起憍恣而懷厭怠」者，若不唱滅便有損也。聞佛常存心不尊重為憍，恣情五欲為恣，復有眾生常見佛故厭患於佛故稱厭也，不懃修道稱為怠也。「不能生於難遭之想恭敬之心」者，前辨有損，今明無益也。「是故如來」下，第二、明唱滅無損有益。就文為二：初明唱滅，次辨眾生得益。前有三句，初、標難值章門。「所以者何」下，釋章門。非佛不常現，但眾生障重故不見耳，故佛於眾生為難值也。「以此事故」下，第三、結難值章門也。「斯眾生等」下，第二、聞唱滅得益也。「是故如來」下，第三、結不滅現滅章門。「又善男子」下，第三、明不虛。又開三別：謂法、譬、合。所以明不虛者，不滅唱滅似如虛妄，故須明不虛。「法皆如是」者，有二種義：一者、如《涅槃》答純陀云「有為法爾，諸佛法亦然」，有為之法有生必滅，諸佛由物感故生，感盡即應滅，蓋是理數之常然，故云法爾。二者、佛自釋之，雖實不滅為度眾生方便示滅，於物實益，故稱不虛也。

From "Why is this?" onwards is the second part, explaining the section headings. Within the explanation, first it explains that not manifesting extinction brings loss and no benefit, and next explains that manifesting extinction brings no loss and has benefit. "People of meager virtue who do not plant good roots": in the past, they did not long ago plant the causes for seeing the Buddha. "Impoverished and lowborn": because of not planting good roots, they are impoverished and lowborn. "Greedily attached to the five desires": the former explained the absence of good; this explains the presence of evil. Although the meanings of evil are many, they do not go beyond craving and views; greedily clinging to the five desires refers to giving rise to craving. "Entering the net of idle thoughts and false views" explains giving rise to views. "If they see the Tathāgata constantly present and not becoming extinct": above narrated the mental conduct of sentient beings; now it explains that the Buddha cannot but manifest extinction. "They would then give rise to arrogance and harbor weariness and indolence": if he did not proclaim extinction, there would be loss. Hearing that the Buddha constantly abides and having a mind without respect is "arrogance"; indulging in the five desires is "arrogant indulgence"; furthermore, there are sentient beings who, constantly seeing the Buddha, loathe the Buddha, which is called "weariness"; not diligently cultivating the path is called "indolence." "Unable to give rise to the thought that he is difficult to encounter or a respectful mind": the former discerned the presence of loss; this explains the absence of benefit. From "Therefore the Tathāgata" onwards is the second part, explaining that proclaiming extinction has no loss and has benefit. In the text there are two parts: first, explaining the proclamation of extinction; second, discerning sentient beings gaining benefit. The former has three lines: first, setting forth the heading that he is difficult to encounter. From "Why is this?" onwards explains the heading: it is not that the Buddha does not constantly appear, but that sentient beings' obstacles are heavy and they therefore do not see him; hence for sentient beings the Buddha is difficult to encounter. From "Due to this matter" onwards is the third part, concluding the heading of being difficult to encounter. From "These sentient beings" onwards is the second part, gaining benefit upon hearing the proclamation of extinction. From "Therefore the Tathāgata" onwards is the third part, concluding the heading of non-extinction manifesting extinction. From "Furthermore, good sons!" onwards is the third part, explaining that it is not false. This is again divided into three parts: namely, the principle, the parable, and the application. The reason for explaining that it is not false is that proclaiming extinction when there is no extinction seems like a falsehood; hence one must explain that it is not false. "The Dharma is ever thus" has two meanings: first, as the Nirvāṇa Sūtra answers Cunda, "Conditioned phenomena are inherently so, and so is the Dharma of the Buddhas"; conditioned phenomena, having birth, must have extinction; the Buddhas are born due to the responsiveness of beings, and when that responsiveness is exhausted, they should become extinct; this is an ordinary principle and natural law, hence it is called "inherently so." Second, the Buddha explains it himself: although in reality he is not extinct, for the sake of saving sentient beings he expedients the manifestation of extinction, which is a real benefit to beings; hence it is called "not false."