法華義疏 11.109

11.109

所以有此品來者，凡有七義：一者，三品明三種功德，上二品明下中二功德竟，今次明上品功德。二者、此經始末明宣持之人得三世功德。〈分別功德品〉初明十二種利益，聞經悟道現世功德，從〈分別功德品〉至〈法師品〉歎經能生未來眾生功德；今此一品歎經能生過去世眾生功德，此皆約佛在時作此分三世，經力雖多不出利益三世。三者、近證〈法師品〉故來。上雖言持經之人得六根淨，未有其事；今引釋迦本生親自證驗。證驗者，正證佛滅後持經人得六根淨，以獎勸未來眾生令持經也。四者、上明六根淨果，今敘六根淨因。欲得根淨當如常不輕菩薩一心忍諸打罵為物弘經，必於現身得根淨也。五者、欲說眾生悉有佛性成一乘義故說此品。一切眾生但有佛性無有餘性，故唯有一乘無有餘乘。舊云：《法華經》但明善人有佛性，《涅槃經》始辨有心皆得成佛。今明此品正辨惡人有佛性義，〈方便品〉明一毫之善皆成佛道，則知一切有心並有佛性皆成佛也。

As for why this chapter follows, there are altogether seven reasons: First, three chapters explain three kinds of merit; the preceding two chapters having already finished explaining the inferior and middling merits, now the superior merit is explained next. Second, from beginning to end this sūtra clearly expounds that those who uphold it obtain merits of the three times. At the beginning of the Distinction of Merits Chapter, twelve kinds of benefits are explained, which are the merits of the present life from hearing the sūtra and awakening to the Way; from the Distinction of Merits Chapter to the Dharma Master Chapter, it praises the sūtra's ability to generate merits for future sentient beings; now this single chapter praises the sūtra's ability to generate merits for sentient beings of the past. These divisions of the three times are all made with reference to when the Buddha was present in the world; though the powers of the sūtra are many, they do not exceed benefiting the three times. Third, it comes in order to verify immediately the Dharma Master Chapter. Although it was stated above that the person upholding the sūtra obtains the purity of the six faculties, there had not yet been an actual case; now it cites Śākyamuni's past life to verify it personally. As for verifying it, it precisely verifies that persons upholding the sūtra after the Buddha's extinction obtain the purity of the six faculties, in order to encourage and exhort future sentient beings to uphold the sūtra. Fourth, above it explained the fruit of the purity of the six faculties, and now it recounts the causes of the purity of the six faculties. If one wishes to obtain the purity of the faculties, one should, like Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta, single-mindedly endure all beatings and revilings to propagate the sūtra for the sake of beings, and one will surely obtain the purity of the faculties in one's present body. Fifth, wishing to state that sentient beings all possess Buddha-nature to establish the meaning of the ekayāna, it therefore speaks this chapter. All sentient beings possess only Buddha-nature and have no other natures; therefore there is only the ekayāna and no other yānas. Traditionally it was said: The Lotus Sūtra only explains that good people possess Buddha-nature, and only the Nirvāṇa Sūtra begins to distinguish that all who have minds can attain Buddhahood. Now it is explained that this chapter precisely distinguishes the meaning that evil people possess Buddha-nature; the Expedient Means Chapter explains that even a hair's breadth of good all leads to the attainment of the Buddha path, so we know that all who have minds also possess Buddha-nature and will all become Buddhas.