[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721) › 12.13 # 法華義疏 12.13 法華義疏 12.13 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [12.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12.13) 「妙音菩薩白佛言」下，第三、明妙音受旨。明妙音既承佛力為弘道利人故來，豈生劣想也？故受佛誡勅。「於是妙音」下，第四、將欲發來先現瑞。於此土所以現瑞者，令此土眾生起尊敬心也。「化作蓮華」者，一、即欲以蓮華為座；二、表妙音弘《妙法蓮華》。「化作八萬四千」者，一、欲擬八萬四千菩薩座故；二、表八萬四千法藏皆入一乘《妙法華》故。「白銀為葉」者，即是顯此經題是白蓮華，開二實二權則八萬四千法藏義皆明白也。「甄叔迦寶」者（此云鸚鵡，此寶似鸚鵡鳥嘴而赤色）。「爾時文殊」下，第五、文殊問瑞所由也。「爾時釋迦」下，第六、佛答現瑞意。「文殊」下，第七、文殊重問妙音之德。凡有三問：一請、初問種何善本，二、問修何功德，此二問過去往因；三、問行何三昧，此問現在所得之果。「唯願世尊」下，第四請、佛欲見妙音。「爾時釋迦」下，第八、釋迦推於多寶令見妙音，但詶其後請、未答前三問，下華德菩薩重牒三問佛方解釋。所以推多寶者，蓋是隨俗之事，俗人之禮推賢讓長，多寶既久已成佛，故釋迦讓之。二者、欲顯多寶不滅故能現妙音，故推之也。「時多寶佛」下，第九、多寶命令來，即詶文殊請。「于時妙音」下，第十、正明妙音來。又開十章：一、明於彼國沒。「與八萬四千」下，第二，明與眷屬俱共發來。「所逕諸國」下，第三、明現瑞相。「是菩薩」下，第四、讚歎妙音。「那羅延」者（真諦云：「那羅翻為人，延云生本，梵王是眾生之祖父，故云生本」。羅什云：「天力士名那羅延，端正猛犍也」。《俱舍論》云「持大千世界風輪名那羅延，那羅延應云天力也」）。「入七寶臺」下，第五、敘妙音昇空而至。多羅樹似此土宗盧樹，一多羅去地七刃也。「到已」下，第六、明見佛儀則。「而白佛言」下，第七、奉宣聖旨。又開三別：初、問釋迦。「眾生易度」下，第二、問所度眾生。「久滅」下，第三、問訊多寶。「世尊」下，第八、妙音請見多寶。「爾時釋迦」下，第九、釋迦語於多寶。「於時多寶」下，第十、多寶讚嘆妙音。從問訊多寶至多寶稱嘆，皆是顯多寶不滅，斥凡夫二乘無常之執。 > From "Bodhisattva Gadgadasvara addressed the Buddha, saying" onward is the third \[clause\], explaining that Gadgadasvara received the instructions. It explains that since Gadgadasvara had received the Buddha's power to come for the sake of propagating the Way and benefiting people, how could he conceive thoughts of inferiority? Thus he received the Buddha's admonishing command. From "Thereupon, Gadgadasvara" onward is the fourth, manifesting omens before setting out to come. The reason he manifested omens in this land was to cause the sentient beings of this land to give rise to a reverent mind. Regarding "conjured lotus flowers": first, he wished to take lotus flowers as seats; second, it represented Gadgadasvara's propagation of the Wonderful Dharma Lotus. Regarding "conjured eighty-four thousand": first, he wished to prepare seats for eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas; second, it symbolized that the eighty-four thousand treasuries of Dharma all enter the one-vehicle Wonderful Lotus. Regarding "with white silver as leaves": this reveals that the title of this sūtra is the white lotus; when opening the two real and two expedient, the meaning of the eighty-four thousand treasuries of Dharma all becomes clear. Regarding "kiṃśuka gems" (translated here as "parrot"; this gem resembles a parrot's beak and is red in color). From "At that time, Mañjuśrī" onward is the fifth, Mañjuśrī asking about the cause of the omens. From "At that time, Śākyamuni" onward is the sixth, the Buddha answering with the intention behind manifesting the omens. From "Mañjuśrī" onward is the seventh, Mañjuśrī asking again about Gadgadasvara's virtues. There are three questions in all: the first request begins by asking what roots of goodness he planted, and the second asks what merits he cultivated—these two ask about past causes; the third asks what samādhis he practiced—this asks about the fruit attained at present. From "We only wish, World-Honoured One" onward is the fourth request, wishing that the Buddha \[allow them\] to see Gadgadasvara. From "At that time, Śākyamuni" onward is the eighth, Śākyamuni deferring to Prabhūtaratna to cause Gadgadasvara to be seen; he only answered his later request, having not yet answered the previous three questions; below, Bodhisattva Padmaprabha repeats the three questions, and only then does the Buddha explain them. The reason he deferred to Prabhūtaratna is that it accords with worldly custom; worldly etiquette defers to the worthy and yields to elders, and since Prabhūtaratna had attained buddhahood long ago, Śākyamuni yielded to him. Second, he wished to show that Prabhūtaratna had not ceased to exist, and thus could make Gadgadasvara appear, so he deferred to him. From "Then Prabhūtaratna Buddha" onward is the ninth, Prabhūtaratna commanding him to come, which responds to Mañjuśrī's request. From "At that time, Gadgadasvara" onward is the tenth, directly explaining Gadgadasvara's arrival. This also opens into ten sections: first, explaining his vanishing from that land. From "Together with eighty-four thousand" onward is the second, explaining his setting out together with his retinue. From "The lands he passed through" onward is the third, explaining the manifestation of auspicious signs. From "This bodhisattva" onward is the fourth, praising Gadgadasvara. Regarding "Nārāyaṇa" (Paramārtha says: "Nara translates as 'man', and yana means 'source of birth'; the Brahmā King is the grandfather of sentient beings, hence called 'source of birth'." Kumārajīva says: "A heavenly athlete is named Nārāyaṇa; he is handsome and robust." The Abhidharmakośa Śāstra says: "The wind-wheel that upholds the trichiliocosm is named Nārāyaṇa; Nārāyaṇa should be called 'heavenly strength'"). From "Entered the seven-jewel tower" onward is the fifth, recounting Gadgadasvara's arrival through the air. The tāla tree resembles the palm tree of this land; one tāla stands seven lengths from the ground. From "Having arrived" onward is the sixth, explaining the etiquette of seeing the Buddha. From "And addressed the Buddha, saying" onward is the seventh, proclaiming the holy intention. This also opens into three divisions: first, inquiring after Śākyamuni. From "Are the sentient beings easy to save?" onward is the second, inquiring about the sentient beings being saved. From "Long extinguished" onward is the third, inquiring after Prabhūtaratna. From "World-Honoured One" onward is the eighth, Gadgadasvara requesting to see Prabhūtaratna. From "At that time, Śākyamuni" onward is the ninth, Śākyamuni speaking to Prabhūtaratna. From "At that time, Prabhūtaratna" onward is the tenth, Prabhūtaratna praising Gadgadasvara. From inquiring after Prabhūtaratna to Prabhūtaratna's praise, all are intended to demonstrate that Prabhūtaratna has not ceased to exist, refuting the attachments of ordinary beings and the two vehicles to impermanence. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 12.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12.12) - [Next: 12.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12.14) - [Up: 12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721~en-mt.12.13) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.12.13) · Pramāṇa