法華義疏 12.48

12.48

初問有三：一、能問之人；二、問之儀則；三、正問。後答亦三：能問之人即是意業，問之儀則所謂身業，正發問即是口業。三章合有十句。「爾時」者，問時節也。以眾中八萬四千人應得發心，是故應時而問。「無盡意」者，第二、能問之人。有二句：一、別名；二、通號。外國稱阿差末，此云無盡意。《大集經》云「初發心時已不可盡，況復智慧神通慈悲說法而可盡耶？」正意而言，眾生無盡故大悲無窮也，故言無盡意。「菩薩」者，第二、通號也。《大集經》云「其人是東方不眴世界普賢如來一生補處大士」，若論其本乃是十方諸佛師，所化之人皆已成佛。

The initial question has three parts: first, the person asking the question; second, the etiquette of the question; third, the question itself. The reply that follows also has three: the person asking the question is the mental karma; the etiquette of the question is the bodily karma; and the posing of the question is the vocal karma. The three sections together have ten phrases. "At that time" marks the time of the question. Because eighty-four thousand people in the assembly were due to generate the [bodhi] resolve, the question was asked in accord with the right time. "Akṣayamati" is the second: the person asking the question. It has two parts: first, the specific name; second, the common title. In foreign languages he is called *Akṣayamati*; here translated as "Inexhaustible Intent" (Wujin-yi). The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* says: "When he first generated the mind, it was already inexhaustible; how much more so could his wisdom, supernatural powers, compassion, and preaching of the Dharma ever be exhausted?" Correctly speaking, because sentient beings are inexhaustible, great compassion is boundless; hence he is called Akṣayamati. "Bodhisattva" is the second: the common title. The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* says: "This person is a Great Being bound to one more birth of the Tathāgata Samantabhadra in the world of Animiṣa in the east." In terms of his origin, he is a teacher of all buddhas of the ten directions, and all those whom he transformed have already attained buddhahood.