法華義疏 12.55

12.55

佛答有四：一、釋其名；二、勸持名；三、格量持名功德；四、總結稱歎。以問名故前須釋名，釋名廣有利益故勸持名，一人名福等多菩薩名，故格量之來成勸持義。初又三別：一、釋觀世音名；二、釋觀世意名；三、釋觀世身名。一一中皆先釋、後結嘆，即三釋三嘆也。無盡意但問一名，佛答多者，問略答廣，如上釋之。又具釋三名者，欲顯所觀境周、能照觀足，境不出三業故唯觀三業，故立三名也。所觀之境具有三業，菩薩能觀唯意業也。又立三名，自有眾生稱名得度，自有眾生口不能言但能心念，自有眾生口不能言心又散動但身能禮拜。又眾生忌諱不同，故須立多名。

The Buddha's reply has four parts: first, explaining his name; second, encouraging the upholding of his name; third, appraising the merit of upholding his name; fourth, concluding with praise. Because the name was asked about, the name must first be explained; because explaining the name brings vast benefits, he encourages upholding the name; because the merit of this one person's name equals that of many bodhisattvas' names, he appraises it to establish the meaning of encouraging its upholding. The first part also has three distinctions: first, explaining the name Avalokiteśvara (Observing the Sounds of the World); second, explaining the name Observing the Intentions of the World; third, explaining the name Observing the Bodies of the World. In each of these, he first explains and then concludes with praise—that is, three explanations and three praises. Akṣayamati asked about only one name, yet the Buddha answered with many: the question was concise, but the answer was extensive, as explained above. Furthermore, fully explaining the three names is to reveal that the observed realm is complete and the illuminating observation is sufficient: realms do not go beyond the three karmas, so he observes only the three karmas, and thus three names were established. The realm observed possesses all three karmas; the bodhisattva's capacity to observe is only the mental karma. Furthermore, three names are established because there are sentient beings who are delivered by reciting the name; there are sentient beings who cannot speak with the mouth and can only be mindful in their hearts; there are sentient beings who cannot speak with the mouth and whose minds are scattered, yet their bodies can pay homage. Furthermore, sentient beings have different taboos, so multiple names must be established.