法華義疏 2.178

2.178

彌勒欲顯他方佛《法華》之前有其三事：一者、有六道眾生；二者、有諸佛出世；三者、說本末法輪。將彼顯此，明釋迦《法華》之前亦具三事：一、有所化眾生，二、有釋迦出世，三、說《華嚴》之本教、三乘之末輪。以三句結前，即顯上《法華》前事，三句生後，顯他方佛從《法華》去已後事。《法華》之前有本末二輪，《法華》以去乃至《涅槃》皆收末歸本一乘法輪也。若不結前生後，即不得顯《法華》前後二時教門。「今當略說」者，上是事廣而言略，事廣者謂六道、化主、教門三事也。言略者，偈頌少也。今是事略而言廣，事略謂菩薩、起塔二事也。言廣者，偈多也。蓋是對上以明廣略。次、直就後以明廣略者，所見菩薩及起塔事多，今但略說，蓋是對見廣明說略，故稱略也，故前文云「及千億事如是眾多」，即是事多，「今當略說」，所謂言略也。

Maitreya wishes to reveal that the buddhas of other lands, prior to the Lotus Sūtra, have three matters: first, the existence of sentient beings of the six destinies; second, the emergence of the buddhas in the world; third, the preaching of the fundamental and branch Dharma-wheels. Using the other to illuminate this, it clarifies that Śākyamuni, prior to the Lotus Sūtra, also possessed three matters: first, having sentient beings to be transformed; second, having the emergence of Śākyamuni in the world; third, preaching the fundamental teaching of the Avataṃsaka and the branch wheel of the triyāna. By using three lines to conclude the preceding, it reveals the matters prior to the Lotus Sūtra above; by using three lines to introduce the subsequent, it reveals the matters of the buddhas of other lands from the Lotus Sūtra onward. Prior to the Lotus Sūtra there are the two wheels of root and branch; from the Lotus Sūtra onward and up to the Nirvāṇa, they all gather the branches back to the root, which is the ekayāna Dharma-wheel. If one did not conclude the preceding and introduce the subsequent, one would not be able to reveal the gates of the teaching in the two periods before and after the Lotus Sūtra. 'I shall now briefly explain': the preceding was broad in matter but concise in words; 'broad in matter' refers to the three matters of the six destinies, the transforming lord, and the gate of the teaching. 'Concise in words' means that the verse lines were few. The present is concise in matter but broad in words; 'concise in matter' refers to the two matters of the bodhisattvas and the erection of stūpas. 'Broad in words' means that the verses are numerous. This is to clarify broad and concise in contrast to what precedes. Next, directly clarifying broad and concise with respect to what follows: the matters seen regarding the bodhisattvas and the erection of stūpas are numerous, but he now only explains them briefly; this is clarifying that the explanation is concise in contrast to the broadness of the seeing, and therefore it is called 'brief'. Thus the earlier text states: 'and hundreds of thousands of myriads of matters as numerous as these'—this is the multitude of matters; 'I shall now briefly explain'—this is the conciseness of words.