法華義疏 2.319

2.319

就文為二：第一、正答；第二、兩偈開獎物心，明佛後自說，「諸人今當知」下，是也。初又二：前長行，後偈頌。長行為四：一、謙讓門答；二、引事略答；三、廣引古證今；四、分明結答。此答並是從微至著次第相釋也。彌勒既高而推文殊，文殊必須謙讓，雖言自惟忖而知未有事證，故引過去事答。但總引過去事，未知的是何佛，故別出燈明。將引古證今，今何必同古？故第四分明結答也。所言謙讓門答者，文殊迹居因位智猶未滿，今欲以下測高故須謙讓。又彌勒懷疑文殊惟忖，即知所表事大增眾敬心。又大人之法示不自高，斥矜慢之徒，故雖解而讓。「文殊師利」者，標能答之主也。「語彌勒」者，對質疑之人也。「及諸大士」者，彌勒以下八萬之流也。「善男子等」者，聲聞四眾、天龍八部也。「如我惟忖」下，正明謙讓也。惟謂思惟，忖名尋忖，如伏惟伏度之例也。「今佛世尊」下，出所惟忖之事也。舊云，初後二句皆一法說也，中間三句即為譬。「欲說大法」者，初段經開三顯一也。「演大法義」者，後段經開近顯遠也。又「欲說大法」者，初段略開三顯一，後說段略開近顯遠，「演大法義」者，初廣開三顯一，後廣開近顯遠也。「雨大法雨」者三句，譬說也。亦有二義：「吹螺」以改號，譬說改三乘之號；「擊鼓」誡兵使其齊一，譬明一實之理。改三乘之號，即開方便門；明一實之理，即顯真實之義。後段改近之號，顯遠之理也。「雨大法雨」者，潤二乘枯槁，即生長一乘之解，通上二段也。今明謹依經文合此五句為三：初句明大法體，次三句明大法用，後一句明大法義。但明此三者，凡說法要具三：一、教體；二、教用；三、教所表理，故但明三也。明大法體者，謂佛欲說乘方便、乘真實，身方便、身真實之大法也。「雨大法雨」者，明大法用也。三譬有四用：雨譬有能生、能滅二用，螺鼓有遠聞、歡喜二用。所言大雨者，小乘之法教即未圓、理非究竟，其由種植待於灌灑常苦不足。大乘之法教無不圓理無不極，其由時雨普降無不沾洽普皆如願。此皆對小以明大，故言雨大法雨。雨有二義：一者、能滅；二者、能生。言能生者，時雨未降，地雖有種而不得生也；已生之牙而不增長，非但不長亦乃枯椊。法雨既降，未發大心即便發心，即迴小入大之人是也。已發心者即得增長，直往之人是也。已增長者即便成就，八生一生當得佛者也。又應退者而不墮落，即菩薩疑網皆已除也。言能滅者，譬如大雨能滅四種：一、淹塵土；二、滅諸毒；三、除熱氣；四、止惡風。法雨亦爾，一、能滅凡夫二乘有所得惡覺觀塵土；二、能滅凡夫二乘有所得愛見諸毒；三、除凡夫二乘有所得邪師等熱氣；四、止凡夫二乘有所得邪教惡風。「吹大法螺擊大法鼓」者，上歎大法有能生能滅之用，今歎大法有遠聞稱機之能。外國以螺鼓為俗樂，凡有二義：一者、歡適。歡適有二義：一、暢十方佛心，如今我喜無畏；二、稱悅根性，如三根聲聞及彌勒十二種人得益歡喜。二、螺鼓遠聞之義，顯大法有廣被之能。如三會說，初令靈山一會聞法，次淨土會聞，次十方通達無礙十方得聞，乃至未來得聞。

Regarding the text, there are two parts: first, the direct reply; second, two verses to encourage and stimulate the minds of beings, explaining that the Buddha himself will speak afterwards, which begins from the line "All of you should now know." The first part also has two sections: first the prose, and later the verse. The prose has four sections: 1. replying via the approach of modesty and deference; 2. briefly replying by citing events; 3. broadly citing the ancient to verify the present; 4. clearly concluding the reply. These replies all explain one another in sequence, proceeding from the subtle to the prominent. Since Maitreya was of high status yet deferred to Mañjuśrī, Mañjuśrī had to show modesty and deference; although he says that he knows by his own reflection, he has not yet provided empirical verification, and therefore replies by citing past events. However, merely citing past events in general leaves it unknown precisely which Buddha it was; hence he specifically brings forth Candrasūryapradīpa. Intending to cite the ancient to verify the present, why must the present necessarily be identical to the ancient? Therefore, the fourth clearly concludes the reply. As for what is called replying via the approach of modesty and deference: Mañjuśrī's trace resides in the causal stage and his wisdom is not yet fully complete; now, wishing to infer the high from below, he must show modesty and deference. Furthermore, Maitreya conceives doubts and Mañjuśrī reflects; thus knowing that what is indicated is a great matter increases the assembly's reverence. Moreover, the way of the great person is to show that he does not elevate himself and to reprove those who are conceited; thus, although he understands, he defers. "Mañjuśrī" marks the master who is able to reply. "Spoke to Maitreya" refers to addressing the person who raised the query. "And the great beings" refers to the eighty thousand of the assembly beneath Maitreya. "Good men and the rest" refers to the fourfold assembly of śrāvakas and the eight classes of devas and nāgas. From "According to my reflection" onward, it directly clarifies his modesty and deference. "Wei" means contemplation, and "cun" means searching reflection, following the pattern of expressions like "I humbly contemplate" and "I humbly surmise." From "Now the Buddha, the World-Honoured One" onward, he brings forth the matter that he reflected upon. Formerly it was said that both the first and last two lines are statements about the Dharma, while the middle three lines are parables. "Wishes to preach the Great Dharma" refers to the first section of the sūtra opening the three [vehicles] and revealing the one [vehicle]. "Expound the meaning of the Great Dharma" refers to the latter section of the sūtra opening the near [attainment] and revealing the distant [past]. Furthermore, "wishes to preach the Great Dharma" briefly opens the three and reveals the one in the first section, and briefly opens the near and reveals the distant in the latter discourse section; "expound the meaning of the Great Dharma" broadly opens the three and reveals the one in the first, and broadly opens the near and reveals the distant in the latter. The three lines beginning with "rain down the rain of the Great Dharma" are parabolical statements. They also have two meanings: "blowing the conch" to change the command is a parable for changing the designation of the three vehicles; "beating the drum" to caution the troops and make them uniform is a parable for illuminating the principle of the one real. Changing the designation of the three vehicles is opening the door of expedient means; illuminating the principle of the one real is revealing the meaning of the real. In the latter section, changing the designation of the near reveals the principle of the distant. "Raining down the rain of the Great Dharma" moistens the withered [faculties] of the two vehicles, thereby engendering and growing the understanding of the ekayāna, which applies throughout both preceding sections. Now, we clarify that by strictly relying on the sūtra text, these five lines are combined into three: the first line clarifies the essence of the Great Dharma; the next three lines clarify the function of the Great Dharma; the last line clarifies the meaning of the Great Dharma. Only these three are clarified because, in preaching the Dharma, three things must generally be complete: 1. the essence of the teaching; 2. the function of the teaching; 3. the principle indicated by the teaching; hence only three are clarified. Clarifying the essence of the Great Dharma means that the Buddha wishes to speak the Great Dharma of the expedient vehicle and the real vehicle, and the expedient body and the real body. "Raining down the rain of the Great Dharma" clarifies the function of the Great Dharma. The three parables have four functions: the parable of the rain has the two functions of being able to produce and being able to extinguish; the conch and drum have the two functions of being heard from afar and bringing joy. As for what is called the great rain: the Dharma of the Hīnayāna has teachings that are not yet complete and principles that are not ultimate; it is like planting crops that depend upon watering and are constantly afflicted by insufficiency. The Dharma of the Mahāyāna has teachings that are all complete and principles that are all ultimate; it is like timely rain falling everywhere so that nothing is not soaked and all is universally as wished. These are all explained by contrasting the great against the small; hence it is called "raining down the rain of the Great Dharma." Rain has two meanings: first, being able to extinguish; second, being able to produce. Regarding being able to produce: when timely rain has not yet fallen, although there are seeds in the ground, they cannot grow; sprouts that have already grown do not increase, and not only do they not increase, but they also wither away. Once the rain of the Dharma has fallen, those who have not yet brought forth the great resolve will immediately bring it forth—these are the people who turn from the small and enter the great. Those who have already brought forth the resolve will immediately have it increase—these are the people who advance directly. Those whose resolve has already increased will immediately achieve fulfillment—these are those who will attain buddhahood in eight lifetimes or in one lifetime. Furthermore, those who should have regressed will not fall away—this means that the bodhisattvas' web of doubts has all been removed. Regarding being able to extinguish: it is like a great rain being able to extinguish four things: 1. settling dust and soil; 2. extinguishing all poisons; 3. removing heat; 4. stopping harmful winds. The Dharma rain is also like this: 1. it can extinguish the dust and soil of the harmful conceptualizations of clinging to attainment held by ordinary persons and the two vehicles; 2. it can extinguish all the poisons of craving and views of clinging to attainment held by ordinary persons and the two vehicles; 3. it removes the heat of false teachers and the like of clinging to attainment held by ordinary persons and the two vehicles; 4. it stops the harmful wind of false teachings of clinging to attainment held by ordinary persons and the two vehicles. "Blowing the conch of the Great Dharma and beating the drum of the Great Dharma": above, the Great Dharma was praised for having the functions of being able to produce and extinguish; now, the Great Dharma is praised for having the capacity of being heard from afar and according with faculties. Foreign countries use conches and drums for worldly music; generally, they have two meanings: first, joy and pleasure. Joy and pleasure has two meanings: 1. delighting the hearts of the Buddhas of the ten directions, as in "now my joy is without fear"; 2. gladdening the capacities and natures, as when the śrāvakas of the three faculties and the twelve classes of beings such as Maitreya obtain benefit and rejoice. Second, the meaning of the conch and drum being heard from afar reveals that the Great Dharma has the capacity of broad coverage. As in the three assemblies of preaching: first it causes the single assembly on Gṛdhrakūṭa to hear the Dharma; next the assembly in the pure land hears it; next it penetrates unobstructed throughout the ten directions so that the ten directions hear it; and ultimately the future also hears it.