法華義疏 2.9

2.9

「四眾圍遶」者，《法華論》云「從此訖尊重讚歎猶是結眾集，名為威儀如法住成就，明上大眾天龍雲集，威儀者即前後圍遶乃至尊重讚歎也」。今明若望前通序即屬第六同聞眾攝，若望後即是開發正經序攝。所以然者，由四眾雲集興三業供養，即是渴仰欲聞，是故如來為說法也。「四眾」者，有人言，天有二眾：謂魔眾、梵眾，舉欲色天之大者也。人有二眾：沙門、婆羅門。《智度論》云「智慧人開為二分：在家曰婆羅門，出家目為沙門」。佛既是天人師，故舉此四眾也。顗禪師云：「一、影嚮眾，謂在座默然；二、發教眾，謂發起佛教，如身子之與彌勒；三、當機眾，正稟教領悟；四、結緣眾，聞即未解但結遠因緣。」今謂就此經文有二種四眾：一者、聖有二種，謂聲聞、菩薩；凡有二眾，即客、舊兩眾。以為四也。就後文列者，出家及在家各有二眾也。「圍遶」者，《釋論》云「大眾圍繞則使佛德益尊，既尊其人必受其道，故明圍遶。其猶諸梵之圍繞梵王忉利之圍遶帝釋，檀林師子義亦類然也。」

"Surrounded by the fourfold assembly": the Fahua lun says, "From this down to 'revering and praising' is still the conclusion of the assembly's gathering, called the accomplishment of abiding in deportment in accordance with the Dharma, clarifying that the aforementioned great assembly of gods and dragons gathered like clouds, and deportment refers to being surrounded in front and behind down to revering and praising." Now we clarify: viewed in light of the preceding general preface, it falls under the sixth, the assembly of common listeners; viewed in light of what follows, it falls under the preface developing the authentic sūtra. The reason is that because the fourfold assembly gathered like clouds and gave rise to offerings of the three actions, this was their thirsting and desiring to hear, and therefore the Tathāgata preached the Dharma for them. As for the "fourfold assembly": some say that the devas have two assemblies, namely the assembly of Māra and the assembly of Brahmā, citing the greatest among the Desire and Form Heavens; humans have two assemblies: śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas. The Da zhidu lun says, "Wise people are divided into two categories: householders are called brāhmaṇas, while renunciants are designated śramaṇas." Since the Buddha is the teacher of gods and humans, these four assemblies are cited. Dhyāna Master Zhiyi said: "1. The assembly of shadows and echoes, meaning those who sit in silence in the assembly; 2. the assembly generating the teaching, meaning those who initiate the Buddha's teaching, such as Śāriputra and Maitreya; 3. the assembly suited to the capacity, those who directly receive the teaching and gain awakening; 4. the assembly forming affinities, those who do not understand upon hearing, but merely establish distant causes and conditions." Now I say that in this sūtra text there are two kinds of fourfold assemblies: first, the sages have two kinds, namely śrāvakas and bodhisattvas; the ordinary beings have two assemblies, namely the guest assembly and the familiar assembly; these make four. As listed in the later text, renunciants and householders each have two assemblies. As for "surrounded": the Commentary says, "When the great assembly surrounds [him], it makes the Buddha's virtue even more venerable; once they venerate the person, they will surely accept his path, hence 'surrounded' is clarified. It is just like the various Brahmās surrounding the Brahmā King, or the Trāyastriṃśa devas surrounding Śakra, and the meaning of a lion in a sandalwood grove is also similar to this."