法華義疏 3.358

3.358

「所以者何」下，第二、舉得釋失即明得也。亦有二人：初、明佛在世羅漢為得；次、明佛滅度後羅漢為得。初佛在世羅漢得者，凡有二義：一者、斥凡；二者、擊聖。言斥凡者，明若實得羅漢，聞一乘必信受，則知第一人不信《法華》，非羅漢也。故是舉得以斥初失。言擊聖者，明實得羅漢必信此法，如其不信便非羅漢。即用此文擊第二實得羅漢人，令捨小果進求大道也。「除佛滅度後現前無佛」者，第二、明佛滅度後羅漢得，前亦是聞《法華》羅漢得，今是不聞《法華》羅漢得也。此文為釋疑故來。疑者云：叵有羅漢亦不聞不知但教化菩薩事以不？又有阿羅漢不信權實以不？因前二文生此二疑也。是故釋云：佛在世，羅漢聞《法華》必信，唯除滅度後現前無佛，此之羅漢不信一乘，故《法華論》云「亦為釋疑。疑云：從佛聞法起謗心，云何佛不成不堪說法人？為斷此疑，除佛滅度後現前無佛，故起謗耳。所以者何？釋上羅漢不信一乘義也。以佛滅度後《法華經》難聞難解，阿羅漢作佛此人難得。」《智度論》云「《法華》明羅漢作佛，義最甚深，羅漢作佛唯佛能解，論者正可論其餘事」。龍樹尚云不解，故知唯佛能解。所以此人難得，以不值人法兩緣故。此羅漢不信一乘，《涅槃．現病品》云「如佛所說阿羅漢，一切皆當至涅槃，如此甚深佛行處，凡夫下愚不能知」，故羅漢作佛最為難解，唯佛知之，故稱難得也。「若遇餘佛於此法中便得決了」者，此文亦為釋疑故來。疑者云：此羅漢既不得值《法華》及解義人，何時當信一乘耶？是故釋云：此羅漢生三界外淨土中，更遇餘佛，聞《法華經》方得決了。決了者，知三一有無及權實也。

From 'Why is this?' downward: the second [part], adducing gain to explain loss, clarifies gain. There are also two persons: first, explaining that an arhat during the Buddha's presence in the world constitutes gain; next, explaining that an arhat after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa constitutes gain. As for the first, an arhat's gain during the Buddha's presence in the world, there are two meanings: first, rebuking the ordinary; second, urging the noble. As for rebuking the ordinary, it clarifies that if one has truly attained arhatship, hearing the ekayāna one will certainly believe and accept it; thus it is known that the first person, not believing in the Lotus [Sūtra], is not an arhat. Hence it adduces gain to rebuke the initial loss. As for urging the noble, it clarifies that one who has truly attained arhatship will certainly believe this Dharma, and if one does not believe it, one is not an arhat. This text is precisely used to urge the second person who has truly attained arhatship, causing them to abandon the small fruit and progress to seek the Great Path. 'Except after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa when no Buddha is present before them': the second [part] explains the gain of an arhat after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa; the former was the gain of an arhat who hears the Lotus [Sūtra], while the present is the gain of an arhat who does not hear the Lotus [Sūtra]. This text comes to resolve doubts. Doubters say: Could there be an arhat who also neither hears nor knows the matter of only teaching and transforming bodhisattvas? And could there be an arhat who does not believe in the provisional and the real? Because of the preceding two passages, these two doubts arise. Therefore it explains: While the Buddha is in the world, an arhat hearing the Lotus [Sūtra] will certainly believe it; only except after parinirvāṇa when no Buddha is present before them, such an arhat does not believe in the ekayāna. Hence the Fahua lun says: 'It also comes to resolve doubts. The doubt says: Hearing the Dharma from the Buddha and giving rise to slander, how is it that the Buddha does not become one incapable of teaching the Dharma? To sever this doubt, it says: Except after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa when no Buddha is present before them, hence they give rise to slander. Why is this? It explains the above meaning that an arhat does not believe in the ekayāna. Because after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa the Lotus Sūtra is difficult to hear and difficult to understand, an arhat becoming a Buddha—such a person is difficult to find.' The Dazhidulun says: 'The Lotus explains that an arhat becomes a Buddha; the meaning is exceedingly profound. An arhat becoming a Buddha—only a Buddha can understand it; commentators may properly discuss only other matters.' Even Nāgārjuna said he did not understand it; thus we know only a Buddha can understand it. The reason such a person is difficult to find is that they do not encounter the two conditions of person and Dharma. This arhat does not believe in the ekayāna. The 'Presenting Illness Chapter' of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: 'As the Buddha spoke of arhats, all shall attain nirvāṇa; such a profound sphere of practice of the Buddhas cannot be known by ordinary people and inferior fools.' Therefore, an arhat becoming a Buddha is the most difficult to understand; only a Buddha knows it, hence it is termed 'difficult to find'. Regarding 'If they encounter another Buddha, in this Dharma they will then attain decisive understanding': this text also comes to resolve doubts. Doubters say: Since this arhat does not get to encounter the Lotus [Sūtra] and a person who understands the meaning, when will they believe in the ekayāna? Therefore it explains: This arhat, born in a pure land outside the three realms, encounters another Buddha again, and upon hearing the Lotus Sūtra then attains decisive understanding. 'Attaining decisive understanding' means knowing the presence or absence of the three and the one, as well as the provisional and the real.