法華義疏 5.118

5.118

《法華論》云「授聲聞記者，令聲聞得決定心，非謂聲聞成就法性故。以如來法身與聲聞法身無異故與授記，非即具足修行功德故，菩薩具足功德是故得記。」就文為二：初、明授上根人記，二、明大眾歡喜供養稱歎。初又二：前長行，次偈頌。長行為二：前辨行因，後辨得果。行因者謂三世行因也。前長行初明二萬億佛，所謂過去修因也。次云「我今還欲令汝憶念本願」下，明現在修因也。今文明未來修因也。就文為二：初、明修因時節；二、正辨修因。《涅槃經》云「有旃陀羅一發心於此賢劫成佛」，而身子云無量劫成佛者，就教則久近適時，約悟無生亦久近隨意，以悟無生不見久近相異，亦不見成不成異。故《經》云「無量劫一念，一念無量劫，無來無積聚，而現諸劫事」，則知了久近不二亦未曾久近。如《大品》云「生死道長，眾生性多，菩薩應如是正憶念，生死邊如虛空，眾生性邊亦如虛空，是中無生死往來亦無解脫者」，故久近非久近也。「供養若干」下，第二、正明修因。初明供養佛以植福，奉持正法以修慧，具足菩薩總結行成。

The Fahua lun says: "Conferring prophecy on a śrāvaka causes the śrāvaka to attain a resolute mind, not meaning that the śrāvaka has perfected the Dharma nature. Because the Tathāgata's dharmakāya is no different from the śrāvaka's dharmakāya, prophecy is conferred, not because he has already perfected the merits of practice; the bodhisattva has perfected merits, and therefore receives prophecy." In the text there are two parts: first, clarifying the conferment of prophecy on the person of superior faculties; second, clarifying the great assembly rejoicing, making offerings, and praising. The first also has two parts: first the prose, next the verses. The prose has two parts: first distinguishing the practice of the causes, later distinguishing the attainment of the fruit. Practicing the causes refers to practicing causes across the three periods of time. Earlier in the prose, it first clarified the twenty thousand billion buddhas, which is cultivating causes in the past. Next it says, from "I now wish again to cause you to recollect your original vow" onward, which clarifies cultivating causes in the present. The present text clarifies cultivating causes in the future. In the text there are two parts: first, clarifying the time period of cultivating causes; second, directly distinguishing the cultivation of causes. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: "There is a caṇḍāla who, with a single generation of the mind, will become a Buddha in this auspicious kalpa," yet for Śāriputra it says he will become a Buddha after immeasurable kalpas. In terms of teaching, the duration suits the occasion; regarding awakening to the unarisen, the duration is also at will, for awakening to the unarisen sees no difference between long and short duration, nor does it see any difference between attaining and not attaining. Hence the Sūtra says: "Immeasurable kalpas are a single thought-moment; a single thought-moment is immeasurable kalpas; without coming and without accumulation, yet manifesting the affairs of all kalpas." Thus one knows that comprehending long and short as non-dual has never been long or short. As the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra says: "The path of saṃsāra is long, and the nature of living beings is manifold. A bodhisattva should correctly contemplate thus: the boundary of saṃsāra is like space, and the boundary of the nature of living beings is also like space; in this there is neither saṃsāric coming and going, nor any who attains liberation." Therefore, long and short are not long and short. From "Making offerings to a certain number" onward: second, directly clarifying the cultivation of causes. First, clarifying making offerings to buddhas to plant merit, and upholding the true Dharma to cultivate wisdom; completing the bodhisattva [way] concludes in summary the completion of practice.