法華義疏 5.27

5.27

「而白佛言」下，第二、發言自敘領解，候得其機乃敢發言也。又上是身心喜敬，今則口述領解也。就文為三：初、標喜；二、釋喜；三、結喜。標中二句：一、標得喜之由；二、正明得喜。「聞此法音」者，即〈方便品〉「同歸一音」，謂得解之由也。「心懷踊躍」，第二、正明喜也。既聞所未聞，故稱得未曾有也。「所者何」下，第二、釋喜。以喜義未彰故宜釋所以。就文為二：初、序昔迷故致憂；二、明今解故喜。初文復開為二：一、序昔悔；二、明昔疑。以失大故悔、取小故疑，疑悔既生則內心不悅，故須明此二也。然取小既疑，失大亦爾，失大既悔亦悔取小，此義互通也。「我昔從佛聞如是法」者，總敘昔日聞法也。「見諸菩薩授記作佛」者，別明所聞事也。又向序聞法、此敘見人，一會之中備有人法，故具陳也。然見諸菩薩受記作佛可通大小，大乘中論《波若》已上、竟《法華》之前，皆明授菩薩記；然三藏中亦有此說，《釋論》云「中本末阿含經，記彌勒作佛，明土淨人華神德無量」，身子見此便起悔心也。「而我等不預斯事甚自感傷」者，哀傷己等不預勝流也。「失於如來無量知見」者，既失偶於同朋，又喪果於無量，何苦如之？所以傷歎也。

From 'and addressed the Buddha, saying' onward is the second part: speaking to narrate his expression of understanding; having waited for the right opportunity, he then dared to speak. Furthermore, the preceding was joy and reverence of body and mind; this is now verbally stating his expression of understanding. Regarding the text, there are three parts: first, indicating the joy; second, explaining the joy; third, concluding the joy. Within the indication there are two clauses: first, indicating the cause of attaining joy; second, directly showing the attainment of joy. 'Hearing this Dharma sound' refers to 'all returning to the one sound' in the Expedient Means Chapter, which is the cause of attaining understanding. 'His mind embraced ecstatic joy' is the second: directly showing the joy. Having heard what he had never heard before, it is therefore called attaining what was unprecedented. From 'Why is this?' onward is the second: explaining the joy. Because the meaning of the joy was not yet manifest, it is appropriate to explain the reason. Regarding the text, there are two parts: first, recounting his former delusion which brought about grief; second, explaining his present understanding which caused joy. The first text is again divided into two: first, recounting his former regret; second, explaining his former doubts. Because he lost the great, he felt regret; because he seized the small, he had doubts. Once doubts and regrets arose, his inner mind was displeased; hence these two had to be explained. However, just as he doubted seizing the small, so it was with losing the great; just as he regretted losing the great, he also regretted seizing the small: these meanings are mutually connected. 'I formerly heard such Dharma from the Buddha' is an overall narration of formerly hearing the Dharma. 'And saw the bodhisattvas receive prophecies of attaining Buddhahood' specifically clarifies the matter heard. Furthermore, the previous [clause] recounted hearing the Dharma; this recounts seeing the persons. In a single assembly both persons and Dharma are present, so he stated them completely. However, seeing the bodhisattvas receive prophecies of attaining Buddhahood can apply to both great and small: within the Mahāyāna, from the Prajñāpāramitā onward up to the point just before the Lotus Sūtra, all clarify conferring prophecies on bodhisattvas; yet within the Tripiṭaka there is also this explanation. The Treatise [on the Great Prajñāpāramitā] states: 'The Madhyama, Mūla, and Uttara Āgamas prophesy Maitreya attaining Buddhahood, explaining that his land is pure, the people splendid, and his spiritual virtues immeasurable.' Śāriputra, seeing this, then gave rise to feelings of regret. 'Yet we did not participate in this matter, and I was deeply grieved' means lamenting that he and his kind were not included in the superior stream. 'Losing the Tathāgata's immeasurable knowledge and vision' means: having missed out on parity with his companions, and having also forfeited the fruit of the immeasurable—what suffering could compare to this? That is why he grieved and sighed.