法華義疏 8.143

8.143

第六、總料簡門者，《法華論》明此經有六種授記：一者、舍利弗、迦葉等眾所知識故，名號不同故與別記。二者、富樓那等五百人、千二百人等同一名，故俱時與記。三者、學無學人等俱同一名，又非眾所知識，故一時與記。四者、與提婆達多記示，現如來無怨惡故。五者、與比丘尼及諸天女等記，示現女人在家出家修菩薩行皆證佛果故。此五是如來自與授記。第六、常不輕與四眾記，示現眾生有佛性故。今更以四句釋之：一者、同時得記成佛有前後，如五百羅漢是也。二者、同時得記同時成佛，如學無學二千人是也。三者、前後得記前後成佛，如四大聲聞是也。四者、前後得記同時成佛，義應有之。又有四句：一者、小乘無優劣、大乘有優劣，如五百弟子同時成羅漢，故小乘無優劣，而轉次成佛，如初人成佛竟授第二人記，故大乘有優劣。二者、小乘有優劣、大乘無優劣，如學無學二千人，有學無學故小乘有優劣，同時成佛故大乘無優劣。三者、小乘劣、大乘勝，如阿難住初果故劣，羅云得第四果故勝，而阿難在前成佛，羅云在後成佛，故大乘勝。四者、小乘勝、大乘劣，則羅云得第四果故勝，阿難在學地故劣，而阿難在前、羅云在後則其事也。

Sixth, as for the section on general evaluation: The Fahua lun clarifies that this sūtra has six kinds of conferment of prophecy: First, because Śāriputra, Kāśyapa, and others are known to the multitude and their names and titles are different, they are conferred with individual prophecies. Second, because Pūrṇa and the others among the five hundred, the twelve hundred, and so forth, share the same name, they are conferred with prophecies at the same time. Third, because the trainees, adepts, and others all share the same name and are not known to the multitude, they are conferred with prophecies simultaneously. Fourth, conferring prophecy on Devadatta is to reveal that the Tathāgata has no resentment or hatred. Fifth, conferring prophecies on nuns, heavenly women, and others is to reveal that women, whether lay or monastic, who practice the bodhisattva path will all realize the fruit of Buddhahood. These five are prophecies personally conferred by the Tathāgata. Sixth, Sadāparibhūta conferring prophecies on the fourfold assembly is to reveal that sentient beings have the Buddha-nature. Now this is further explained by four propositions: First, receiving prophecy at the same time but attaining Buddhahood at different times, as with the five hundred arhats. Second, receiving prophecy at the same time and attaining Buddhahood at the same time, as with the two thousand trainees and adepts. Third, receiving prophecy at different times and attaining Buddhahood at different times, as with the four great śrāvakas. Fourth, receiving prophecy at different times and attaining Buddhahood at the same time; logically, this should also exist. Furthermore, there are four propositions: First, Hīnayāna has no superiority or inferiority, while Mahāyāna has superiority and inferiority: for example, the five hundred disciples attained arhatship simultaneously, so the Hīnayāna has no superiority or inferiority, but they become Buddhas successively, such that when the first person finishes becoming a Buddha, they confer prophecy on the second person, so the Mahāyāna has superiority and inferiority. Second, Hīnayāna has superiority and inferiority, while Mahāyāna has no superiority or inferiority: for example, among the two thousand trainees and adepts, because there are trainees and adepts, Hīnayāna has superiority and inferiority, yet because they attain Buddhahood at the same time, Mahāyāna has no superiority or inferiority. Third, Hīnayāna is inferior while Mahāyāna is superior: for example, Ānanda abides in the first fruit and is thus inferior, while Rāhula attains the fourth fruit and is thus superior; yet Ānanda attains Buddhahood first and Rāhula attains Buddhahood later, so Mahāyāna is superior. Fourth, Hīnayāna is superior while Mahāyāna is inferior: Rāhula attains the fourth fruit and is thus superior, while Ānanda is in the stage of a trainee and is thus inferior; and that Ānanda precedes while Rāhula follows is precisely this case.