法華義疏 9.153

9.153

「若復有人」下，第二、歎兩世法師功德。所以前明弟子功德，今明法師功德者，凡有三義：一、從淺至深，前歎弟子淺功德；今歎師深功德。二者、前明弟子出所化之相，謂聞經隨喜即與受記，謂所化之相也；今明法師功德出能化之人相貌，有此相貌故是法師。三者、上告藥王列二世弟子令師識弟子；今出法師相貌令弟子識師，以師弟子相知則弘法化人義成也。就文為二：第一、別明二世法師功德；第二、通明信毀。初又二：前明佛在世二種法師，次辨佛滅後二種法師。初明二種法師即為二別：一者下品，二者上品。法師品位既多，今略明上下二品。約位而言，初依之人為下品，餘之三依為上品也。所以分此二者，初依具煩惱性既是凡位，是故為下品；後三同是聖位，故合為上品。然位義難知，聊寄一門以為次第也。初人又四：一、明現德則出法師相貌，謂有此相貌即是法師也。「藥王當知」下，第二、出成法師往因，即是明法師過去德也。「成就大願」者，明尋此人既供養多佛應生淨土，但成就大願故來生人間耳。「藥王若有人問」下，第三、明此法師未來世果。此人既現在弘宣大乘，過去殖因久積故必定成佛也。「何以故」下，舉現因釋當果也。「是人一切世間」下，第四、勸物供養。以具出法師三世功德，則是無上福田初心之佛，故應以佛供養而供養之。又弘於佛道，宜設以佛供。「何況盡能受持」下，第二、明上品法師。此人文理俱備故稱盡能受持也。

From "If there is again a person" downward is the second part, praising the merits of the Dharma masters of the two ages. Why the merits of disciples were clarified previously and the merits of Dharma masters are clarified now has three meanings in all: First, moving from the shallow to the profound: previously praising the disciples' shallow merit; now praising the masters' profound merit. Second, previously clarifying the disciples brought forth the characteristics of those who are transformed, meaning that hearing the sūtra and rejoicing in accord immediately brings the bestowal of prophecy, which refers to the characteristics of those who are transformed; now clarifying the Dharma masters' merits brings forth the features of the persons who are able to transform, for possessing these features makes one a Dharma master. Third, above, addressing Bhaiṣajyarāja and listing the disciples of two ages caused the masters to recognize the disciples; now bringing forth the features of the Dharma masters causes the disciples to recognize the masters. Because masters and disciples know each other, the meaning of propagating the Dharma and transforming people is accomplished. Within the text there are two parts: first, specifically clarifying the merits of the Dharma masters of the two ages; second, generally clarifying faith and slander. The first also has two: first, clarifying the two kinds of Dharma masters while the Buddha was in the world; next, distinguishing the two kinds of Dharma masters after the Buddha's extinction. First clarifying the two kinds of Dharma masters is divided into two: the first is the lower grade, and the second is the upper grade. Since the grades and ranks of Dharma masters are numerous, here the upper and lower grades are briefly clarified. In terms of rank, a person of the first refuge is the lower grade, and the remaining three refuges are the upper grade. Why these two are divided is that the first refuge possesses the nature of afflictions and is thus an ordinary rank, and is therefore the lower grade; while the latter three are alike in being noble ranks, and are thus combined as the upper grade. However, the meaning of ranks is difficult to know, so here one framework is provisionally adopted to provide an order. The first person also has four: 1. Clarifying present virtue, which brings forth the features of the Dharma master, meaning that possessing these features makes one a Dharma master. From "Bhaiṣajyarāja, you should know" downward is the second part, bringing forth the past causes that formed the Dharma master, which is clarifying the past virtue of the Dharma master. As for "fulfilling their great vow": this clarifies that, considering that this person has already made offerings to many Buddhas, they should have been born in a pure land, but because of fulfilling their great vow, they have come to be born in the human realm. From "Bhaiṣajyarāja, if someone asks" downward is the third part, clarifying the future fruit of this Dharma master. Since this person currently propagates and proclaims the Mahāyāna and their planting of causes in the past has long accumulated, they are bound to attain Buddhahood. From "Why?" downward, present causes are adduced to explain the future fruit. From "This person, by all the world" downward is the fourth part, encouraging beings to make offerings. Because the Dharma master's virtues of the three times are fully brought forth, they are an unsurpassed field of merit, a Buddha of initial aspiration; hence one should make offerings to them with offerings fit for a Buddha. Moreover, since they propagate the Buddha path, it is appropriate to provide them with offerings fit for a Buddha. From "How much more so if one is fully able to receive and uphold" downward is the second part, clarifying the Dharma master of the upper grade. In this person, both text and principle are fully complete, hence it is called "fully able to receive and uphold."