法華義疏 9.159

9.159

「藥王當知」下，第二、寄人歎。凡有五歎：一者、為佛衣所覆。《注經》云「以一極為衿帶，無斷常之飄落」，解從佛所來，故曰以佛衣覆之。「又為他方」下，第二、佛護念歎。以弘經人行與佛應故為佛護念，令外惡不侵為護，內善得生為念也。「是人有大信力」下，第三、內善成就歎。信於三乘名為小信，今信一乘稱為大信。初有信力、次起大願，則菩提心名志願力，次修菩薩行謂諸善根力，此三則次第也。「當知是人與如來共宿」，第四歎。共宿有二種：一者、自行論共宿，一乘之理是佛栖止，弘經之人亦住其中，故言共宿。二者、化他共宿，佛以生死為長夜，應迹居生死中為物說經為宿止，此人能入理弘經參乎應迹謂共宿也。「則為如來手摩其頭」者，第五歎。父母念子故手摩其頭，持經之人既是佛子，理應重愛。《注經》云「手摩表弘法人得宿止也。頭表其行高也」。又釋佛以一乘智手摩其心頂勸其受持，故言手摩其頭也。

From “Bhaiṣajyarāja, you should know” onward is the second part, praising with reference to the person. There are altogether five praises: First, being covered by the Buddha's robe. The Zhujing says: “Taking the single ultimate as lapel and sash, free from the fluttering fall of annihilationism and eternalism”; understanding comes from the Buddha, hence it is said that he is covered with the Buddha’s robe. From “and by the [Buddhas of] other directions” onward is the second praise, of the Buddha's protective mindfulness. Because the practice of the propagator of the sūtra accords with the Buddha, he is protected and mindfully remembered by the Buddha: preventing external evil from invading constitutes “protection,” and causing internal good to arise constitutes “mindfulness.” From “This person has great power of faith” onward is the third praise, of the accomplishment of internal good. Having faith in the triyāna is called “minor faith”; now, having faith in the ekayāna is called “great faith.” First having the power of faith, next giving rise to the great vow—this is the bodhicitta termed the power of resolve and aspiration; next cultivating bodhisattva practice, termed the power of the roots of good. These three follow in sequence. “You should know that this person dwells together with the Tathāgata” is the fourth praise. “Dwelling together” has two kinds: first, dwelling together in terms of self-cultivation—the principle of the ekayāna is where the Buddha abides, and the propagator of the sūtra also abides within it, so it is called “dwelling together.” Second, dwelling together in terms of converting others—the Buddha regards saṃsāra as a long night, and in his manifest trace resides within saṃsāra expounding the sūtras for living beings, which is his “dwelling”; this person is able to enter the principle, propagate the sūtra, and participate in the manifest trace, which is called “dwelling together.” Regarding “his head is stroked by the Tathāgata's hand”: this is the fifth praise. Parents think of their children and so stroke their heads with their hands; since the keeper of the sūtra is a child of the Buddha, by principle he should be deeply cherished. The Zhujing says: “The hand stroking symbolizes that the propagator of the Dharma has attained a place to dwell; the head symbolizes the loftiness of his practice.” Another explanation is that the Buddha uses the hand of ekayāna wisdom to stroke the crown of his mind, encouraging him to receive and uphold it; hence it says “his head is stroked by the hand.”