法華義疏 9.224

9.224

「以大音聲」下，第五，命覓弘經人。就文為二：一者長行、二者偈頌。偈文為二：一者、頌諸佛來意；二、頌命覓弘經人。所以頌諸佛來意，有二種義：一者、時眾雖覩多寶涌現、分身佛集，並未達來意，故今釋之。二者、將欲命覓弘經人，故前敘二佛來意以高勵下，釋成命持經意。初文為二：一、釋多寶來意；二、釋分身集意。二佛各為三義故來。釋多寶來意有三：初一行半，以高勵下故來；次一行偈，顯法難遇故來；次一行偈，舉佛本願故來，釋成上二義。「又我分身」下，第二、釋分身集亦有三意：初一行，明為聽法故來；次半行，欲開寶塔顯真常應滅故來；「各捨妙土」下，第三、令法久住故來。就文又三：初一行半，標為法久住故來；次五行，釋為法久住故來；後半行，結法久住故來也。「告諸大眾」下，第二、頌命覓弘經人。頌多寶佛，明過去世佛弘《法華》；頌分身佛，明現在世佛弘《法華經》；今命諸菩薩弘經，即辨未來佛弘經，此即三世諸佛共弘此經。

From "With a great voice" onward is the fifth [section], commanding [the assembly] to seek persons to propagate the sūtra. In the text there are two [parts]: first, the prose; second, the verses. The verse text has two [parts]: first, versifying the purpose of the buddhas' coming; second, versifying the command to seek persons to propagate the sūtra. There are two meanings for versifying the purpose of the buddhas' coming: first, although the assembly at that time beheld Prabhūtaratna welling forth and appearing, and the emanated buddhas gathering, they had not understood their purpose in coming, so this is now explained; second, being about to command them to seek persons to propagate the sūtra, he first recounts the purpose of the two buddhas' coming to encourage the lower by means of the exalted, explaining and establishing the intention of commanding them to uphold the sūtra. The first text has two [parts]: first, explaining the purpose of Prabhūtaratna's coming; second, explaining the purpose of the emanated bodies' gathering. The two buddhas each come for three reasons. Explaining the purpose of Prabhūtaratna's coming has three: the first stanza and a half shows he comes to encourage the lower by means of the exalted; the next stanza shows he comes to reveal that the Dharma is difficult to encounter; the next stanza shows he comes by citing the Buddha's original vow, explaining and establishing the two meanings above. From "Furthermore, my emanated bodies" onward, the second [part], explaining the gathering of the emanated bodies, also has three intentions: the first stanza explains they come to hear the Dharma; the next half-stanza explains they come wishing to open the jeweled stūpa to reveal that the truly eternal manifests extinction; from "Each abandoning their wondrous lands" onward, the third shows they come to make the Dharma abide for a long time. In the text there are again three: the first stanza and a half sets forth that they come for the Dharma to abide for a long time; the next five stanzas explain that they come for the Dharma to abide for a long time; the latter half-stanza concludes that they come for the Dharma to abide for a long time. From "He addressed the great assembly" onward is the second [part], versifying the command to seek persons to propagate the sūtra. Versifying Prabhūtaratna Buddha explains that buddhas of the past propagate the Lotus; versifying the emanated buddhas explains that buddhas of the present propagate the Lotus Sūtra; now commanding the bodhisattvas to propagate the sūtra explains that buddhas of the future propagate the sūtra: this is the buddhas of the three times jointly propagating this sūtra.