法華義疏 9.238

9.238

初章有四：一、明提婆過去世事；二、結會古今，明現在世事；第三、為提婆授記，明未來世事；第四、稱歎此品利益。初文二：前長行，次偈頌。長行又三：一、明釋迦積劫求經；二、辨仙人施法；三、明釋迦報恩供養。初又三句：第一、明過去受種種身常求《法華》。「於多劫中」下，第二、別作國王求無上道。此中，前明求果，「為欲滿足」下，次明修因。修因之中，初、總明欲滿六度，「懃行布施」下，略辨檀度。檀度之中初明外施，「頭目」已下，次辨內施。「時世人民」下，第三、正明求《法華經》時。「時有仙人」下，第二、仙人授法。「王聞其言」下，第三、為法懃苦報恩供養。七偈半頌上三章，即有三別：初兩偈，頌王求法；次二偈，頌仙人授法；次三偈半，頌王報恩。「佛告諸比丘」下，第二、結會古今，明現在世事。「告諸四眾」下，第三、為提婆達多授記，明未來世事。提婆為釋迦本師，今翻為授記，則知師弟子方便無定，違順等用亦適時為物。小乘經明提婆墮無間獄竟後成辟支佛，然今大乘中明未來成佛，然既隨緣違順，亦適時大小也。「二十中劫」者，然大劫有三、小劫亦有三，《雜心》文但說小劫以為中劫，《善星經》云十八小劫為一中劫也。「佛告諸比丘」下，第四、明說此品利益。所以偏言聞此品不生疑惑者，小乘經中明調達教世王殺父，汝若殺父我殺瞿曇，便有新王、新佛，不亦快乎！調達自造三逆，復教他造逆，則是極惡之人。今遂言是過去善友、未來成佛，學小乘者莫不驚疑，是故偏云不生疑惑。又外國諸小乘人不信方等，皆言是調達所作、非釋迦說；今勸信調達，即是勸信大乘也。「不墮地獄」者，依《成實論》明四輪治於八難，今明一念信《法華經》不疑此品，具離八難，「不墮地獄」，離三塗難；「生十方佛前」，離佛前佛後難也；常聞此經，離世智難；「若生人天中」，離聾音難；「若在佛前蓮華化生」，離邊地、長壽天難。

The first section has four parts: first, explaining Devadatta's affairs in past lifetimes; second, connecting past and present to explain the affairs of the present lifetime; third, conferring prophecy upon Devadatta to explain the affairs of future lifetimes; fourth, praising the benefits of this chapter. The first text has two parts: first prose, then verses. The prose also has three parts: first, explaining Śākyamuni's seeking of the sūtra across accumulated kalpas; second, identifying the ṛṣi's bestowing of the Dharma; third, explaining Śākyamuni's repaying of kindness through offerings. The first part also has three clauses: first, explaining his taking various bodies in the past and constantly seeking the Lotus Sūtra. From "Through many kalpas" onward, the second specifically explains his becoming a king to seek the unexcelled path. Within this, it first explains seeking the fruition, and from "Wishing to fulfill" onward, it next explains cultivating the causes. Within cultivating the causes, it first explains generally the wish to fulfill the six perfections, and from "diligently practiced giving" onward, it briefly identifies the perfection of giving (dāna-pāramitā). Within the perfection of giving, it first explains external giving, and from "head, eyes" onward, it next identifies internal giving. From "The people of the world at that time" onward, the third correctly explains the time of seeking the Lotus Sūtra. From "At that time there was a ṛṣi" onward is the second: the ṛṣi conferring the Dharma. From "The king, hearing his words" onward is the third: diligently toiling for the Dharma to repay kindness through offerings. Seven and a half verses versify the above three sections, having three divisions: the first two verses versify the king seeking the Dharma; the next two verses versify the ṛṣi conferring the Dharma; the next three and a half verses versify the king repaying kindness. From "The Buddha told the monks" onward is the second: connecting past and present to explain the affairs of the present lifetime. From "Told the fourfold assembly" onward is the third: conferring prophecy on Devadatta to explain the affairs of future lifetimes. Devadatta was Śākyamuni's original teacher, yet now conversely receives a prophecy from him; thus one knows that expedients of teacher and disciple are not fixed, and using adverse and accordant [means] alike is also adapted to circumstances for the sake of beings. The Hīnayāna sūtras explain that Devadatta fell into the Avīci Hell and will later become a pratyekabuddha; yet here in the Mahāyāna, it explains that he will become a buddha in the future. As adverse and accordant [means] accord with conditions, so too do the Greater and Lesser [Vehicles] adapt to circumstances. As for "twenty intermediate kalpas," there are three kinds of great kalpas and three kinds of small kalpas; the text of the *Saṃyuktābhidharmahṛdaya* speaks only of small kalpas as intermediate kalpas, while the *Sunakṣatra Sūtra* states that eighteen small kalpas constitute one intermediate kalva. From "The Buddha told the monks" onward is the fourth: explaining the benefits of expounding this chapter. As for why it specifically states that hearing this chapter without giving rise to doubt and perplexity [yields benefit]: in the Hīnayāna sūtras, it is explained that Devadatta instructed King Ajātaśatru to kill his father, saying, "If you kill your father, I will kill Gautama; then there will be a new king and a new buddha—will that not be wonderful!" Devadatta himself committed three heinous sins and further instructed another to commit heinous sins; he is thus a person of ultimate evil. Now it is unexpectedly stated that he was a virtuous friend in the past and will become a buddha in the future; those who study the Lesser Vehicle cannot fail to be astonished and doubtful, which is why it specifically says "without giving rise to doubt and perplexity." Furthermore, followers of the Lesser Vehicle in foreign lands do not believe in the vaipulya [sūtras], all claiming they were composed by Devadatta and not spoken by Śākyamuni; now admonishing them to believe in Devadatta is precisely admonishing them to believe in the Mahāyāna. As for "does not fall into hell": relying on the *Tattvasiddhi-śāstra*, which explains four wheels remedying the eight difficulties, here it explains that a single thought of believing in the Lotus Sūtra without doubting this chapter fully frees one from the eight difficulties: "does not fall into hell" frees one from the difficulty of the three bad destinies; "is born before the buddhas of the ten directions" frees one from the difficulty of being born before or after a buddha; constantly hearing this sūtra frees one from the difficulty of worldly intellect; "if born among humans or gods" frees one from the difficulty of deafness and muteness; "if born transformationally from a lotus before a buddha" frees one from the difficulties of remote borderlands and long-lived heavens.