法華義疏 12.48

12.48

The initial question has three parts: first, the person asking the question; second, the etiquette of the question; third, the question itself. The reply that follows also has three: the person asking the question is the mental karma; the etiquette of the question is the bodily karma; and the posing of the question is the vocal karma. The three sections together have ten phrases. "At that time" marks the time of the question. Because eighty-four thousand people in the assembly were due to generate the [bodhi] resolve, the question was asked in accord with the right time. "Akṣayamati" is the second: the person asking the question. It has two parts: first, the specific name; second, the common title. In foreign languages he is called *Akṣayamati*; here translated as "Inexhaustible Intent" (Wujin-yi). The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* says: "When he first generated the mind, it was already inexhaustible; how much more so could his wisdom, supernatural powers, compassion, and preaching of the Dharma ever be exhausted?" Correctly speaking, because sentient beings are inexhaustible, great compassion is boundless; hence he is called Akṣayamati. "Bodhisattva" is the second: the common title. The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* says: "This person is a Great Being bound to one more birth of the Tathāgata Samantabhadra in the world of Animiṣa in the east." In terms of his origin, he is a teacher of all buddhas of the ten directions, and all those whom he transformed have already attained buddhahood.