法華義疏 2.100

2.100

From "At that time, in the assembly" downward: second, beholding the omens with rejoicing. The text has two parts: first, explaining the persons beholding the omens. First, distinguishing the fourfold assembly: because the four flowers above directly signified the fourfold assembly awakening and entering the ekayāna, it now clarifies that the fourfold assembly, beholding the omens, rejoiced. "And the devas, nāgas [and so on]": because the six modes of earth-shaking above signified that humans, devas, and the six destinies all universally attain Buddhahood, it now lists the assembly of the six destinies rejoicing. That it does not list the bodhisattvas beholding the omens with rejoicing is because from the past it had already been preached that bodhisattvas become Buddhas, and thus there was no omen signifying this. The reason it does not clarify the bodhisattvas' rejoicing is that in the past the four vehicles had not yet been united in attaining Buddhahood, so there were omens signifying this; therefore it says that the people of the four vehicles beheld the omens and rejoiced. "Humans and non-humans": the ghosts and spirits of the eight classes were originally all non-humans, but transformed into human forms to come and listen to the preaching of the Dharma; hence they are called "humans and non-humans". From "All these in the great assembly" downward: directly clarifying their rejoicing. "Joining palms" signifies that the physical form had no divergent action; "single-mindedly" clarifies that the mental focus had no other object. Now, joy and reverence intermingled truly accord with the feeling of thirsting anticipation; various extraordinary omens arose simultaneously, prompting the surmise that an extraordinary teaching was to be given.