法華義疏 2.178

2.178

Maitreya wishes to reveal that the buddhas of other lands, prior to the Lotus Sūtra, have three matters: first, the existence of sentient beings of the six destinies; second, the emergence of the buddhas in the world; third, the preaching of the fundamental and branch Dharma-wheels. Using the other to illuminate this, it clarifies that Śākyamuni, prior to the Lotus Sūtra, also possessed three matters: first, having sentient beings to be transformed; second, having the emergence of Śākyamuni in the world; third, preaching the fundamental teaching of the Avataṃsaka and the branch wheel of the triyāna. By using three lines to conclude the preceding, it reveals the matters prior to the Lotus Sūtra above; by using three lines to introduce the subsequent, it reveals the matters of the buddhas of other lands from the Lotus Sūtra onward. Prior to the Lotus Sūtra there are the two wheels of root and branch; from the Lotus Sūtra onward and up to the Nirvāṇa, they all gather the branches back to the root, which is the ekayāna Dharma-wheel. If one did not conclude the preceding and introduce the subsequent, one would not be able to reveal the gates of the teaching in the two periods before and after the Lotus Sūtra. 'I shall now briefly explain': the preceding was broad in matter but concise in words; 'broad in matter' refers to the three matters of the six destinies, the transforming lord, and the gate of the teaching. 'Concise in words' means that the verse lines were few. The present is concise in matter but broad in words; 'concise in matter' refers to the two matters of the bodhisattvas and the erection of stūpas. 'Broad in words' means that the verses are numerous. This is to clarify broad and concise in contrast to what precedes. Next, directly clarifying broad and concise with respect to what follows: the matters seen regarding the bodhisattvas and the erection of stūpas are numerous, but he now only explains them briefly; this is clarifying that the explanation is concise in contrast to the broadness of the seeing, and therefore it is called 'brief'. Thus the earlier text states: 'and hundreds of thousands of myriads of matters as numerous as these'—this is the multitude of matters; 'I shall now briefly explain'—this is the conciseness of words.