法華義疏 2.98

2.98

"The entire Buddha-world shook in six ways": second, this explains the omen of the shaking of the earth. Going from heaven to earth represents the sequence. In terms of the signified meaning, although this sūtra unites the four vehicles to return equally to the single ultimate, the essential purpose of the teaching arises precisely for śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, extending secondarily to the two vehicles of humans and devas. Therefore, the earlier raining of the four flowers signifies the entry of the fourfold assembly of śrāvakas into the Buddha vehicle, and later extends to humans, devas, and the six destinies returning together to non-duality. Hence the Parable Chapter says: "Preaching for the sake of the śrāvakas the Mahāyāna sūtra named the Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma." That it does not directly say it is preached for humans and devas is proof of this. "The entire Buddha-world": as the land ruled by Śākyamuni entirely shook, it is called "entire"; hence the lower text says: "And this world shook in six ways." It can also be that the Buddha lands of the ten directions all shook, which is called "entire"; hence Mañjuśrī's verse says: "All Buddha lands / Immediately shook greatly." Furthermore, the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says: "That land is at the outermost edge, which is the edge of conditions for Śākyamuni's conversion." Here, clarifying the meaning of "entire" indicates that the conditions of those who can be converted are all-encompassing.