妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.17

1.17

彰記行中有二：一彰記，二彰行。初彰記者，佛自成道未為聲聞授菩提記，今為授記故說是經。故下經云：「我設是方便，令得入佛慧，未曾說汝等，當得成佛道。所以未曾說，說時未至故；今正是其時，決定說大乘。又迦葉言：又今我等年已朽邁，於佛教化菩薩阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，不生一念好樂之心，我等今於佛前聞授聲聞阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記，心皆歡喜得未曾有。」又云：「或說修多羅、伽陀及本事、本生、未曾有。亦說於因緣、譬喻并祇夜、優婆提舍經。」唯為聲聞說此九部，不說授記、方廣、自說，故此以前未為授記，今為授記故說是經。

Regarding "manifesting prophecy and practice," there are two parts: first, manifesting prophecy; second, manifesting practice. First, manifesting prophecy: From the time the Buddha attained awakening, he had not bestowed prophecies of bodhi upon śrāvakas; now, to bestow prophecies upon them, this sūtra is taught. Hence the sūtra below states: "I set forth these expedient means / to cause them to enter the Buddha's wisdom; / I have never told you / that you would attain the Buddha-path. / The reason I never told you / was that the time to speak had not yet arrived; / now is precisely the time / to definitively preach the Mahāyāna." Kāśyapa also said: "Now we are old and decrepit; regarding the anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi teachings with which the Buddha converts bodhisattvas, not a single thought of joy or delight arose in us. Now, before the Buddha, hearing prophecies of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi bestowed upon śrāvakas, our minds are all filled with joy, having attained what we never had before." It also states: "Or preach sūtras, gāthās, and itivṛttakas, / jātakas, and adbhutadharmas; / also preach nidānas, avadānas, / along with geyas and upadeśa sūtras." Only these nine divisions of scriptures were preached for the śrāvakas, without preaching prophecies (vyākaraṇa), expansive scriptures (vaipulya), or spontaneous discourses (udāna). Therefore, before this, prophecy had not been bestowed; now, to bestow prophecy, this sūtra is taught.