妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.19

1.19

利今後中有二：一利今，二利後。初利今者，法華一會所有凡聖，宜聞法華而得益故，此有二類：一果記利，二現證利。果記利者，即為三機世尊三周說一乘義，會二破二以利益今。〈方便品〉下至〈譬喻品〉鶖子得記八部喜讚已來為第一周。經云：「諸佛世尊唯以一大事因緣故出現於世，乃至諸佛以方便力於一佛乘分別說三。」故舍利弗聞是說已，〈譬喻品〉中深生領解，佛述成已便得授記。其〈譬喻品〉中舍利弗請下佛說譬喻，并〈信解品〉、〈藥草喻品〉、〈授記品〉為第二周。〈譬喻品〉云：「如來亦復如是，為一切眾生之父，乃至舍利弗以是因緣當知諸佛方便力故於一佛乘分別說三。」大迦葉等聞是說已，〈信解品〉中方生領悟，〈藥草喻品〉佛重述成，〈授記品〉中佛便為大迦葉、須菩提、摩訶迦旃延、大目犍連四人授記。其〈化城喻品〉、〈五百弟子授記品〉、〈授學無學人記品〉為第三周。〈化城喻品〉初說大通智勝佛事令其憶念，復云：「諸比丘！若如來自知涅槃時到，乃至但是如來方便之力，於一佛乘分別說三。」富樓那等聞是說已，於〈五百弟子授記品〉中深生領解，佛述成已便為五百弟子及學無學人授記，即是利今聲聞眾也。經出六處示現授記：一者別記，舍利弗及四大聲聞眾所知識，名號不同故與別記。二者同記，富樓那等五百人千二百人，同一名故俱時與記。三者後記，學、無學等非眾所知識，共同一號就下根中後時與記。四無怨記，示現如來無怨惡故，與提婆達多記。五通行記，顯示女人在家出家修菩薩行皆證佛果，故與比丘尼及天女記。此上五記說今時益皆如來記。六具因記，常不輕菩薩禮拜讚歎言「我不輕汝，汝等皆當作佛」，示現眾生皆有佛性故，此之一種菩薩與記，說往時益。初三及第五利聞《法華》記，餘之二種非由聞此記。然前五記並名利今，即果記利也。然諸聲聞授記以後，受變易生，相狀體義至後當知。

Regarding 'benefiting the present and future', there are two aspects: first, benefiting the present, and second, benefiting the future. First, regarding benefiting the present: all ordinary beings and sages in the single assembly of the Lotus [Sūtra] were suited to hear the Lotus [Sūtra] and thereby receive benefit. Here there are two kinds: first, the benefit of prophecies of fruition; second, the benefit of present realization. The benefit of prophecies of fruition refers to the Bhagavat expounding the meaning of the Single Vehicle in three cycles for the three faculties, unifying the two and refuting the two in order to benefit the present [beings]. From the 'Expedient Means Chapter' down to the 'Parable Chapter' where Śāriputra received his prophecy and the eight classes [of devas and nāgas] rejoiced and praised constitutes the first cycle. The sūtra says: 'The buddhas, the Bhagavats, appear in the world solely for the sake of the causes and conditions of one great matter,' down to, 'the buddhas, by the power of expedient means, differentiate and explain three within the one buddha-vehicle.' Thus, after Śāriputra heard this exposition, he gave rise to deep understanding in the 'Parable Chapter', and after the Buddha confirmed it, he thereupon received his prophecy. From where Śāriputra makes his request in the 'Parable Chapter' down to the Buddha expounding the parable, together with the 'Faith and Understanding Chapter', the 'Parable of the Medicinal Herbs Chapter', and the 'Prophecy Chapter', constitutes the second cycle. The 'Parable Chapter' says: 'The Tathāgata is also like this, being the father of all sentient beings,' down to, 'Śāriputra, for this reason you should know that the buddhas, by the power of expedient means, differentiate and explain three within the one buddha-vehicle.' After Mahākāśyapa and the others heard this exposition, only then did they give rise to realization in the 'Faith and Understanding Chapter'; the Buddha reconfirmed it in the 'Parable of the Medicinal Herbs Chapter', and in the 'Prophecy Chapter', the Buddha thereupon bestowed prophecies upon the four persons: Mahākāśyapa, Subhūti, Mahākātyāyana, and Mahāmaudgalyāyana. The 'Parable of the Conjured City Chapter', the 'Prophecy for Five Hundred Disciples Chapter', and the 'Prophecy for Those in Training and Beyond Training Chapter' constitute the third cycle. In the beginning of the 'Parable of the Conjured City Chapter', [the Buddha] first speaks of the past events of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū to cause them to remember, and further says: 'O monks! If the Tathāgata knows himself that the time of nirvāṇa has arrived,' down to, 'it is merely by the power of the Tathāgata's expedient means that he differentiates and explains three within the one buddha-vehicle.' After Pūrṇa and the others heard this exposition, they gave rise to deep understanding in the 'Prophecy for Five Hundred Disciples Chapter', and after the Buddha confirmed it, he thereupon bestowed prophecies upon the five hundred disciples and those in training and beyond training. This refers to benefiting the assembly of śrāvakas of the present. The sūtra sets forth six places where it manifests the bestowing of prophecies: First is individual prophecy: Śāriputra and the four great śrāvakas were known to the assembly, and because their names and titles are different, they were given individual prophecies. Second is collective prophecy: Pūrṇa and the other five hundred persons and the twelve hundred persons, because they have the same name, were given prophecies together at the same time. Third is subsequent prophecy: those in training and beyond training and others were not known to the assembly; sharing a single common title and belonging to the lower faculties, they were given prophecies subsequently. Fourth is prophecy without enmity: to manifest that the Tathāgata holds neither resentment nor enmity, he bestowed a prophecy upon Devadatta. Fifth is universally applicable prophecy: to show that women, whether lay or monastic, who practice the bodhisattva path will all realize the fruit of buddhahood, he therefore bestowed prophecies upon the bhikṣuṇīs and the deva maiden. The above five kinds of prophecy expound benefits for the present time, and all are prophecies by the Tathāgata. Sixth is prophecy with complete causes: Sadāparibhūta Bodhisattva bowed in reverence and praised, saying, 'I do not disparage you, for you will all become buddhas,' to manifest that sentient beings all possess the buddha-nature. This single kind of prophecy was bestowed by a bodhisattva, expounding benefit from times past. The first three and the fifth are prophecies of the benefit of hearing the Lotus [Sūtra]; the remaining two kinds are not prophecies resulting from hearing this [sūtra]. However, the former five kinds of prophecy are all called 'benefiting the present', which is the benefit of prophecies of fruition. As for the śrāvakas, after receiving their prophecies, they undergo transformation-body birth; its characteristics and essential meaning will be known below.