妙法蓮華經玄贊 10.470

10.470

贊曰：此上品受持為護。有五：一教其軌則三七日精通，二令見授道聞法得總持，三惡者不損，四正說神呪，五結己之力。「求索」者，須《法華》人，或凡所善願有規求者，於三七日一心精進者。《普賢觀經》明行法有五：一三七日即見，二七七日得見，三一生得見，四二生得見，五三生得見。此中古說上品精進一七日見，乃至第五品修三生方得見。又此不定，初見劣身可一七日，乃至三生得見勝身，修異長時方見勝故。「精進」者，彼說六法：一莊嚴道場，二洗身淨潔，三六時禮拜，四啟請六師，五晝夜讀誦大乘經典，六思惟甚深空法道理。作是觀時即見普賢，能滅百萬億阿僧祇生死重罪。未見六師文，今且釋者，釋迦佛為和上、文殊師利為阿闍梨、彌勒菩薩為教授師、十方佛為證者、十方菩薩摩訶薩為同法侶、普賢菩薩為懺悔戒主，方可懺悔受三聚戒等，如此啟請方見普賢。

Eulogy: This is protecting those of upper-grade receiving and upholding. There are five parts: first, teaching them the rules to master within three seven-day periods (twenty-one days); second, causing them to see [Samantabhadra], be conferred the Path, hear the Dharma, and attain dhāraṇī; third, evil beings not harming them; fourth, preaching the divine mantra; fifth, concluding with his own power. 'Seeking' refers to those who need the Lotus Sūtra, or in general those who have intentions and quests for good vows, who single-mindedly make vigorous effort for three seven-day periods. The Sūtra on the Contemplation of Samantabhadra explains five methods of practice: first, seeing him in three seven-day periods; second, being able to see him in seven seven-day periods; third, being able to see him in one lifetime; fourth, being able to see him in two lifetimes; fifth, being able to see him in three lifetimes. Ancient masters explained that the highest grade of vigorous effort brings vision in one seven-day period, and so on up to the fifth grade of practice, which brings vision only in three lifetimes. Furthermore, this is not fixed: seeing the inferior body initially may occur in one seven-day period, whereas seeing the superior body may take up to three lifetimes; one sees the superior only after long cultivation with distinct practices. 'Vigorous effort' in that text refers to six dharmas: first, adorning the bodhimaṇḍa; second, washing the body clean; third, bowing at the six times of day; fourth, entreating the six masters; fifth, reading and reciting Mahāyāna scriptures day and night; sixth, contemplating the principle of the profound Dharma of emptiness. When one performs this contemplation, one immediately sees Samantabhadra and can eradicate the grave offenses of birth-and-death of hundreds of thousands of koṭis of asaṃkhyeyas. Although the text on the six masters is not seen, it is now provisionally explained as: Śākyamuni Buddha as the upādhyāya, Mañjuśrī as the ācārya, Maitreya Bodhisattva as the teaching instructor, the buddhas of the ten directions as witnesses, the bodhisattva-mahāsattvas of the ten directions as Dharma companions, and Samantabhadra Bodhisattva as the master of confession and precepts. Only then can one confess, receive the three clusters of precepts, and so forth; entreating in this way, one then sees Samantabhadra.