妙法蓮華經玄贊 4.273

4.273

贊曰：下第六段有七頌，頌前第一未聞令聞，分四：二頌法說四希，二頌半喻顯二希，一頌半勸信，一頌歎結。此初也。一佛出希，二說法希，三難聞希，四能聽希。佛出希者，如賢劫千佛，今第九住劫已四佛出，後第十劫彌勒佛出，至第十五劫有九百九十四佛出；此劫壞已，鶻盧支佛獨王一劫，經十二劫後始有星宿劫，千佛中初淨光稱王佛出，後更三百劫空過無有佛，故佛希也。如迦葉佛住壽七日不說此法，及今釋迦成佛四十年方說此經，故是說希。常處八難，叵與佛相逢，故難聞希。雖逢出日，更聞小乘不希大法，故能聽希。

The Commentary says: The sixth section below contains seven verses, which versify the previous first [topic], 'causing those who have not heard to hear.' It is divided into four parts: two verses set forth four rarities in terms of the Dharma; two and a half verses use parables to reveal two rarities; one and a half verses exhort faith; and one verse praises and concludes. This is the first.
First, the appearance of a buddha is rare; second, the preaching of the Dharma is rare; third, it is rare that it is difficult to hear; and fourth, those able to listen are rare.
As for the appearance of a buddha being rare: as with the thousand buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa, in the present ninth kalpa of abiding four buddhas have already appeared; later in the tenth kalpa Maitreya Buddha will appear; up to the fifteenth kalpa nine hundred and ninety-four buddhas will appear. After this kalpa is destroyed, the Buddha Huluozhi alone will reign for one kalpa. After twelve kalpas pass, the Nakṣatrakalpa will begin; among its thousand buddhas, King Śuddhaprabhāsa Buddha will be the first to appear; and later three hundred kalpas will pass in vain without a buddha. Therefore, a buddha is rare.
As when Kāśyapa Buddha lived for seven days without preaching this Dharma, and when the present Śākyamuni took forty years after attaining buddhahood before preaching this sūtra, preaching is rare.
One constantly dwells in the eight difficulties and can hardly encounter a buddha, so it is rare that it is difficult to hear.
Although one encounters the sun emerging, one still listens to the Hinayana and does not aspire to the Great Dharma, so those able to listen are rare.