妙法蓮華經玄贊 5.86

5.86

授記差別者，《首楞嚴經》中「佛告堅意菩薩，授記凡有四種：有未發心而與授記，有適發心而與授記，有密授記，有得無生法忍現前授記，是名四種。唯有如來能知此事。」《寶雲經》中亦同此說。《瑜伽》四十六說略由六相，蒙諸如來於無上正等菩提授與記別。何等為六：一安住種姓未發心位，二已發心位，三現在前位，四不現前位。此上四種同《首楞嚴》，彼密授記即不現前在密處故；或得無生忍名現前，未得者名不現前；或身在座名為現前，身不在座名不現前，下第四卷與同記中有不在會，佛令傳記是。五有定時限，謂爾所時當證無上正等菩提。六無定時限，謂不宣說決定時限而與授記。今舍利弗即當第二第三第六，已發大心、現佛前住、無定時限故。《涅槃經》言「須陀洹八萬劫到，乃至阿羅漢二萬劫到，辟支佛十千劫到」，所言到者到阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，故知經爾所劫方到十信初心、始入初劫。〈菩薩地〉言「迂迴修行不如初心始業菩薩，耽寂滅味極深重故」。由此今言過無量劫方始供養若干千萬億佛行菩薩道等。有三決定：一種姓定，遇緣便能證於正覺；二發心定，發大心已更不退轉；三不虛行，定得自在已於利有情終不空過。初在地前，五種菩提中發心菩提故；次在初地，證發心故；後在八地。今依初定故與授記。

As for the distinctions among prophecies, in the Śūraṅgama-sūtra, 'The Buddha told Dṛḍhamati Bodhisattva: In general, there are four kinds of conferral of prophecy. There is conferring prophecy when the mind has not yet been generated; there is conferring prophecy just when the mind has been generated; there is conferring prophecy in secret; and there is conferring prophecy in person upon attaining the endurance of the non-arising of dharmas. These are called the four kinds. Only the Tathāgata is able to know these matters.' The Ratnamegha-sūtra also makes this same statement. The forty-sixth fascicle of the Yogācārabhūmi says that briefly, through six aspects, one receives the conferral of prophecy from the Tathāgatas regarding unexcelled, complete, and perfect awakening. What are the six? First, the state of abiding in the gotra without having yet generated the mind; second, the state of having already generated the mind; third, the state [of being] directly present; fourth, the state of not being directly present. The above four kinds are identical to those in the Śūraṅgama: its secret conferral of prophecy is precisely 'not directly present' because it is in a secret place; or else, attaining the endurance of non-arising is called 'directly present', while not yet attaining it is called 'not directly present'; or else, one's person being present in the assembly is called 'directly present', while one's person not being present in the assembly is called 'not directly present'—as below in the fourth fascicle, where among those given collective prophecy some are not in the assembly and the Buddha has the prophecy transmitted to them. Fifth, having a fixed time limit, meaning that after such-and-such an amount of time one shall realize unexcelled, complete, and perfect awakening. Sixth, having no fixed time limit, meaning that prophecy is conferred without proclaiming a definitive time limit. Now Śāriputra corresponds to the second, third, and sixth: having already generated the great mind, abiding present before the Buddha, and having no fixed time limit. The Nirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'A srotāpanna arrives in eighty thousand kalpas, and up to an arhat who arrives in twenty thousand kalpas, and a pratyekabuddha who arrives in ten thousand kalpas.' What is meant by 'arriving' is arriving at the mind of anuttarā samyaksambodhi; thus we know that only after passing through such kalpas does one reach the initial mind of the ten faiths and begin entering the first kalpa. The Bodhisattvabhūmi says: 'Those of circuitous practice are not equal to bodhisattvas who are at the initial mind of beginners, because [the former's] indulgence in the flavor of quiescence is exceedingly deep and heavy.' Therefore it is said now that only after passing through immeasurable kalpas does one begin making offerings to so many thousands of millions of buddhas, practicing the bodhisattva path, and so forth. There are three determinacies: first, determinacy of gotra, where upon encountering conditions one is immediately able to realize correct awakening; second, determinacy of generating the mind, where having generated the great mind one no longer regresses; third, non-vain practice, where having attained definitive mastery, one never acts in vain regarding the benefit of sentient beings. The first is before the [ten] grounds, among the five kinds of bodhi being the bodhi of generating the mind; the second is on the first ground, realizing the generation of the mind; the third is on the eighth ground. Here, based on the first determinacy, prophecy is conferred.