妙法蓮華經玄贊 7.233

7.233

贊曰：此品之中大文分二：初為四人現前記別，後品末有二頌半標當授記，為第三周說法之由。初復有二：初為大迦葉記，後為三大聲聞授記。初文又二：初長行，後偈頌。前長行有二：初因記，後果記。此初也。外遇良緣、內修妙行。「覲」見也。如文可知。然觀上下授記之人，應為四句：一在小無勝劣，在大即有之。如五百弟子同是無學，故小無勝劣；前後成佛轉次授記，故大有勝劣。二在小有勝劣、在大無勝劣，如學、無學人。在小，學與無學勝劣有殊；同時成佛故，在大無勝劣。三小劣而大勝，如阿難在學地得預流果，在羅睺前成佛。四小勝而大劣，如羅睺是無學，在阿難後成佛。今此四人不依根性，論位次者在小無勝劣，同無學故在大有勝劣。迦葉覲三百萬億佛，須菩提覲三百萬億那由他佛，迦旃延初覲八千億佛、後二萬億佛，大目揵連初覲八千諸佛、後值二百萬億佛。供養諸佛多小不同，故知作佛亦有前後。《涅槃經》說：「第四依菩薩供養八恒河沙佛」，今說小者，退心之人非樂廣行，且就一地位遇佛多少而與授記，非但爾所。亦不相違。今以此准《涅槃經》說「須陀洹人八萬劫到，乃至阿羅漢二萬劫到」者，以根性齊、修行遲速相似者說，不約根異行殊者說。今以根、行、利鈍、遲速故成四句，不爾義旨極為相違。

Commentary: Within this chapter, the general text is divided into two: first, directly bestowing prophecy for the four individuals; second, at the end of the chapter, two verses and a half indicate the future prophecies, which serve as the occasion for the third cycle of preaching the Dharma. The first section also has two parts: first, bestowing prophecy for Mahākāśyapa; second, bestowing prophecy for the three great śrāvakas. The first text again has two: first, prose; second, verses. The prose before has two: first, the prophecy of causes; second, the prophecy of fruition. This is the first. Externally encountering good conditions, internally cultivating wondrous practice. *Jin* (覲) means 'to have an audience with'. It can be known from the text. However, observing the persons receiving prophecy throughout the text, four propositions should be made: 1. In the small [vehicle] there is neither superior nor inferior, but in the great there is. For instance, the five hundred disciples are all alike non-learners, so in the small there is neither superior nor inferior; yet they become buddhas earlier or later, successively receiving prophecy, so in the great there is superior and inferior. 2. In the small there is superior and inferior, but in the great there is neither superior nor inferior. For instance, learners and non-learners: in the small, learners and non-learners differ in superiority and inferiority; but because they become buddhas at the same time, in the great there is neither superior nor inferior. 3. Inferior in the small but superior in the great. For example, Ānanda was in the stage of a learner having attained the fruit of stream-entry, yet he becomes a buddha before Rāhula. 4. Superior in the small but inferior in the great. For example, Rāhula is a non-learner, yet he becomes a buddha after Ānanda. Now, without relying on their capacities, in terms of their positional stages, these four individuals have neither superior nor inferior in the small because they are equally non-learners, but in the great there is superior and inferior. Kāśyapa has audience with three hundred myriad koṭis of buddhas; Subhūti has audience with three hundred myriad koṭis of nayutas of buddhas; Kātyāyana first has audience with eight thousand koṭis of buddhas, and later with twenty thousand koṭis of buddhas; Mahāmaudgalyāyana first has audience with eight thousand buddhas, and later encounters two hundred myriad koṭis of buddhas. Because the numbers of buddhas they make offerings to are diverse, we know that their becoming buddhas also occurs earlier or later. The *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* says: 'A bodhisattva of the fourth reliance makes offerings to buddhas as numerous as eight Ganges sands.' The small numbers mentioned now are because those who had fallen back did not delight in vast practices; it merely bestows prophecy with respect to the number of buddhas encountered in a single stage, not that it is only that many. Nor is there any contradiction. Now, using this to compare with the statement in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* that 'a srotāpanna arrives in eighty thousand kalpas, […] up to an arhat who arrives in twenty thousand kalpas,' this is spoken of those whose capacities are equal and whose cultivation is similar in speed or slowness, not taking into account different capacities and diverse practices. Now, because of capacities, practices, sharp or dull faculties, and speed or slowness, the four propositions are formed; otherwise, the doctrinal import would be utterly contradictory.