妙法蓮華經玄贊 7.347

7.347

贊曰：下第三周為下根說。准前二周亦為四段：此品佛以喻正化，第二後品之初滿慈領悟，第三後品之中次領悟後云「爾時佛告諸比丘汝等見是」下佛重述成，第四「諸比丘富樓那亦於七佛」下為之授記。初文有二：初說宿因令念退大以就小，後「諸比丘若如來自知涅槃時到眾又清淨」下，顯今果令知捨權以取實。初是說古因緣，令自了達往修大因退住小果，論名行無上說大通如來本事。後是述今得果，論名為破有定人實無而有增上慢，又為示現增長力無上故說商主喻。說初發大心，令今取大果；次說後果為化，令今捨小果。由此分二，初文有二：初說過去因緣結會佛自身事，後「諸比丘我等為沙彌時各各教化」下，明過去結緣會弟子事。此意總明過去曾化，已結大乘之緣，令生信解。故為此解。初文復二：初一長行、一偈頌明大通佛去今久近，後「佛告諸比丘大通智勝佛壽」下正明彼事。初長行有二：初明彼佛久近，後顯已能見。初中復二：初總告，後問答。初中有四：一時，二名，三國，四劫。此初也。

The Eulogy says: Below is the third cycle, spoken for those of inferior faculties. Following the pattern of the previous two cycles, it also comprises four sections: [first,] in this chapter, the Buddha corrects and transforms by means of a parable; second, at the beginning of the following chapter, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra attains awakening; third, in the middle of the following chapter, after that awakening, from "At that time the Buddha said to the monks: 'Do you see this...'" onward, the Buddha restates and confirms it; fourth, from "Monks, Pūrṇa also under the seven buddhas..." onward, he confers a prophecy upon him. The first text has two parts: first, he speaks of past causes, causing them to recall how they retreated from the Great [Vehicle] to adopt the Lesser; later, from "Monks, if a Tathāgata knows that the time of his nirvāṇa has arrived and the assembly is pure..." onward, he reveals the present fruition, causing them to realize they should abandon the provisional and take up the real. The first part is the explanation of ancient causes and conditions, causing them to comprehend on their own that in the past they cultivated great causes but retreated and abided in lesser fruitions; the Treatise designates this as "unsurpassed practice, recounting the former events of Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū Tathāgata." The latter part is the narration of the attainment of fruition at present; the Treatise designates this as "in order to demolish [the delusion of] people with fixed natures who have nothing in reality yet possess arrogance, and also to manifest the unsurpassed power of increment, he speaks the parable of the merchant guide." Speaking of their first generating the great resolve causes them now to attain the great fruition; next, speaking of the subsequent fruition as a conjuration causes them now to abandon the lesser fruition. Thus it is divided into two. The first text has two parts: first, he explains past causes and conditions, linking them to the Buddha's own past matters; later, from "Monks, when we were novices, we each taught and transformed..." onward, he clarifies the past forging of affinity, linking it to the disciples' affairs. The overall intention here is to clarify that in the past he had transformed them and already forged the affinity with the Great Vehicle, causing them to generate faith and understanding. Therefore he makes this explanation. The first text again has two parts: first, one prose passage and one verse passage clarifying the distance between the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū and the present; later, from "The Buddha said to the monks: 'The lifespan of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū...'" onward, he directly explains his matters. The first prose section has two parts: first, it clarifies that Buddha's temporal distance; later, it reveals that he himself is able to see it. The first part again has two: first, a general announcement; later, questions and answers. The first part contains four: first, the time; second, the name; third, the realm; fourth, the kalpa. This is the first.