妙法蓮華經玄贊 9.291

9.291

贊曰：下合。有二：一喜、二與。此初也。此明已破分段四魔，更起大心當破變易，有大功勳，故佛歡喜與此法華。非是一切但破分段四魔，不發大心，當破變易四魔，名大功勳者，而皆賜此經，趣寂聲聞不與之故，退心有學亦與之故。或復今者且據退心二乘無學，已破分段四魔，名大功勳，不說趣寂。四魔有二：一分段、二變易，如破魔章說。今隨要者，分段三魔體性可悉，欲界第六他化天子名曰天魔，變易三魔理亦可知，八地已上諸大菩薩示現為天魔。故《無垢稱》云：「示現為魔王者，多是不可思議解脫菩薩，唯有龍象能與龍象為戰諍故。」如前已說。然彼降位降時不同，如《理趣疏》。今依《大集經》說，知苦、斷集、證滅、脩道，如次能壞蘊、煩惱、死及與天魔。復次觀有漏皆苦、諸行無常、諸法無我、涅槃寂靜，如次壞蘊、煩惱、死及天魔。復次觀空、無相、無願，具此三已迴向菩提，如次壞四。復次觀身、受、心、法，如次壞四。《智度論》云：「菩薩得道故破煩惱魔，得法性身故破蘊魔，得道及法性身故破死魔，常一心入不動三昧故破天魔。」

The Eulogy states: Below is the application. There are two: first rejoicing, second granting. This is the first. This clarifies that having already defeated the four maras of delimited [birth and death], they further arouse the great mind and will defeat transformative [birth and death], possessing great merit; therefore the Buddha rejoices and grants this Lotus. It is not that all who merely defeat the four maras of delimited [birth and death] without generating the great mind to defeat the four maras of transformative [birth and death] are called those of great merit and are all granted this sūtra, because it is not given to śrāvakas who incline toward quiescence, whereas it is given to those in training who turn back their resolve. Or, here it is provisionally based on non-learners of the two vehicles who have turned back their resolve and already defeated the four maras of delimited [birth and death], calling this "great merit," and not referring to those who incline toward quiescence. There are two kinds of four maras: first, delimited; second, transformative, as expounded in the chapter on subduing maras. Now, following what is essential: the substance and nature of the three maras of delimited [birth and death] can be known; the son of heaven in the sixth Paranimmitavasavattin heaven of the desire realm is named the heavenly mara. The principle of the three maras of transformative [birth and death] can also be known; great bodhisattvas from the eighth ground upward manifest as heavenly maras. Therefore, the Vimalakīrti[-nirdeśa] says: "Those who manifest as mara kings are mostly bodhisattvas of inconceivable liberation, for only dragons and elephants can do battle with dragons and elephants," as explained previously. However, the stages and times of their subdual differ, as in the Lici Shu. Now, relying on the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, knowing suffering, abandoning the origin, realizing cessation, and cultivating the path can, in that order, destroy the aggregates, afflictions, death, and the heavenly mara. Furthermore, observing that all contaminated phenomena are suffering, all conditioned phenomena are impermanent, all phenomena are without self, and nirvāṇa is tranquil peace destroys, in that order, the aggregates, afflictions, death, and the heavenly mara. Furthermore, observing emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and having completed these three, dedicating toward bodhi destroys the four in that order. Furthermore, observing the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas destroys the four in that order. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: "Because bodhisattvas attain the path, they destroy the affliction mara; because they attain the dharmatā body, they destroy the aggregate mara; because they attain the path and the dharmatā body, they destroy the death mara; because they constantly single-mindedly enter the immovable samādhi, they destroy the heavenly mara."