妙法蓮華經玄贊 9.429

9.429

解妨者，何故不以醫師為品名，以壽量為品號？答：因三身之壽命，方假喻於醫師，故從本壽量為名，不以醫師為品號。又難，初科品云，先陳壽量，除根未熟不集功德之人增上慢。何故非是法華正宗乃是流通分攝？答：當機應時即熟一乘，正逗聲聞故為正宗；示滅後化初根未熟，故非正說。故雖說於壽量，不授記於聲聞；故雖說於醫師，亦無聲聞授記。以此智積前者請歸，不爾中途請還何速？由斯此品但是流通，說為正宗便無是妨。

Regarding the resolution of objections: Why is "Physician" not used as the chapter name, but "Span of Life" taken as the chapter title? Answer: Because of the lifespan of the three bodies, one only then borrows the parable of the physician; therefore, it takes its name from the primary [subject of] lifespan, and does not use "Physician" as the chapter title. A further challenge: The initial rubrication of the chapters stated that first presenting the lifespan removes the excessive conceit of those with unripened faculties who do not gather merits. Why is it not the main doctrinal body of the Lotus, but subsumed under the dissemination section? Answer: Fitting the capacity and responding to the time, immediately ripening the Single Vehicle, it directly addresses the śrāvakas and is therefore the main doctrinal body; manifesting extinction to transform those of initially unripened faculties later on is therefore not the main teaching. Thus, although it speaks of the lifespan, it does not bestow prophecies upon the śrāvakas; thus, although it speaks of the physician, there is also no prophecy for the śrāvakas. For this reason, Prajñākūṭa earlier requested to return; otherwise, why would he have requested to return so quickly midway through? Because of this, this chapter is merely dissemination; if it were spoken of as the main doctrinal body, there would be no such objection.