勝鬘寶窟 1.41

1.41

「佛於眾中」下，第四許攝受，即是與護事。而與授記者，決也。以汝未來必當作佛，是故受汝眾善為菩提基。又以受汝眾善為菩提基，故汝未來必當作佛。互相釋。又勝鬘歎佛請護，現在得記、未來成佛者，令一切眾生學之，歎佛請護，現在得記、未來成佛。又授勝鬘記者，為利時眾。以眾中諸天及人見勝鬘得淨土記，發願往生，故與之記。又將欲明勝鬘受十大受，及發三大願，乃至廣為大眾說法，故須前為授記。以勝鬘現在得記、未來成佛，言必可信。則勝鬘所說宜應受行，不須疑也。為此因緣，故授勝鬘記。就文為二：初明與記、二明得益。就與記中有二：一總明得記、二別明得記也。言「即為授記」者，總明得記也。《法華疏》內具釋。一者記謂別也，佛記其不成六道及以二乘，當得作佛。以別於佛道、異於外道，故名為別。今授此記，故名授記。二者勝鬘行因，記得來果，此是有來果可記，故名為記。聖說授與，故名授記也。如《地持》中授記有六：一種姓未發心記、二已發心、三現前、四不現前、五時量時定、六時無量時不定。前之二種得記人，位地上下差別，前一在種性地、發心者位在解行已上。次二約處同異差別，同處對面而記者名現前，異處遙記者名不現前。後二約時分定不定差別，若記時劫數量名字并記佛及國土名字者，名時定；若總言無量劫作佛，不委曲辨時劫數量及佛國土名字者，名時無量時不定。今勝鬘得記者，或是種姓、或是發心，經無成文，位地難定也。乃是現前授記，非不現前也。若記近果，言無量劫人天中王者，應是時無量時不定也。記其遠果，言過二萬劫作佛號普光者，應是時量時定也。此六種授記，更有異釋，如《法華疏》解。

From "The Buddha, amidst the assembly" onwards, the fourth [part] consents to gathering and receiving [her], which is granting the matter of protection. And bestowing a prediction (vyākaraṇa) means decision. Because in the future you will certainly become a buddha, he therefore receives your various wholesome [deeds] as the foundation of bodhi. Furthermore, because he receives your various wholesome [deeds] as the foundation of bodhi, you will therefore certainly become a buddha in the future. They mutually explain one another. Furthermore, that Śrīmālā praised the Buddha, requested protection, attained a prediction in the present, and will become a buddha in the future is to cause all sentient beings to emulate her: praising the Buddha and requesting protection, attaining a prediction in the present, and becoming a buddha in the future. Furthermore, bestowing a prediction upon Śrīmālā is for the benefit of the contemporary assembly. Because the devas and humans in the assembly saw Śrīmālā receive a pure land prediction, they generated the vow to be reborn there; hence he granted her the prediction. Furthermore, being about to clarify Śrīmālā's receiving the ten great vows, making the three great vows, and even broadly expounding the Dharma for the great assembly, he had to bestow the prediction beforehand. Because Śrīmālā attained a prediction in the present and will become a buddha in the future, her words must be trustworthy. Then what Śrīmālā expounds ought to be accepted and practiced without doubt. For these reasons, he bestowed the prediction upon Śrīmālā. In terms of the text, there are two [parts]: first, clarifying granting the prediction; second, clarifying obtaining the benefit. In granting the prediction there are two: first, generally clarifying obtaining the prediction; second, separately clarifying obtaining the prediction. "Immediately bestowed a prediction upon her" generally clarifies obtaining the prediction. It is fully explained in the Commentary on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka. First, "prediction" (jì) means distinction (bié): the Buddha predicts that she will not become one in the six destinies or the two vehicles, but shall become a buddha. Because it distinguishes the buddha way and is different from non-Buddhist ways, it is called distinction. Now granting this prediction is called bestowing a prediction. Second, Śrīmālā practices the causes and is recorded for the future fruit; since there is a future fruit that can be predicted/recorded, it is called a prediction (jì). The holy one speaks and grants it, hence it is called bestowing a prediction (vyākaraṇa). As in the Bodhisattvabhūmi, there are six kinds of vyākaraṇa: first, prediction of the lineage before generating the intention [for bodhi]; second, having generated the intention; third, present; fourth, not present; fifth, with measure of time and definite time; sixth, with immeasurable time and indefinite time. The persons receiving the prediction in the first two kinds differ according to the heights of their stages: the former is on the stage of lineage (gotra-bhūmi), while the one who has generated the intention is on or above the stage of understanding and practice (adhimukticaryā-bhūmi). The next two differ according to identity or difference of place: predicting face-to-face in the same place is called "present"; predicting from afar in a different place is called "not present". The latter two differ according to definite or indefinite time periods: if he predicts the count and names of time kalpas as well as predicting the names of the buddha and the land, it is called "definite time"; if he generally speaks of becoming a buddha after immeasurable kalpas without discerning in detail the count of time kalpas or the names of the buddha and the land, it is called "immeasurable time and indefinite time". Now as for Śrīmālā's attaining the prediction: it is either on lineage or on generating the intention; there is no established text in the sūtra, so her stage is difficult to determine. It is a present vyākaraṇa, not one that is not present. If predicting her proximate fruit, saying that she will be a ruler among humans and devas for immeasurable kalpas, it should be "immeasurable time and indefinite time". Predicting her distant fruit, saying that after passing twenty thousand kalpas she will become a buddha named Samantaprabhā, it should be "with measure of time and definite time". For these six kinds of vyākaraṇa there are further different interpretations, as explained in the Commentary on the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka.