三彌勒經疏 1.11

1.11

Fifth, explaining [the text] in accordance with the passage: this is divided into two in general: the first sūtra explains Maitreya's ascent to heaven to propagate conversion and bring about benefit and joy; the subsequent two sūtras explain Maitreya's descent to the human realm to propagate conversion and bring about benefit and joy. Although the manifest transformations of a bodhisattva in his final birth have eight aspects, stated briefly they only take place in the good destinies of humans and devas; therefore, it first explains the benefit and joy of ascending to heaven. In this first sūtra, different persons divide the sections differently: some make three sections, some four, some five, some six, or eighteen sections. Since more or fewer are at one's discretion, they cannot all be recorded. Relying provisionally on the Buddhabhūmyupadeśa, this sūtra is broadly divided into three sections: first, the section on the causes and conditions for the arising of the teaching, which means generally revealing one's own hearing and the time the teaching arose, and specifically revealing the master of the teaching and the place the teaching arose, because the capacities covered by the teaching are precisely the causes and conditions for the teaching's arising. Next is the section on what is stated in the holy teaching, which means properly revealing the different categories of Dharma gates stated in the holy teaching. Last is the section on practicing in accordance with the teaching, which means revealing the matter of the assembly at that time hearing the Buddha's holy teaching, rejoicing, and practicing it. In the first part there are two: first, the preface certifying faith; second, the initiatory preface. Master Wonhyo says: 'From where the sūtra says "in the first watch of the night" onward is the initiatory preface, meaning that the Tathāgata emitting light and the nirmāṇabuddha bestowing vyākaraṇa are precisely the causes for the teaching's arising.' Master Ji says: 'From "extending his broad and long tongue" onward is the initiatory preface, meaning that the capacities covered by the teaching belong to the preface certifying faith. If it were not so, it would contradict the meaning of the six or five phrases of the treatises.' Now returning to the former explanation is preferable, meaning that although the capacities covered by the teaching also certify faith, because this present passage serves to reveal the signs, it is appropriately taken as the initiation. As for Master Ji saying: 'Relying on the ancient explanation, the preface section has six [items]; now relying on the Buddhabhūmyupadeśa there are only five.' This is also not so. Emitting light, raining flowers, and the nirmāṇabuddha bestowing vyākaraṇa certainly do not apply across all sūtras; it is simply that the Buddhabhūmisūtra, having revealed the place of the teaching, immediately spoke of the capacities covered, and therefore made this statement. One cannot take this to generalize to all sūtras. Having these five phrases, one should say that in the preface section of this sūtra there are four, excluding the capacities covered by the teaching.