金光明最勝王經疏 4.243

4.243

蓮華喻讚品，三門分別：一來意、二釋名、三解妨。言來意者，妙幢默念：世尊導師久植勝因，何壽命短促？四方四佛忽現室內，陳壽無邊，豈凡心測。因聞壽長遠，願得菩提，說果令求。求須起行，所以夜夢金鼓示懺悔方。今即勝行。感夢起階非無因緣，眾疑未知，所以佛為說。於過去有王名金龍主，以蓮華喻讚十方佛，由此勝因感斯嘉夢。欲令時會得除疑惑、同殖妙因，故前品後有斯品起。

Chapter 'Praise with the Simile of the Lotus': analyzed under three headings: first, the purpose of its occurrence; second, explaining the title; third, resolving difficulties. As for the purpose of its occurrence: Ruciraketu silently reflected, 'The World-Honoured One, the Guide, has long planted supreme causes; why is his lifespan so short?' Suddenly four Buddhas from the four directions appeared in his room and set forth his boundless lifespan—how could an ordinary mind measure it? Because he heard that the lifespan is vast and far-reaching, he vowed to attain bodhi; the fruit was spoken to make him seek it. In seeking, one must initiate practice; therefore, in a night dream, a golden drum revealed the method of confession. Now this is the supreme practice. Stirring a dream to initiate steps does not occur without cause and condition; the assembly had doubts and did not know them, which is why the Buddha spoke them for their sake: In the past there was a king named Lord of Golden Dragons (Suvarṇaprabhāsābhāsādhipati) who praised the Buddhas of the ten directions with the simile of the lotus; due to this supreme cause, he was moved to have this auspicious dream. Wishing to cause the assembly present to remove their doubts and plant wondrous causes together, this chapter arises following the preceding chapter.