金光明最勝王經疏 6.76

6.76

除病品二十四，三門分別。言來意者，此為除疑；前品為成，勸勉說受。俱當作佛，故有授記。二士先曾聞經為記，時眾不惑；十千創始至會得記，故有疑生。前雖略答，往因總陳恐聞難解，此下更為廣說，故有〈除病〉、〈流水品〉生。然差別者，將說十千往因，故先述其緣起，即有〈除病品〉。又恐病苦妨說聽經，兼明為除，令得依學。緣起既彰，次須正辨，故〈流水品〉起。真諦釋云：「此〈除病品〉正明授記因，成〈授記品〉，傍顯釋迦修行，成〈壽量品〉。後〈捨身品〉正明釋迦之因，成〈壽量品〉。傍顯弟子修行，成〈授記品〉。」然治病為遠緣、流水為近緣，今謂義雖可爾，文勢稍疎。壽量之因，前已廣明十度等訖，何故今者復正明因？同一生修，何分遠近？為下中上義則不妨，或既勝劣勢力分遠近亦復不違，然判以為正壽量因即文疎遠。

Chapter Twenty-Four, "Curing Illnesses", is distinguished through three gates. Regarding the reason for its coming: this chapter is for dispelling doubt; the preceding chapter was for consummation, encouraging and prompting its reception. Since all are to become buddhas, there is the conferral of predictions. The two great beings had previously heard the sūtra and received predictions, so the assembly at that time had no confusion; the ten thousand [devaputras] had only just arrived at the assembly and received predictions, hence doubt arose. Although the Buddha previously gave a brief answer, because he set forth the past causes only summarily, he feared it would be difficult for those hearing it to understand, so below he explains it more extensively; therefore the "Curing Illnesses" and "Jalavāhana" chapters arise. As for the difference between them: wishing to explain the past causes of the ten thousand, he first relates their origination, hence there is the "Curing Illnesses Chapter". Moreover, fearing that the suffering of illness would hinder the preaching and hearing of the sūtra, he also clarifies its cure so that people may rely upon it and study it. Once the origination has been made manifest, next one must directly analyze it, hence the "Jalavāhana Chapter" arises. Paramārtha's commentary says: "This 'Curing Illnesses Chapter' directly clarifies the cause of the prediction, completing the 'Prediction Chapter', and secondarily reveals Śākyamuni's cultivation, completing the 'Lifespan Chapter'. The subsequent 'Sacrificing the Body Chapter' directly clarifies Śākyamuni's cause, completing the 'Lifespan Chapter', and secondarily reveals the disciples' cultivation, completing the 'Prediction Chapter'." Now, curing illness is a remote condition, and Jalavāhana is a proximate condition. We now consider that although the principle may be acceptable, the connection of the text is somewhat loose. The cause of the lifespan has already been extensively explained above in terms of the ten pāramitās and so forth; why should he now again directly explain its cause? Since both were cultivated in the same lifetime, why divide them into remote and proximate? As lower, middling, and higher, the sense would present no obstacle, or dividing them into remote and proximate according to the momentum of superior and inferior strength would also not be contradictory; however, judging it to be the direct cause of the lifespan makes the textual connection tenuous and distant.