金光明最勝王經疏 6.64

6.64

The second major section below is divided into four parts: first, conferring the prediction; second, the arising of doubt; third, resolving it for her; fourth, joyful faith. Within the first part there are three divisions: first, the devaputras rejoice in their minds upon hearing and seeing; next, from "At that time the Tathāgata" onward, the Tathāgata knows that their faculties have matured; finally, from "forthwith" onward, he formally confers the prediction, which has eight elements: first, stating the introductory setting; second, reciting their names; third, predicting the time. However, there are many kinds of kalpas; for instance, the *Fahua lun* mentions five kinds, namely days, nights, months, seasons, and years. Or, famine, pestilence, and warfare are explained as three kalpas. Or, one period of increase and one of decrease is said to be one kalpa, such as the twenty kalpas of continuation and so forth. Or, eighty increases and decreases are said to be one kalpa, namely a kalpa of fire disaster. Or, seven fires are said to be one kalpa, namely a kalpa of water disaster. Or, eight times seven fires and one times seven waters are said to be one kalpa, namely a kalpa of wind disaster. Or, an immeasurable number of wind disasters is said to be one kalpa, namely the three great asaṃkhyeyakalpas. Or, two sets of eighty kalpas are said to be one kalpa, such as this Bhadrakalpa. Or, multiple sets of eighty kalpas are said to be one kalpa, namely the Constellation Kalpa and the like, because the total duration in which those one thousand buddhas appear in the world is collectively termed one Constellation Kalpa. The numbers of kalpas spoken of in the *Lotus Sūtra* are mostly based on days, nights, months, seasons, years, and so forth. For example, when it is said that the stages such as the ten abodes each pass through so many kalpas, these are precisely kalpas of wind disasters and the like. Here, saying "surpassing immeasurable, incalculable, [hundreds of thousands of myriads of koṭis of nayutas of kalpas]" refers to surpassing periods of increase and decrease or wind disasters and the like, not great asaṃkhyeyakalpas, because cultivation to buddhahood does not exceed three. Question: In the faculties and dispositions of practitioners there are differences of diligence and laxity; how can it be definitively stated that there are three great asaṃkhyeyakalpas? Answer: Taking the duration of the moment-by-moment continuum of the skillful mind of expedients during intentional application of mind, it spans three great kalpas; it does not inclusively take both times of cultivating and not cultivating. Because passing through such kalpas is measured by whether one intentionally applies the mind or not, although the faculties and dispositions of diligence and laxity differ, they are all spoken of as three asaṃkhyeyakalpas. Question: If so, since from the eighth bhūmi onward the uncontaminated mind of contemplation continues at all times, how can it be said that there is such a thing as transcending kalpas? For example, when Śākyamuni Buddha met Dīpaṅkara Buddha at the beginning of the third kalpa, he spread his hair over the mud and transcended eight kalpas. When his third asaṃkhyeya was complete and he was cultivating the karma for the major and minor marks, he first met Puṣya Buddha—also called Phussa—and, raising one foot in praise, transcended nine kalpas. Answer: There are two explanations. One says: There may be a class of practitioners who abide much in the mind of discursive contemplation, or who remain long indulging in the samāpatti of cessation; relative to these, there is transcendence. If so, how can it also be said that from the eighth bhūmi onward there is moment-by-moment increasing progress? Answer: It is spoken in terms of the long duration after abiding in and emerging from [contemplation] on the eighth bhūmi and above. If so, how can it be said that from the first bhūmi onward the minds of entering, abiding, and emerging are each equal? Answer: In terms of non-intentionality, their efficacy and power are equal, unlike before the bhūmis. If they intentionally apply their minds, their power and function are unequal. If one insists they are all equal, how could one speak of the distinctions of those with an increase of wisdom or an increase of compassion, and those who fear or do not fear defilements? Another says: The types of increasing compassion, increasing wisdom, fearing, and not fearing are equal bhūmi by bhūmi; yet when speaking of transcendence, it is spoken of as transcendence of those with increasing wisdom compared to those with increasing compassion. If so, those with increasing wisdom would naturally achieve transcendence compared to those with increasing compassion; why would one need to mention spreading the hair and so forth? Answer: These are instances of extraordinary transcendence, and are therefore mentioned specifically. Or, it is an expedient teaching within the transformation phase, not actual truth. Why? In the other-enjoyment land on the eighth bhūmi and above, where would there be mud requiring one's hair to cover it? Where would there be a stone cave for a buddha to sit in dhyāna? If so, are the asaṃkhyeyakalpas spoken in terms of those with increasing wisdom or increasing compassion? Answer: In terms of those with increasing wisdom.