大乘義章 1.9

1.9

第四階云四十年後宣說《法華》破三歸一，未明佛性。又說如來前過恒沙未來倍數，猶是無常，是故與彼《涅槃》為漸。經中實說佛成道已，過四十年說《法華經》，然與《大品》前後難定。何故如是？龍樹菩薩釋《大品經》云「須菩提聞說《法華》舉手低頭皆成佛道，是故今問退不退義。」以此文證，前後不定。若言《法華》破三歸一深於《大品》，此如前破；若言《法華》未說佛性淺於《涅槃》，是義不然。如經說性即是一乘，《法華經》中辨明一乘，豈為非性？又《法華》中不輕菩薩，若見四眾高聲唱言：「汝當作佛。我不輕汝。」以知眾生有佛性，故稱言皆作。但言皆作，即顯有性。若言如來前過恒沙未來倍數，未明常者，是義不然，當知彼說踊出菩薩所見之應，前過恒沙未來倍數，不論真身。若論真身，畢竟無盡。云何得知是應非真？經言「我成佛已來，說法教化踊出菩薩。」復言：「我常在靈鷲山及餘住處，天人所見。」明知是應。此應何故未來倍數，以其所化踊出菩薩，於未來世過倍數劫皆悉作佛，不假佛化。如來爾時息應歸真，故言倍數，理實佛化畢竟無盡。

Regarding the fourth period, it is claimed that after forty years [the Buddha] preached the Lotus Sūtra, refuting the three and returning to the one, yet not elucidating the Buddha-nature; and furthermore, that [the lifespan of] the Tathāgata in the past exceeded the sands of the Ganges and in the future will be twice that number, which is still impermanence; hence it is considered gradual in relation to the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]. The sūtra indeed says that after the Buddha attained awakening and forty years had passed, he preached the Lotus Sūtra; however, the sequence between it and the Pañcaviṃśati is difficult to determine. Why is this so? Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna's commentary on the Pañcaviṃśati states: 'Subhūti heard the teaching in the Lotus Sūtra that raising a hand or bowing the head all lead to the realization of the Buddha Path, and therefore he now asks about the meaning of retrogression and non-retrogression.' Based on this textual evidence, the sequence is indeterminate. If one claims that the Lotus Sūtra is deeper than the Pañcaviṃśati because it refutes the three and returns to the one, this has already been refuted above. If one claims that the Lotus Sūtra is shallower than the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] because it has not yet taught the Buddha-nature, this interpretation is not correct. For as the sūtra says, the [Buddha]-nature is precisely the one vehicle; when the Lotus Sūtra clearly explains the one vehicle, how could that not be the nature? Furthermore, when Bodhisattva Sadāparibhūta in the Lotus Sūtra saw members of the fourfold assembly, he proclaimed aloud: 'You shall become Buddhas; I do not disparage you.' Because he knew that sentient beings have the Buddha-nature, he said they would all become [Buddhas]. Merely saying that all will become [Buddhas] manifests that they possess the nature. If one says that the Tathāgata in the past exceeded the sands of the Ganges and in the future will be twice that number, and so [the sūtra] does not elucidate permanence, this interpretation is also incorrect. One must know that it speaks of the response body seen by the bodhisattvas who welled up from the earth, which in the past exceeded the sands of the Ganges and in the future will be twice that number, without discussing the true body. If one discusses the true body, it is ultimately inexhaustible. How is it known to be the response body and not the true body? The sūtra states: 'Since I attained Buddhahood, I have taught the Dharma and converted the bodhisattvas who welled up from the earth'; and it further says: 'I am constantly on Vulture Peak and in other dwelling places, seen by gods and humans.' Thus we clearly know it is the response body. Why does this response body extend for twice that number in the future? Because the bodhisattvas who welled up from the earth whom he converted will all become Buddhas in future ages after twice that number of kalpas, no longer relying on the Buddha's conversion. At that time, the Tathāgata will withdraw the response and return to the true, and therefore it says 'twice that number'; but in principle and in reality, the Buddha's conversion is ultimately inexhaustible.