英語訳
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The Xuanzan states: Regarding the sūtra passage "Flower Virtue, you merely... no diminishment." The commentary says: The fourth section below extensively practices beneficial conduct, having two parts. First is being in this realm, later is being in the ten directions. This first part has four: first, marking the manifestation of bodies to teach the Dharma; second, separately revealing the manifestation of bodies to teach the Dharma; third, concluding the establishment of those transformed; fourth, wisdom without loss. In separately revealing the manifestation of bodies to teach the Dharma there are two: first, manifesting eighteen types of bodies according to what is appropriate and teaching the Dharma; second, manifesting bodies to teach the Dharma in order to extract from suffering and difficulties.
The Water Commentary states: Speaking of "eighteen types" - the first six types are heavenly bodies ○ the next eleven types are human bodies ○ the next eight are non-human. However, they are combined as one non-heavenly category. These eighteen types are counted based only on the character for "body."
Question: Regarding Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound's manifestation of bodies to teach the Dharma, should both this realm and other realms manifest ordinary and sage bodies to expound this sūtra? There are arguments on both sides. If both realms teach the Dharma through ordinary and sage bodies, looking at the sūtra text, in this realm he manifests ordinary bodies to expound this sūtra, while in other realms he manifests sage bodies to expound the three-vehicle Dharma. If following this, the root capacities of our realm and other realms are mutually indefinite, and the bodhisattva's transformative appropriateness - why would ordinary and sage differ, and one-vehicle and three-vehicle should depend on the maturation of those being transformed's roots? How could the great being's Dharma teaching be determined by location?
Resolving: The transformative methods of our realm and other realms are both extensive. It is known that all should be able to manifest ordinary and sage bodies according to response. The sūtra text employs mutual revelation through implicit abbreviation. Therefore Jiaxiang resolved this passage saying: "This wishes to illuminate the mutual revelation of extensive and abbreviated ordinary and sage [manifestations]."
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The sūtra states:
The Doctrinal Commentary states: In the above transformation of one land, ordinary beings are extensively manifested; in the transformation of the ten directions, sage bodies are briefly manifested. This wishes to illuminate the mutual revelation of extensive and abbreviated ordinary and sage [manifestations]. Moreover, in the previous ordinary bodies there are also five types; in the present sage bodies there are also five bodies. Question: Why does the previous five types among ordinary beings speak of expounding the Lotus, while now it only refers to teaching the Dharma? Answer: The language of teaching the Dharma is universal. It wishes to mutually reveal through universal and particular. Moreover, since above it correctly clarifies propagating the Lotus Sūtra, it clarifies expounding the one vehicle. If there are sentient beings who do not believe in the one vehicle, it separately expounds the Dharma of five vehicles. This is the same as in the above Entrustment chapter, where the Buddha causes bodhisattvas to understand the two capacities of great and small.
The Xing Commentary states: Previously in benefiting this land, ordinary bodies were extensively manifested; in this transformation of other realms, sage bodies are briefly shown - this is the further revelation of extensive and abbreviated ordinary and sage [manifestations]. Moreover, previously in the Entrustment chapter it was accomplished that there are sentient beings for whom the one vehicle is expounded, therefore in benefiting this land it separately speaks of expounding this sūtra. In receiving the Buddha's entrustment, there are those who do not believe, so other Dharma is expounded for them, therefore in transforming other realms it generally speaks of teaching the Dharma. Speaking generally, it reveals that wisdom goes from narrow to broad, bodies from inferior to superior, and Dharma from deep to shallow, all appropriately timed.
Question: Should the sūtra passage "the immeasurable bodhisattvas of this sahā world also attained this samādhi and dhāraṇī"
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be considered a present verification benefit of this sūtra? If it is not a present verification benefit, since the bodhisattvas of this realm attaining samādhi and total retention is already due to the power of this sūtra, why not take it as a present verification benefit? The 84,000 bodhisattvas who followed Wonderful Sound attained this samādhi, and the 42,000 divine sons of this land participated in the benefit of non-arising dharma patience, which are already present verification benefits. Following this example should be appropriate. If following this, why don't other volumes of the Xuanzan include this when listing the present verification benefits of this sūtra?
Resolving: Since the sūtra has present text, present verification benefit should be taken, but the commentary master does not include it - how could there be no reason? This latter student has no knowledge himself, so it is better to follow the ancestral teacher. Examining the sūtra text regarding the Xuanzan, when Wonderful Sound returns to his original land and speaks of sahā matters, though he mentions seeing the two Buddhas and Mañjuśrī and others, along with 84,000 people attaining samādhi, he does not speak of the benefit of attaining samādhi and dhāraṇī. This is one oddity. Moreover, when expounding this chapter, why are two categories separately listed above before mentioning the benefits gained from this chapter? Considering this, might the above two categories not be present assembly benefits? Or perhaps because this benefit was gained through Wonderful Sound's teaching rather than Śākyamuni's teaching benefit, it is not included? This is like how those transformed by Mañjuśrī in the ocean do not constitute present supreme benefits.
The sūtra states: When this Wonderful Sound Bodhisattva chapter was expounded, the 84,000 people who came with Wonderful Sound Bodhisattva all attained the samādhi of manifesting all physical forms, and the immeasurable bodhisattvas of this sahā world also attained this samādhi and dhāraṇī.
The Xuanzan states: Regarding the sūtra passage "when expounding this Wonderful Sound... and dhāraṇī." The commentary says: In clarifying transformative practice, the
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fifth is the assembly's gaining of benefit. By hearing of transformative practice, they obtained supreme benefit.
The sūtra states: When this chapter on Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound's coming and going was expounded, 42,000 divine sons attained non-arising dharma patience, and Bodhisattva Flower Virtue attained Lotus Samādhi.
The Xuanzan states: Regarding the sūtra passage "when expounding this Wonderful Sound... Lotus Samādhi." The commentary says: The fourth section of the chapter is the assembly attaining the Way. Having heard the entire chapter, they consequently gained supreme benefit.
The same states:
Question: When Bodhisattva Wonderful Sound came to this realm, should he bow to the emanation Buddhas? Proceeding: The sūtra does not mention bowing to the emanations. Regarding this, according to our school's understanding, until the end of sūtra exposition, the jeweled stupa opens its doors, the two Buddhas sit together with the land being pure, and the emanations have not yet returned. Why does Wonderful Sound only bow to the two Buddhas and not bow to the emanations? Moreover, since the emerging bodhisattvas already bowed to the emanation Buddhas, why did Wonderful Sound from the eastern land not do likewise? Generally, not permitting Wonderful Sound to bow to the emanations is the other schools' "proof of Wonderful Sound's lacking reverence." How should this be resolved?
Resolving: When Wonderful Sound came to pay respects, the sūtra text does not explain bowing to the emanation Buddhas. It is known he did not bow. Bodhisattvas' intentions and pleasures are indefinite. Why criticize and demand uniformity? However, when other teachers use this matter to prove the emanations had already departed, there is a parallel difficulty nearby. When Mañjuśrī emerged from the ocean, though he bowed to Śākyamuni and Prabhūtaratna, he did not bow to the emanations. At that time, the fact that the emanations had not yet returned is