英語訳
【Right Upper Section】
The Profound Praise, Volume 1, states: "When bystanders rejoice, they shall obtain much merit. When one properly proclaims and elucidates, merit becomes even more abundant." Therefore there is the Chapter on the Merits of Dharma Teachers. When Dharma teachers maintain the sutra, they will surely become Buddhas. Those who slander Dharma teachers obtain immeasurable sins. Drawing oneself as proof, therefore there is the Never Disparaging chapter. When the Tathāgata encourages speaking of abundant merit in both respects, fearing that beings might doubt and consider the Buddha's words empty proclamations, he reveals that his words are not mistaken - how could he deceive you beings? He displays supernatural powers to demonstrate this, therefore there is the Tathāgata's Supernatural Powers chapter. Medicine King formerly sacrificed his life to maintain the sutra. Speaking of his original conditions and encouraging the contemporary assembly, therefore there is the Medicine King Bodhisattva's Past Deeds chapter. ○Though both this land and other lands have those who propagate the sutra, there has not yet been encouragement for both this realm and other realms together, therefore there is the Universal Worthy Bodhisattva Encouragement chapter. Praise and encouragement being complete, the conditions for transformation being fulfilled, earnestly entrusting and causing distant circulation, therefore there is the Entrustment chapter. This relies on the Correct Dharma Blossom Sutra and treatise placing the Entrustment chapter at the end to explain this sequence. If immediately after the Supernatural Powers chapter one explains entrustment, this is human emotional misinterpretation, not yet according with the common understanding.
All texts should follow the Sutra Chapter Establishment Text Collection.
Question: The sutra text speaks of bodhisattvas numerous as dust particles of a thousand worlds requesting to propagate the sutra after extinction. So which world's sutra propagation do they request? The sutra states: "In the countries where the World-Honored One's emanation bodies are located, at places of extinction, we shall extensively preach this sutra." Regarding this, the thousand-world earth-emerging bodhisattvas are great beings from beneath Sahā. Why do they forget propagating in this world and request sutra propagation in other lands? Even if they partially request propagation in other realms, why limit themselves to emanation body countries? Those eight trillion nayutas of bodhisattvas extensively requested propagation in their own world and other lands, also speaking of "circulating back and forth through the ten-direction worlds" without defining their limits. The earth-
【Right Lower Section】
emerging bodhisattvas' sutra propagation - why limit themselves to emanation lands?
Reconciling explanation: The thousand-world earth-emerging bodhisattvas' sutra propagation takes the Sahā world as primary while also extending to emanation body countries. The origin of their emergence was specifically for this world's sutra propagation. One cannot say it's limited to other lands. Therefore, looking at the Earth Emerging chapter text, when bodhisattvas who came from other realm countries requested to propagate the sutra in this world, the Buddha told that assembly: "Stop, good men. You need not protect and maintain this sutra. Why? My Sahā world naturally has sixty thousand Ganges sands worth of bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, each bodhisattva having sixty thousand Ganges sands worth of retinues. These people can, after my extinction, protect, maintain, recite, and extensively preach this sutra." Already awaiting this world's emergence, he stopped the eight Ganges' sutra propagation. Know that bodhisattvas like Superior Conduct are fundamentally Śākyamuni's disciples, so this land's sutra propagation is specifically these land's great beings' work. Then, the Supernatural Powers chapter's "We, after the Buddha's extinction, in countries where the World-Honored One's emanation bodies are located, at places of extinction, shall extensively preach this sutra" universally requests propagation in both this world and other realms. But regarding the text's unclear expression, since there's no dispute about this world, perhaps it's not mentioned. Or perhaps the upper "after Buddha's extinction" refers to this world, while the lower "places of extinction" refers to other realms. The upper and lower texts separately reveal places of sutra propagation - otherwise, why point to time periods twice?
The sutra states: "Then bodhisattva-mahāsattvas numerous as dust particles of a thousand worlds who emerged from the earth all before the Buddha, with single-minded palms joined, gazing up at his honored countenance, addressed the Buddha saying: 'World-Honored One, we, after the Buddha's extinction, in countries where the World-Honored One's emanation bodies are located, at places of extinction, shall extensively preach this sutra.'"
【Left Upper Section】
The Correct Dharma Blossom Sutra, Volume 9 (Tathāgata's Supernatural Feet chapter), states: "After the Tathāgata's extinction, spread the scripture throughout all Buddha countries and world lands, at places of extinction, in those locations, expound this sutra with much benefit."
The Private Record states: ○The earth-emerging bodhisattvas constantly dwell in this world, circulating back and forth through ten-direction worlds. Therefore they include both self and others. Saying "after Buddha's extinction" reveals the time period while also indicating this world. Otherwise, why wouldn't the earth-emerging bodhisattvas circulate in this world? Question: This sutra, being for beings difficult to transform in the five-turbidity evil world, expediently preaches the Two Vehicles and truly preaches the One Vehicle. Therefore, causing all beings in the evil world to also hear and know. The countries where the World-Honored One's emanation bodies are located are purely pure lands. In pure lands, all bodhisattvas have realized the One Vehicle. In later circulation, what benefit would there be? Answer: Because it includes self-cultivation.
Question: In this chapter, it explains the Tathāgata manifesting supernatural powers. So how many supernatural powers does he manifest?
Ancient masters consider seven supernatural powers. (The Profound Praise records these)
1. Extending tongue 2. Emitting light 3. Coughing 4. Snapping fingers 5. Earth-shaking
6. Joining canopies 7. Transforming lands
The Praise master considers eight types.
The Profound Praise states: "Now adding to make eight, namely demonstrating and causing other realms to see this place from afar."
Tiantai considers ten supernatural powers.
【Left Lower Section】
1. Extended tongue mark 2. Light emission from pores throughout the body 3. Coughing 4. Finger snapping
5. Earth-shaking 6. Universally seeing the great assembly 7. Voices proclaiming in the sky 8. Namo refuge
9. Scattering various objects from afar 10. Ten-direction universal connection
Inquiry: This interpretation seems complete. The Praise master making eight - isn't this insufficient? Also, when the Lotus was preached, it was five years. When manifesting supernatural powers, it filled a hundred thousand years. The extension and contraction of time periods - isn't this one supernatural power? Why don't various masters add this?
Reconciling explanation: The Profound Praise's intention is that regarding what the Buddha himself does as supernatural powers, listing their number makes eight types. What Tiantai added - voices proclaiming in the sky, namo refuge - are others' actions. Not the teaching master's manifestations. Hence perhaps excluding them. Next, not listing time period matters - looking at the sutra text, when manifesting supernatural powers, it filled a hundred thousand years. According to the text's appearance, this is the time period of manifesting supernatural powers. Since time period is not identical to supernatural power, both our school and others don't take this.
Question: Regarding the eighteen transformations, should there be distinctions between circulation transformation and great light emission transformation?
As in the Preface chapter commentary.
Question: The sutra text extends the broad long tongue, reaching up to the Brahma world. What does this reveal? Answer: Śākyamuni, in order to entrust this sutra, extends the broad long tongue mark, reaching up to the Brahma world. Regarding this