妙法蓮華經 序品第一
一部大經要開講，佛偏不一開口就說。祂先示現一場異象，引出一段極古的往事，才讓人明白今天要說的是什麼。
先是一場空前的法會：萬二千位漏盡的阿羅漢、八萬位不退的大菩薩、天龍八部畢集。然後世尊為菩薩說了一部《無量義》，說完便入了「無量義處」三昧，身心不動；天落四華，大地六種震動，四眾歡喜合掌。
最要緊的，是佛從眉間白毫放出一道光，向東照徹一萬八千個世界，上下通徹——那些國土的六道眾生、現在諸佛、諸佛說法、菩薩行道，乃至涅槃起塔，一時都在光中顯現。這道光，是整品的眼。
彌勒見了生疑：這是什麼因緣？他去問文殊。文殊不正面答，卻追述一段極遠的往事：過去有佛名叫日月燈明，也是先放這樣一道光，放完就說了一部《妙法蓮華》。末了他點破——那時說經的妙光菩薩，就是我文殊的前身；那個貪著名利、讀經不通的求名，就是你彌勒的前身。今天的瑞相，與那時一模一樣；所以我知道，佛今天也要說《法華》了。
所以這一品的心，是一個「起頭」:全經最要緊的那句話還沒說出口，佛先用一場異象、一段往事，把『為什麼在此時、對此眾、以此因緣而說』交代得清清楚楚。那道向東的光，就是這部大經的預告。
且入此品，看佛如何以一光、一段往事，為一部大經起頭；下一品「方便品」，經就要正式開口，說那「唯有一乘」的真實了。
When a great sutra is about to begin, the Buddha deliberately does not speak at once. He first manifests an extraordinary scene and draws forth an event from a past age of immeasurable antiquity. Only then does the assembly understand what he is about to teach today.
First comes an unprecedented Dharma gathering: twelve thousand arhats whose contaminants are exhausted; eighty thousand great bodhisattvas who do not turn back; and the entire eightfold assembly of devas and dragons. Then the World-Honored One teaches the bodhisattvas a sutra named Immeasurable Meanings. When he has finished, he enters the meditative absorption called the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, his body and mind unmoving. Four kinds of flowers rain from the heavens, the earth quakes in six ways, and the fourfold assembly rejoices and joins its palms.
Most important of all, from the white hair-mark between his brows the Buddha sends forth a ray of light that illuminates eighteen thousand worlds in the east, reaching through them from highest to lowest. Within that light, the beings of the six destinations in those lands, the buddhas now dwelling there, the Dharma those buddhas teach, the bodhisattvas practicing the Way, and even the buddhas’ nirvāṇa and the raising of stupas all become visible at once. This radiance is the eye of the entire chapter.
Seeing it, Maitreya becomes doubtful: what cause and condition have produced this? He asks Mañjuśrī. Mañjuśrī does not answer directly, but recalls events from the remotest past. Once there was a buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance. He too first sent forth just such a light and then taught the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma. At the end, Mañjuśrī discloses the identities: the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light who taught the sutra then was Mañjuśrī himself in a former life; Seeker of Fame, who clung to fame and gain and did not master the sutras he read, was Maitreya in a former life. Today’s portents are exactly like those of that time. Therefore Mañjuśrī knows that today the Buddha will likewise teach the Lotus.
The heart of this chapter is therefore a beginning. The most important statement in the entire sutra has not yet been spoken. Through an extraordinary scene and an event from the past, the Buddha first makes wholly clear why the sutra is taught at this time, to this assembly, and upon these causes and conditions. That eastward radiance is the announcement of this great sutra.
Enter this chapter and see how, through a single ray of light and a single event from the past, the Buddha begins a great sutra. In the next chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means, the sutra will finally speak and declare the reality that there is only One Vehicle.
後秦龜茲國三藏法師鳩摩羅什奉詔譯《妙法蓮華經》卷一〈序品第一〉· 大正藏 T09n0262〔起 T09 0001c19〕。段/行首〔T09 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨。
〔T09 0001c19〕如是我聞：
一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢，諸漏已盡，無復煩惱，逮得己利，盡諸有結，心得自在。其名曰：阿若憍陳如、摩訶迦葉、優樓頻螺迦葉、伽耶迦葉、那提迦葉、舍利弗、大目揵連、摩訶迦旃延、阿㝹樓馱、劫賓那、憍梵波提、離婆多、畢陵伽婆蹉、薄拘羅、摩訶拘絺羅、難陀、孫陀羅難陀、富樓那彌多羅尼子、須菩提、阿難、羅睺羅，如是眾所知識大阿羅漢等。復有學、無學二千人。摩訶波闍波提比丘尼，與眷屬六千人俱。羅睺羅母耶輸陀羅比丘尼，亦與眷屬俱。菩薩摩訶薩八萬人，皆於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不退轉；皆得陀羅尼；樂說辯才，轉不退轉法輪；供養無量百千諸佛，於諸佛所殖眾德本，常為諸佛之所稱歎；以慈修身，善入佛慧；通達大智，到於彼岸；名稱普聞無量世界，能度無數百千眾生。其名曰：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩、常精進菩薩、不休息菩薩、寶掌菩薩、藥王菩薩、勇施菩薩、寶月菩薩、月光菩薩、滿月菩薩、大力菩薩、無量力菩薩、越三界菩薩、跋陀婆羅菩薩、彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩，如是等菩薩摩訶薩八萬人俱。
〔T09 0002a15〕爾時釋提桓因，與其眷屬二萬天子俱。復有名月天子、普香天子、寶光天子、四大天王，與其眷屬萬天子俱。自在天子、大自在天子，與其眷屬三萬天子俱。娑婆世界主梵天王——尸棄大梵、光明大梵等，與其眷屬萬二千天子俱。有八龍王——難陀龍王、跋難陀龍王、娑伽羅龍王、和脩吉龍王、德叉迦龍王、阿那婆達多龍王、摩那斯龍王、優鉢羅龍王等，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四緊那羅王——法緊那羅王、妙法緊那羅王、大法緊那羅王、持法緊那羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四乾闥婆王——樂乾闥婆王、樂音乾闥婆王、美乾闥婆王、美音乾闥婆王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四阿修羅王——婆稚阿修羅王、佉羅騫馱阿修羅王、毘摩質多羅阿修羅王、羅睺阿修羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四迦樓羅王——大威德迦樓羅王、大身迦樓羅王、大滿迦樓羅王、如意迦樓羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。韋提希子阿闍世王，與若干百千眷屬俱。各禮佛足，退坐一面。
爾時世尊，四眾圍遶，供養、恭敬、尊重、讚歎。為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。佛說此經已，結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動。是時天雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華而散佛上及諸大眾。普佛世界，六種震動。爾時會中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、天龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人，及諸小王、轉輪聖王，是諸大眾，得未曾有，歡喜合掌，一心觀佛。
爾時佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，靡不周遍，下至阿鼻地獄，上至阿迦尼吒天。於此世界，盡見彼土六趣眾生，又見彼土現在諸佛，及聞諸佛所說經法。并見彼諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，諸修行得道者。復見諸菩薩摩訶薩，種種因緣、種種信解、種種相貌，行菩薩道。復見諸佛般涅槃者。復見諸佛般涅槃後，以佛舍利起七寶塔。
爾時彌勒菩薩作是念：「今者世尊現神變相，以何因緣而有此瑞？今佛世尊入于三昧，是不可思議、現希有事。當以問誰？誰能答者？」復作此念：「是文殊師利，法王之子，已曾親近供養過去無量諸佛，必應見此希有之相。我今當問。」
爾時比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天、龍、鬼神等，咸作此念：「是佛光明神通之相，今當問誰？」
爾時彌勒菩薩欲自決疑，又觀四眾比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天，龍、鬼神等眾會之心，而問文殊師利言：「以何因緣而有此瑞神通之相，放大光明，照于東方萬八千土，悉見彼佛國界莊嚴？」於是彌勒菩薩欲重宣此義，以偈問曰：
「文殊師利！導師何故，眉間白毫，
大光普照。雨曼陀羅、曼殊沙華，
栴檀香風，悅可眾心？以是因緣，
地皆嚴淨，而此世界，六種震動。
時四部眾，咸皆歡喜，身意快然，
得未曾有。眉間光明，照于東方，
萬八千土，皆如金色，從阿鼻獄，
上至有頂。諸世界中，六道眾生，
生死所趣，善惡業緣，受報好醜，
於此悉見。又覩諸佛、聖主師子、
演說經典，微妙第一。其聲清淨，
出柔軟音，教諸菩薩，無數億萬，
梵音深妙，令人樂聞。各於世界，
講說正法，種種因緣。以無量喻，
照明佛法，開悟眾生。若人遭苦，
厭老病死，為說涅槃，盡諸苦際。
若人有福，曾供養佛，志求勝法，
為說緣覺。若有佛子、修種種行，
求無上慧，為說淨道。文殊師利！
我住於此，見聞若斯，及千億事，
如是眾多，今當略說。我見彼土，
恒沙菩薩，種種因緣，而求佛道。
或有行施，金銀珊瑚、真珠摩尼、
車𤦲馬腦、金剛諸珍，奴婢車乘、
寶飾輦輿，歡喜布施。迴向佛道，
願得是乘，三界第一，諸佛所歎。
或有菩薩，駟馬寶車、欄楯華蓋、
軒飾布施。復見菩薩，身肉手足，
及妻子施，求無上道。又見菩薩，
頭目身體，欣樂施與，求佛智慧。
文殊師利！我見諸王，往詣佛所，
問無上道，便捨樂土、宮殿臣妾，
剃除鬚髮，而被法服。或見菩薩，
而作比丘，獨處閑靜，樂誦經典。
又見菩薩，勇猛精進，入於深山，
思惟佛道。又見離欲，常處空閑，
深修禪定，得五神通。又見菩薩，
安禪合掌，以千萬偈、讚諸法王。
復見菩薩，智深志固，能問諸佛，
聞悉受持。又見佛子，定慧具足，
以無量喻，為眾講法。欣樂說法，
化諸菩薩，破魔兵眾，而擊法鼓。
又見菩薩，寂然宴默，天龍恭敬，
不以為喜。又見菩薩，處林放光，
濟地獄苦，令入佛道。又見佛子，
未甞睡眠，經行林中，懃求佛道。
又見具戒，威儀無缺，淨如寶珠，
以求佛道。又見佛子，住忍辱力，
增上慢人，惡罵捶打，皆悉能忍，
以求佛道。又見菩薩，離諸戲笑，
及癡眷屬，親近智者，一心除亂，
攝念山林，億千萬歲，以求佛道。
或見菩薩，餚饍飲食、百種湯藥，
施佛及僧。名衣上服，價直千萬，
或無價衣，施佛及僧。千萬億種，
栴檀寶舍、眾妙臥具，施佛及僧。
清淨園林，華菓茂盛，流泉浴池，
施佛及僧。如是等施，種種微妙，
歡喜無厭，求無上道。或有菩薩，
說寂滅法，種種教詔，無數眾生。
或見菩薩，觀諸法性，無有二相，
猶如虛空。又見佛子，心無所著，
以此妙慧、求無上道。文殊師利！
又有菩薩，佛滅度後，供養舍利。
又見佛子，造諸塔廟，無數恒沙，
嚴飾國界，寶塔高妙，五千由旬，
縱廣正等，二千由旬。一一塔廟，
各千幢幡，珠交露幔，寶鈴和鳴。
諸天龍神、人及非人，香華伎樂，
常以供養。文殊師利！諸佛子等，
為供舍利，嚴飾塔廟，國界自然，
殊特妙好，如天樹王，其華開敷。
佛放一光，我及眾會，見此國界，
種種殊妙。諸佛神力、智慧希有，
放一淨光，照無量國。我等見此，
得未曾有。佛子文殊！願決眾疑。
四眾欣仰，瞻仁及我。世尊何故，
放斯光明？佛子時答，決疑令喜。
何所饒益，演斯光明？佛坐道場，
所得妙法，為欲說此？為當授記？
示諸佛土，眾寶嚴淨，及見諸佛，
此非小緣。文殊當知，四眾龍神，
瞻察仁者，為說何等。」
〔T09 0003c11〕爾時文殊師利語彌勒菩薩摩訶薩及諸大士：「善男子等！如我惟忖，今佛世尊欲說大法，雨大法雨，吹大法螺，擊大法鼓，演大法義。諸善男子！我於過去諸佛，曾見此瑞，放斯光已，即說大法。是故當知，今佛現光，亦復如是，欲令眾生，咸得聞知一切世間難信之法，故現斯瑞。
「諸善男子！如過去無量無邊不可思議阿僧祇劫，爾時有佛，號日月燈明如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊，演說正法，初善中善後善，其義深遠，其語巧妙，純一無雜，具足清白梵行之相。為求聲聞者說應四諦法，度生老病死，究竟涅槃；為求辟支佛者說應十二因緣法；為諸菩薩說應六波羅蜜，令得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，成一切種智。
「次復有佛亦名日月燈明，次復有佛亦名日月燈明，如是二萬佛，皆同一字，號日月燈明，又同一姓，姓頗羅墮。彌勒當知，初佛後佛，皆同一字，名日月燈明，十號具足。所可說法，初中後善。其最後佛，未出家時有八王子：一名有意，二名善意，三名無量意，四名寶意，五名增意，六名除疑意，七名嚮意，八名法意。是八王子，威德自在，各領四天下。是諸王子，聞父出家，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，悉捨王位亦隨出家，發大乘意，常修梵行，皆為法師，已於千萬佛所、殖諸善本。
〔T09 0004a08〕「是時日月燈明佛說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。說是經已，即於大眾中結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動。是時、天雨曼陀羅華，摩訶曼陀羅華，曼殊沙華，摩訶曼殊沙華，而散佛上、及諸大眾。普佛世界，六種震動。爾時會中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人，及諸小王、轉輪聖王等，是諸大眾，得未曾有，歡喜合掌，一心觀佛。
「爾時如來放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千佛土，靡不周遍，如今所見是諸佛土。彌勒當知，爾時會中，有二十億菩薩樂欲聽法。是諸菩薩，見此光明、普照佛土，得未曾有，欲知此光所為因緣。時有菩薩，名曰妙光，有八百弟子。是時日月燈明佛從三昧起，因妙光菩薩、說大乘經，名妙法蓮華，教菩薩法，佛所護念，六十小劫不起于座。時會聽者亦坐一處，六十小劫身心不動，聽佛所說，謂如食頃。是時眾中，無有一人若身若心而生懈惓。
「日月燈明佛於六十小劫說是經已，即於梵、魔、沙門、婆羅門、及天、人、阿修羅眾中，而宣此言：『如來於今日中夜，當入無餘涅槃。』時有菩薩，名曰德藏，日月燈明佛即授其記。告諸比丘：『是德藏菩薩，次當作佛，號曰淨身多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀。』佛授記已，便於中夜、入無餘涅槃。佛滅度後，妙光菩薩持妙法蓮華經，滿八十小劫為人演說。日月燈明佛八子皆師妙光，妙光教化令其堅固阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是諸王子、供養無量百千萬億佛已，皆成佛道，其最後成佛者，名曰燃燈。八百弟子中，有一人號曰求名，貪著利養，雖復讀誦眾經，而不通利，多所忘失，故號求名。是人亦以種諸善根因緣故，得值無量百千萬億諸佛，供養、恭敬，尊重、讚歎。彌勒當知，爾時妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也；求名菩薩，汝身是也。今見此瑞，與本無異，是故惟忖：『今日如來當說大乘經，名妙法蓮華，教菩薩法，佛所護念。』」
爾時文殊師利於大眾中，欲重宣此義，而說偈言：
「我念過去世，無量無數劫，
有佛人中尊，號日月燈明。
世尊演說法，度無量眾生，
無數億菩薩，令入佛智慧。
佛未出家時，所生八王子，
見大聖出家，亦隨修梵行。
時佛說大乘，經名無量義，
於諸大眾中，而為廣分別。
佛說此經已，即於法座上，
加趺坐三昧，名無量義處。
天雨曼陀華，天鼓自然鳴，
諸天龍鬼神，供養人中尊。
一切諸佛土，即時大震動，
佛放眉間光，現諸希有事。
此光照東方，萬八千佛土，
示一切眾生，生死業報處。
有見諸佛土，以眾寶莊嚴，
琉璃頗梨色，斯由佛光照。
及見諸天人、龍神夜叉眾、
乾闥緊那羅，各供養其佛。
又見諸如來，自然成佛道，
身色如金山，端嚴甚微妙。
如淨琉璃中，內現真金像，
世尊在大眾，敷演深法義。
一一諸佛土，聲聞眾無數，
因佛光所照，悉見彼大眾。
或有諸比丘，在於山林中，
精進持淨戒，猶如護明珠。
又見諸菩薩，行施忍辱等，
其數如恒沙，斯由佛光照。
又見諸菩薩，深入諸禪定，
身心寂不動，以求無上道。
又見諸菩薩，知法寂滅相，
各於其國土，說法求佛道。
爾時四部眾，見日月燈佛，
現大神通力，其心皆歡喜，
各各自相問：『是事何因緣？』
天人所奉尊，適從三昧起，
讚妙光菩薩：『汝為世間眼，
一切所歸信，能奉持法藏，
如我所說法，唯汝能證知。』
世尊既讚歎，令妙光歡喜，
說是法華經，滿六十小劫，
不起於此座。所說上妙法，
是妙光法師，悉皆能受持。
佛說是法華，令眾歡喜已，
尋即於是日，告於天人眾：
『諸法實相義，已為汝等說，
我今於中夜，當入於涅槃。
汝一心精進，當離於放逸，
諸佛甚難值，億劫時一遇。』
世尊諸子等，聞佛入涅槃，
各各懷悲惱，佛滅一何速。
聖主法之王，安慰無量眾：
『我若滅度時，汝等勿憂怖，
是德藏菩薩，於無漏實相，
心已得通達。其次當作佛，
號曰為淨身，亦度無量眾。』
佛此夜滅度，如薪盡火滅，
分布諸舍利，而起無量塔。
比丘比丘尼，其數如恒沙，
倍復加精進，以求無上道。
是妙光法師，奉持佛法藏，
八十小劫中，廣宣法華經。
是諸八王子，妙光所開化，
堅固無上道，當見無數佛。
供養諸佛已，隨順行大道，
相繼得成佛，轉次而授記。
最後天中天，號曰燃燈佛，
諸仙之導師，度脫無量眾。
是妙光法師，時有一弟子，
心常懷懈怠，貪著於名利，
求名利無厭，多遊族姓家，
棄捨所習誦，廢忘不通利。
以是因緣故，號之為求名。
亦行眾善業，得見無數佛，
供養於諸佛，隨順行大道，
具六波羅蜜，今見釋師子。
其後當作佛，號名曰彌勒，
廣度諸眾生，其數無有量。
彼佛滅度後，懈怠者汝是；
妙光法師者，今則我身是。
我見燈明佛，本光瑞如此，
以是知今佛，欲說法華經。
今相如本瑞，是諸佛方便，
今佛放光明，助發實相義。
諸人今當知，合掌一心待，
佛當雨法雨，充足求道者。
諸求三乘人，若有疑悔者，
佛當為除斷，令盡無有餘。」
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
法會大眾
我是這樣親耳聽聞的：
有一次，佛陀住在王舍城的耆闍崛山中，與大比丘僧眾一萬二千人在一起。這些比丘都已是阿羅漢，一切煩惱之漏都已斷盡，不再有任何煩惱纏縛；他們已經證得了自身的真實利益，斷盡了流轉三界的一切繫結，內心得到了徹底的自在。他們的名字是：阿若憍陳如、摩訶迦葉、優樓頻螺迦葉、伽耶迦葉、那提迦葉、舍利弗、大目揵連、摩訶迦旃延、阿㝹樓馱、劫賓那、憍梵波提、離婆多、畢陵伽婆蹉、薄拘羅、摩訶拘絺羅、難陀、孫陀羅難陀、富樓那彌多羅尼子、須菩提、阿難、羅睺羅——像這樣一位位為眾人所熟知敬識的大阿羅漢等等。
此外還有仍在修學的有學位，以及已無所學的無學位聖者，共二千人。又有摩訶波闍波提比丘尼，與她的眷屬六千人同在一處。羅睺羅的母親耶輸陀羅比丘尼，也與她的眷屬一同在座。
還有菩薩摩訶薩八萬人。這些菩薩，對於無上正等正覺都已達到不退轉的地位；都已證得能總持一切法義的陀羅尼；都具有樂於為眾生說法的無礙辯才，轉動著永不退轉的正法之輪；他們曾供養過無量百千位諸佛，在諸佛的座下培植了種種功德的根本，常常受到諸佛的稱揚讚歎；他們以慈心修養自身，善巧地契入佛的智慧；通達廣大的智慧，已經到達了解脫的彼岸；他們的名聲普遍傳聞於無量的世界，能夠度化無數百千的眾生。他們的名字是：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩、常精進菩薩、不休息菩薩、寶掌菩薩、藥王菩薩、勇施菩薩、寶月菩薩、月光菩薩、滿月菩薩、大力菩薩、無量力菩薩、越三界菩薩、跋陀婆羅菩薩、彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩——像這樣的菩薩摩訶薩共八萬人一同在座。
那時候，忉利天主釋提桓因，與他的眷屬二萬位天子一同在座。又有名月天子、普香天子、寶光天子、以及四大天王，各與自己的眷屬一萬位天子一同在座。自在天子、大自在天子，與他們的眷屬三萬位天子一同在座。娑婆世界的主宰梵天王——尸棄大梵、光明大梵等，與他們的眷屬一萬二千位天子一同在座。
又有八位龍王——難陀龍王、跋難陀龍王、娑伽羅龍王、和脩吉龍王、德叉迦龍王、阿那婆達多龍王、摩那斯龍王、優鉢羅龍王等，各自帶著若干百千眷屬一同在座。有四位緊那羅王——法緊那羅王、妙法緊那羅王、大法緊那羅王、持法緊那羅王，各自帶著若干百千眷屬一同在座。有四位乾闥婆王——樂乾闥婆王、樂音乾闥婆王、美乾闥婆王、美音乾闥婆王，各自帶著若干百千眷屬一同在座。有四位阿修羅王——婆稚阿修羅王、佉羅騫馱阿修羅王、毘摩質多羅阿修羅王、羅睺阿修羅王，各自帶著若干百千眷屬一同在座。有四位迦樓羅王——大威德迦樓羅王、大身迦樓羅王、大滿迦樓羅王、如意迦樓羅王，各自帶著若干百千眷屬一同在座。還有韋提希夫人之子阿闍世王，與若干百千眷屬一同在座。他們各自向佛陀的雙足頂禮，然後退到一旁坐下。
世尊入定·天雨寶華·大地震動
那時候，世尊被四眾弟子圍繞著，受到大眾的供養、恭敬、尊重與讚歎。世尊為諸位菩薩宣說一部大乘經典，名叫《無量義》，這是教導菩薩修行之法、為十方諸佛所共同護持憶念的經。
佛陀宣說完這部經以後，便盤腿結跏趺坐，進入了名為「無量義處」的三昧禪定之中，身體與心念都寂然不動。
這時候，天上降下曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華等四種天華，紛紛散落在佛陀身上以及與會的大眾身上。整個十方佛土世界，都發生了六種形式的震動。
當時法會之中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷四眾弟子，以及天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽等八部眾、人與非人，還有種種小國之王、轉輪聖王——這一切與會的大眾，見到這前所未有的奇景，都滿心歡喜，合起雙掌，一心一意地瞻仰著佛陀。
眉間放光·遍照東方
那時候，佛陀從眉間的白毫相中放射出光明，照徹東方一萬八千個世界，無一處不被光明周遍照及。這光明向下照到最底層的阿鼻地獄，向上照到最高處的阿迦尼吒天。
從我們這個世界中，就能夠完全看見那些國土裡六道輪迴的一切眾生；又能看見那些國土裡現在住世的諸佛，並且聽聞到諸佛所宣說的經法。同時也看見那些國土裡的比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷等種種修行而得道的人。又看見那些菩薩摩訶薩，以種種不同的因緣、種種不同的信心與悟解、種種不同的形貌儀態，修行著菩薩之道。又看見有些諸佛已經般涅槃入滅。又看見在諸佛般涅槃之後，人們以佛的舍利建造起七寶莊嚴的寶塔。
彌勒生疑·偈頌請問
那時候，彌勒菩薩心裡這樣想著：「如今世尊示現出這種神通變化的瑞相，究竟是以什麼因緣才有這樣的祥瑞呢？如今佛陀世尊進入了三昧，這是不可思議、極為稀有難得的事。我應當去請問誰呢？誰又能夠回答呢？」他又這樣想：「這位文殊師利菩薩，是法王之子，過去已曾親近供養過無量的諸佛，必定曾經見過這種稀有的瑞相。我現在應當去請問他。」
那時候，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，以及諸天、龍、鬼神等等，也都這樣想著：「這佛陀光明神通的瑞相，如今應當去請問誰呢？」
那時候，彌勒菩薩想要解開自己心中的疑惑，同時也體察到四眾——比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，以及諸天、龍、鬼神等與會大眾心中的疑問，於是向文殊師利發問說：「究竟是以什麼因緣，才有這樣祥瑞的神通之相，放出廣大的光明，照徹東方一萬八千個國土，使我們全都看見那些佛陀國界的莊嚴呢？」
於是彌勒菩薩想要把這個問題再次宣說一遍，便以偈頌來發問道：
「文殊師利啊！這位導師世尊，究竟為什麼從眉間的白毫，放出大光明普照四方？又降下曼陀羅華與曼殊沙華，吹起栴檀的香風，使大眾的心都歡悅暢快？就因為這樣的因緣，大地都變得莊嚴清淨，而這個世界也發生了六種震動。當時四部弟子大眾，全都滿心歡喜，身心暢快舒然，得到了前所未有的體驗。
那眉間的光明，照徹東方一萬八千個國土，使一切都映現出金黃的顏色；從下方的阿鼻地獄，向上一直照到最高的有頂天。在那些世界之中，六道輪迴的眾生，他們生死流轉所趣向的去處，隨著或善或惡的業緣，所受的果報有美好也有醜陋，在這光明中全都清楚地顯現出來。
又看見那些諸佛——如同聖主一般、如同人中獅子的世尊，正在演說經典，那法義微妙第一。祂們的音聲清淨無染，發出柔和婉軟的音聲，教導著無數億萬的菩薩；那梵音深邃微妙，令人樂於聽聞。祂們各自在自己的世界裡，講說著正法，開演種種因緣；以無量的譬喻，來照明佛法的道理，使眾生開悟。
若是有人正遭受苦難，厭離生老病死之苦，就為他宣說涅槃之法，令他窮盡一切苦難的邊際。若是有人曾修得福德，過去曾經供養諸佛，一心志求殊勝之法，就為他宣說緣覺之道。若是有佛弟子，修習種種菩薩之行，追求無上的智慧，就為他宣說清淨的菩薩正道。
文殊師利啊！我安住在這裡，所見所聞就像這樣，還有千億種種其他的事相，如此眾多，如今我且略略說一說。我看見那些國土之中，有如恒河沙數般眾多的菩薩，以種種不同的因緣，追求著佛道。
或有的菩薩在行布施，把金、銀、珊瑚、真珠、摩尼寶、車𤦲、馬腦、金剛等種種珍寶，以及奴婢、車乘、寶物裝飾的輦輿車駕，都歡歡喜喜地布施出去。他們將這功德迴向佛道，發願求得這無上的乘法——這是三界之中最為第一、為諸佛所讚歎的。
或有的菩薩，把四匹馬駕的寶車、圍著欄楯華蓋、車軒精美裝飾的車輛拿來布施。又看見有菩薩，把自己的身肉、手足，乃至妻子兒女都布施出去，以此追求無上之道。又看見有菩薩，把自己的頭顱、眼目、身體，欣然喜樂地施捨給人，以此追求佛的智慧。
文殊師利啊！我看見有些國王，前往佛陀的處所，請問無上之道，便捨棄了安樂的國土、宮殿與臣妾眷屬，剃除了鬚髮，穿上了出家的法服。或看見有菩薩，現作比丘之相，獨自安處於清閒寂靜之處，樂於誦讀經典。
又看見有菩薩，勇猛精進，深入幽深的山林，靜靜思惟佛道。又看見有離欲的修行者，常安處於空曠閒靜之處，深入修習禪定，證得了五種神通。又看見有菩薩，安住禪定、合起雙掌，以千萬首偈頌，讚歎諸位法王。
又看見有菩薩，智慧深湛、心志堅固，能夠向諸佛請問法義，聽聞之後全都領受奉持。又看見有佛弟子，禪定與智慧都已具足，以無量的譬喻，為大眾講說佛法。他們欣然樂於說法，教化眾多菩薩，破除魔王的兵眾，敲響法義的大鼓。
又看見有菩薩，寂然安靜、宴然默處，即使天龍前來恭敬供養，也不因此而生歡喜之心。又看見有菩薩，安處於林中放出光明，救濟地獄的苦難眾生，使他們得以趣入佛道。又看見有佛弟子，從不睡眠休息，在林中往來經行，殷勤地追求佛道。
又看見具足淨戒的修行者，威儀舉止毫無缺失，清淨得如同寶珠一般，以此追求佛道。又看見有佛弟子，安住於忍辱的力量之中，即使遇到增上慢的人，惡言辱罵、拳打棍捶，也全都能夠忍受下來，以此追求佛道。又看見有菩薩，遠離種種嬉戲玩笑，以及愚癡的眷屬，親近有智慧的人，一心排除散亂，收攝念頭於山林之中，經歷億千萬年的歲月，以此追求佛道。
或看見有菩薩，把佳餚美食、上百種湯藥，布施給佛陀和僧眾。把名貴的衣裳上服，價值千萬的，或是無價的珍衣，布施給佛陀和僧眾。把千萬億種的栴檀寶舍屋宇、種種微妙的臥具寢席，布施給佛陀和僧眾。把清淨的園林，花果茂密繁盛、流泉浴池俱全的，布施給佛陀和僧眾。像這樣種種的布施，樣樣精微美妙，他們歡喜供養而毫無厭倦，以此追求無上之道。
或有的菩薩，宣說著寂滅之法，以種種方式教誨開導無數的眾生。或看見有菩薩，觀照一切諸法的體性，本無兩種差別之相，猶如虛空一般。又看見有佛弟子，心中一無所執著，以這樣的微妙智慧，追求無上之道。
文殊師利啊！又有菩薩，在佛陀滅度之後，供養佛的舍利。又看見有佛弟子，建造起種種的塔廟，數目多如恒河之沙，莊嚴地裝飾著國土。那些寶塔高峻奇妙，有五千由旬之高，縱橫廣度端正相等，各有二千由旬。每一座塔廟，各自懸掛著千面幢幡，垂著珠玉交織如露珠般的帳幔，寶鈴隨風相和鳴響。諸天、龍神、人與非人，以香華、伎樂，常常來作供養。
文殊師利啊！這些佛弟子們，為了供養佛的舍利，莊嚴地裝飾塔廟，使那國土自然而然地變得殊勝奇特、微妙美好，就像天上的樹王，開遍了燦爛的花朵。
佛陀放出這一道光明，我和法會的大眾，看見這些國土，種種殊勝微妙。諸佛的神通之力、智慧的稀有難得，放出這一道清淨的光明，照徹無量的國土。我們見到這樣的景象，得到了前所未有的體驗。
佛弟子文殊啊！但願你能為大眾解開這一切疑惑。四眾弟子都在歡喜仰望，瞻視著你和我。世尊究竟為什麼放出這道光明呢？佛弟子啊，願你及時作答，解開疑惑令大眾歡喜。世尊究竟是要饒益什麼，才演放出這道光明呢？佛陀端坐於道場之中，所證得的微妙之法，是不是想要宣說出來呢？還是將要為誰授記成佛呢？
祂示現出諸佛的國土，眾寶莊嚴清淨，又使我們見到諸佛——這絕不是微小的因緣。文殊你應當知道，四眾弟子與龍神大眾，都在瞻望觀察你這位仁者，看你將要宣說些什麼。」
文殊作答：我曾見此瑞
那時候，文殊師利對彌勒菩薩摩訶薩以及諸位大士說：「善男子們啊！依照我的思量揣度，如今佛陀世尊是想要宣說大法，降下大法之雨，吹響大法之螺，敲擊大法之鼓，演暢大法之義。諸位善男子！我在過去諸佛的時代，曾經見過這樣的瑞相；諸佛放出這道光明之後，隨即便宣說大法。因此應當知道，如今佛陀示現光明，也正是這樣，是想要使眾生都能夠聽聞了知這一切世間難以信受之法，所以才示現出這樣的祥瑞。
日月燈明佛
「諸位善男子！在過去無量無邊、不可思議、如阿僧祇般久遠的長劫以前，那時有一位佛陀，名號叫作日月燈明如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。祂演說正法，開頭是善、中間是善、末後也是善，其中的義理深遠廣博，其中的言語善巧微妙，純粹專一而無有夾雜，圓滿具足清淨潔白的梵行之相。
「祂為追求聲聞乘的人，宣說相應的四聖諦法，令他們度脫生老病死，究竟證入涅槃；為追求辟支佛乘的人，宣說相應的十二因緣法；為諸位菩薩，宣說相應的六波羅蜜法，令他們證得無上正等正覺，成就通達一切法相的一切種智。
二萬同號·八王子出家
「其後又有一位佛陀，也名叫日月燈明；再其後又有一位佛陀，也名叫日月燈明；像這樣一共有二萬位佛陀，都是同一個名字，名號都叫日月燈明，又同是一個姓氏，姓頗羅墮。彌勒你應當知道，從最初的佛到最後的佛，都是同一個名字，名叫日月燈明，十種名號圓滿具足。祂們所宣說之法，開頭、中間、末後都是善。
「那最後的一位佛陀，還沒有出家的時候，有八位王子：第一位名叫有意，第二位名叫善意，第三位名叫無量意，第四位名叫寶意，第五位名叫增意，第六位名叫除疑意，第七位名叫嚮意，第八位名叫法意。這八位王子，威德自在，各自統領著四天下。這些王子，聽聞父親出家、證得了無上正等正覺，便全都捨棄了王位，也跟隨著出家修道，發起了大乘的心願，常常修習清淨的梵行，都成為了弘法的法師，並且已經在千萬位佛陀的座下，培植了種種善根功德的根本。
日月燈明佛入定放光
「這時候，日月燈明佛宣說一部大乘經典，名叫《無量義》，這是教導菩薩修行之法、為諸佛所共同護持憶念的經。宣說完這部經以後，祂隨即在大眾之中盤腿結跏趺坐，進入了名為『無量義處』的三昧禪定之中，身體與心念都寂然不動。
「這時候，天上降下曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華等天華，散落在佛陀身上以及與會的大眾身上。整個十方佛土世界，都發生了六種震動。當時法會之中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷四眾，以及天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人與非人，還有種種小國之王、轉輪聖王等——這一切與會的大眾，見到這前所未有的奇景，都滿心歡喜，合起雙掌，一心一意地瞻仰著佛陀。
「這時候，那位如來從眉間的白毫相中放射出光明，照徹東方一萬八千個佛土，無一處不被光明周遍照及，正如同今日我們所見到的這些佛土一樣。彌勒你應當知道，當時法會之中，有二十億位菩薩樂於想要聽聞正法。這些菩薩，見到這道光明普照佛土，得到前所未有的體驗，都想要知道這道光明是為了什麼因緣而放。
妙光菩薩與求名
「當時有一位菩薩，名叫妙光，有八百位弟子。這時候，日月燈明佛從三昧禪定中起身，因著妙光菩薩的緣故，宣說一部大乘經典，名叫《妙法蓮華》，這是教導菩薩修行之法、為諸佛所共同護持憶念的經。祂連續宣說了六十小劫，都不曾從座位上起身。當時法會中聽法的人，也都安坐在一處，經過六十小劫身心寂然不動，聽聞佛陀所宣說的法，只覺得像是一頓飯的短暫時間。這時候大眾之中，沒有任何一個人在身體上或心念上生起絲毫的懈怠疲倦。
「日月燈明佛經過六十小劫宣說完這部經以後，隨即在梵天、魔王、沙門、婆羅門，以及天、人、阿修羅等大眾之中，宣告這樣的話：『如來將在今日的半夜時分，進入無餘涅槃。』當時有一位菩薩，名叫德藏，日月燈明佛便當即為他授記。祂告訴諸位比丘說：『這位德藏菩薩，接下來將要成佛，名號叫作淨身多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀。』佛陀為他授記完畢，便在半夜時分，進入了無餘涅槃。
「佛陀滅度之後，妙光菩薩受持著《妙法蓮華經》，滿滿八十小劫之久，為眾人演說這部經。日月燈明佛的八位王子，都以妙光為師，妙光教化他們，使他們在無上正等正覺上堅固不退。這些王子，供養了無量百千萬億位佛陀之後，都成就了佛道，其中最後成佛的那一位，名號叫作燃燈佛。
「妙光菩薩的八百位弟子中，有一個人名號叫作求名，他貪戀執著於名聞利養，雖然也讀誦種種經典，卻不能通達融會，反而多所遺忘散失，所以名號叫作求名。這個人也因為曾種下種種善根的因緣，得以值遇無量百千萬億位諸佛，對祂們供養、恭敬、尊重、讚歎。彌勒你應當知道，那時候的妙光菩薩，難道是別人嗎？其實就是我自身；而那位求名菩薩，也就是你自身啊。如今見到這樣的瑞相，與從前所見的並無二致，因此我思量揣度：『今日如來將要宣說一部大乘經典，名叫《妙法蓮華》，這是教導菩薩修行之法、為諸佛所共同護持憶念的經。』」
文殊偈頌重宣
那時候，文殊師利在大眾之中，想要把這個義理再次宣說一遍，便以偈頌說道：
「我追念過去久遠的時世，在無量無數的長劫以前，有一位佛陀，是人中的至尊，名號叫作日月燈明。這位世尊演說正法，度化了無量的眾生，使無數億的菩薩，都得以趣入佛的智慧。
「這位佛陀還沒有出家的時候，所生的八位王子，見到這位大聖出家修道，也都跟隨著修習清淨的梵行。那時佛陀宣說大乘之法，經名叫作《無量義》，在諸位大眾之中，為他們廣加分別演說。
「佛陀宣說完這部經以後，隨即在法座之上，盤腿結跏趺坐入於三昧，那三昧名叫『無量義處』。天上降下曼陀羅華，天上的鼓自然而然地鳴響，諸天、龍、鬼神，都來供養這位人中至尊。
「一切諸佛的國土，即刻發生了大震動，佛陀從眉間放出光明，示現出種種稀有的事相。這道光明照徹東方一萬八千個佛土，向一切眾生顯示出他們生死業報所趣向的去處。
「有的看見那些佛土，以眾多珍寶莊嚴裝飾，映現出琉璃與頗梨般的顏色，這都是由於佛陀光明的照耀。又看見諸天、人、龍神、夜叉等眾，以及乾闥婆、緊那羅，各自供養著他們的佛陀。
「又看見那些如來，自然而然地成就佛道，身體的色相如同金山一般，端莊威嚴，極為微妙。就像在清淨的琉璃之中，內裡映現出真金的佛像；世尊處在大眾之中，敷陳演說著深奧的法義。
「每一個諸佛的國土之中，聲聞的大眾無量無數，因著佛陀光明的照耀，全都清楚地看見了那些大眾。或有一些比丘，在山林之中，精進地持守著清淨的戒律，就如同守護明珠一般。
「又看見那些菩薩，修行布施、忍辱等種種波羅蜜，他們的數目多如恒河之沙，這都是由於佛陀光明的照耀。又看見那些菩薩，深入種種的禪定，身心寂然不動，以此追求無上之道。又看見那些菩薩，了知一切諸法寂滅之相，各自在自己的國土之中，說法追求佛道。
「那時候四部弟子大眾，見到日月燈明佛示現廣大的神通之力，他們的心中都滿懷歡喜，各自互相問道：『這件事是什麼因緣呢？』這位為天人所奉事的至尊，剛從三昧禪定中起身，便讚歎妙光菩薩說：『你是世間的智慧之眼，是一切眾生所歸依信賴的人，你能夠奉持如來的法藏；像我所宣說的法，唯有你能夠證知領受。』
「世尊既已這樣讚歎，使妙光菩薩心生歡喜，便宣說這部《法華經》，滿滿六十小劫之久，都不曾從這座位上起身。所宣說的無上微妙之法，這位妙光法師，全都能夠領受奉持。
「佛陀宣說完這部《法華》，使大眾歡喜之後，隨即就在這一天，告訴天人大眾說：『諸法實相的義理，我已經為你們宣說了；我如今將在半夜時分，進入涅槃。你們要一心精進，應當遠離放逸懈怠；諸佛極為難以值遇，要億劫的時間才能遇到一次。』
「世尊的諸位弟子們，聽聞佛陀將要進入涅槃，各各心懷悲傷苦惱，只覺佛陀的滅度何以如此迅速。這位聖主、正法之王，安慰著無量的大眾說：『我若是滅度的時候，你們不要憂愁怖畏；這位德藏菩薩，對於無漏的實相，心中已經通達了悟。他接下來將要成佛，名號叫作淨身，也將度化無量的眾生。』
「佛陀在這一夜滅度，就像柴薪燒盡、火焰熄滅一般；人們分送供奉祂的種種舍利，並且建造起無量的寶塔。比丘、比丘尼，他們的數目多如恒河之沙，更加倍地精進修行，以此追求無上之道。
「這位妙光法師，奉持著佛陀的法藏，在八十小劫之中，廣泛地宣揚《法華經》。這八位王子，經妙光所開導教化，在無上之道上堅固不退，將要見到無數的佛陀。他們供養了諸佛之後，隨順修行大乘之道，相繼成就佛道，一位接著一位輾轉地為後者授記。
「那最後成佛的一位，是天中之天，名號叫作燃燈佛，是諸位仙人的導師，度脫了無量的眾生。這位妙光法師，當時有一位弟子，心中常懷懈怠，貪戀執著於名聞利養，追求名利而毫無厭足，常常遊走於豪族世家之間，拋棄捨離了所習誦的經典，荒廢遺忘而不能通達融會。因為這樣的緣故，就給他起名叫作求名。
「他也修行種種善業，得以見到無數的佛陀，供養著諸佛，隨順修行大乘之道，具足了六波羅蜜，如今得以見到這位釋迦族的獅子——世尊。他此後將要成佛，名號叫作彌勒，廣泛度化一切眾生，其數量無有限量。
「那位佛陀日月燈明滅度之後，那位懈怠的弟子，就是你彌勒啊；而那位妙光法師，如今就是我自身。我見到日月燈明佛，當初放光的瑞相就是這樣，因此我知道如今這位佛陀，是想要宣說《法華經》。如今的瑞相就如同當初的祥瑞，這是諸佛的方便法門；如今佛陀放出光明，是要助發諸法實相的義理。
「諸位如今應當知道，合起雙掌一心一意地等待，佛陀將要降下大法之雨，充實滿足一切求道的人。諸位追求聲聞、緣覺、菩薩三乘之法的人，若是心中還有疑惑悔恨的，佛陀將要為你們斷除，使它徹底斷盡而無有殘餘。」
Kumārajīva's Chinese root text (T09n0262) is retained as a visual anchor for bilingual readers; the English below renders it in plain, continuous prose.
The Assembly at the Dharma Gathering
如是我聞： 一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢，諸漏已盡，無復煩惱，逮得己利，盡諸有結，心得自在。其名曰：阿若憍陳如、摩訶迦葉、優樓頻螺迦葉、伽耶迦葉、那提迦葉、舍利弗、大目揵連、摩訶迦旃延、阿㝹樓馱、劫賓那、憍梵波提、離婆多、畢陵伽婆蹉、薄拘羅、摩訶拘絺羅、難陀、孫陀羅難陀、富樓那彌多羅尼子、須菩提、阿難、羅睺羅，如是眾所知識大阿羅漢等。復有學、無學二千人。摩訶波闍波提比丘尼，與眷屬六千人俱。羅睺羅母耶輸陀羅比丘尼，亦與眷屬俱。菩薩摩訶薩八萬人，皆於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提不退轉；皆得陀羅尼；樂說辯才，轉不退轉法輪；供養無量百千諸佛，於諸佛所殖眾德本，常為諸佛之所稱歎；以慈修身，善入佛慧；通達大智，到於彼岸；名稱普聞無量世界，能度無數百千眾生。其名曰：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩、常精進菩薩、不休息菩薩、寶掌菩薩、藥王菩薩、勇施菩薩、寶月菩薩、月光菩薩、滿月菩薩、大力菩薩、無量力菩薩、越三界菩薩、跋陀婆羅菩薩、彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩，如是等菩薩摩訶薩八萬人俱。 爾時釋提桓因，與其眷屬二萬天子俱。復有名月天子、普香天子、寶光天子、四大天王，與其眷屬萬天子俱。自在天子、大自在天子，與其眷屬三萬天子俱。娑婆世界主梵天王——尸棄大梵、光明大梵等，與其眷屬萬二千天子俱。有八龍王——難陀龍王、跋難陀龍王、娑伽羅龍王、和脩吉龍王、德叉迦龍王、阿那婆達多龍王、摩那斯龍王、優鉢羅龍王等，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四緊那羅王——法緊那羅王、妙法緊那羅王、大法緊那羅王、持法緊那羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四乾闥婆王——樂乾闥婆王、樂音乾闥婆王、美乾闥婆王、美音乾闥婆王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四阿修羅王——婆稚阿修羅王、佉羅騫馱阿修羅王、毘摩質多羅阿修羅王、羅睺阿修羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。有四迦樓羅王——大威德迦樓羅王、大身迦樓羅王、大滿迦樓羅王、如意迦樓羅王，各與若干百千眷屬俱。韋提希子阿闍世王，與若干百千眷屬俱。各禮佛足，退坐一面。
This is what I heard with my own ears:
On one occasion, the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa at Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of twelve thousand monks. All were arhats. Their contaminating outflows were exhausted; they had no further afflictions. They had attained their own true benefit, brought every bond of continued existence to an end, and gained complete freedom of mind. Their names were Ājñāta Kauṇḍinya, Mahākāśyapa, Uruvilvā Kāśyapa, Gayā Kāśyapa, Nadī Kāśyapa, Śāriputra, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Mahākātyāyana, Aniruddha, Kapphiṇa, Gavāṃpati, Revata, Pilindavatsa, Bakkula, Mahākauṣṭhila, Nanda, Sundarananda, Pūrṇa Maitrāyaṇīputra, Subhūti, Ānanda, and Rāhula—great arhats such as these, known and honored throughout the assembly.
There were also two thousand noble disciples still in training and those with nothing further to learn, no longer in training. The nun Mahāprajāpatī was present with six thousand in her retinue. The nun Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother, was likewise present with her retinue.
There were also eighty thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas. All had reached the ground of nonretrogression from unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. All had attained dhāraṇī, the power to retain and uphold the meanings of all teachings. They delighted in teaching and possessed unobstructed eloquence, and they turned the Dharma-wheel from which there is no retreat. They had made offerings to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of buddhas and planted the roots of many qualities in the presence of those buddhas. They were constantly praised by the buddhas. They cultivated themselves through loving-kindness, skillfully entered the Buddha’s wisdom, penetrated vast knowledge, and reached the farther shore of liberation. Their names were heard throughout immeasurable worlds, and they were able to deliver countless hundreds of thousands of sentient beings. Their names were Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva; the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds (Guanshiyin); the Bodhisattva Attainer of Great Power; Constant Vigor; Never Resting; Jeweled Palm; Medicine King; Brave in Giving; Jeweled Moon; Moonlight; Full Moon; Great Strength; Immeasurable Strength; Transcending the Three Realms; Bhadrapāla; Maitreya; Accumulation of Jewels; and Guide—eighty thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas such as these, all gathered together.
At that time Śakra, lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, was present with twenty thousand devas in his retinue. There were also the deva named Moon, the deva Universal Fragrance, the deva Jewel Light, and the Four Great Heavenly Kings, each together with ten thousand devas in his retinue. The devas Īśvara and Maheśvara were present with thirty thousand devas in their retinues. The Brahmā kings who preside over the Sahā world—Śikhin the Great Brahmā, Radiant Great Brahmā, and the others—were present with twelve thousand devas in their retinues.
There were eight dragon kings—Nanda, Upananda, Sāgara, Vāsuki, Takṣaka, Anavatapta, Manasvin, and Utpalaka—each with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. There were four kinnara kings—Dharma, Wondrous Dharma, Great Dharma, and Upholder of Dharma—each with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. There were four gandharva kings—Music, Musical Sound, Beauty, and Beautiful Sound—each with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. There were four asura kings—Bali, Kharaskandha, Vemacitrin, and Rāhu—each with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. There were four garuḍa kings—Great Majestic Virtue, Great Body, Great Fullness, and Fulfillment of Wishes—each with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehī, was likewise present with several hundreds of thousands in his retinue. Each bowed at the Buddha’s feet, withdrew, and sat to one side.
The World-Honored One Enters Samādhi · Heavenly Precious Flowers Rain Down · The Earth Quakes
爾時世尊，四眾圍遶，供養、恭敬、尊重、讚歎。為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。佛說此經已，結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動。是時天雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華而散佛上及諸大眾。普佛世界，六種震動。爾時會中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷、天龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人，及諸小王、轉輪聖王，是諸大眾，得未曾有，歡喜合掌，一心觀佛。
At that time, the World-Honored One was surrounded by the fourfold assembly, who made offerings to him, revered him, honored him, and praised him. For the bodhisattvas he taught a great-vehicle sutra named Immeasurable Meanings, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas of the ten directions.
When the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra, he crossed his legs in the full lotus posture and entered the meditative absorption (samādhi) called the Station of Immeasurable Meanings. His body and mind remained entirely unmoving.
At that moment, māndārava flowers, great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, and great mañjūṣaka flowers rained down from the heavens, scattering upon the Buddha and the entire assembly. All the buddha-worlds quaked in six ways.
The monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the gathering, together with devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, minor kings, and wheel-turning sage-kings—all this great assembly experienced something never known before. Filled with joy, they joined their palms and gazed single-mindedly upon the Buddha.
Radiance Shines from Between the Buddha’s Brows · Illuminating the East Everywhere
爾時佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，靡不周遍，下至阿鼻地獄，上至阿迦尼吒天。於此世界，盡見彼土六趣眾生，又見彼土現在諸佛，及聞諸佛所說經法。并見彼諸比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，諸修行得道者。復見諸菩薩摩訶薩，種種因緣、種種信解、種種相貌，行菩薩道。復見諸佛般涅槃者。復見諸佛般涅槃後，以佛舍利起七寶塔。
At that time, the Buddha sent forth radiance from the white hair-mark between his brows. It illuminated eighteen thousand worlds to the east, reaching everywhere without exception. Downward it shone as far as the Avīci hell; upward it shone as far as the Akaniṣṭha heaven.
From this world, the assembly could see in full the sentient beings of the six destinations in those lands. They also saw the buddhas presently dwelling in those lands and heard the sutras and Dharma those buddhas taught. They saw the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen there—all those who cultivated the path and attained its realization. They saw bodhisattva-mahāsattvas practicing the bodhisattva path through many kinds of causes and conditions that were not the same, with many kinds of trust and understanding that were not the same and many forms and bearings that were not the same. They saw buddhas who had entered parinirvāṇa. They also saw people raising stūpas adorned with the seven precious things over the relics of those buddhas after their parinirvāṇa.
Maitreya Becomes Doubtful · He Asks in Verse
爾時彌勒菩薩作是念：「今者世尊現神變相，以何因緣而有此瑞？今佛世尊入于三昧，是不可思議、現希有事。當以問誰？誰能答者？」復作此念：「是文殊師利，法王之子，已曾親近供養過去無量諸佛，必應見此希有之相。我今當問。」 爾時比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天、龍、鬼神等，咸作此念：「是佛光明神通之相，今當問誰？」 爾時彌勒菩薩欲自決疑，又觀四眾比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，及諸天，龍、鬼神等眾會之心，而問文殊師利言：「以何因緣而有此瑞神通之相，放大光明，照于東方萬八千土，悉見彼佛國界莊嚴？」於是彌勒菩薩欲重宣此義，以偈問曰： 「文殊師利！導師何故，眉間白毫，
大光普照。雨曼陀羅、曼殊沙華，
栴檀香風，悅可眾心？以是因緣，
地皆嚴淨，而此世界，六種震動。
時四部眾，咸皆歡喜，身意快然，
得未曾有。眉間光明，照于東方，
萬八千土，皆如金色，從阿鼻獄，
上至有頂。諸世界中，六道眾生，
生死所趣，善惡業緣，受報好醜，
於此悉見。又覩諸佛、聖主師子、
演說經典，微妙第一。其聲清淨，
出柔軟音，教諸菩薩，無數億萬，
梵音深妙，令人樂聞。各於世界，
講說正法，種種因緣。以無量喻，
照明佛法，開悟眾生。若人遭苦，
厭老病死，為說涅槃，盡諸苦際。
若人有福，曾供養佛，志求勝法，
為說緣覺。若有佛子、修種種行，
求無上慧，為說淨道。文殊師利！
我住於此，見聞若斯，及千億事，
如是眾多，今當略說。我見彼土，
恒沙菩薩，種種因緣，而求佛道。
或有行施，金銀珊瑚、真珠摩尼、
車𤦲馬腦、金剛諸珍，奴婢車乘、
寶飾輦輿，歡喜布施。迴向佛道，
願得是乘，三界第一，諸佛所歎。
或有菩薩，駟馬寶車、欄楯華蓋、
軒飾布施。復見菩薩，身肉手足，
及妻子施，求無上道。又見菩薩，
頭目身體，欣樂施與，求佛智慧。
文殊師利！我見諸王，往詣佛所，
問無上道，便捨樂土、宮殿臣妾，
剃除鬚髮，而被法服。或見菩薩，
而作比丘，獨處閑靜，樂誦經典。
又見菩薩，勇猛精進，入於深山，
思惟佛道。又見離欲，常處空閑，
深修禪定，得五神通。又見菩薩，
安禪合掌，以千萬偈、讚諸法王。
復見菩薩，智深志固，能問諸佛，
聞悉受持。又見佛子，定慧具足，
以無量喻，為眾講法。欣樂說法，
化諸菩薩，破魔兵眾，而擊法鼓。
又見菩薩，寂然宴默，天龍恭敬，
不以為喜。又見菩薩，處林放光，
濟地獄苦，令入佛道。又見佛子，
未甞睡眠，經行林中，懃求佛道。
又見具戒，威儀無缺，淨如寶珠，
以求佛道。又見佛子，住忍辱力，
增上慢人，惡罵捶打，皆悉能忍，
以求佛道。又見菩薩，離諸戲笑，
及癡眷屬，親近智者，一心除亂，
攝念山林，億千萬歲，以求佛道。
或見菩薩，餚饍飲食、百種湯藥，
施佛及僧。名衣上服，價直千萬，
或無價衣，施佛及僧。千萬億種，
栴檀寶舍、眾妙臥具，施佛及僧。
清淨園林，華菓茂盛，流泉浴池，
施佛及僧。如是等施，種種微妙，
歡喜無厭，求無上道。或有菩薩，
說寂滅法，種種教詔，無數眾生。
或見菩薩，觀諸法性，無有二相，
猶如虛空。又見佛子，心無所著，
以此妙慧、求無上道。文殊師利！
又有菩薩，佛滅度後，供養舍利。
又見佛子，造諸塔廟，無數恒沙，
嚴飾國界，寶塔高妙，五千由旬，
縱廣正等，二千由旬。一一塔廟，
各千幢幡，珠交露幔，寶鈴和鳴。
諸天龍神、人及非人，香華伎樂，
常以供養。文殊師利！諸佛子等，
為供舍利，嚴飾塔廟，國界自然，
殊特妙好，如天樹王，其華開敷。
佛放一光，我及眾會，見此國界，
種種殊妙。諸佛神力、智慧希有，
放一淨光，照無量國。我等見此，
得未曾有。佛子文殊！願決眾疑。
四眾欣仰，瞻仁及我。世尊何故，
放斯光明？佛子時答，決疑令喜。
何所饒益，演斯光明？佛坐道場，
所得妙法，為欲說此？為當授記？
示諸佛土，眾寶嚴淨，及見諸佛，
此非小緣。文殊當知，四眾龍神，
瞻察仁者，為說何等。」
At that time, Maitreya Bodhisattva thought: “The World-Honored One has now displayed the marks of a supernormal transformation. Through what cause and condition has this portent appeared? The Buddha, the World-Honored One, has entered samādhi. This is inconceivable, a rare event being displayed before us. Whom should I ask? Who is able to answer?” He then thought: “Mañjuśrī is a son of the Dharma-King. In the past he has drawn near to and made offerings to immeasurable buddhas. He must have seen a rare sign such as this. I will now ask him.”
At that time, the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen, together with the devas, dragons, spirits, and the rest, all thought: “Whom should we now ask about this sign of the Buddha’s radiant supernormal power?”
Maitreya Bodhisattva wished to resolve his own doubt. He also perceived the thoughts of the fourfold assembly—the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen—and of all the devas, dragons, spirits, and others gathered there. He therefore asked Mañjuśrī: “Through what cause and condition has this portent and sign of supernormal power appeared? Why has the Buddha sent forth a great radiance, illuminating eighteen thousand lands to the east and enabling us to see all the splendor of those buddha-realms?” Maitreya Bodhisattva then wished to proclaim this meaning again and asked in verse:
“Mañjuśrī! Why has the Guide
sent forth from the white hair between his brows
a great radiance that illumines all four directions?
Why have māndārava and mañjūṣaka flowers rained down,
and a sandalwood-scented wind arisen,
bringing joy to the hearts of the assembly?
Through these causes and conditions,
the earth has become entirely pure and splendid,
and this world has quaked in six ways.
At that time, the fourfold assembly
was filled with joy;
body and mind were delighted and at ease,
experiencing what they had never known before.
The radiance from between the Buddha’s brows
illumines eighteen thousand lands to the east,
making them all appear golden.
From the Avīci hell below
up to the Peak of Existence above,
throughout those many worlds,
the sentient beings of the six destinations,
the places toward which birth and death carry them,
the wholesome and unwholesome karmic conditions they have made,
and the beautiful or ugly recompenses they receive—
all are completely visible here.
We also behold the buddhas,
holy lords and lions among beings,
expounding sutras
whose wondrous meaning is foremost.
Their voices are pure and undefiled;
they send forth gentle sounds
and teach countless millions of bodhisattvas.
Their Brahmā voices are profound and wondrous,
bringing delight to all who hear.
Each, within his own world,
teaches the true Dharma
through many nonidentical causes and conditions.
With immeasurable similes,
they illuminate the Buddha-Dharma
and awaken sentient beings.
If a person meets with suffering
and has grown weary of old age, illness, and death,
they teach nirvāṇa,
bringing the farthest limit of all suffering to an end.
If a person possesses merit,
has formerly made offerings to buddhas,
and resolves to seek the supreme Dharma,
they teach the path of the solitary awakener.
If sons of the Buddha
cultivate many different practices
and seek unsurpassed wisdom,
they teach the pure path of the bodhisattva.
Mañjuśrī!
Abiding here, I see and hear all this,
together with hundreds of millions of other things.
So many are they
that I will now speak only in brief.
I see in those lands
bodhisattvas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
seeking the buddha-way
through many causes and conditions.
Some practice giving:
gold, silver, coral,
pearls and maṇi jewels,
giant-clam shell and agate,
diamonds and every kind of precious thing,
servants, carriages,
and jeweled and ornamented conveyances—
all these they give with joy.
They dedicate the merit to the buddha-way,
vowing to attain this vehicle,
foremost within the three realms
and praised by all buddhas.
Some bodhisattvas give jeweled carriages
drawn by teams of four horses,
with balustrades and flowered canopies
and richly ornamented carriage bodies.
Again I see bodhisattvas give
their own flesh, hands, and feet,
and even their spouses and children,
seeking the unsurpassed way.
Again I see bodhisattvas
joyfully give their heads, eyes,
and entire bodies,
seeking the Buddha’s wisdom.
Mañjuśrī!
I see kings going into the Buddha’s presence
to ask about the unsurpassed way.
They then relinquish pleasant lands,
palaces, ministers, consorts, and attendants;
they shave their hair and beards
and put on Dharma-robes.
I see bodhisattvas appearing as monks,
dwelling alone in quiet places
and delighting in reciting the sutras.
Again I see bodhisattvas
courageous and diligent,
entering deep into the mountains
and contemplating the buddha-way.
I see those free of desire,
always dwelling in open, secluded places,
deeply cultivating meditation
and attaining the five supernormal powers.
Again I see bodhisattvas
peacefully absorbed in meditation,
joining their palms
and praising the Dharma-Kings
in tens of millions of verses.
Again I see bodhisattvas
whose wisdom is deep and resolve firm,
able to question the buddhas
and, after hearing, to receive and uphold everything.
Again I see sons of the Buddha
complete in meditative stability and wisdom,
teaching the Dharma to the assembly
through immeasurable similes.
They delight in teaching the Dharma,
transform the many bodhisattvas,
defeat the hosts of Māra,
and sound the Dharma-drum.
Again I see bodhisattvas
serene and silent;
though devas and dragons honor them,
they do not delight in that honor.
Again I see bodhisattvas
dwelling in forests and sending forth radiance,
relieving the sufferings of beings in hell
and causing them to enter the buddha-way.
Again I see sons of the Buddha
who never sleep,
walking in meditation through the forests
and diligently seeking the buddha-way.
Again I see those complete in discipline,
whose conduct and bearing are without defect,
pure as a precious pearl,
thereby seeking the buddha-way.
Again I see sons of the Buddha
abiding in the power of patience.
When people of overweening pride
revile, strike, and beat them,
they are able to endure it all,
thereby seeking the buddha-way.
Again I see bodhisattvas
who have left behind all jesting and laughter
and companions lost in delusion.
They draw near to the wise,
single-mindedly remove distraction,
and gather their recollection in the forests
for hundreds of millions of years,
thereby seeking the buddha-way.
I see bodhisattvas offer the Buddha and Saṅgha
fine prepared foods and drink
and a hundred kinds of medicinal broths.
They offer the Buddha and Saṅgha
famous and excellent robes
worth tens of millions,
or garments beyond all price.
They offer the Buddha and Saṅgha
tens of millions of kinds
of precious sandalwood dwellings
and every kind of wondrous bedding.
They offer the Buddha and Saṅgha
pure gardens where flowers and fruits flourish,
with flowing springs and bathing pools.
Offerings such as these,
subtle and wondrous in every way,
they give with joy and without weariness,
seeking the unsurpassed way.
Some bodhisattvas teach the Dharma of quiescence,
instructing and guiding countless sentient beings
in many different ways.
I see bodhisattvas contemplate the nature of all dharmas:
it has no dual mark,
and is like open space.
Again I see sons of the Buddha
whose minds are attached to nothing,
seeking the unsurpassed way
through this wondrous wisdom.
Mañjuśrī!
There are also bodhisattvas
who, after a buddha’s extinction,
make offerings to his relics.
Again I see sons of the Buddha
constructing stūpas and shrines
as countless as the sands of the Ganges,
and thereby adorning the lands.
The precious stūpas are lofty and wondrous,
five thousand yojanas high
and square in breadth,
each side two thousand yojanas.
Each stūpa and shrine
bears a thousand banners and streamers,
curtains interwoven with pearls like hanging dew,
and precious bells chiming in harmony.
Devas, dragons, spirits,
humans and nonhumans
constantly make offerings to them
of incense, flowers, and music.
Mañjuśrī!
To make offerings to the relics,
these sons of the Buddha
adorn the stūpas and shrines,
so that the lands become naturally
rare, splendid, wondrous, and beautiful,
like the king of heavenly trees
when all its flowers unfold.
The Buddha has sent forth a single radiance,
and I and the whole assembly
see these lands
in all their rare and wondrous forms.
The supernormal powers of the buddhas
and their wisdom are rare indeed:
they send forth one pure radiance
and illuminate immeasurable lands.
Seeing this,
we experience what we have never known before.
Mañjuśrī, son of the Buddha!
We pray that you will resolve the assembly’s doubts.
The fourfold assembly looks upward with joy,
gazing upon you and upon me.
Why has the World-Honored One
sent forth this radiance?
Son of the Buddha, answer now and tell us truly;
resolve our doubts and bring us joy.
What benefit does he wish to bestow
by unfolding this radiance?
Does the Buddha wish to teach
the wondrous Dharma attained
as he sat at the place of awakening?
Or does he intend to give a prediction?
He has shown us buddha-lands
purely adorned with many precious things,
and has caused us to see the buddhas.
This is no small cause or condition.
Mañjuśrī, you should know:
the fourfold assembly, dragons, and spirits
all gaze upon you, the benevolent one,
waiting to hear what you will say.”
Mañjuśrī Answers: I Have Seen This Portent Before
爾時文殊師利語彌勒菩薩摩訶薩及諸大士：「善男子等！如我惟忖，今佛世尊欲說大法，雨大法雨，吹大法螺，擊大法鼓，演大法義。諸善男子！我於過去諸佛，曾見此瑞，放斯光已，即說大法。是故當知，今佛現光，亦復如是，欲令眾生，咸得聞知一切世間難信之法，故現斯瑞。
At that time, Mañjuśrī addressed Maitreya Bodhisattva Mahāsattva and all the other great beings: “Good men! As I reflect upon it, the Buddha, the World-Honored One, now wishes to teach the great Dharma, rain down the great Dharma-rain, sound the great Dharma-conch, beat the great Dharma-drum, and unfold the meaning of the great Dharma. Good men! In the presence of buddhas of the past, I have seen this portent before. After sending forth such radiance, they immediately taught the great Dharma. You should therefore know that the radiance now displayed by the Buddha is the same: he wishes to enable sentient beings everywhere to hear and know a Dharma difficult for the whole world to trust, and for that reason he displays this portent.
Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha
「諸善男子！如過去無量無邊不可思議阿僧祇劫，爾時有佛，號日月燈明如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊，演說正法，初善中善後善，其義深遠，其語巧妙，純一無雜，具足清白梵行之相。為求聲聞者說應四諦法，度生老病死，究竟涅槃；為求辟支佛者說應十二因緣法；為諸菩薩說應六波羅蜜，令得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，成一切種智。
“Good men! Immeasurable, boundless, inconceivable, and incalculable aeons ago, there was a buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance: the Tathāgata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly and Completely Awakened, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Persons, Teacher of Devas and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. He expounded the true Dharma. It was wholesome at the beginning, wholesome in the middle, and wholesome at the end. Its meaning was deep and far-reaching; its words were skillful and wondrous. It was pure and unmixed, complete in the mark of a spotless and stainless holy life.
“For those seeking the śrāvaka vehicle, he taught the Dharma corresponding to the four noble truths, delivering them from birth, old age, illness, and death and bringing them to ultimate nirvāṇa. For those seeking the pratyekabuddha vehicle, he taught the Dharma corresponding to the twelve links of dependent arising. For the bodhisattvas, he taught the Dharma corresponding to the six perfections, causing them to attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening and accomplish the knowledge of all modes.
Twenty Thousand Buddhas of One Name · The Eight Princes Leave Home
「次復有佛亦名日月燈明，次復有佛亦名日月燈明，如是二萬佛，皆同一字，號日月燈明，又同一姓，姓頗羅墮。彌勒當知，初佛後佛，皆同一字，名日月燈明，十號具足。所可說法，初中後善。其最後佛，未出家時有八王子：一名有意，二名善意，三名無量意，四名寶意，五名增意，六名除疑意，七名嚮意，八名法意。是八王子，威德自在，各領四天下。是諸王子，聞父出家，得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，悉捨王位亦隨出家，發大乘意，常修梵行，皆為法師，已於千萬佛所、殖諸善本。
“After him there was another buddha also named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and after that another buddha likewise named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance. In this way there were twenty thousand buddhas, all bearing the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and all sharing the same family name, Bharadvāja. Maitreya, you should know: from the first buddha to the last, all bore the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and all were complete in the ten epithets. The Dharma each taught was wholesome at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end.
“While the last of these buddhas had not yet left the household life, he had eight royal sons. The first was named Purposeful Mind; the second, Wholesome Mind; the third, Immeasurable Mind; the fourth, Jeweled Mind; the fifth, Increasing Mind; the sixth, Doubt-Removing Mind; the seventh, Directed Mind; and the eighth, Dharma Mind. These eight princes possessed majestic virtue and sovereign mastery, and each ruled the four continents. When they heard that their father had left home and attained unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening, they all relinquished their royal thrones and followed him into the homeless life. They aroused the great-vehicle resolve, constantly cultivated the holy life, and all became Dharma teachers. In the presence of tens of millions of buddhas, they had already planted many wholesome roots.
Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha Enters Samādhi and Sends Forth Radiance
「是時日月燈明佛說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。說是經已，即於大眾中結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動。是時、天雨曼陀羅華，摩訶曼陀羅華，曼殊沙華，摩訶曼殊沙華，而散佛上、及諸大眾。普佛世界，六種震動。爾時會中，比丘、比丘尼、優婆塞、優婆夷，天、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅、緊那羅、摩睺羅伽、人非人，及諸小王、轉輪聖王等，是諸大眾，得未曾有，歡喜合掌，一心觀佛。 「爾時如來放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千佛土，靡不周遍，如今所見是諸佛土。彌勒當知，爾時會中，有二十億菩薩樂欲聽法。是諸菩薩，見此光明、普照佛土，得未曾有，欲知此光所為因緣。
“At that time, Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha taught a great-vehicle sutra named Immeasurable Meanings, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas. When he had finished teaching this sutra, he crossed his legs in the full lotus posture there in the midst of the great assembly and entered the meditative absorption called the Station of Immeasurable Meanings. His body and mind remained entirely unmoving.
“At that moment, māndārava flowers, great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, and great mañjūṣaka flowers rained down from the heavens, scattering upon the Buddha and the entire assembly. All the buddha-worlds quaked in six ways. The monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen in the gathering, together with devas, dragons, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and nonhumans, minor kings, and wheel-turning sage-kings—all this great assembly experienced something never known before. Filled with joy, they joined their palms and gazed single-mindedly upon the Buddha.
“At that time, the Tathāgata sent forth radiance from the white hair-mark between his brows. It illuminated eighteen thousand buddha-lands to the east, reaching everywhere without exception, just as these buddha-lands are being seen today. Maitreya, you should know: in that gathering were two billion bodhisattvas who delighted in hearing the Dharma. When those bodhisattvas saw this radiance illuminating the buddha-lands everywhere, they experienced something never known before and wished to understand the cause and condition for which the radiance had appeared.
The Bodhisattva Wondrous Light and Seeker of Fame
時有菩薩，名曰妙光，有八百弟子。是時日月燈明佛從三昧起，因妙光菩薩、說大乘經，名妙法蓮華，教菩薩法，佛所護念，六十小劫不起于座。時會聽者亦坐一處，六十小劫身心不動，聽佛所說，謂如食頃。是時眾中，無有一人若身若心而生懈惓。 「日月燈明佛於六十小劫說是經已，即於梵、魔、沙門、婆羅門、及天、人、阿修羅眾中，而宣此言：『如來於今日中夜，當入無餘涅槃。』時有菩薩，名曰德藏，日月燈明佛即授其記。告諸比丘：『是德藏菩薩，次當作佛，號曰淨身多陀阿伽度、阿羅訶、三藐三佛陀。』佛授記已，便於中夜、入無餘涅槃。佛滅度後，妙光菩薩持妙法蓮華經，滿八十小劫為人演說。日月燈明佛八子皆師妙光，妙光教化令其堅固阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是諸王子、供養無量百千萬億佛已，皆成佛道，其最後成佛者，名曰燃燈。八百弟子中，有一人號曰求名，貪著利養，雖復讀誦眾經，而不通利，多所忘失，故號求名。是人亦以種諸善根因緣故，得值無量百千萬億諸佛，供養、恭敬，尊重、讚歎。彌勒當知，爾時妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也；求名菩薩，汝身是也。今見此瑞，與本無異，是故惟忖：『今日如來當說大乘經，名妙法蓮華，教菩薩法，佛所護念。』」
“At that time, there was a bodhisattva named Wondrous Light who had eight hundred disciples. Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha then rose from samādhi and, for the sake of the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light, taught a great-vehicle sutra named the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas. For sixty minor aeons he did not rise from his seat. Those listening in the gathering likewise remained seated in one place for sixty minor aeons, their bodies and minds entirely unmoving. As they listened to the Buddha’s teaching, the sixty minor aeons seemed no longer than the time needed to eat a single meal. Not one person in that assembly gave rise to weariness or fatigue in either body or mind.
“When Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha had taught this sutra for sixty minor aeons, he proclaimed before the Brahmās, Māras, śramaṇas, brahmins, devas, humans, and asuras: ‘At midnight today, the Tathāgata will enter nirvāṇa without remainder.’ At that time there was a bodhisattva named Treasury of Qualities. Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha immediately gave him a prediction and told the monks: ‘This Bodhisattva Treasury of Qualities will be the next to become a buddha. He will be named Pure Body, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly and Completely Awakened.’ After giving this prediction, the Buddha entered nirvāṇa without remainder at midnight.
“After the Buddha’s extinction, the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light upheld the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma for a full eighty minor aeons and taught it to others. The eight sons of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha all took Wondrous Light as their teacher. Wondrous Light taught and transformed them, making them firm and unshakable in unsurpassed, complete, perfect awakening. After making offerings to immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of buddhas, these princes all accomplished the buddha-way. The last of them to become a buddha was named Burning Lamp Buddha.
“Among Wondrous Light’s eight hundred disciples was one named Seeker of Fame. He clung greedily to fame and gain. Although he read and recited many sutras, he neither penetrated nor mastered them, and forgot much of what he had learned; for that reason he was named Seeker of Fame. Yet because this person had also planted wholesome roots, he was able to encounter immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of buddhas, making offerings to them, revering them, honoring them, and praising them.
“Maitreya, you should know: could the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light of that time have been someone else? He was I myself. And the Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame was you yourself. The portent we now see does not differ from that earlier one. I therefore reflect: ‘Today the Tathāgata will teach a great-vehicle sutra named the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas.’”
Mañjuśrī Proclaims the Meaning Again in Verse
爾時文殊師利於大眾中，欲重宣此義，而說偈言： 「我念過去世，無量無數劫，
有佛人中尊，號日月燈明。
世尊演說法，度無量眾生，
無數億菩薩，令入佛智慧。
佛未出家時，所生八王子，
見大聖出家，亦隨修梵行。
時佛說大乘，經名無量義，
於諸大眾中，而為廣分別。
佛說此經已，即於法座上，
加趺坐三昧，名無量義處。
天雨曼陀華，天鼓自然鳴，
諸天龍鬼神，供養人中尊。
一切諸佛土，即時大震動，
佛放眉間光，現諸希有事。
此光照東方，萬八千佛土，
示一切眾生，生死業報處。
有見諸佛土，以眾寶莊嚴，
琉璃頗梨色，斯由佛光照。
及見諸天人、龍神夜叉眾、
乾闥緊那羅，各供養其佛。
又見諸如來，自然成佛道，
身色如金山，端嚴甚微妙。
如淨琉璃中，內現真金像，
世尊在大眾，敷演深法義。
一一諸佛土，聲聞眾無數，
因佛光所照，悉見彼大眾。
或有諸比丘，在於山林中，
精進持淨戒，猶如護明珠。
又見諸菩薩，行施忍辱等，
其數如恒沙，斯由佛光照。
又見諸菩薩，深入諸禪定，
身心寂不動，以求無上道。
又見諸菩薩，知法寂滅相，
各於其國土，說法求佛道。
爾時四部眾，見日月燈佛，
現大神通力，其心皆歡喜，
各各自相問：『是事何因緣？』
天人所奉尊，適從三昧起，
讚妙光菩薩：『汝為世間眼，
一切所歸信，能奉持法藏，
如我所說法，唯汝能證知。』
世尊既讚歎，令妙光歡喜，
說是法華經，滿六十小劫，
不起於此座。所說上妙法，
是妙光法師，悉皆能受持。
佛說是法華，令眾歡喜已，
尋即於是日，告於天人眾：
『諸法實相義，已為汝等說，
我今於中夜，當入於涅槃。
汝一心精進，當離於放逸，
諸佛甚難值，億劫時一遇。』
世尊諸子等，聞佛入涅槃，
各各懷悲惱，佛滅一何速。
聖主法之王，安慰無量眾：
『我若滅度時，汝等勿憂怖，
是德藏菩薩，於無漏實相，
心已得通達。其次當作佛，
號曰為淨身，亦度無量眾。』
佛此夜滅度，如薪盡火滅，
分布諸舍利，而起無量塔。
比丘比丘尼，其數如恒沙，
倍復加精進，以求無上道。
是妙光法師，奉持佛法藏，
八十小劫中，廣宣法華經。
是諸八王子，妙光所開化，
堅固無上道，當見無數佛。
供養諸佛已，隨順行大道，
相繼得成佛，轉次而授記。
最後天中天，號曰燃燈佛，
諸仙之導師，度脫無量眾。
是妙光法師，時有一弟子，
心常懷懈怠，貪著於名利，
求名利無厭，多遊族姓家，
棄捨所習誦，廢忘不通利。
以是因緣故，號之為求名。
亦行眾善業，得見無數佛，
供養於諸佛，隨順行大道，
具六波羅蜜，今見釋師子。
其後當作佛，號名曰彌勒，
廣度諸眾生，其數無有量。
彼佛滅度後，懈怠者汝是；
妙光法師者，今則我身是。
我見燈明佛，本光瑞如此，
以是知今佛，欲說法華經。
今相如本瑞，是諸佛方便，
今佛放光明，助發實相義。
諸人今當知，合掌一心待，
佛當雨法雨，充足求道者。
諸求三乘人，若有疑悔者，
佛當為除斷，令盡無有餘。」
At that time, Mañjuśrī wished to proclaim this meaning again before the great assembly, and spoke in verse:
I recall a past age,
immeasurable, countless aeons ago,
when there was a buddha, most honored among human beings,
named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance.
That World-Honored One proclaimed the Dharma,
bringing immeasurable living beings across
and enabling countless millions of bodhisattvas
to enter the Buddha’s wisdom.
While that Buddha had not yet left the household life,
the eight royal sons born to him
saw the Great Sage leave the household life
and followed him in practicing the pure life of brahmacarya.
At that time, the Buddha taught the Great Vehicle;
the sutra was called Immeasurable Meanings.
Amid the great assembly,
he set it forth with extensive distinctions.
When the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra,
he remained seated upon the Dharma seat,
crossed his legs, and entered the samādhi
called the Station of Immeasurable Meanings.
The heavens rained down māndārava flowers,
and heavenly drums sounded of themselves;
devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits
made offerings to the most honored among human beings.
All the buddha-lands
at once quaked greatly.
The Buddha sent forth light from between his brows
and revealed rare and extraordinary signs.
That light illuminated eighteen thousand lands
throughout the eastern quarter,
showing every living being
the destination of the karmic recompense of birth and death.
Some saw those buddha-lands
adorned with a multitude of jewels,
shining with the hues of beryl and crystal,
all illumined by the Buddha’s radiance.
They also saw devas, human beings,
dragons, spirits, yakṣas, and their gatherings,
as well as gandharvas and kiṃnaras,
each making offerings to their own buddha.
They also saw those tathāgatas
naturally accomplishing the buddha-way,
their bodily color like a mountain of gold,
upright, majestic, exceedingly subtle and wondrous—
as though, within pure beryl,
an image of genuine gold appeared.
The World-Honored Ones, amid the great assemblies,
set forth the meaning of the profound Dharma.
In each of the buddha-lands,
the assemblies of śrāvakas were immeasurable;
by the illumination of the Buddha’s radiance,
all those assemblies became clearly visible.
There were also monks dwelling
in mountain forests,
vigorously keeping the pure precepts
as though guarding a lustrous pearl.
They also saw bodhisattvas
practicing giving, patience, and the other perfections,
as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
all illumined by the Buddha’s radiance.
They also saw bodhisattvas
entering deeply into many kinds of meditative concentration,
their bodies and minds still and unmoving,
thereby seeking the unsurpassed way.
They also saw bodhisattvas
knowing that all dharmas bear the mark of quiescent cessation,
each teaching the Dharma in their own land
and seeking the buddha-way.
At that time, the fourfold assembly,
seeing Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha
display great supernormal power,
all rejoiced in their hearts,
and each asked the others:
“What is the cause and condition for this event?”
The one honored and served by devas and human beings
had just risen from samādhi
when he praised the bodhisattva Wondrous Light:
“You are the wisdom-eye of the world,
the one in whom all living beings trust;
you can uphold the Tathāgata’s Dharma treasury.
Of the Dharma that I teach,
you alone can know and receive it.”
The World-Honored One praised him in this way,
causing Wondrous Light to rejoice,
and then taught this Lotus Sutra
for a full sixty minor aeons,
never rising from that seat.
As for the unsurpassed and wondrous Dharma he taught,
this Dharma master Wondrous Light
was able to receive and uphold it all.
When the Buddha had taught the Lotus Sutra
and caused the assembly to rejoice,
he immediately, on that very day,
announced to the gathering of devas and human beings:
“The meaning of the true mark of all dharmas
I have already taught for you.
Now, at midnight,
I shall enter nirvāṇa.
You must practice with single-minded vigor
and should leave negligence and indolence far behind.
Buddhas are exceedingly difficult to encounter;
one may meet one only once in a hundred million aeons.”
The World-Honored One’s disciples,
hearing that the Buddha would enter nirvāṇa,
each harbored grief and anguish:
“Why will the Buddha pass into extinction so soon?”
The holy lord, the King of the Dharma,
consoled the immeasurable assembly:
“If I pass into extinction,
do not grieve or fear.
This bodhisattva Treasury of Qualities
has already penetrated in his heart
the true mark free of outflows.
He will next become a buddha
named Pure Body,
and he too will bring immeasurable beings across.”
That night the Buddha passed into extinction,
as firewood is spent and the fire dies out.
His many relics were distributed,
and immeasurable stupas were built.
Monks and nuns,
as numerous as the sands of the Ganges,
redoubled their vigorous practice,
thereby seeking the unsurpassed way.
This Dharma master Wondrous Light
upheld the Buddha’s Dharma treasury
and, for eighty minor aeons,
widely proclaimed the Lotus Sutra.
These eight royal sons,
whom Wondrous Light had guided and transformed,
became steadfast in the unsurpassed way
and would behold countless buddhas.
After making offerings to those buddhas,
they practiced the great way in accord with it,
became buddhas one after another,
and in succession each conferred a prediction upon the next.
The last of them, the Deva among Devas,
was named Burning Lamp Buddha,
guide of the seers,
who liberated immeasurable multitudes.
At that time, this Dharma master Wondrous Light
had a disciple
whose mind constantly harbored indolence
and who greedily clung to fame and gain.
His seeking of fame and gain knew no satisfaction;
he frequently visited households of great clans.
He cast aside what he had studied and recited,
letting it lapse and forgetting it, unable to master it.
For this reason,
he was named Seeker of Fame.
Yet he also practiced many wholesome deeds,
and so was able to see countless buddhas,
make offerings to those buddhas,
and practice the great way in accord with it.
He fulfilled the six perfections
and now beholds the Lion of the Śākyas.
Afterward, he shall become a buddha
named Maitreya,
widely bringing living beings across,
their number without limit.
After that Buddha passed into extinction,
you were the indolent one;
and that Dharma master Wondrous Light
is now none other than I myself.
I saw the original luminous portent
of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha just like this.
From this I know that the present Buddha
wishes to teach the Lotus Sutra.
The present sign is like the original portent;
it is a skillful means of the buddhas.
The present Buddha sends forth this radiance
to help disclose the meaning of the true mark.
All of you should now understand:
join your palms and wait single-mindedly.
The Buddha will rain down the rain of Dharma
and fully satisfy those who seek the Way.
If any among those who seek
the three vehicles
still harbor doubt or regret,
the Buddha will remove and sever it for them,
bringing it wholly to an end
without any remainder.
一部經要開講，總得有個起頭。可《法華》這樣一部要緊的經，佛沒有一開口就說義理，先示現了一場異象——說一部別的經、入定、天雨寶華、大地震動、眉間放光——由這異象引出一個問題，再由文殊師利追述一段極古的往事來作答。這一整品，就是全經的「序」:把這部經『為什麼在此時、對此眾、以此因緣而說』交代清楚，卻一句正題都還沒點破。以下順經文次第，把序品每一義講明；末後再以唯識一系的讀法，補一點旁照。
通序：先把「這場法會」交代清楚
經一開頭是「如是我聞：一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中」。古來把「序」分作兩截：前一截叫「通序」，後一截叫「別序」。通序是「證信」——把六件事交代清楚，好讓後世讀經的人生信：這部經確有來歷，不是憑空。哪六件？「如是」是所聞之法，「我聞」是能聞之人（阿難親耳聽的），「一時」是說法之時，「佛」是說法之主，「王舍城耆闍崛山」是說法之處，底下那一長串大眾是共聞之眾。於是經文一位一位點出這場法會的大眾：先是一萬二千位大比丘，個個是漏盡的阿羅漢——阿若憍陳如、摩訶迦葉、舍利弗、目揵連、阿難、羅睺羅這些為人共知的大弟子；又有比丘尼摩訶波闍波提、羅睺羅的母親耶輸陀羅；再是八萬位大菩薩——文殊、觀音、得大勢、彌勒、寶積這些不退轉的大士；然後是釋提桓因與諸天、八部龍王、緊那羅、乾闥婆、阿修羅、迦樓羅諸王，末了連韋提希之子阿闍世王也來了。這麼一場空前的大會，人天龍神畢集——這是要說一件大事的排場。
別序發起：不靠言語，先靠異象把心提起來
大眾既集，世尊先為諸菩薩說了一部大乘經，叫《無量義》;說完，便盤腿結跏趺坐，入了一個名叫「無量義處」的三昧，身心寂然不動。就在這入定之際，天上落下曼陀羅華等四種寶華，散在佛與大眾身上；整個十方佛土，同時六種震動；四眾與八部見了這前所未有的景象，都歡喜合掌，一心一意望著佛。這一段，古來叫「別序」，也叫「發起序」——它不靠一句言語，先靠一連串的異象，把在座每一個人的心提了起來：接下來，一定有極不尋常的法要說。經還沒開口說《法華》，可這『先入定、後放光』的鋪陳，已經把整場的氣氛推到了臨界。
眉間放光：一道向東的光，照見十方三世
然後是全序最耀眼的一相：佛從眉間的白毫，放出一道光，照徹東方一萬八千個世界，下照到最底的阿鼻地獄，上照到最高的阿迦尼吒天。這一照，那些國土裡的景象全顯了出來：六道眾生的生死流轉、現在住世的諸佛、諸佛正在說的法、種種修行的四眾、行菩薩道的大士，乃至已經涅槃的佛、涅槃後起的七寶塔——一光之中，十方三世盡在眼前。這道光是整個序品的眼。竺法護譯這部經，乾脆把這一品就叫「光瑞品」，正是抓住了這一相。光為什麼獨獨向東照？為什麼是「一萬八千」這個數？經文只如實地渲染這道光的所照，把「為什麼」留給了下文的一問一答。
彌勒生疑：這樣的瑞相，該問誰
這樣的異象，究竟是什麼因緣？第一個起疑的是彌勒。他心裡想：世尊現這樣的神變、入這樣的三昧，是不可思議、極稀有的事，我該去問誰、誰能答？他隨即想到：文殊師利是法王之子，親近供養過無量諸佛，這樣稀有的相，他必定見過——我去問他。不只彌勒，四眾與諸天心裡也都在問同一件事。於是彌勒替眾人把疑問挑明，先以長行、再以偈頌，一句句問文殊：這是什麼因緣的祥瑞？這道光照見的東方國土為何這樣莊嚴？佛坐道場所得的妙法，是要說了嗎？還是要為誰授記？——序品用這一問，把「發起」一路推到了正題的門口。
文殊作答：我曾見此瑞——日月燈明佛的往事
文殊沒有正面說「這是什麼」，而是講了一段極古的往事。他說：我依自己的思量，佛今天是要說大法了；因為我在過去諸佛那裡，曾見過這樣的瑞——放這樣的光，放完就說大法。接著他往極遠處追溯：過去無量無邊阿僧祇劫之前，有一位佛，名叫日月燈明，為三乘人各說其法；此後又有佛，也叫日月燈明，這樣一連二萬位佛，都是同一個名號、同一個姓。最後那位日月燈明佛，未出家時有八個王子，聽父親成道，也都捨了王位隨之出家。這位佛也先說《無量義》、也入無量義處三昧、也天雨四華、也放眉間光照東方萬八千土——與今日一模一樣。放光之後，佛因一位名叫「妙光」的菩薩，說了一部大乘經，就叫《妙法蓮華》，一連說了六十小劫；聽者身心不動，只覺像一頓飯的工夫。說完，佛授記德藏菩薩當來作佛、號淨身，便於中夜入了涅槃。佛滅之後，妙光菩薩持這部《法華》八十小劫，為人演說，教化那八位王子，個個堅固不退，後來相繼成佛，最後一位號燃燈。
妙光即我、求名即汝：今日的瑞，與那時的瑞一模一樣
往事講到這裡，文殊點破了兩重身分。他說：妙光有八百弟子，其中有一個貪著名聞利養、讀經卻總不通不記的，名叫「求名」。這個人雖然懈怠，卻也因宿世善根，後來得值無量諸佛。——彌勒你要知道：那時說經的妙光菩薩，豈是別人？就是我文殊的前身；那個求名菩薩，就是你彌勒的前身。文殊這一結，把極古的往事一下子接到了眼前：今天所見的瑞相，與日月燈明佛那時所現的並無二致；既然那時放完這光就說了《法華》，那麼今天——如來也一定要說《妙法蓮華》了。序品到此收束：一場異象、一個疑問、一段往事，把『佛今當說《法華》』這樁大事的來由，交代得清清楚楚，正題便要在下一品「方便品」正式開講。
以唯識之眼：「一時」二字裡的心，與那道向東的光
上來是序品自身的義。序品是發起，經還沒正式開講義理；所借的唯識鏡（慈恩窺基《玄贊》）在這一品能照的也就格外少——鏡非經，只照兩個小點。
最實的一點，落在通序「一時」這兩個字上。尋常讀「一時」不過是「有一回」;《玄贊》卻讀出一層唯識義，叫「唯識時」:時間並沒有心外的實體，是說法的人、聽法的人，各自識心上「變」出過去現在未來的長短相，其實都只是當下一念，隨心所限而現長現短。他打了個極好的比方——就像做夢：夢裡好像過了好幾生幾世，醒來才曉得那不過是這一念心變現的，哪有真的多生多世在心外？聽經的人心裡變出三世，也正是這樣。這一句「一時」，就成了『時無實體、唯心所變』的一個小小入口——是序品經文自身，唯一一處真正照見唯識義的地方。
第二點更輕，只一句旁及：佛的光為什麼獨照「東方」？《玄贊》順帶點一句——表這部經所被的是大乘機根，故不遍照別方；一點就過。要緊的是把界線劃清：窺基在這一品前頭，另有一大段判教、判機的話——把《法華》判在三時教、講五種姓各別——讀來極豐；但那是他釋每一品之前都先設的「全經框架」，判的是這部經要度哪一種機，不是序品經文一句一義的意思，不能挪來充序品的義。序品的鏡，老實只照「一時」與『那道向東的光』兩點而已。
至於這一連串瑞相怎麼看，幾副眼各有擺法：天台讀成「六瑞」配十妙，又借妙光即文殊、燃燈為釋迦九世祖師，在序品先暗開了〈壽量品〉的遠壽；三論吉藏嫌六瑞太寬，削成「三瑞」（雨華、動地、放光）;這面鏡則不立「六」這個數，以三種軌儀、佛的三密（入定意密、放光身密、說法語密）看之。或六或三或不立數，擺法各異；而經自己那道向東的光始終在那裡。並錄不判，各還其位。下一品「方便品」，經就要正式開口，說那唯一佛乘的真實了。
Every sutra must begin somewhere. Yet when a sutra as momentous as the Lotus is about to be taught, the Buddha does not begin by stating its doctrine. He first manifests an extraordinary scene: he teaches another sutra, enters meditative absorption, precious flowers rain from the heavens, the earth quakes, and light shines from between his brows. This scene gives rise to a question, and Mañjuśrī answers by recounting events from a past age of immeasurable antiquity. This entire chapter is the “introduction” to the sutra. It makes clear why this sutra is taught at this time, to this assembly, and upon these causes and conditions, yet it does not disclose even one statement of the central teaching. We will follow the sequence of the sutra and clarify each meaning in the Introduction; only at the end will we add a brief sidelight from the Consciousness-Only tradition.
The Common Introduction: First Establishing the Dharma Assembly Clearly
The sutra opens, “Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the city of Rājagṛha.” Since ancient times, the introduction has been divided into two parts: the first is the “common introduction,” and the second the “specific introduction.” The common introduction establishes credibility. It makes six matters clear so that later readers of the sutra may give rise to faith: this sutra has a genuine transmission and did not appear from nowhere. What are the six? “Thus” is the Dharma that was heard. “Have I heard” identifies the person who heard it—Ānanda heard it with his own ears. “At one time” is the time of the teaching. “The Buddha” is the teacher. Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the city of Rājagṛha is the place of teaching. The long list that follows is the assembly who heard it together.
The sutra therefore names the members of this Dharma gathering one by one. First come twelve thousand great monks, every one of them an arhat whose contaminants have been exhausted, including such well-known great disciples as Ājñāta Kauṇḍinya, Mahākāśyapa, Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, Ānanda, and Rāhula. There are also the nun Mahāprajāpatī and Yaśodharā, Rāhula’s mother. Next come eighty thousand great bodhisattvas—Mañjuśrī, Perceiver of the World’s Sounds (Guanshiyin), Attainer of Great Power, Maitreya, and Accumulation of Jewels among them—all great beings who do not turn back. Then come Śakra and the devas; the dragon kings of the eightfold assembly; kings of the kiṃnaras, gandharvas, asuras, and garuḍas; and finally even King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehī. At this unprecedented gathering, humans, devas, dragons, and spirits have all assembled. This is the ceremonial order for the teaching of a great matter.
The Specific Introduction Occasions the Teaching: Not through Words—Portents First Raise Every Mind
Once the assembly has gathered, the World-Honored One first teaches the bodhisattvas a great-vehicle sutra named Immeasurable Meanings. When he has finished, he crosses his legs in the full lotus posture and enters the meditative absorption (samādhi) named the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, his body and mind quiescent and unmoving. At that very moment, the heavens rain down four kinds of precious flowers, including māndārava flowers, scattering them over the Buddha and the great assembly. The entire buddha-world quakes in six ways. Seeing this unprecedented scene, the fourfold assembly and the eightfold assembly rejoice, join their palms, and gaze single-mindedly at the Buddha.
Since ancient times, this passage has been called the “specific introduction,” or the “occasioning introduction.” It does not rely on a single word; through the successive portents, it first raises the mind of every person present: something utterly extraordinary must be about to be taught. The sutra has not yet begun to state the teaching of the Lotus, but the progression—first entering meditative absorption, then sending forth light—has already carried the atmosphere of the entire gathering to its threshold.
Radiance from Between the Brows: One Eastward Light Reveals the Ten Directions and Three Times
Then comes the most luminous sign in the entire introduction. From the white hair-mark between his brows, the Buddha sends forth a ray of light that illuminates eighteen thousand worlds in the east, reaching downward to the lowest Avīci hell and upward to the highest Akaniṣṭha heaven. By that illumination, every scene in those lands becomes visible: beings revolving through birth and death in the six destinations; buddhas now dwelling in the world; the Dharma those buddhas are teaching; the many forms of practice undertaken by the fourfold assemblies; great beings practicing the bodhisattva path; and even buddhas who have already entered nirvāṇa and the seven-jeweled stupas raised after their nirvāṇa. Within a single ray of light, the ten directions and three times stand revealed before the eye.
This radiance is the eye of the entire Introduction. Dharmarakṣa’s translation simply names the chapter “The Portent of Light,” grasping precisely this one sign. Why does the light shine only toward the east? Why is its number “eighteen thousand”? The sutra itself faithfully renders all that the light reveals and leaves the “why” to the question and answer that follow.
Maitreya Becomes Doubtful: Whom Should One Ask about Such a Portent?
What cause and condition could have produced this extraordinary scene? Maitreya is the first to become doubtful. He thinks: the World-Honored One has manifested this supernormal transformation and entered this meditative absorption. It is inconceivable and exceedingly rare. Whom should I ask, and who can answer? He immediately remembers that Mañjuśrī, a son of the Dharma King, has drawn near to and made offerings to immeasurable buddhas. Mañjuśrī must have seen such a rare sign before, so Maitreya will ask him.
Maitreya is not alone. The fourfold assembly and the devas are asking the same question in their hearts. Speaking for them all, he makes the doubt explicit. First in prose and then in verse, line by line, he asks Mañjuśrī: what cause and condition account for this auspicious portent? Why are the eastern lands revealed by this radiance so magnificently adorned? Is the Buddha about to teach the wondrous Dharma he realized at the seat of awakening, or is he about to give someone a prediction? With this question, the Introduction carries its occasioning movement right to the door of the central teaching.
Mañjuśrī Answers: “I Have Seen This Portent Before”—The Past Events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha
Mañjuśrī does not directly say what the portent is. Instead, he recounts an event from a past age of unfathomable antiquity. He says that, according to his own reflection, the Buddha is about to teach the great Dharma today, because among buddhas of the past he has seen this same portent before: after sending forth such a light, they immediately taught the great Dharma.
He then looks back to the farthest past. Immeasurable, boundless, incalculable aeons ago, there was a buddha named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, who taught each of the three vehicles the Dharma proper to it. Another buddha after him was also named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and so it continued through twenty thousand buddhas, all with the same name and the same family name. While the last Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha had not yet left the household life, he had eight royal sons. When they heard that their father had accomplished the Way, they too renounced their royal stations and followed him into homelessness.
This buddha likewise first taught Immeasurable Meanings, entered the meditative absorption of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, received a heavenly rain of four kinds of flowers, and sent forth light from between his brows that illuminated eighteen thousand lands in the east—exactly as on the present day. After sending forth the light, for the sake of a bodhisattva named Wondrous Light, the Buddha taught a great-vehicle sutra called the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma. He continued teaching it for sixty minor aeons. The listeners’ bodies and minds did not move, and the whole expanse seemed no longer than the time needed for a single meal. When he had finished, the Buddha predicted that the Bodhisattva Treasury of Qualities would become the Buddha Pure Body, and at midnight he entered nirvāṇa. After the Buddha’s extinction, the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light upheld this Lotus for eighty minor aeons and taught it to others. He guided the eight royal sons, each of whom became firm and non-retrogressing. Later they became buddhas in succession, the last being named Burning Lamp Buddha.
Wondrous Light Was I; Seeker of Fame Was You: Today’s Portent Is Exactly Like the One Then
At this point in the account, Mañjuśrī discloses two identities. Wondrous Light had eight hundred disciples. One of them greedily clung to fame and gain. Though he read sutras, he never mastered or retained them, and so he was named Seeker of Fame. Although indolent, through wholesome roots planted in former lives he later encountered immeasurable buddhas.
Mañjuśrī then tells Maitreya: could the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light, who taught the sutra then, have been someone else? He was Mañjuśrī himself in a former life. And the Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame was Maitreya in a former life. With this joining, Mañjuśrī suddenly brings the events of the remotest past into the present. The portents seen today do not differ at all from those manifested by Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha. Since that buddha taught the Lotus after sending forth this light, today the Tathāgata must likewise be about to teach the Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma.
Here the Introduction closes. An extraordinary scene, a single question, and an account from the past have made completely clear the cause for the great event that the Buddha is now about to teach the Lotus. The central teaching will begin in full in the next chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means.
Through the Eyes of Consciousness-Only: The Mind within “At One Time” and That Eastward Light
Everything above is the Introduction in its own meaning. This chapter occasions the teaching; the sutra has not yet begun its doctrinal exposition in full. The Consciousness-Only mirror used here—Kuiji’s Profound Praise of the Lotus—therefore has especially little to illuminate in this chapter. This mirror is not the source of the Lotus; here it illuminates only two small points.
The more substantial point lies in the two words “at one time” in the common introduction. Ordinarily, they mean no more than “on one occasion.” The Profound Praise, however, draws out a Consciousness-Only meaning and calls it “consciousness-only time.” Time has no real substance outside the mind. Speaker and listeners each transform upon consciousness and mind the short and long appearances of past, present, and future. In reality, all are only the present thought-moment, appearing long or short according to the limits of mind. Kuiji gives a striking comparison: it is like a dream. Within a dream, one may seem to pass through many lives and ages; only upon waking does one understand that they were transformations of this single thought-moment and that no real succession of many lives ever stood outside the mind. The listener’s mind transforming the three times is just so. The phrase “at one time” thus becomes a small entrance into the point that time has no real substance and is transformed by mind alone. It is the sole place in the Introduction’s own scriptural text that directly reveals a Consciousness-Only meaning.
The second point is lighter still, no more than a passing reference. Why does the Buddha’s light illuminate only the east? The Profound Praise briefly says that this signifies the Great-Vehicle capacities addressed by the sutra, and therefore the light does not illuminate the other directions. It makes the point and moves on. The boundary here matters. Before explaining the Introduction, Kuiji gives an extensive discussion classifying the teaching and the capacities addressed: he places the Lotus within the three periods of teaching and discusses the distinctions among the five lineages. That discussion is rich, but it is a whole-sutra framework of the kind he establishes before interpreting each chapter. It classifies the capacities the sutra seeks to liberate; it is not the meaning of any phrase in the Introduction’s own scriptural text and cannot be moved into the Introduction to fill it out. Honestly scoped, the mirror of this chapter illuminates only “at one time” and that eastward light.
The ancient houses also arrange the series of portents in different ways. Tiantai reads six portents corresponding to the ten subtleties and, through the identity of Wondrous Light as Mañjuśrī and Burning Lamp Buddha as Śākyamuni’s teacher nine lives before, sees the Introduction as covertly opening the distant lifespan of the Chapter on Lifespan. Jizang of Sanlun finds six too broad and reduces the number to three: the rain of flowers, the earth’s quaking, and the sending forth of light. The present Cien mirror does not establish the number six, but reads the scene through three modes of ceremonial order and the Buddha’s three mysteries: entering meditative absorption as the mystery of mind, sending forth light as the mystery of body, and teaching Dharma as the mystery of speech. Six, three, or no established number—the arrangements differ, while the sutra’s own eastward radiance remains where it has always been. The three readings are recorded side by side without adjudication, each kept in its own place. In the next chapter, the Chapter on Skillful Means, the sutra itself will finally speak and declare the reality of the sole Buddha-Vehicle.
考據Apparatus
本品為全經之序分（發起序）。通序（證信序）以「如是我聞」下六種證信冠首（聞・信・時・主・處・眾）；別序（發起序）以世尊為諸菩薩說《無量義經》、入無量義處三昧、天雨四華、大地六種震動、四眾歡喜、眉間白毫放光照東方萬八千世界為發起之瑞。彌勒睹瑞生疑，問文殊師利以何因緣有此神變；文殊答「我於過去諸佛曾見此瑞，放斯光已即說大法」，遂追述過去日月燈明佛之本事——二萬佛同號日月燈明、同姓頗羅墮，最後佛八王子出家，佛因妙光菩薩說《妙法蓮華》六十小劫，授德藏菩薩記（號淨身）而入涅槃，妙光持經八十小劫、化八王子（最後成佛者號燃燈），弟子求名貪著利養；末以『妙光即我身、求名即汝身』相結，明今佛現瑞亦當說《法華》。慈恩窺基《玄贊》依世親《法華論》『七功德成就』判通序別序，讀序品為「序分」（教起因由）；於別序不立「六瑞」之名，而以「三種軌儀」「佛三密」（入定意密・放光身密・說法語密）組織現瑞；放光判為「依止說因成就」，白毫字釋「間表中道・白顯三乘之源」，唯照東方判「唯被佛性大乘機根」。序品經文自身唯識義甚約，玄贊唯一實落點在「一時」二字讀為「唯識時」（時無實體、識心所變、如夢唯心）；三時教・五種姓・定性之綱維則係玄贊卷首玄談之全經判機，非序品經文自身之義。天台智顗《文句》以「因緣・約教・本迹・觀心」四意消文，判通序別序、別序五分，讀別序為「六瑞」配十妙、以序品密開壽量；三論吉藏《義疏》以六門釋、立「六事」（斥舊師五事）、判證信序發起序，於瑞獨削光宅「六瑞」為「三瑞」（雨華・動地・放光），並錄不判。
一、科判定位
| 科判系統 | 此品之位 |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第一 序品（卷一；〔T09n0262 0001c18〕品題、正文起〔0001c19〕）· 全經序分（前十三品明一乘境行之發起；此品為發起之由） |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | 序品〔T34n1723 0651a06〕起—〔0694b21〕止（含卷首六門玄談＋序品隨文釋）。「序」者由也始也，陳教起之因由〔0651a25〕· 第六釋經本文判全經三分，今為二解，皆「初一品名序分」〔0661b10〕（次八品／八品半名正宗、餘名流通；宗古遵「序品陳其始由」）· 依世親《法華論》「七種成就」〔0661c09〕分序：「初二通序，後五別序」〔0661c26〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | 〈釋序品〉〔T34n1718 0001b21〕起 · 以四意消文（一因緣、二約教、三本迹、四觀心）〔0002a21〕· 通序／別序（「如是」至「却坐一面」通序、「爾時世尊」下別序）〔0003a19〕· 別序五分（眾集・現瑞・疑念・發問・答問）〔0026b26〕· 判序品開迹門（序至〈安樂行〉十四品約迹）〔0002a09〕 |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | 〈序品第一〉〔T34n1721 0451a05〕起（序品之一〔0451a05〕＋之二〔0466b21〕）· 三段各開兩章，序開證信序・發起序〔0453b14〕· 證信序總釋六門（序原由・定多少・序來意・有無・具不具・前後）〔0453c16〕· 立六事（斥舊師五事）〔0453c26〕· 發起序（開發序）六章（眾集・說經・入定・現瑞・疑問・答問）〔0466b22〕 |
二、異譯·三譯對勘
本品三漢譯：羅什 T262〈序品第一〉〔T09n0262 0001c18〕· 竺法護 T263《正法華經》〈光瑞品第一〉〔T09n0263 0063a06〕· 添品 T264〈序品第一〉〔T09n0264 0134c28〕（前有添品序〔0134b24〕）。品名異（羅什／添品「序品」、竺法護「光瑞品」——以放光瑞為一品之眼）。
句一 通序·六種證信（如是我聞）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 如是我聞：一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢 | T09n0262 0001c19 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕如是我聞：一時佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱 | T09n0264 0134c29 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 聞如是：一時佛遊王舍城靈鷲山，與大比丘眾俱，比丘千二百 | T09n0263 0063a07 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品逐字同（唯讀點）。竺法護系統性異——「聞如是」（對「如是我聞」·語序古式）·「靈鷲山」（義譯·對音譯耆闍崛）·「遊」（對「住」）·眾數「比丘千二百」（對萬二千）。
句二 菩薩上首·譯名
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 其名曰：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩……彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩 | T09n0262 0002a08 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢……彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩 | T09n0264 0135a17 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 其名曰：溥首菩薩、光世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩……慈氏菩薩，如是大士八萬上首 | T09n0263 0063a27 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品逐字同。竺法護全異譯名系——文殊師利→溥首・觀世音→光世音・得大勢→大勢至・彌勒→慈氏（義譯 Maitreya＝慈）。
句三 說法瑞·入定瑞（說《無量義》·入無量義處三昧）
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。佛說此經已，結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動 | T09n0262 0002b07 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔字面幾同·開合異〕為諸菩薩說大乘經，名《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》。佛說此經已……入於無量義處三昧 | T09n0264 0135b14 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 講演菩薩方等大頌一切諸佛嚴淨之業……昇于自然師子之床加趺而坐，三昧正受定意，名曰立無量頌 | T09n0263 0063b25 |
異文所繫：羅什讀「名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念」（經名＋二讚句）；添品開合異——讀作單一長題《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》。竺法護全異譯——經題不作「無量義」而作「菩薩方等大頌」；三昧名「無量義處」作「立無量頌」。
句四 六瑞·雨華·地動·眉間放光
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 天雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華……普佛世界六種震動……爾時佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，靡不周遍，下至阿鼻地獄，上至阿迦尼吒天 | T09n0262 華 0002b10／震動 0002b12／放光 0002b16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什·異體字〕……普佛世界六種振動……上至阿迦膩吒天 | T09n0264 0135b17／0135b19／0135b23 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 天雨、意華、大意華、柔軟音華、大柔軟音華……普佛國土六反震動……放大光明，照于東方萬八千土 | T09n0263 華 0063b29／六反震動 0063c02／照東方 0064a05 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品同（「震動／振動」異體、「阿迦尼吒／阿迦膩吒」音寫小異）。竺法護——四華全義譯（意華・柔軟音華，不音寫曼陀羅／曼殊沙）·「六反震動」（對「六種震動」）·放光長行與偈頌分置。竺法護品名「光瑞」正以此放光瑞統攝全品。
句五 日月燈明佛·二萬同號·同姓頗羅墮
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 如是二萬佛，皆同一字，號日月燈明，又同一姓，姓頗羅墮 | T09n0262 0003c27／0003c28 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕……又同一姓，姓頗羅墮 | T09n0264 0136c27／0136c28 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 〔日月燈〕明，胄紹一姓。若斯之比二萬如來……最前興者號日月燈明，最後起者 | T09n0263 0066a01／0066a02 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品逐字同。佛名「日月燈明」竺法護亦作日月燈明（義譯 Candrasūryapradīpa·護與羅什罕見一致）。「同姓·姓頗羅墮」竺法護作「胄紹一姓」〔0066a01〕（義譯「一姓」之義，無「頗羅墮」音寫姓名·非缺此義，乃不音寫其姓）。
句六 妙光·求名·本事相結
| 版本 | 逐字（節） | 出處 |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 時有菩薩名曰妙光……有一人號曰求名……爾時妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也；求名菩薩，汝身是也 | T09n0262 妙光 0004a23／求名 0004b11／相結 0004b15 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕……妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也。求名菩薩…… | T09n0264 0137a21／0137b09／0137b12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 有菩薩名曰超光……有一菩薩獨勞懈名曰名聞……欲知爾時比丘法師號超光者則吾是也，其名聞菩薩……則莫能勝是 | T09n0263 超光 0066a29／名聞 0066b01／相結 0066b21 |
異文所繫：羅什／添品逐字同。竺法護全異譯鏈——妙光→超光（Varaprabha）・求名→名聞・相結中「彌勒→莫能勝」（Ajita·義譯）·弟子數異（羅什八百·護作侍者十八）·德藏→首藏、授記佛號淨身→離垢體〔0066b10／b12〕·燃燈佛護作「法事」〔0066b16〕。
添品定位：添品 T264 序品全篇與羅什近乎逐字全同（通序・菩薩上首・日月燈明・頗羅墮・妙光求名德藏本事鏈皆逐字合），差異僅①經題開合（讀《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》為單一長題）②異體字（震動／振動・尼吒／膩吒）——添品即羅什本之校訂重刊，非新譯。竺法護 T263《正法華》為真正異譯軸:①品名異〈光瑞品〉（放光為眼）②譯名系統全異（溥首・光世音・慈氏・超光・名聞・首藏・離垢體・立無量頌・六反震動・四華義譯）③結構開合（聞如是・眾數千二百・弟子十八・胄紹一姓）；唯「日月燈明」佛名與羅什一致。
三、唯識義之經據（眼）
本品經文自身唯識義甚約——序品是發起序，義理尚未正說。玄贊唯識義有二源，須嚴辨：
(甲) 全經玄談之判機（非序品經文自身義·勿套作序品之唯識義）——窺基《玄贊》卷首六門玄談（〔0654a–0657a〕，在序品經文之前）判《法華》屬三時教（依《解深密經》三性三無性〔0655b24·0655c16〕）、行五種姓判機（引《楞伽》有五種種姓·一闡提無姓〔0656c14〕）、明定性／不定性〔0656c05〕。此係窺基釋每一品之前皆設之全經判教判機框架，判此經被何機根，非序品經文一句一義之釋。機掃序品全段〔0651a06–0694b21〕：三性 1・遍計 1・依他 1・圓成 3（二處「圓滿成就」義非三性）・五種姓 2・定性 4——皆聚於玄談判機段；阿賴耶・藏識・轉依・二障・密意 皆零；「唯識」7 見多為《成唯識論》引作法相工具（信・阿羅漢三義・第八識界趣生等）。
(乙) 序品經文自身之唯一實落點：「一時」＝唯識時——釋通序「一時」二字，窺基出二解（道理時・唯識時），唯識時一解為序品經文本身之唯識讀〔T34n1723 0664a20〕:
「二者唯識時，說、聽二徒識心之上變作三時相狀而起，實是現在，隨心分限變作短長，事緒終訖總名一時。如夢所見謂有多生，覺位唯心都無實境；聽者心變三世亦爾，唯意所緣，是不相應行蘊，法界法處所攝。」〔T34n1723 0664a20〕
→ 時無實體、識心所變、如夢唯心——此為序品經文一句（「一時」）之唯識鏡讀，是本品唯識義最潔淨之一點。
次要旁及：唯照東方＝唯被大乘機根——釋放光「照於東方」，窺基〔T34n1723 0680c25〕：「唯照東方者，西域以東為上，表《法華經》唯被佛性大乘機根不被餘性，故不照餘。」→ 此一句於放光瑞下略點種姓義，簡而不展（呼應玄談五種姓判機，然僅框放光何以向東，非序品之義理主軸）。
（按：序品玄贊唯識義據實輕——經文自身唯一實落點在「一時＝唯識時」，次有「唯照東方」一句之種姓旁及；三時教・五種姓・定性之豐者，係玄談之全經判機框架，入目一「所被機」誌其為窺基之全經判，不得挪作序品經文自身之唯識義——挪則犯「套他品」之戒。）
四、諸家異釋（古德·標宗·誌錄不判）
同一序品之瑞、同一日月燈明本事，慈恩・天台・三論以三軌儀三密・六瑞十妙・三瑞讀之。本編義疏鏡＝慈恩窺基《玄贊》；天台智顗、三論吉藏並錄之，誌其異而不判。
約詞辨:①「五重玄義」（釋名・辨體・明宗・論用・判教）非在《文句》《義疏》序品——智顗五重玄義在別行之《法華玄義》T33n1716、吉藏五玄在別行之《法華玄論》T34n1720;《文句》T1718序品作「四意」（因緣・約教・本迹・觀心）、《義疏》T1721序品作「六門」，二疏序品段皆無五重玄義連文，勿誤植於此二疏。②「六瑞」係天台（承光宅）之判——玄贊本品無「六瑞」連文（以三軌儀・三密・七成就組織）；吉藏本品「六瑞」四見皆在其所引光宅句中、隨即斥之。③智顗「四種釋」定型連文本品段亦零（實作「四意」「四番釋」）。
慈恩·窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（鏡骨幹）
序品＝序分（教起因由）· 依世親《法華論》七功德成就分通序（成就①②·攝信聞時主處眾）別序（成就③④⑤⑥⑦）· 別序現瑞不立「六瑞」而依三種軌儀〔0679a03〕（依三昧成就＝入定・依器世間＝雨華地動・依眾生世間＝眾喜）與佛三密〔0679b13〕（入定意密・放光身密・說法語密）· 放光判「依止說因成就」、白毫字釋「間表中道・白顯三乘之源」〔0680b28〕、瑞即信也符應也〔0683a18〕· 文殊答＝以宿命智現見過去因果相成就十事〔0661c23〕、妙光即文殊前身〔0688a27〕、求名即彌勒前身〔0692b17〕。詳目三。慈恩承衍：慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724。
天台·智顗《文句》T34n1718（旁證）
四意消文（因緣・約教・本迹・觀心）〔0002a21〕· 通序／別序〔0003a19〕、別序五分（眾集・現瑞・疑念・發問・答問）〔0026b26〕· 六瑞配十妙（承光宅六瑞，束為智定・因果・感應三雙）〔0027b05〕:
「說法瑞，表報說法妙、智妙；入定瑞，表報行妙；雨花瑞，表報位妙；地動瑞，表報境妙、乘妙；眾喜瑞，表報眷屬妙、利益妙；放光瑞，表報感應妙、神通妙，是故六種俱名現相序。」〔T34n1718 0027b05〕
判序品開迹門（「從序至〈安樂行〉十四品，約迹開權顯實」〔0002a10〕）· 妙光即釋迦九世祖師，以之密開壽量（顯生非生・滅非滅）〔0035a05〕。
三論·吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721（旁證）
六門釋序品〔0453c16〕· 立六事（斥舊師五事、依天親《燈論》「前三明弟子後三證師說」）〔0453c26〕· 判證信序／發起序〔0453b14〕、發起序（開發序）六章〔0466b22〕· 於瑞獨異——引光宅「六瑞」而削為三瑞〔0469b21〕:
「今謂六句之中三句非瑞……故知入定非瑞……故知眾喜亦非瑞也。說經乃是赴緣之教，亦不名瑞……今明六種之中但三是瑞，謂雨華、動地及放光也。」〔T34n1721 0469b21〕
妙光即文殊、燃燈九世祖，以之「以近覆遠・開近顯遠」（亦開壽量本門）〔0481b02〕。
三家並錄（誌·不判）
現瑞之判：慈恩「三種軌儀・佛三密（入定意密・放光身密・說法語密）・無六瑞之名」、天台「六瑞（說法・入定・雨花・地動・眾喜・放光）配十妙・三雙」、三論「三瑞（雨華・動地・放光）·斥入定眾喜說經三句非瑞」——三家於「瑞」之數判各異（慈恩不立六數而依成就・天台六・三論三），並錄不判。日月燈明本事之用：天台「密開壽量」〔0035a05〕、三論「以近覆遠，今欲開近顯遠」〔0481b02〕——二家皆以妙光即文殊、燃燈九世祖之相即，於序品豫開〈壽量〉本門（同趣·詞異）；慈恩則以『文殊以宿命智現見過去因果相』為文殊能答之據〔0688a27〕。智顗（538–597）・吉藏（549–623）早於窺基（632–682），並錄不判。
五、術語
| 漢 | 傳梵（羅馬字·發音輔助） | 古德所徵 | 義 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 序（序品） | — | 窺基「序者由也始也，陳教起之因由」〔T34n1723 0651a25〕 | 全經發起之由·序分 |
| 通序·別序 | — | 智顗『如是至却坐一面通序、爾時世尊下別序』〔T34n1718 0003a19〕；窺基「初二通序後五別序」〔T34n1723 0661c26〕；吉藏作「證信序·發起序」〔T34n1721 0453b14〕 | 證信之序（六成就）與發起之序（現瑞）·三家名判異 |
| 七種成就（六成就） | — | 窺基依世親《法華論》「序品有七種成就」〔T34n1723 0661c09〕（序分・眾・時至・威儀住・說因・欲聞・文殊答）；吉藏「六事」斥舊師五事〔T34n1721 0453c26〕 | 通序證信之圓滿義·論本判七、通途判六 |
| 一時（唯識時） | — | 窺基「唯識時，識心之上變作三時相狀……如夢所見……覺位唯心都無實境」〔T34n1723 0664a20〕 | 時無實體·識心所變·序品唯識義正落點 |
| 眉間白毫相光 | ūrṇā（系） | 窺基「間謂兩中表說中道・白為眾色之本顯此法是三乘之源」〔T34n1723 0680b29〕；放光＝依止說因成就 | 佛眉間白毫所放·現瑞之身密·發起《法華》之光 |
| 日月燈明 | Candrasūryapradīpa（系） | 〔本經 0003c27〕；二萬佛同號同姓頗羅墮；竺法護亦作日月燈明〔T09n0263 0066a01〕 | 過去佛名·文殊所憶本事之主 |
| 妙光·求名 | Varaprabha·（系） | 〔本經 0004a23／0004b11〕；窺基「文殊自見已身是過去妙光法師」〔T34n1723 0688a27〕、求名即彌勒〔0692b17〕；竺法護作超光・名聞〔T09n0263 0066a29〕 | 妙光＝文殊前身（昔弘經人）·求名＝彌勒前身（昔懈怠者） |
六、譬喻·修辭
本品無法華七喻（七喻始於〈譬喻品③〉火宅）；序品之修辭核在現瑞，尤在放光·眉間白毫一相。
(一) 眉間白毫放光（發起之身密瑞）——〔T09n0262 0002b16〕：佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，下至阿鼻、上至阿迦尼吒，於此悉見彼土六趣・諸佛・說法・菩薩行道・般涅槃・起七寶塔。窺基字釋〔T34n1723 0680b28〕：「眉」表所說勝大乘、「間」謂兩中表說中道、「白」為眾色之本顯此法是三乘之源（喻白蓮華・白牛馳駕）；光有七義（生淨信・破癡暗・導出世・表內智・濟眾苦・警群情・厭色境）〔0680c07〕；於神境十八變中，放光為「流布之變」〔0680c21〕。「萬八千」之數，窺基表一乘真實之盈滿・二乘權迹之不足〔0680c29〕。瑞即信也符應也〔0683a18〕。竺法護以此瑞名品曰「光瑞」。三家判瑞見目四（慈恩三軌儀三密・天台六瑞・三論三瑞）。
(二) 日月燈明本事（過去佛之本事）——〔T09n0262 0003c〕：文殊追述過去日月燈明佛、二萬佛同號、八王子出家、妙光說經、德藏授記、求名貪著，末以「妙光即我身・求名即汝身」相結。窺基科文殊答為「以宿命智現見過去因果相，成就十種事」〔0688a22〕，本事之相即（妙光→文殊・求名→彌勒）為現見自身所歷之因〔0688a27・0692b17〕；此「本事」偈頌，窺基於〈方便品〉回引為十二部經之「本事應頌」〔0722b04〕（方便品→序品之回鏈）。
七、互讀·承衍
(一) 本品所依論（窺基《玄贊》骨幹）:
- 世親《法華論》（法華經論）——序品「七功德成就」判通序別序〔T34n1723 0661c09〕· 十無上・十二部經「本事」。慈恩序品科判之論本。
- 窺基引《成唯識論》（一時・信・阿羅漢三義・第八識界趣生·作法相工具）· 《解深密經》（三時教三性·玄談判教）· 《楞伽》（五種姓·玄談判機）· 《觀佛三昧海經》（白毫量）· 智顗引《善戒經》七大・光宅六瑞・十妙 · 吉藏引天親《燈論》・光宅・《釋論》（《大智度論》七種瑞）。
(二) 法華內互讀:
- 序品→迹門 → 智顗判「序至〈安樂行〉十四品約迹開權顯實」〔T34n1718 0002a09〕（序品為迹門之發起）。
- 日月燈明本事→〈如來壽量品⑯〉 → 天台「密開壽量」〔0035a05〕・三論「開近顯遠」〔T34n1721 0481b02〕（妙光即文殊・燃燈九世祖之相即，於序豫開本門遠壽）。
- 文殊答本事應頌→〈方便品②〉 → 窺基於方便品回引序品「妙光法師者今即我身是」為本事應頌〔T34n1723 0722b04〕。
- 放光現東方諸佛起七寶塔→〈見寶塔品⑪〉 → 序中所見「諸佛般涅槃後以佛舍利起七寶塔」〔0002b23〕與後多寶佛全身塔互文。
(三) 承衍：慈恩後學慧沼《法華玄贊義決》T34n1724;天台後學湛然《法華文句記》T34n1719;三論吉藏別有《法華玄論》T34n1720（五玄）——各承其宗，誌不判。
八、校本定位
- 羅什 T262（底本）：〈序品第一〉〔T09n0262 0001c19〕起（卷一）。通序如是我聞 0001c19／菩薩上首 0002a08 · 說法瑞說《無量義》 0002b07／入定瑞無量義處三昧 0002b08 · 雨華 0002b09／六種震動 0002b12／眉間放光照東方 0002b16／起七寶塔 0002b25 · 彌勒作念 0002c／偈問「文殊師利導師何故」 · 文殊答「我於過去諸佛曾見此瑞」 0003a／日月燈明佛十號 0003c／二萬同號同姓頗羅墮 0003c27／八王子 0003c／說《妙法蓮華》六十小劫 0004a／德藏授記號淨身 0004b02／妙光持經八十小劫・燃燈 0004b／求名 0004b11／妙光即我身求名即汝身 0004b15 · 文殊偈頌重宣 迄卷一末（次品〈方便品第二〉起）。源檔：原典層（逐字校訖·26 核心義句逐字驗）。
- 竺法護 T263《正法華經》〈光瑞品第一〉〔T09n0263 0063a06〕起（卷一）：聞如是靈鷲山千二百 0063a07 · 溥首光世音慈氏 0063a27 · 講菩薩方等大頌・立無量頌三昧 0063b24 · 意華柔軟音華六反震動 0063b28／0063c02 · 放大光明照東方 0064a05 · 慈氏問溥首 0064a03 · 日月燈明 0065c／胄紹一姓二萬如來 0066a01 · 超光名聞 0066a29／0066b01／相結莫能勝 0066b21 · 首藏授記離垢體 0066b10／b12／燃燈作法事 0066b16。
- 添品 T264〈序品第一〉〔T09n0264 0134c28〕起（前有添品序 0134b24）：如是我聞 0134c29 · 菩薩上首 0135a17 · 無量義處三昧（單一長題） 0135b14 · 六種振動 0135b19／放光 0135b23 · 二萬同姓頗羅墮 0136c26／c28 · 妙光求名相結 0137a21／b09／b12。〔逐字近同羅什，唯經題開合・異體字〕
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723（義疏鏡·卷一本末）：序品〔0651a06〕—〔0694b21〕。序＝教起因由 0651a25／六門玄談（三時教 0655c・五種姓 0656c）→第六釋經本文三分「初一品名序分」 0661b10／七種成就 0661c09／初二通序後五別序 0661c26 · 一時唯識時 0664a20 · 三種軌儀 0679a03／佛三密 0679b13 · 放光依止說因 0680b11／白毫字釋 0680b28／光七義 0680c07／十八變流布之變 0680c14／萬八千 0680c29 · 瑞即信符應 0683a18 · 文殊答成就十事 0688a22／妙光即文殊 0688a27／求名即彌勒 0692b17／方便品回引本事應頌 0722b04。
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718（旁證）：〈釋序品〉0001b21 起 · 四意（因緣約教本迹觀心） 0002a21／序至安樂行約迹 0002a09 · 通序別序 0003a19 · 別序五分 0026b26／六瑞配十妙 0027b05 · 妙光九世祖密開壽量 0035a05。
- 吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721（旁證）：〈序品第一〉0451a05 起（之一 0451a05／之二 0466b21）· 證信序發起序 0453b14／六門 0453c16／六事斥五事 0453c26 · 發起序六章 0466b22 · 六句三句非瑞・但三是瑞 0469b21 · 文殊九世祖以近覆遠開近顯遠 0481b02。
- 成立史誌：品題羅什／添品「序品」・竺法護「光瑞品」（放光為眼）；添品逐字近同羅什（校訂重刊·經題開合）；竺法護真異譯軸（譯名系統・結構開合）。玄贊本品含卷首六門玄談（全經判教判機）＋序品隨文釋二層，唯識義豐者在玄談框架、序品經文自身唯識義約（正落點「一時＝唯識時」）。
This chapter is the introductory division of the whole sutra, specifically its occasioning introduction. The common introduction, which establishes credibility, begins with the six attestations under 「如是我聞」 tr. “Thus have I heard”: hearing, faith, time, teacher, place, and assembly. The specific or occasioning introduction begins when the World-Honored One teaches the 《無量義經》 Sutra of Immeasurable Meanings for the bodhisattvas, enters the samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, receives a rain of the four kinds of flowers from the heavens, causes the earth to quake in six ways, brings joy to the fourfold assembly, and sends forth light from the white hair-mark between his brows, illuminating eighteen thousand worlds in the east. Seeing the portents, Maitreya becomes doubtful and asks Mañjuśrī what cause and condition have produced this supernormal transformation. Mañjuśrī answers, 「我於過去諸佛曾見此瑞，放斯光已即說大法」 tr. “Among buddhas of the past, I have seen this portent before; after sending forth this light, they immediately taught the great Dharma.” He then recounts the past events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha: twenty thousand buddhas shared that name and the family name Bharadvāja; the eight royal sons of the last buddha left the household life; for the sake of the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light, that buddha taught the 《妙法蓮華》 Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma for sixty minor aeons, predicted that the Bodhisattva Treasury of Qualities would become the Buddha Pure Body, and entered nirvāṇa; Wondrous Light upheld the sutra for eighty minor aeons and transformed the eight princes, the last of whom to attain buddhahood was Burning Lamp Buddha; and his disciple Seeker of Fame clung to gain and support. The account concludes by joining past and present: 『妙光即我身、求名即汝身』 tr. “Wondrous Light was I myself; Seeker of Fame was you yourself.” It thus makes clear that the present Buddha’s portents likewise precede his teaching of the 《法華》 Lotus. Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 Profound Praise, following Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, uses the 『七功德成就』 tr. “seven accomplishments of merit” to classify the common and specific introductions and reads the chapter as the “introductory division,” the cause from which the teaching arises. In the specific introduction, he does not establish the name 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents,” but organizes the manifestations through the “three modes of ceremonial order” and the “Buddha’s three mysteries”: entering samādhi is the mystery of mind, sending forth light the mystery of body, and teaching Dharma the mystery of speech. He judges the radiance to be 「依止說因成就」 tr. “the accomplishment of reliance upon the cause for teaching”; interprets the characters in the white hair-mark as follows—「間表中道・白顯三乘之源」 tr. “‘between’ signifies the middle way; ‘white’ reveals the source of the three vehicles”; and reads its illumination of the east alone as reaching “only capacities rooted in the Buddha-nature Great Vehicle.” The Consciousness-Only meaning in the text of this chapter itself is extremely concise. The sole direct point in the Profound Praise is its reading of 「一時」 tr. “at one time” as “consciousness-only time”: time has no real substance, is transformed by consciousness and mind, and is, like a dream, mind alone. The frameworks of the three periods of teaching, the five lineages, and determinate lineage belong instead to the introductory discussion at the beginning of the Profound Praise, where Kuiji classifies the capacities addressed by the sutra as a whole; they are not meanings of the chapter’s own scriptural text. Zhiyi’s 《文句》 Words and Phrases of the Tiantai tradition explains the text through the 「四意」 tr. “four perspectives”—cause and condition, classification of teachings, origin and trace, and contemplation of mind—distinguishes common and specific introductions, divides the specific introduction into five parts, reads its 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents” as corresponding to the ten subtleties, and sees the Introduction as covertly opening the teaching of lifespan. Jizang’s 《義疏》 Meaning Commentary of the Sanlun tradition explains the chapter through six gateways, establishes 「六事」 tr. “six matters” in rejection of earlier teachers’ five, distinguishes the credibility-establishing and occasioning introductions, and uniquely reduces Guangzhai’s 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents” to three—the rain of flowers, the earth’s quaking, and the sending forth of light. These readings are recorded together without adjudication.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
| Outline system | Placement of this chapter |
|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 二十八品 | 第一 序品 — Chapter 1, Introduction（卷一；〔T09n0262 0001c18〕品題、正文起〔0001c19〕）· the 「序分」 tr. “introductory division” of the entire sutra—the occasion for the first thirteen chapters’ disclosure of the sphere and practice of the One Vehicle |
| 窺基《玄贊》科文（主錨·慈恩） | The Introduction begins at 〔T34n1723 0651a06〕 and ends at 〔0694b21〕, including the six-gateway introductory discussion at the beginning of the fascicle and the line-by-line explanation of the chapter. 「序」者由也始也，陳教起之因由 tr. “‘Introduction’ means cause and beginning: it states the cause from which the teaching arises” 〔0651a25〕. Under the sixth gateway, explanation of the scriptural text itself, the whole sutra is divided into three parts. Two interpretations are given, and both say, 「初一品名序分」 tr. “The first chapter is named the introductory division” 〔0661b10〕 (the next eight or eight and one-half chapters are named the principal teaching, and the remainder the transmission; the older tradition follows 「序品陳其始由」 tr. “the Introduction states its initial cause”). Following Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, the 「七種成就」 tr. “seven kinds of accomplishment” 〔0661c09〕 divide the introductory division as follows: 「初二通序，後五別序」 tr. “The first two are the common introduction; the latter five are the specific introduction” 〔0661c26〕 |
| 天台《文句》（旁證） | The 〈釋序品〉 “Explanation of the Introduction” begins at 〔T34n1718 0001b21〕. It explains the text through four perspectives—first, cause and condition; second, classification of teachings; third, origin and trace; fourth, contemplation of mind 〔0002a21〕. It distinguishes the common and specific introductions: 「如是」至「却坐一面」通序、「爾時世尊」下別序 tr. “From ‘Thus’ through ‘withdrew and sat to one side’ is the common introduction; from ‘At that time, the World-Honored One’ onward is the specific introduction” 〔0003a19〕. It divides the specific introduction into five parts: gathering of the assembly, manifestation of portents, arising of doubt, asking of the question, and answering of the question 〔0026b26〕. It judges that this chapter opens the Trace Gate: from the Introduction through 〈安樂行〉 the Chapter on Peaceful Practice, fourteen chapters concern the Trace 〔0002a09〕 |
| 三論《義疏》（旁證） | The 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction” begins at 〔T34n1721 0451a05〕 (Part One 〔0451a05〕 and Part Two 〔0466b21〕). Each of its three divisions opens into two chapters, and the introduction opens into the credibility-establishing introduction and occasioning introduction 〔0453b14〕. Its general explanation of the credibility-establishing introduction has six gateways—the introduction’s original cause; determination of how many matters it contains; why the introduction comes; presence or absence; completeness or incompleteness; and sequence 〔0453c16〕. It establishes 「六事」 tr. “six matters,” rejecting the five of earlier teachers 〔0453c26〕. The occasioning or opening introduction has six chapters: gathering the assembly, teaching the sutra, entering samādhi, manifesting portents, raising the question, and answering the question 〔0466b22〕 |
II. Alternate Translations · Collation of the Three Translations
This chapter has three Chinese translations: Kumārajīva’s T262, 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction” 〔T09n0262 0001c18〕; Dharmarakṣa’s T263 《正法華經》 True Dharma Lotus, 〈光瑞品第一〉 “Chapter 1, The Portent of Light” 〔T09n0263 0063a06〕; and the supplemented edition T264, 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction” 〔T09n0264 0134c28〕, preceded by the preface to the supplemented edition 〔0134b24〕. The chapter titles differ: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition have 「序品」 tr. “Introduction,” while Dharmarakṣa has 「光瑞品」 tr. “The Portent of Light,” taking the portent of the radiance as the eye of the chapter.
Passage One · The Common Introduction · Six Attestations Establishing Credibility (Thus Have I Heard)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 如是我聞：一時，佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱，皆是阿羅漢 tr. “Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the city of Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of twelve thousand monks, all of them arhats.” | T09n0262 0001c19 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字近同羅什〕如是我聞：一時佛住王舍城耆闍崛山中，與大比丘眾萬二千人俱 tr. “[Nearly identical word for word with Kumārajīva:] Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in the city of Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of twelve thousand monks.” | T09n0264 0134c29 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 聞如是：一時佛遊王舍城靈鷲山，與大比丘眾俱，比丘千二百 tr. “It was heard thus: At one time, the Buddha was sojourning at Vulture Peak in the city of Rājagṛha, together with a great assembly of monks, twelve hundred monks in all.” | T09n0263 0063a07 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree word for word, apart from punctuation. Dharmarakṣa differs systematically: 「聞如是」 tr. “It was heard thus” as against 「如是我聞」 tr. “Thus have I heard,” in an older word order; 「靈鷲山」 tr. “Vulture Peak,” a semantic translation as against the transcription 耆闍崛; 「遊」 tr. “sojourning” as against 「住」 tr. “dwelling”; and an assembly of 「比丘千二百」 tr. “twelve hundred monks” as against twelve thousand.
Passage Two · Foremost among the Bodhisattvas · Translated Names
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 其名曰：文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢菩薩……彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩 tr. “Their names were: the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds (Guanshiyin), the Bodhisattva Attainer of Great Power … the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Bodhisattva Accumulation of Jewels, and the Bodhisattva Guide.” | T09n0262 0002a08 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕文殊師利菩薩、觀世音菩薩、得大勢……彌勒菩薩、寶積菩薩、導師菩薩 tr. “[Identical word for word with Kumārajīva:] the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, the Bodhisattva Perceiver of the World’s Sounds (Guanshiyin), the Bodhisattva Attainer of Great Power … the Bodhisattva Maitreya, the Bodhisattva Accumulation of Jewels, and the Bodhisattva Guide.” | T09n0264 0135a17 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 其名曰：溥首菩薩、光世音菩薩、大勢至菩薩……慈氏菩薩，如是大士八萬上首 tr. “Their names were: the Bodhisattva Universal Head, the Bodhisattva Light of the World’s Sounds, the Bodhisattva Arrival of Great Power … and the Bodhisattva Loving One. Such were the foremost among the eighty thousand great beings.” | T09n0263 0063a27 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree word for word. Dharmarakṣa uses an entirely different set of translated names: 文殊師利→溥首 tr. “Mañjuśrī → Universal Head”; 觀世音→光世音 tr. “Guanshiyin → Light of the World’s Sounds”; 得大勢→大勢至 tr. “Attainer of Great Power → Arrival of Great Power”; and 彌勒→慈氏 tr. “Maitreya → Loving One,” a semantic translation of Maitreya as “loving.”
Passage Three · Portent of Teaching the Dharma · Portent of Entering Samādhi (Teaching 《無量義》 Immeasurable Meanings · Entering the Samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings)
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 為諸菩薩說大乘經，名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念。佛說此經已，結加趺坐，入於無量義處三昧，身心不動 tr. “He taught for the bodhisattvas a great-vehicle sutra named Immeasurable Meanings, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas. When the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra, he crossed his legs in the full lotus posture and entered the samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, his body and mind unmoving.” | T09n0262 0002b07 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔字面幾同·開合異〕為諸菩薩說大乘經，名《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》。佛說此經已……入於無量義處三昧 tr. “[Nearly the same wording, but differently divided and joined:] He taught for the bodhisattvas a great-vehicle sutra named Immeasurable Meanings, the Dharma Instructing Bodhisattvas and Kept in the Mindful Protection of the Buddhas. When the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra … he entered the samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings.” | T09n0264 0135b14 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 講演菩薩方等大頌一切諸佛嚴淨之業……昇于自然師子之床加趺而坐，三昧正受定意，名曰立無量頌 tr. “He proclaimed the bodhisattvas’ great Vaipulya verses on the adornment and purification performed by all buddhas … He ascended the naturally arisen lion throne, crossed his legs and sat, and rightly entered meditative concentration in samādhi, named Establishment in Immeasurable Verses.” | T09n0263 0063b25 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva reads 「名無量義，教菩薩法，佛所護念」 tr. “named Immeasurable Meanings, a Dharma that instructs bodhisattvas and is kept in the mindful protection of the buddhas” as a sutra title followed by two phrases of praise. The supplemented edition divides and joins the words differently, reading them as the single long title 《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》 Immeasurable Meanings, the Dharma Instructing Bodhisattvas and Kept in the Mindful Protection of the Buddhas. Dharmarakṣa translates the entire sequence differently: the sutra is not titled 「無量義」 tr. “Immeasurable Meanings,” but 「菩薩方等大頌」 tr. “the bodhisattvas’ great Vaipulya verses”; and the samādhi called 「無量義處」 tr. “the Station of Immeasurable Meanings” becomes 「立無量頌」 tr. “Establishment in Immeasurable Verses.”
Passage Four · The Six Portents · Rain of Flowers · Earthquake · Radiance from Between the Brows
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 天雨曼陀羅華、摩訶曼陀羅華、曼殊沙華、摩訶曼殊沙華……普佛世界六種震動……爾時佛放眉間白毫相光，照東方萬八千世界，靡不周遍，下至阿鼻地獄，上至阿迦尼吒天 tr. “The heavens rained down māndārava flowers, great māndārava flowers, mañjūṣaka flowers, and great mañjūṣaka flowers … the entire buddha-world quaked in six ways … At that time, the Buddha sent forth light from the white hair-mark between his brows, illuminating eighteen thousand worlds in the east without failing to pervade any of them, reaching downward to the Avīci hell and upward to the Akaniṣṭha heaven.” | T09n0262 華 0002b10／震動 0002b12／放光 0002b16 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什·異體字〕……普佛世界六種振動……上至阿迦膩吒天 tr. “[Identical word for word with Kumārajīva, with graphic variants:] … the entire buddha-world quaked in six ways … upward to the Akaniṣṭha heaven.” | T09n0264 0135b17／0135b19／0135b23 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 天雨、意華、大意華、柔軟音華、大柔軟音華……普佛國土六反震動……放大光明，照于東方萬八千土 tr. “The heavens rained down flowers of intent, great flowers of intent, flowers of gentle sound, and great flowers of gentle sound … all the buddha-lands quaked in six cycles … A great radiance was sent forth, illuminating eighteen thousand lands in the east.” | T09n0263 華 0063b29／六反震動 0063c02／照東方 0064a05 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree, apart from the graphic variants 「震動／振動」 tr. “two graphic forms of ‘quaking’” and 「阿迦尼吒／阿迦膩吒」 tr. “two slightly different transcriptions of Akaniṣṭha.” Dharmarakṣa translates all four flowers by meaning—意華 and 柔軟音華 tr. “flowers of intent” and “flowers of gentle sound”—and does not transcribe māndārava or mañjūṣaka; he has 「六反震動」 tr. “quaked in six cycles” as against 「六種震動」 tr. “quaked in six ways,” and places the radiance separately in prose and verse. Dharmarakṣa’s chapter title, 「光瑞」 tr. “The Portent of Light,” takes precisely this luminous portent as the organizing focus of the entire chapter.
Passage Five · Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha · Twenty Thousand of One Name · The Same Family Name Bharadvāja
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 如是二萬佛，皆同一字，號日月燈明，又同一姓，姓頗羅墮 tr. “In this way there were twenty thousand buddhas, all bearing the same name, Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and all sharing the same family name, Bharadvāja.” | T09n0262 0003c27／0003c28 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕……又同一姓，姓頗羅墮 tr. “[Identical word for word with Kumārajīva:] … and all sharing the same family name, Bharadvāja.” | T09n0264 0136c27／0136c28 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 〔日月燈〕明，胄紹一姓。若斯之比二萬如來……最前興者號日月燈明，最後起者 tr. “[Sun-Moon-Lamp-]Radiance, continuing a single lineage and family name. There were twenty thousand tathāgatas of this kind … The first to appear was named Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, and so was the last to arise.” | T09n0263 0066a01／0066a02 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree word for word. Dharmarakṣa likewise translates the buddha-name as 「日月燈明」 tr. “Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance,” a rare agreement between Dharmarakṣa and Kumārajīva for Candrasūryapradīpa. Kumārajīva’s 「同姓·姓頗羅墮」 tr. “the same family name, Bharadvāja” becomes 「胄紹一姓」 tr. “continuing a single lineage and family name” in Dharmarakṣa 〔0066a01〕. He translates the meaning 「一姓」 tr. “one family name” but does not transcribe the name 「頗羅墮」 tr. “Bharadvāja”; the meaning itself is not absent.
Passage Six · Wondrous Light · Seeker of Fame · Joining Past Events to the Present
| Version | Verbatim Chinese and translation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 羅什 T262 | 時有菩薩名曰妙光……有一人號曰求名……爾時妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也；求名菩薩，汝身是也 tr. “At that time there was a bodhisattva named Wondrous Light … There was one person named Seeker of Fame … Could the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light of that time have been someone else? He was I myself; the Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame was you yourself.” | T09n0262 妙光 0004a23／求名 0004b11／相結 0004b15 |
| 添品 T264 | 〔逐字同羅什〕……妙光菩薩豈異人乎？我身是也。求名菩薩…… tr. “[Identical word for word with Kumārajīva:] … Could the Bodhisattva Wondrous Light have been someone else? He was I myself. The Bodhisattva Seeker of Fame …” | T09n0264 0137a21／0137b09／0137b12 |
| 竺法護 T263 | 有菩薩名曰超光……有一菩薩獨勞懈名曰名聞……欲知爾時比丘法師號超光者則吾是也，其名聞菩薩……則莫能勝是 tr. “There was a bodhisattva named Surpassing Light … There was one bodhisattva, solitary, weary, and indolent, named Renown … If you wish to know the monk and Dharma master then named Surpassing Light, it was I; and as for the Bodhisattva Renown … he was Unconquered.” | T09n0263 超光 0066a29／名聞 0066b01／相結 0066b21 |
What the variants bear upon: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition agree word for word. Dharmarakṣa has an entirely different chain of translated names: 妙光→超光 tr. “Wondrous Light → Surpassing Light” (Varaprabha); 求名→名聞 tr. “Seeker of Fame → Renown”; and in joining the account to the present, 「彌勒→莫能勝」 tr. “Maitreya → Unconquered” (Ajita, translated by meaning). The numbers of disciples also differ: Kumārajīva has eight hundred; Dharmarakṣa has eighteen attendants. 德藏→首藏 tr. “Treasury of Qualities → Foremost Treasury”; the predicted buddha-name 淨身→離垢體 tr. “Pure Body → Body Free of Defilement” 〔0066b10／b12〕; and Dharmarakṣa renders Burning Lamp Buddha as 「法事」 tr. “Dharma Matters” 〔0066b16〕.
Placement of the supplemented edition: throughout the Introduction, the supplemented edition T264 agrees with Kumārajīva almost word for word—the common introduction, foremost bodhisattvas, Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance, Bharadvāja, and the complete past-event chain of Wondrous Light, Seeker of Fame, and Treasury of Qualities. Its only differences are (1) the way the sutra title is divided and joined, reading 《無量義教菩薩法佛所護念》 tr. “Immeasurable Meanings, the Dharma Instructing Bodhisattvas and Kept in the Mindful Protection of the Buddhas” as a single long title; and (2) graphic variants such as 震動／振動 and 尼吒／膩吒. The supplemented edition is therefore a revised reissue of Kumārajīva’s text, not a new translation. Dharmarakṣa’s T263 《正法華》 True Dharma Lotus is the genuine alternate-translation axis: (1) its chapter title differs, 〈光瑞品〉 “The Portent of Light,” taking the radiance as the eye; (2) its translated-name system differs throughout—溥首・光世音・慈氏・超光・名聞・首藏・離垢體・立無量頌・六反震動, and semantic translations of all four flowers tr. “Universal Head, Light of the World’s Sounds, Loving One, Surpassing Light, Renown, Foremost Treasury, Body Free of Defilement, Establishment in Immeasurable Verses, quaking in six cycles, and the four flower-names translated by meaning”; and (3) it divides and joins structures differently—聞如是, an assembly of twelve hundred, eighteen disciples, and 胄紹一姓 tr. “It was heard thus; an assembly of twelve hundred; eighteen disciples; and continuing a single lineage and family name.” Only the buddha-name 「日月燈明」 tr. “Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance” agrees with Kumārajīva.
III. Scriptural Grounds for the Consciousness-Only Meaning (the Point of the Eye)
The Consciousness-Only meaning in the scriptural text of this chapter itself is extremely concise: the Introduction is an occasioning introduction, and the doctrinal teaching has not yet begun in full. The Consciousness-Only material in Kuiji’s Profound Praise has two sources, which must be strictly distinguished.
(A) The classification of capacities in the introductory discussion for the sutra as a whole—not a meaning of the Introduction’s own scriptural text and not to be overlaid upon it as such — The six-gateway introductory discussion at the beginning of Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 Profound Praise 〔0654a–0657a〕, before its explanation of the Introduction’s scriptural text, classifies the 《法華》 Lotus within the three periods of teaching, based on the three natures and the threefold naturelessness in the 《解深密經》 Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra 〔0655b24·0655c16〕; classifies the capacities addressed through the five lineages, citing the five lineages and the icchantika without lineage from the 《楞伽》 Laṅkāvatāra 〔0656c14〕; and distinguishes determinate and indeterminate lineages 〔0656c05〕. This is Kuiji’s whole-sutra framework for classifying teachings and capacities, placed before his explanation of every chapter and determining which capacities this sutra addresses. It is not an explanation of any phrase or meaning in the Introduction’s own scriptural text. A scan of the entire Introduction section 〔0651a06–0694b21〕 gives these counts: three natures, one occurrence; wholly-imagined, one; other-dependent, one; perfectly-accomplished, three, though in two places 「圓滿成就」 tr. “perfectly completed” is not one of the three natures; five lineages, two; determinate lineage, four. Store consciousness, repository consciousness, transformation of the basis, the two obstructions, and implicit intent all occur zero times. The seven occurrences of 「唯識」 tr. “consciousness-only” mostly appear in citations of the 《成唯識論》 Cheng Weishi Lun used as tools of dharma-characteristics—for faith, the three meanings of arhat, and the eighth consciousness in relation to realm, destination, birth, and so forth.
(B) The sole direct point in the Introduction’s own scriptural text: 「一時」 tr. “at one time” = 「唯識時」 tr. “consciousness-only time” — In explaining the two characters 「一時」 tr. “at one time” in the common introduction, Kuiji gives two readings, time in principle and consciousness-only time. The latter is a Consciousness-Only reading of the Introduction’s own text 〔T34n1723 0664a20〕:
「二者唯識時，說、聽二徒識心之上變作三時相狀而起，實是現在，隨心分限變作短長，事緒終訖總名一時。如夢所見謂有多生，覺位唯心都無實境；聽者心變三世亦爾，唯意所緣，是不相應行蘊，法界法處所攝。」〔T34n1723 0664a20〕
tr. “Second is consciousness-only time. For the two groups, speaker and listeners, the appearances of the three times arise as transformations upon consciousness and mind. In reality there is only the present; according to the limits of mind, it is transformed as short or long. From the beginning to the end of the course of events, the whole is named ‘one time.’ It is like what is seen in a dream, where one supposes that there have been many lives: in the waking state, there is mind alone and no real object at all. The listener’s mind transforming the three times is likewise so. It is an object of the mental faculty alone, belongs to the formation aggregate not associated with mind, and is included within the dharma-realm and the field of dharmas.”
→ Time has no real substance; it is transformed by consciousness and mind and is, like a dream, mind alone. This is the Consciousness-Only mirror-reading of one phrase in the Introduction—「一時」 tr. “at one time”—and the cleanest point of the Consciousness-Only meaning in this chapter.
A secondary point: 「唯照東方」 tr. “illuminating only the east” = reaching only capacities of the Great Vehicle — In explaining why the radiance 「照於東方」 tr. “illuminates the east,” Kuiji says at 〔T34n1723 0680c25〕: 「唯照東方者，西域以東為上，表《法華經》唯被佛性大乘機根不被餘性，故不照餘。」 tr. “As for illuminating only the east: in the Western Regions, the east is regarded as uppermost. This signifies that the Lotus Sutra reaches only capacities rooted in the Buddha-nature Great Vehicle and does not reach the other natures; therefore it does not illuminate the other directions.” → The phrase 「唯被佛性大乘機根」 tr. “reaches only capacities rooted in the Buddha-nature Great Vehicle” lightly touches lineage in the context of why the radiance points east and does not unfold the point further. It echoes the five-lineage classification in the introductory discussion, but it only frames the direction of the radiance; it is not the doctrinal axis of the Introduction.
Note: The Consciousness-Only meaning of Kuiji’s explanation of the Introduction is honestly light. The sole direct point in the chapter’s own scriptural text is 「一時＝唯識時」 tr. “‘at one time’ = consciousness-only time,” with the additional brief reference to lineage under “illuminating only the east.” The more extensive material on the three periods of teaching, the five lineages, and determinate lineage belongs to the whole-sutra framework for classifying capacities in the introductory discussion. It is recorded under Heading I as 「所被機」 tr. “capacities addressed,” Kuiji’s classification of the sutra as a whole, and must not be moved into the Introduction as though it were a meaning of the chapter’s own text. To move it would violate the prohibition called 「套他品」 tr. “importing another chapter’s doctrine.”
IV. The Explanations of the Various Masters (the Ancients · Their Traditions Stated · Recorded without Adjudicating)
The same portents in the Introduction and the same past events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha are read by Cien, Tiantai, and Sanlun through, respectively, the three modes of ceremonial order and three mysteries; the six portents and ten subtleties; and 「三瑞」 tr. “the three portents.” The expository mirror of this edition is Kuiji’s Cien 《玄贊》 Profound Praise. The readings of Zhiyi of Tiantai and Jizang of Sanlun are recorded alongside it, marking the differences without adjudicating.
Caveat on summary terms: (1) The 「五重玄義」 tr. “fivefold profound meaning”—explanation of the title, discernment of the substance, clarification of the purport, discussion of function, and classification of the teaching—does not occur in the Introduction sections of 《文句》 Words and Phrases or the 《義疏》 Meaning Commentary. Zhiyi’s fivefold profound meaning occurs in the separately transmitted 《法華玄義》 Profound Meaning of the Lotus T33n1716, while Jizang’s five profundities occur in the separately transmitted 《法華玄論》 Profound Treatise on the Lotus T34n1720. The Introduction in 《文句》 Words and Phrases T1718 uses the 「四意」 tr. “four perspectives,” specifically 「因緣・約教・本迹・觀心」 tr. “cause and condition, classification of teachings, origin and trace, and contemplation of mind,” while the Introduction in the 《義疏》 Meaning Commentary T1721 uses 「六門」 tr. “six gateways.” Neither commentary’s Introduction contains a continuous formulation of the fivefold profound meaning, and that term must not be inserted into either one. (2) The term 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents” is Tiantai’s classification, inherited from Guangzhai. No continuous formulation 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents” occurs in Kuiji’s explanation of this chapter, which organizes the manifestations through the three modes of ceremonial order, the three mysteries, and the seven accomplishments. All four occurrences of 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents” in Jizang’s explanation of this chapter occur within passages he quotes from Guangzhai, which he immediately rejects. (3) A fixed continuous formulation of Zhiyi’s 「四種釋」 tr. “four kinds of explanation” likewise occurs zero times in this chapter; in practice, the text uses “four perspectives” and 「四番釋」 tr. “four rounds of explanation.”
Cien · Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 Profound Praise T34n1723 (the Principal Mirror)
The Introduction is the introductory division, stating the cause from which the teaching arises. Following the seven accomplishments of merit in Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, Kuiji divides the common introduction—the first two accomplishments, encompassing faith, hearing, time, teacher, place, and assembly—from the specific introduction, the latter five accomplishments. In manifesting portents within the specific introduction, he does not establish the term 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents.” Instead, he organizes the text through 「三種軌儀」 tr. “the three modes of ceremonial order” 〔0679a03〕—reliance upon the accomplishment of samādhi, entering meditative concentration; reliance upon the vessel-world, the rain of flowers and earth’s quaking; and reliance upon the world of sentient beings, the assembly’s rejoicing—and through 「佛三密」 tr. “the Buddha’s three mysteries” 〔0679b13〕—entering samādhi as the mystery of mind, sending forth light as the mystery of body, and teaching Dharma as the mystery of speech. He classifies the radiance as 「依止說因成就」 tr. “the accomplishment of reliance upon the cause for teaching”; interprets the white hair-mark character by character: 「間表中道・白顯三乘之源」 tr. “‘between’ signifies the middle way; ‘white’ reveals the source of the three vehicles” 〔0680b28〕; and says that a portent is faith and correspondence 〔0683a18〕. Mañjuśrī’s answer is 『文殊以宿命智現見過去因果相』 tr. “Mañjuśrī directly sees the former sequence of cause and fruit through knowledge of past lives,” accomplishing ten matters 〔0661c23〕. Wondrous Light is Mañjuśrī in a former life 〔0688a27〕, and Seeker of Fame is Maitreya in a former life 〔0692b17〕. See Heading III. In the Cien line, this is carried forward by Huizhao’s 《法華玄贊義決》 Decisions on the Meaning of the Profound Praise of the Lotus T34n1724.
Tiantai · Zhiyi’s 《文句》 Words and Phrases T34n1718 (Parallel Witness)
Zhiyi explains the text through the four perspectives of cause and condition, classification of teachings, origin and trace, and contemplation of mind 〔0002a21〕; distinguishes the common and specific introductions 〔0003a19〕; and divides the specific introduction into five parts—gathering of the assembly, manifestation of portents, arising of doubt, asking of the question, and answering of the question 〔0026b26〕. Inheriting Guangzhai’s six portents, he correlates the six portents with the ten subtleties, gathering them into three pairs: wisdom and concentration, cause and fruit, and stimulus and response 〔0027b05〕:
「說法瑞，表報說法妙、智妙；入定瑞，表報行妙；雨花瑞，表報位妙；地動瑞，表報境妙、乘妙；眾喜瑞，表報眷屬妙、利益妙；放光瑞，表報感應妙、神通妙，是故六種俱名現相序。」〔T34n1718 0027b05〕
tr. “The portent of teaching the Dharma signifies and announces the subtlety of teaching the Dharma and the subtlety of wisdom. The portent of entering samādhi signifies and announces the subtlety of practice. The portent of the rain of flowers signifies and announces the subtlety of stages. The portent of the earth’s quaking signifies and announces the subtlety of objects and the subtlety of the vehicle. The portent of the assembly’s rejoicing signifies and announces the subtlety of retinues and the subtlety of benefit. The portent of sending forth light signifies and announces the subtlety of stimulus and response and the subtlety of supernormal power. Therefore all six are named the introduction of manifested signs.”
Zhiyi judges that the Introduction opens the Trace Gate: 「從序至〈安樂行〉十四品，約迹開權顯實」 tr. “The fourteen chapters from the Introduction through the Chapter on Peaceful Practice open the provisional to reveal the real in terms of the Trace” 〔0002a10〕. Taking Wondrous Light as Śākyamuni’s teacher nine lives before, he reads this as covertly opening the teaching of lifespan, revealing that birth is not birth and extinction is not extinction 〔0035a05〕.
Sanlun · Jizang’s 《法華義疏》 Meaning Commentary on the Lotus T34n1721 (Parallel Witness)
Jizang explains the Introduction through six gateways 〔0453c16〕 and establishes six matters, rejecting the five of earlier teachers and relying on the statement in Vasubandhu’s 《燈論》 Lamp Treatise, 「前三明弟子後三證師說」 tr. “the first three clarify the disciples; the latter three attest the teacher’s teaching” 〔0453c26〕. He distinguishes the credibility-establishing introduction and occasioning introduction 〔0453b14〕 and divides the occasioning or opening introduction into six chapters 〔0466b22〕. He differs uniquely in his judgment of the portents: after citing Guangzhai’s 「六瑞」 tr. “six portents,” he reduces them to three 〔0469b21〕:
「今謂六句之中三句非瑞……故知入定非瑞……故知眾喜亦非瑞也。說經乃是赴緣之教，亦不名瑞……今明六種之中但三是瑞，謂雨華、動地及放光也。」〔T34n1721 0469b21〕
tr. “I now say that, among the six statements, three are not portents. … Thus one knows that entering samādhi is not a portent. … Thus one knows that the assembly’s rejoicing is also not a portent. Teaching the sutra is a teaching given in response to conditions, and it too is not named a portent. … I now clarify that among the six, only three are portents: the rain of flowers, the earth’s quaking, and the sending forth of light.”
Jizang takes Wondrous Light as Mañjuśrī and Burning Lamp Buddha as his teacher nine lives before, and reads this as 「以近覆遠・開近顯遠」 tr. “using the near to cover the far and opening the near to reveal the far,” likewise opening the Origin Gate of the Chapter on Lifespan 〔0481b02〕.
The Three Houses Recorded Together (Recorded without Adjudication)
The term at issue is 「瑞」 tr. “portent.”
The three placements are summarized as follows: Cien, 「三種軌儀・佛三密（入定意密・放光身密・說法語密）・無六瑞之名」 tr. “three modes of ceremonial order and the Buddha’s three mysteries—entering samādhi as the mystery of mind, sending forth light as the mystery of body, and teaching Dharma as the mystery of speech—with no designation ‘six portents’”; Tiantai, 「六瑞（說法・入定・雨花・地動・眾喜・放光）配十妙・三雙」 tr. “six portents—teaching the Dharma, entering samādhi, rain of flowers, earth’s quaking, the assembly’s rejoicing, and sending forth light—correlated with the ten subtleties and three pairs”; and Sanlun, 「三瑞（雨華・動地・放光）·斥入定眾喜說經三句非瑞」 tr. “three portents—the rain of flowers, earth’s quaking, and sending forth light—rejecting the three statements on entering samādhi, the assembly’s rejoicing, and teaching the sutra as non-portents.”
Judgments of the manifestations as portents: Cien uses the “three modes of ceremonial order” and the “Buddha’s three mysteries”—entering samādhi as the mystery of mind, sending forth light as the mystery of body, and teaching Dharma as the mystery of speech—and does not establish the name “six portents.” Tiantai establishes six portents—teaching the Dharma, entering samādhi, rain of flowers, earth’s quaking, the assembly’s rejoicing, and sending forth light—and correlates them with the ten subtleties and three pairs. Sanlun establishes three portents—the rain of flowers, earth’s quaking, and sending forth light—and rejects the other three statements, entering samādhi, the assembly’s rejoicing, and teaching the sutra, as non-portents. The three houses differ in how they count and classify a “portent”: Cien does not establish a set of six and instead follows accomplishments; Tiantai has six; Sanlun has three. They are recorded side by side without adjudication. The use of the past events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance: Tiantai reads them as 「密開壽量」 tr. “covertly opening the teaching of lifespan” 〔0035a05〕; Sanlun as 「以近覆遠，今欲開近顯遠」 tr. “using the near to cover the far and opening the near to reveal the far” 〔0481b02〕. By identifying Wondrous Light with Mañjuśrī and Burning Lamp Buddha as the teacher nine lives before, both houses use the Introduction to anticipate the Origin Gate of the 〈壽量〉 Chapter on Lifespan; their purport accords while their expressions differ. Cien instead takes Mañjuśrī’s direct vision, through knowledge of past lives, of the former sequence of cause and fruit as the ground on which he can answer 〔0688a27〕. Zhiyi (538–597) and Jizang (549–623) precede Kuiji (632–682). The three are recorded side by side without adjudication.
V. Terminology
| 漢 | Ancient-transmitted Sanskrit (romanization · pronunciation aid) | Attestation by the ancient masters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 序（序品） | — | Kuiji: 「序者由也始也，陳教起之因由」 tr. “‘Introduction’ means cause and beginning: it states the cause from which the teaching arises” 〔T34n1723 0651a25〕 | The cause that occasions the entire sutra; the introductory division |
| 通序·別序 | — | Zhiyi: 『如是至却坐一面通序、爾時世尊下別序』 tr. “From ‘Thus’ through ‘withdrew and sat to one side’ is the common introduction; from ‘At that time, the World-Honored One’ onward is the specific introduction” 〔T34n1718 0003a19〕. Kuiji: 「初二通序後五別序」 tr. “The first two are the common introduction; the latter five are the specific introduction” 〔T34n1723 0661c26〕. Jizang uses 「證信序·發起序」 tr. “credibility-establishing introduction and occasioning introduction” 〔T34n1721 0453b14〕 | The introduction that establishes credibility through six accomplishments and the introduction that occasions the teaching through the manifestations of portents; the names and classifications differ among the three houses |
| 七種成就（六成就） | — | Following Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra, Kuiji states, 「序品有七種成就」 tr. “The Introduction has seven kinds of accomplishment” 〔T34n1723 0661c09〕: introductory division, assembly, arrival of the time, dwelling in dignified conduct, cause for teaching, desire to hear, and Mañjuśrī’s answer. Jizang establishes six matters in rejection of earlier teachers’ five 〔T34n1721 0453c26〕 | The completeness of the common introduction’s establishment of credibility; the treatise classifies seven, while the generally transmitted classification has six |
| 一時（唯識時） | — | Kuiji: 「唯識時，識心之上變作三時相狀……如夢所見……覺位唯心都無實境」 tr. “Consciousness-only time: upon consciousness and mind the appearances of the three times are transformed … like what is seen in a dream … in the waking state there is mind alone and no real object at all” 〔T34n1723 0664a20〕 | Time has no real substance and is transformed by consciousness and mind; the direct point of Consciousness-Only meaning in the Introduction |
| 眉間白毫相光 | ūrṇā (family of terms) | Kuiji: 「間謂兩中表說中道・白為眾色之本顯此法是三乘之源」 tr. “‘Between’ means amid the two and signifies teaching the middle way; ‘white,’ as the basis of all colors, reveals that this Dharma is the source of the three vehicles” 〔T34n1723 0680b29〕. Sending forth light is the accomplishment of reliance upon the cause for teaching | The radiance sent forth from the Buddha’s white hair-mark between his brows; the bodily mystery manifesting a portent and occasioning the 《法華》 Lotus |
| 日月燈明 | Candrasūryapradīpa (family of terms) | 〔本經 0003c27〕 tr. “The present sutra at 0003c27”; twenty thousand buddhas all bear this name and the family name Bharadvāja. Dharmarakṣa likewise has 日月燈明 tr. “Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance” 〔T09n0263 0066a01〕 | Name of a past buddha, the principal figure in the former events recalled by Mañjuśrī |
| 妙光·求名 | Varaprabha · (family of terms) | 〔本經 0004a23／0004b11〕 tr. “The present sutra at 0004a23 and 0004b11.” Kuiji states, 「文殊自見已身是過去妙光法師」 tr. “Mañjuśrī himself sees that his own person was the past Dharma master Wondrous Light” 〔T34n1723 0688a27〕; Seeker of Fame is Maitreya 〔0692b17〕. Dharmarakṣa has 超光・名聞 tr. “Surpassing Light and Renown” 〔T09n0263 0066a29〕 | Wondrous Light is Mañjuśrī in a former life, the one who formerly propagated the sutra; Seeker of Fame is Maitreya in a former life, the one who was formerly indolent |
VI. Similes · Rhetoric
This chapter contains none of the Lotus’s seven parables; the seven begin with the burning house in 〈譬喻品③〉 The Parable, Chapter 3. The rhetorical core of the Introduction is the manifestation of portents, above all the single sign of the radiance sent forth from the white hair-mark between the brows.
The numerical expression 「萬八千」 tr. “eighteen thousand” belongs to this luminous portent.
(1) The radiance sent forth from the white hair-mark between the brows—the bodily mystery that occasions the teaching — 〔T09n0262 0002b16〕: The Buddha sends forth light from the white hair-mark between his brows, illuminating eighteen thousand worlds in the east, downward to Avīci and upward to Akaniṣṭha. Within that light, the assembly sees the beings of the six destinations in those lands; the buddhas; their teaching of Dharma; bodhisattvas practicing the Way; buddhas entering parinirvāṇa; and seven-jeweled stupas raised after them. Kuiji interprets the characters at 〔T34n1723 0680b28〕: 「眉」表所說勝大乘、「間」謂兩中表說中道、「白」為眾色之本顯此法是三乘之源 tr. “‘Brows’ signify the excellent Great Vehicle being taught; ‘between’ means amid the two and signifies teaching the middle way; ‘white,’ as the basis of all colors, reveals that this Dharma is the source of the three vehicles,” with the similes of the white lotus and the white ox drawing the carriage. The light has seven meanings: producing pure faith, breaking the darkness of delusion, guiding beings beyond the world, signifying inner wisdom, relieving the sufferings of the multitude, alerting the dispositions of beings, and causing disenchantment with the objects of form 〔0680c07〕. Among the eighteen transformations in the sphere of supernormal power, sending forth light is the 「流布之變」 tr. “transformation of diffusion” 〔0680c21〕. Kuiji reads the number “eighteen thousand” as signifying the fullness of the reality of the One Vehicle and the insufficiency of the provisional traces of the two vehicles 〔0680c29〕. A portent means faith and correspondence 〔0683a18〕. Dharmarakṣa names the chapter 「光瑞」 tr. “The Portent of Light” after this very sign. For the three houses’ classifications of the portents—Cien’s three modes of ceremonial order and three mysteries, Tiantai’s six portents, and Sanlun’s three portents—see Heading IV.
The rhetorical form of the account is 「本事」 tr. “a former event,” and Kuiji later calls its verse 「本事應頌」 tr. “a responsive verse on a former event.”
(2) The past events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha — 〔T09n0262 0003c〕: Mañjuśrī recounts Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha in the past; the twenty thousand buddhas of the same name; the eight royal sons’ departure from household life; Wondrous Light’s teaching of the sutra; the prediction given to Treasury of Qualities; and Seeker of Fame’s clinging. The account closes by joining the past to the present: 「妙光即我身・求名即汝身」 tr. “Wondrous Light was I myself; Seeker of Fame was you yourself.” Kuiji classifies Mañjuśrī’s answer as 「以宿命智現見過去因果相，成就十種事」 tr. “the accomplishment, through knowledge of past lives, of directly seeing ten matters in the causes and fruits of the past” 〔0688a22〕. The identifications in the former events—Wondrous Light → Mañjuśrī and Seeker of Fame → Maitreya—make these events a cause that Mañjuśrī has directly seen in his own experience 〔0688a27・0692b17〕. Kuiji later refers back to this “former-event” verse in 〈方便品〉 the Chapter on Skillful Means as the “responsive verse on a former event” among the twelve divisions of scripture 〔0722b04〕, forming a return-link from Chapter 2 to the Introduction.
VII. Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
(1) Treatises upon which this chapter relies—the backbone of Kuiji’s 《玄贊》 Profound Praise:
- Vasubandhu’s 《法華論》 Treatise on the Lotus Sutra — the 『七功德成就』 tr. “seven accomplishments of merit” in the Introduction, used to classify the common and specific introductions 〔T34n1723 0661c09〕; the ten unsurpassed qualities; and 「本事」 tr. “the former event” among the twelve divisions of scripture. The treatise-source for the Cien outline of the Introduction.
- Kuiji cites the 《成唯識論》 Cheng Weishi Lun for “at one time,” faith, the three meanings of arhat, and the eighth consciousness in relation to realm, destination, and birth, using it as a tool of dharma-characteristics; the 《解深密經》 Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra for the three periods of teaching and the three natures, in classifying the teaching in the introductory discussion; the 《楞伽》 Laṅkāvatāra for the five lineages, in classifying capacities in the introductory discussion; and the 《觀佛三昧海經》 Sutra on the Ocean-like Samādhi of Contemplation of the Buddha for the dimensions of the white hair-mark. Zhiyi cites the seven greatnesses from the 《善戒經》 Sutra of Wholesome Precepts, Guangzhai’s six portents, and the ten subtleties. Jizang cites Vasubandhu’s 《燈論》 Lamp Treatise, Guangzhai, and the 《釋論》 (《大智度論》) Great Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom on the seven kinds of portents.
(2) Cross-reading within the Lotus:
- Introduction → Trace Gate → Zhiyi judges, 「序至〈安樂行〉十四品約迹開權顯實」 tr. “The fourteen chapters from the Introduction through the Chapter on Peaceful Practice open the provisional to reveal the real in terms of the Trace” 〔T34n1718 0002a09〕. The Introduction occasions the Trace Gate.
- The past events of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance → 〈如來壽量品⑯〉 Chapter 16, The Lifespan of the Tathāgata → Tiantai’s 「密開壽量」 tr. “covertly opening the teaching of lifespan” 〔0035a05〕 and Sanlun’s 「開近顯遠」 tr. “opening the near to reveal the far” 〔T34n1721 0481b02〕. By identifying Wondrous Light with Mañjuśrī and Burning Lamp Buddha as the teacher nine lives before, the Introduction anticipates the distant lifespan of the Origin Gate.
- Mañjuśrī’s responsive verse on a former event → 〈方便品②〉 Chapter 2, Skillful Means → In the Chapter on Skillful Means, Kuiji refers back to the Introduction’s 「妙光法師者今即我身是」 tr. “That Dharma master Wondrous Light is now none other than I myself” as a responsive verse on a former event 〔T34n1723 0722b04〕.
- The radiance reveals buddhas in the east and the raising of seven-jeweled stupas → 〈見寶塔品⑪〉 Chapter 11, Beholding the Jeweled Stupa → The Introduction’s vision that 「諸佛般涅槃後以佛舍利起七寶塔」 tr. “after the buddhas’ parinirvāṇa, seven-jeweled stupas are raised for the Buddha’s relics” 〔0002b23〕 resonates with the later stupa containing the complete body of the Buddha Many Jewels.
(3) Carrying forward: Huizhao’s 《法華玄贊義決》 Decisions on the Meaning of the Profound Praise of the Lotus T34n1724 carries forward the Cien tradition; Zhanran’s 《法華文句記》 Annotations on the Words and Phrases of the Lotus T34n1719 carries forward the Tiantai tradition; and Jizang of Sanlun also has the separately transmitted 《法華玄論》 Profound Treatise on the Lotus T34n1720, which uses the five profundities. Each carries forward the reading of its own tradition; the lines are recorded without adjudicating.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
- 羅什 T262 (base text): 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction” begins at 〔T09n0262 0001c19〕（卷一）. The common introduction, 如是我聞 tr. “Thus have I heard,” 0001c19; foremost bodhisattvas 0002a08 · the portent of teaching the Dharma, the teaching of 《無量義》 Immeasurable Meanings, 0002b07; the portent of entering samādhi, the samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, 0002b08 · rain of flowers 0002b09; quaking in six ways 0002b12; the radiance from between the brows illuminating the east 0002b16; raising seven-jeweled stupas 0002b25 · Maitreya’s thought at 0002c and his question in verse, 「文殊師利導師何故」 tr. “Mañjuśrī, Guide, why is this?” · Mañjuśrī’s answer, 「我於過去諸佛曾見此瑞」 tr. “Among buddhas of the past, I have seen this portent before,” at 0003a; the ten epithets of Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance Buddha at 0003c; twenty thousand buddhas of the same name and the family name Bharadvāja at 0003c27; the eight royal sons at 0003c; teaching the 《妙法蓮華》 Lotus of the Wondrous Dharma for sixty minor aeons at 0004a; prediction that Treasury of Qualities would be named Pure Body at 0004b02; Wondrous Light’s upholding the sutra for eighty minor aeons and Burning Lamp Buddha at 0004b; Seeker of Fame at 0004b11; Wondrous Light was I myself and Seeker of Fame was you yourself at 0004b15 · Mañjuśrī’s restatement in verse through the end of Fascicle One, followed by 〈方便品第二〉 Chapter 2, Skillful Means. Source file: Source-Text layer, verified word for word; twenty-six core doctrinal passages verified word for word.
- 竺法護 T263 《正法華經》 True Dharma Lotus, 〈光瑞品第一〉 “Chapter 1, The Portent of Light,” begins at 〔T09n0263 0063a06〕（卷一）: 聞如是 tr. “It was heard thus,” Vulture Peak, and twelve hundred at 0063a07 · Universal Head, Light of the World’s Sounds, and Loving One at 0063a27 · proclamation of the bodhisattvas’ great Vaipulya verses and the samādhi named Establishment in Immeasurable Verses at 0063b24 · flowers of intent, flowers of gentle sound, and quaking in six cycles at 0063b28／0063c02 · sending forth a great radiance that illuminates the east at 0064a05 · Loving One asks Universal Head at 0064a03 · Sun-Moon-Lamp-Radiance at 0065c; twenty thousand tathāgatas continuing one lineage and family name at 0066a01 · Surpassing Light and Renown at 0066a29／0066b01; joining the account to the present with Unconquered at 0066b21 · Foremost Treasury predicted to become Body Free of Defilement at 0066b10／b12; Burning Lamp Buddha rendered as Dharma Matters at 0066b16.
- 添品 T264 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction,” begins at 〔T09n0264 0134c28〕, preceded by the preface to the supplemented edition at 0134b24: 如是我聞 tr. “Thus have I heard” at 0134c29 · foremost bodhisattvas at 0135a17 · the samādhi of the Station of Immeasurable Meanings, with the single long sutra title, at 0135b14 · quaking in six ways at 0135b19; radiance at 0135b23 · twenty thousand of the same family name Bharadvāja at 0136c26／c28 · Wondrous Light, Seeker of Fame, and the joining of the account to the present at 0137a21／b09／b12. 〔逐字近同羅什，唯經題開合・異體字〕 tr. “[Nearly identical word for word with Kumārajīva, apart from the joining and division of the sutra title and graphic variants.]”
- 窺基《玄贊》T34n1723 (the expository mirror, beginning and end of Fascicle One): the Introduction extends from 〔0651a06〕 through 〔0694b21〕. “Introduction” as the cause from which the teaching arises, 0651a25; the six-gateway introductory discussion—the three periods of teaching at 0655c and five lineages at 0656c—followed by the sixth gateway, explanation of the scriptural text itself; the three divisions, with 「初一品名序分」 tr. “the first chapter named the introductory division,” at 0661b10; seven accomplishments at 0661c09; the first two as the common introduction and latter five as the specific introduction at 0661c26 · “at one time” as consciousness-only time at 0664a20 · three modes of ceremonial order at 0679a03 and the Buddha’s three mysteries at 0679b13 · the radiance as reliance upon the cause for teaching at 0680b11; character-by-character explanation of the white hair-mark at 0680b28; seven meanings of the light at 0680c07; transformation of diffusion among the eighteen transformations at 0680c14; eighteen thousand at 0680c29 · a portent as faith and correspondence at 0683a18 · Mañjuśrī’s answer accomplishing ten matters at 0688a22; Wondrous Light as Mañjuśrī at 0688a27; Seeker of Fame as Maitreya at 0692b17; and the return-link in the Chapter on Skillful Means to the responsive verse on a former event at 0722b04.
- 智顗《文句》T34n1718 (parallel witness): 〈釋序品〉 “Explanation of the Introduction” begins at 0001b21 · the four perspectives of cause and condition, classification of teachings, origin and trace, and contemplation of mind at 0002a21; the chapters from the Introduction through Peaceful Practice concerning the Trace at 0002a09 · common and specific introductions at 0003a19 · five parts of the specific introduction at 0026b26; six portents correlated with the ten subtleties at 0027b05 · Wondrous Light as the teacher nine lives before, covertly opening the teaching of lifespan, at 0035a05.
- 吉藏《法華義疏》T34n1721 (parallel witness): 〈序品第一〉 “Chapter 1, Introduction,” begins at 0451a05 (Part One 0451a05; Part Two 0466b21) · credibility-establishing and occasioning introductions at 0453b14; six gateways at 0453c16; six matters rejecting five at 0453c26 · six chapters of the occasioning introduction at 0466b22 · three of the six statements are not portents and only three are portents at 0469b21 · Mañjuśrī as the teacher nine lives before, using the near to cover the far and opening the near to reveal the far, at 0481b02.
- Record of formation: Kumārajīva and the supplemented edition title the chapter 「序品」 tr. “Introduction”; Dharmarakṣa titles it 「光瑞品」 tr. “The Portent of Light,” taking the radiance as the eye. The supplemented edition agrees almost word for word with Kumārajīva and is a revised reissue, differing in the division and joining of the sutra title. Dharmarakṣa is the true alternate-translation axis, with a different system of translated names and different structural divisions and joins. Kuiji’s treatment of this chapter has two layers: the six-gateway introductory discussion for the whole sutra, classifying teachings and capacities, and the line-by-line explanation of the Introduction. The richer Consciousness-Only material belongs to the introductory framework; the Consciousness-Only meaning of the chapter’s own scriptural text is concise, with its direct point at 「一時＝唯識時」 tr. “‘at one time’ = consciousness-only time.”