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是時大樂說菩薩。以如來神力故。白佛言。世尊。我等願欲見此佛身。佛告大樂說菩薩摩訶薩。是多寶佛有深重願。若我寶塔為聽法華經故。出於諸佛前時。其有欲以我身示四眾者。彼佛分身諸佛。在於十方世界說法。盡還集一處。然後我身乃出現耳。大樂說。我分身諸佛。在於十方世界說法者。今應當集。
「是時」，這個時候大樂說菩薩，「以如來神力故」，大樂說菩薩在這個法會上請問佛，怎麼說是如來的神力呢？他為什麼不說是他自己的神力？因為在這個法會，一切一切的境界，都是佛的威神力表現，即使是這位大樂說菩薩請問這個道理，也是如來的神力加被他，令他有這種智慧來請問佛，所以他「白佛言」，對釋迦牟尼佛說，「世尊，我等願欲見此佛身」。大樂說菩薩這時候聽見寶塔裡邊出大音聲讚歎釋迦牟尼佛，這是「只聞其聲，未見其形」，聽到佛的音聲，可是沒有看見佛的三十二相、八十種好，所以現在他也生出了一種好奇的心，這也是如來的神力令他來問。他所問的是代表一切的天人來請問佛，因為一切的天人心有所懷疑：這個寶塔裡出這麼大的音聲，是不是那個地方有「麥克風」或是「收音機」？是不是真有佛在那個地方呢？我們現在想看一看，這一位佛是不是有一種特別的樣子？天人都生出一種好奇的心、懷疑的心。所以大樂說，他是很願意說的，於是乎就請問釋迦牟尼佛，希望佛說給他聽。我等，我們大家都願意見此佛身，願看一看出這麼大音聲的這一位佛全身。這好像小孩子一樣，聽到家人告訴他，來了一位他從未見過的貴客，也想看一看，也就是這個意思。
「佛告大樂說菩薩摩訶薩」，釋迦牟尼佛告訴大樂說菩薩摩訶薩，這位大菩薩，就說：「是多寶佛有深重願」，這位多寶佛在過去生中，沒有成佛以前，曾發了一種深重的願。這個願也是很妙的，他發了什麼願呢？他說「若我寶塔為聽法華經故，出於諸佛前時」，他說我這個寶塔因為前去聽這部《法華經》的緣故，而出現在佛前面的時候。「其有欲以我身示四眾者」，假設有人想看看我這個全身，也令四眾弟子都能看見的時候。「彼佛分身諸佛啊，在於十方世界說法」，四眾弟子想要見我全身的時候，這位講《法華經》的佛他會有分身諸佛。分身即化身，釋迦牟尼佛有千百億萬化身，不但釋迦牟尼佛有千百億萬化身，每一位佛在說法時都有千百億萬化身。他分身的諸佛、化身的諸佛，在十方世界說法，他們到十方所有的世界去說法教化眾生。
我的願力，願意這位說《法華經》的佛所化的身「盡還集一處」，盡就是完全。還就是回來了。集就是聚集到一處。所有佛的分身都從十方回到一處，這是「一本散為萬殊，萬殊仍歸一本」，這一位佛化為無量無邊的佛，無量無邊的佛又回來成一位佛。這種境界凡夫是沒法知道的，所以叫《妙法蓮華經》，它是特別的妙，妙到人想像不到。
「然後我身乃出現耳」，等到這一位說法的佛，所有的分身佛，都聚集到一處的時候，然後我這個身就出現了。因為過去多寶如來發這種願力，「大樂說」，你要知道，「我分身諸佛」，我現在所分身到十方世界一切的分身佛，「在於十方世界說法者」，教化眾生，「今應當集」，現在都應該回來聚集到一起。「一本散為萬殊，萬殊仍歸一本」。
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Just then, the Bodhisattva Great Delight in Speaking, by means of the spiritual power of the Thus Come One, spoke to the Buddha saying, "World Honored One, we all wish to see this Buddha's body." The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Great Delight in Speaking: The Buddha Many Jewels has made a profound and solemn vow: "When my jeweled stupa manifests in the presence of the Buddhas because the
Dharma Flower Sutra is heard, if there is anyone who wishes me to show my body to the four assemblies, then the division-body Buddhas of that Buddha who is speaking Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions, must all return and gather together in one place. Afterwards, my body will appear." "Great Delight in Speaking, my division-body Buddhas present in the ten direction worlds speaking Dharma, should now gather together."
Commentary:
Just then, the Bodhisattva Great Delight in Speaking, by means of the spiritual power of the Thus Come One... The Bodhisattva asks the Buddha, but why does the text say "by means of the spiritual power of the Thus Come One?" Why isn't it by means of his own power? It is because, in this Dharma Assembly, all the states that appear are manifestations of the Buddha's awesome spiritual power. Even this Bodhisattva's questions about the doctrine come about through the aid of the Buddha's spiritual power, lending him the wisdom so that he can ask these question.
... spoke to the Buddha saying, "World Honored One, Shakyamuni Buddha,
we all wish to see this Buddha's body." The Bodhisattva Great Delight in Speaking had heard the great sounds of praise for Shakyamuni Buddha coming from the stupa, but he still hadn't seen the Buddha inside the stupa. He could only hear him. He hadn't seen that Buddha's thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics and so he was, frankly, curious. Actually, it was the Buddha's spiritual power that caused him to ask. His question was asked on behalf of all; they all had doubts. "Such a great sound out of that Stupa! Is there a public address system in it? Is there a radio in it? Is there really a Buddha in there? We want to see that Buddha! Is that Buddha a special type of Buddha?" The gods had a lot of doubts, and they didn't know for sure if there really was a Buddha in there. The Bodhisattva Great Delight in Speaking, because he loved to talk, asked Shakyamuni Buddha to tell him about it. They were all like children who, overhearing their parents talk about a guest who is coming, want to know all about him. "We want to see him too! We want to see the guest!"
Shakyamuni Buddha told the Bodhisattva Mahasattva Great Delight in Speaking: The Buddha Many jewels has made a profound and solemn vow: You want to see the Buddha Many Jewels, but there is a condition. In a life long ago, before he became a Buddha, he made a very solemn vow. It is very wonderful. He said,
"When my jeweled stupa manifests in the presence of the Buddhas because the
Dharma Flower Sutra is heard, if there is anyone who wishes me to show my body to the four assemblies, if there are those who wish to see me, then the division-body Buddhas of the Buddha who is speaking Dharma in the worlds of the ten directions...." The Buddha speaking the
Dharma Flower Sutra has division-bodies in the ten directions speaking Dharma, too. Division bodies are transformation bodies. Shakyamuni Buddha has a hundred thousand myriads of millions of transformation bodies. Not only does Shakyamuni Buddha have them, but all the Buddhas have them and they are the Dharma. Their division-body Buddhas speaking Dharma in the ten directions, teaching and transforming living beings,
"must all return and gather together in one place." That's Many Jewels Buddha's vow. All the transformation Buddhas return to the one root. The root can transform into myriad transformations which all return to the one root. One Buddha can manifest limitless transformation Buddhas all of whom return to the one Buddha. How could common folks possibly understand such a state? That's why this Sutra is called the
Wonderful Dharma Lotus Flower Sutra. It is so wonderful people couldn't possibly figure it out!
"Afterwards my body will appear, when all those Buddhas have gathered in one place, then I will manifest.
"Great Delight in Speaking, my division-body Buddhas present in the ten direction worlds speaking Dharma should now gather together." |
