The Lotus Sūtra 2.16

2.16

爾時舍利弗白佛言：「世尊！我今無復疑悔，親於佛前得受阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。是諸千二百心自在者，昔住學地，佛常教化言：『我法能離生老病死，究竟涅槃。』是學無學人，亦各自以離我見及有無見等謂得涅槃；而今於世尊前聞所未聞，皆墮疑惑。善哉，世尊！願為四眾說其因緣，令離疑悔。」

And those acquired in meeting the Buddha,

Be completely transferred to the buddha path.

At that time Śāriputra said this to the Buddha: “O Bhagavat! I now have no further doubts. I have received the prediction of the highest supreme enlightenment in the presence of the Buddha.

“When all those twelve hundred who have attained complete mental discipline were still under training in the past, the Buddha constantly led and inspired them, saying: ‘My teaching overcomes birth, old age, illness, and death and it leads to nirvana.’ Both those who were still in training and those who were not thought that they were free from false views about the self, existence and nonexistence, and declared that they had attained nirvana. Yet now, in the presence of the Bhagavat, they have heard what they have never heard before and have fallen into doubt.

“Splendid, O Bhagavat! I entreat you to explain to the fourfold assembly the reason why, and free them from their doubts!”

Then the Buddha said to Śāriputra: “Did I not previously tell you that all the Buddha Bhagavats explain the Dharma with various explanations and illustrations using skillful means, all for the sake of highest, complete enlightenment!? All of these teachings are for leading and inspiring the bodhisattvas.

“Moreover, Śāriputra, I will now clarify what I mean with illustrations. Those with wisdom will be able to understand through these illustrations.

“O Śāriputra! Suppose there were an aged and extremely affluent man, either in a town, city, or country, who has immeasurable wealth, abundant estates, mansions, and servants. He has a spacious house, yet it only has a single entrance. Suppose many people live there, as many as one, two, or even five hundred people. The buildings are in poor repair, the fences and walls are crumbling, the pillar bases are rotten, and the beams and framework are dangerously tilted.

“Suddenly and unexpectedly, fires break out everywhere, setting the house swiftly aflame. The children of this man, ten, twenty, or thirty in number are in the house.

“The affluent man, seeing the fire breaking out everywhere, becomes alarmed and terrified. He thinks:

I am capable of escaping through the burning entrance in safety, but

my children are absorbed in play within the burning house and are not

aware [of the fire], do not know, are not alarmed or terrified, and the

fire is approaching them! They are not troubled about their suffering

nor do they intend to leave the house.

“O Śāriputra, this affluent man thought:

Since I am still physically strong I could take the children out of the

house in the folds of my garment or on top of a desk.

“He further thought:

There is only one entrance to this house and it is very narrow. The chil-

dren, who are immature and still unaware, are attached to their place

of play. They may fall into danger and be burned by the fire. I should

now tell them of the danger; this house is already burning! They must

escape as quickly as they can to avoid being burned by the fire!

“After considering this he urged the children according to his thought:

Children! Run out immediately!