妙法蓮華經 2.22

2.22

“At that time, the children each climbed into a great cart and had an

unprecedented experience, one beyond their original expectations.

“O Śāriputra! What do you think about this? This affluent man gave to

his children equally a large cart decorated with precious treasures. Has he

deceived them or not?”

Śāriputra replied: “No Bhagavat! The affluent man only tried to help

his children escape from the disastrous fire. He saved their lives and did not

deceive them. This is by no means a deception. Why? Because by saving

their lives they obtained marvelous toys. Moreover, they were saved from

the burning house by skillful means.

“O Bhagavat! If this affluent man had not given them even the smallest

cart, it still would not have been a deception. Why is this? Because this

affluent man thought before:

I will help my children escape with skillful means.

“This is why it was not a deception. How much more so, since the affluent

man, knowing that he had immeasurable wealth and wanting to benefit them

equally, gave each of his children a large [ox]cart.”

The Buddha said to Śāriputra: “Splendid, splendid! It is exactly as you

have said. O Śāriputra, the Tathāgata is also just like this. That is to say, as

the father of the entire world, he permanently dispels fear, distress, anxiety, ignorance, and blindness. He has attained immeasurable wisdom, insight, power, and fearlessness, as well as great transcendent powers and the power of wisdom. He has attained the perfection of skillful means and of wisdom. With his great mercy and compassion he incessantly and indefatigably seeks the welfare of all beings and benefits them all.

“The Tathāgata appears in the triple world, which is like a decaying old house on fire, to rescue sentient beings from the fire of birth, old age, illness, and death, anxiety, sorrow, suffering, distress, delusion, blindness, and the three poisons of greed, hatred, and ignorance. Thus he leads and inspires sentient beings and causes them to attain highest, complete enlightenment.

“The Tathāgatas see all sentient beings burning in the fire of birth, old age, illness, and death, anxiety, sorrow, suffering, and distress. Because of the desires of the five senses and the desire for monetary profit they also experience various kinds of suffering. Because of their attachment and pursuits they experience various kinds of suffering in the present; and in the future they will suffer in the states of existence of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts (pretas). If they are born in the heavens or in the human world they will experience a variety of sorrows such as suffering from poverty and destitution, separation from loved ones, or suffering from encounters with those they dislike.

“Although sentient beings are immersed in such sorrows, they rejoice and play. They are not aware, shocked, startled, or disgusted nor do they seek release. Running around in the burning house of the triple world, they experience great suffering and yet they do not realize it.

“O Śāriputra! Seeing these things the Buddha thought:

Since I am the father of sentient beings I must rid them of their immeas-

urable suffering and distress. I will cause them to rejoice through the

immeasurable and limitless pleasure of the buddha wisdom.

“O Śāriputra! The Tathāgata further thought:

If I proclaim the Tathāgata’s wisdom, insight, power, and fearlessness