[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華經義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715) › 4.22 # 法華經義記 4.22 法華經義記 4.22 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.22) 「有大長者」，此是第二正出宅主也。未必年杇稱為長者，唯取有德有行之義也。「其年衰邁」此下是第三歎長者有德，自有三重：第一歎長者內德，第二歎長者外德，第三歎長者眷屬也。今者第一「其年衰邁」，此歎長者內德。夫老人必多識悉，此明如來三達洞照是事皆知，唯取多識悉往古，故以衰邁為譬主。次言「財富無量亦有田宅」，是第二歎長者外德，正明七珍豐盈蔭蓋孤貧，此明如來外化之德無盡，是故有四攝度人慈悲救物也。夫養命稱田、安身為宅，明如來能生眾生功德智慧如田，示物修行之方如宅，是故《大涅槃經》云：「立一切眾生於五戒十善業」，此之謂也。「及諸僮僕」此是第三歎長者眷屬，聲聞辟支佛狹心短志，猶若僮僕也。「其家廣大」此是第二義，明長者之宅。宅以安身為義，如來應在三界，三界繫屬如來仍以所化為宅，是故《維摩經》言：「眾生是菩薩淨土」，明菩薩所化眾生仍以眾生為土。今明如來化三界以三界為宅，然則三界彌博，故言廣大也。「唯有一門」此是第三義，宅雖廣大秖有一門通人出入，今呼佛教為門，但三界眾生反流之始，會藉如來言教，然後出離生死必到菩提，然則五時言教為門莫二，故言一也。「多諸人眾」此下是第四義，明長者宅中有五百餘人，內合三界之中以類相從，凡有五道眾生也。「堂閣朽故」此是第五義，明出所救事，明長者宅中有火。內合為義者，明三界之中備有五濁八苦，煎逼眾生。就中有二，將明火起，先敘所燒之物，正明因薪火傳，第二「周匝俱時歘然火起」句正明火起，今者第一明欲界如堂，色無色界如閣也。然三界眾生皆為生老病死無常所逼遷，故言朽故也。三界眾生四大為牆壁，但此四大之身皆念念生滅，故言頹落也。命如柱根，但此命為善根所招，是故念念無常，故言腐敗也。識如梁棟，有心識者呼為眾生，是故眾生以心識為主，然此心識取緣，亦剎那生滅，故言傾危也。「周匝俱時」以下，此第二正明火起。「周匝俱時」者，四生之中皆有五濁八苦也。「歘然火起」者，正明火起。外譬為義者，正由長者不在，致令宅中火起。下偈中「言其人近出未久之間」，內合如來已曾化此眾生令折伏煩惱，于時已作得度因緣，但感緣既盡如來餘方教化，然眾生更起三毒煩惱，非本意所期，故言歘然火起也。「長者諸子」此下第六義，明五百人中有與長者天性相關者，有三十子，內合明如來所化有三乘根性入三界中也。 > "There was a great elder": this is the second \[section\], directly introducing the master of the house. He is called an elder not necessarily because of advanced age, but solely to take the meaning of possessing virtue and conduct. "His years were decrepit": from here downwards is the third \[section\], praising the elder's virtues, which itself has three layers: first, praising the elder's internal virtue; second, praising the elder's external virtue; third, praising the elder's retinue. Now, the first, "his years were decrepit," praises the elder's internal virtue. An elderly person is bound to have extensive knowledge and familiarity; this clarifies that the Tathāgata's three penetrations illuminate thoroughly so that he knows all things. Solely taking extensive knowledge and familiarity with antiquity, decrepit age is used as the vehicle of the parable. Next, "possessing immeasurable wealth and property, and having fields and houses" is the second, praising the elder's external virtue, directly clarifying that his seven treasures were abundant and provided shelter for the orphaned and poor. This clarifies that the Tathāgata's virtue in outward transformation is inexhaustible; therefore he has the four means of embrace to cross people over, and compassion to rescue beings. Sustaining life is called a "field" and sheltering the body is called a "house"; this clarifies that the Tathāgata can produce sentient beings' merit and wisdom like a field, and show beings the method of practice like a house. Therefore the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: "Establishing all sentient beings in the five precepts and the ten wholesome deeds"—this is what it means. "And many servants": this is the third, praising the elder's retinue. Voice-hearers and pratyekabuddhas have narrow minds and short aspirations, just like servants. "His mansion was vast and great": this is the second meaning, clarifying the elder's house. A house takes sheltering the body as its meaning. The Tathāgata manifests in response within the three realms; the three realms belong to the Tathāgata, so he takes what is transformed as his house. Therefore the Vimalakīrti Sūtra states: "Sentient beings are the bodhisattva's pure land," clarifying that the sentient beings transformed by a bodhisattva are taken by him as his land. Now it clarifies that the Tathāgata transforms the three realms and takes the three realms as his house. Since the three realms are immensely vast, it is called "vast and great." "It had only a single gate": this is the third meaning. Although the house was vast and great, it had only a single gate for people to go in and out. Here the Buddha's teaching is called the gate. When sentient beings of the three realms begin to turn against the stream, they must rely on the Tathāgata's verbal teachings, and thereafter leave birth and death behind, inevitably reaching bodhi. Thus the verbal teachings of the five periods serve as an unprecedented gate, hence called "one." "Many people": from here downwards is the fourth meaning, clarifying that there were more than five hundred people in the elder's house. Applied internally, grouping by kinds within the three realms, there are in total sentient beings of the five destinies. "Its halls and pavilions were decayed and old": this is the fifth meaning, clarifying the matter being rescued from, showing that there was fire in the elder's house. Applied internally to the meaning: it clarifies that the three realms are fully beset by the five turbidities and the eight sufferings, which oppress sentient beings. Within this there are two parts: about to clarify the fire breaking out, it first describes the objects being burned, directly showing that the fire spreads due to fuel; second, the phrase "all around and simultaneously, fire suddenly broke out" directly clarifies the breaking out of fire. Now, the first clarifies that the desire realm is like the halls, while the form and formless realms are like the pavilions. Sentient beings of the three realms are all oppressed and displaced by birth, old age, sickness, death, and impermanence; hence they are said to be "decayed and old." Sentient beings of the three realms have the four great elements as their walls, but these bodies of the four great elements arise and perish from moment to moment; hence they are said to be "falling into ruin." Life-span is like the pillar bases, but this life-span is attracted by wholesome roots and is therefore impermanent from moment to moment; hence it is said to be "rotted away." Consciousness is like the beams and rafters: those possessing mind and consciousness are called sentient beings, so sentient beings take mind and consciousness as primary; yet this mind and consciousness grasps at conditions and also arises and perishes in an instant; hence it is said to be "tilting and perilous." "All around and simultaneously" downwards is the second, directly clarifying the breaking out of the fire. "All around and simultaneously" means that the five turbidities and the eight sufferings exist among all four forms of birth. "Fire suddenly broke out" directly clarifies the breaking out of the fire. Its meaning in the external parable is that precisely because the elder was not present, fire was caused to break out in the house. In the verses below it says, "That man had recently departed, not long ago." Applied internally: the Tathāgata had previously transformed these sentient beings, causing them to subdue their afflictions, and at that time had already created the conditions for their crossing over; but once the conditions of resonance were exhausted, the Tathāgata taught and transformed in other directions, yet sentient beings once again gave rise to the afflictions of the three poisons—which was not what had originally been expected; hence it says "fire suddenly broke out." "The elder's sons": from here downwards is the sixth meaning, clarifying that among the five hundred people, those who shared an inherent nature with the elder were thirty sons. Applied internally, this clarifies that among those transformed by the Tathāgata, there are those possessing the capacities of the three vehicles who have entered the three realms. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.21) - [Next: 4.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.23) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715~en-mt.4.22) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1715.4.22) · Pramāṇa