法華經義記 4.32

4.32

「而告之言汝等所可玩好希有難得」此下竟「皆當與汝」，是第三明長者為說三車，即譬上〈方便品〉中第三「思惟是事已，即趣波羅捺，諸法寂滅相不可以言宣，以方便力故為五比丘說」，明造鹿苑說三乘。今就此第三段中自有四階：第一讚歎三車，第二示車處，第三勸取三車，第四許與三車不虛。「而告之言」竟「後必憂悔」，此是第一明長者讚歎三車，內合如來讚歎三乘，下合譬言「汝等當知此三乘法，皆是聖所稱歎」。「如此種種羊鹿牛車，今在門外可以遊戲」，此是第二明長者示諸子三車處，內合如來示三乘人果處，三車既在門外，然三乘人盡無生智在三界外，若同斷三界正使煩惱盡，出三界外證盡無生智，故言示三車處也。「汝等於此火宅宜速出來」，此是第三長者勸諸子往取三車，內合明如來勸三乘人修行取盡無生智，下合譬言「汝但當懃修精進也」。「隨汝所欲皆當與汝」，此是第四明長者許與三車不虛，內合明如來語三乘人言「汝等但修無漏治道斷三界煩惱盡出三界外，保得盡無生智」，下合譬言「我今為汝保任此事終不虛也」。「爾時諸子聞父所說珍玩之物」，此下是第四段明諸子受行，即譬上〈方便品〉中第四「便有涅槃音及以阿羅漢，法僧差別名」，明三乘人受行遂得聖道。今就此第四中自有四階：第一竟「心各勇銳」，此明眾生聞說三乘教，即生外凡夫善根。第二「互相推排」一句，譬眾生聞說三乘教，修行登內凡夫位，雖復推排猶自未得出門。何以。內凡夫猶是具縛，修行伏煩惱即是動義，不能斷結出生死，即是未動亦有動不動義。第三言「競共馳走」一句，即譬眾生聞說三乘教修行得無漏入無相行，成七種學人，各修無漏斷煩惱，即是競也。同觀無相之理，即是共也。興心求進，即是馳走也。第四言「爭出火宅」一句，即譬七種學人修行遂證羅漢果，出三界外得盡無生智，彼此各異證，譬如爭也。前三句長出，上法說所無，後一句只為法說作譬。

From “And he told them: ‘The playthings you like are rare and hard to obtain…’” down to “I will give them all to you”, this is the third section, explaining that the elder spoke of the three carts for them, which illustrates the third section in the “Expedient Means” chapter above: “Having reflected on this matter, I immediately went to Vārāṇasī; the tranquil aspect of all dharmas cannot be declared in words, so through the power of expedient means I explained it for the five bhikṣus”, explaining his proceeding to the Deer Park to preach the three vehicles. Now within this third section there are four stages: first, praising the three carts; second, indicating the location of the carts; third, exhorting them to take the three carts; fourth, promising to give the three carts without falsehood. From “And he told them…” down to “afterwards you will surely grieve and regret”, this is the first stage, explaining the elder praising the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata praising the three vehicles; below, the application of the parable says, “You should know that these three vehicles’ dharmas are all praised by the sages.” “Such various goat, deer, and ox carts are now outside the gate, where you can play with them”: this is the second stage, explaining the elder showing the sons the location of the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata showing the persons of the three vehicles the location of the fruition. Since the three carts are outside the gate, and the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising of the persons of the three vehicles are outside the three realms, if they equally sever the active afflictions of the three realms completely and emerge outside the three realms, they realize the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; hence it says “showing the location of the three carts”. “You should come out quickly from this burning house”: this is the third stage, the elder exhorting the sons to go and take the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata exhorting persons of the three vehicles to cultivate practice and obtain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; below, the application of the parable says, “You should only diligently cultivate vigorous effort.” “According to what you desire, I will give them all to you”: this is the fourth stage, explaining that the elder’s promise to give the three carts is not false, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata saying to persons of the three vehicles, “You need only cultivate the uncontaminated counteractive path, sever all afflictions of the three realms, and emerge outside the three realms, and you are guaranteed to attain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising”; below, the application of the parable says, “I now guarantee this matter for you, and it will never be false.” From “At that time the sons, hearing what their father said of these precious playthings…” downward, this is the fourth section, explaining the sons’ practice and reception, which illustrates the fourth section in the “Expedient Means” chapter above: “Then there were the sound of nirvāṇa, and the distinct names of arhat, Dharma, and Saṅgha”, explaining that persons of the three vehicles practiced and received [the teaching] and ultimately attained the noble Path. Now within this fourth section there are four stages: the first down to “each of their minds was brave and sharp”, which explains that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, immediately give rise to the good roots of external ordinary beings. The second is the single phrase “pushing and shoving one another”, which illustrates that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, cultivate practice and ascend to the stage of internal ordinary beings; although they push and shove, they have still not managed to exit the gate. Why? Internal ordinary beings are still fully bound; cultivating practice to subdue afflictions is the meaning of “movement”, while being unable to sever the fetters and emerge from birth and death is “non-movement”—thus there is both the sense of moving and not moving. The third is the single phrase “racing together in a rush”, which illustrates that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, cultivate practice, attain the uncontaminated, enter into signless practice, and become seven kinds of learners; each cultivating the uncontaminated to sever afflictions is “racing”, mutually contemplating the principle of the signless is “together”, and raising their minds to seek advancement is “in a rush”. The fourth is the single phrase “scrambled to get out of the burning house”, which illustrates that the seven kinds of learners cultivate practice and ultimately realize the fruit of arhatship, emerge outside the three realms, and attain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; each realizing distinctly from one another is likened to “scrambling”. The first three phrases are additions not found in the exposition by dharma above; the last phrase serves solely as a parable for the exposition by dharma.