法華經義記 5.11

5.11

「如來爾時」此下是正合第八長者賜子大車譬，明為說《法華經》。但上開譬中本有兩段：第一雙開兩章門，第二雙廣釋兩章門。但上開譬中逐文句起盡宜合為兩段，今此合譬之中，有合不合有不次第，宜追開為六段。何者？心平等章門，一也。一大車章門，二也。廣一大車，三也。釋廣大車，四也。廣心平等，五也。釋廣心平等，六也。今此中唯不合第六釋廣心平等。上言「所以者何，以我此物周給一國猶尚不匱，何況諸子」，今不合此也。雖合餘五階又不次第，第一先合第四仍勢合第五，然後追還合第一第二第三也。今言「如來爾時便作是念」竟「諸佛法藏」，即合第四釋廣一大車，上言「所以者何，是大長者財富無量，種種諸藏悉皆充溢也」，此義具如上釋也。「是諸眾生皆是我子」此下竟「而滅度之」，即是合上第五廣心平等，上言「而作是念，我財物無極，不應以下劣小車與諸子等，今此幼童皆是吾子，愛無偏黨」也。「是諸眾生脫三界者悉與」此即追還合第一心平等章門，上言「各賜諸子等」，今言「悉與」，悉與只是平等之義也。「諸佛禪定解脫等娛樂之具」，此即合第二所賜物章門，上言「一大車」也。「皆是一相一種聖所稱歎能生淨妙第一之樂」，此即合第三廣一大車，上言「其車高廣」等句也。

"The Tathāgata at that time" and below is the proper application of the eighth parable of the elder bestowing the great cart upon his sons, explaining the preaching of the Lotus Sūtra. Now, the earlier unfolding of the parable originally had two sections: first, presenting both topical headings in tandem; second, extensively explaining both topical headings in tandem. However, whereas in the earlier unfolding of the parable the beginnings and endings of the text were appropriately combined into two sections, here in the application of the parable, some match and some do not, and they are out of sequence, so it is appropriate retroactively to unpack them into six sections. Which are they? The topical heading of the impartiality of mind is the first. The topical heading of the one great cart is the second. Elaborating on the one great cart is the third. Explaining the elaboration of the great cart is the fourth. Elaborating on the impartiality of mind is the fifth. Explaining the elaboration of the impartiality of mind is the sixth. Here, it is only the sixth, explaining the elaboration of the impartiality of mind, that is not applied. Above, it said, "Why is this? Because even if I were to distribute these goods throughout an entire country, they would not be exhausted; how much less to my own sons!"—this is not applied here. Although the other five stages are applied, they are again not in sequence: first the fourth is applied, then taking advantage of that momentum the fifth is applied, and only afterwards does it return retroactively to apply the first, second, and third. Now, from the words "The Tathāgata at that time then had this thought" down to "the dharma-treasury of the Buddhas", this applies the fourth, explaining the elaboration of the one great cart; above, it said, "Why is this? This great elder has immeasurable wealth, and various storehouses are all filled to overflowing"—this meaning is fully as explained above. From "All these sentient beings are my sons" down to "and causes them to cross over into extinction", this applies the fifth above, elaborating on the impartiality of mind; above, it said, "And he had this thought: 'My goods and wealth are boundless; I should not give inferior small carts to my sons. These young children are now all my sons, and my love has no partiality.'" "To all those sentient beings who have escaped the three realms, he gives"—this retroactively returns to apply the first topical heading, the impartiality of mind; above, it said, "bestowing on each of his sons equally", and now it says, "gives to all"—"gives to all" is simply the meaning of equality. "The Buddhas' dhyāna-contemplations, liberations, and other apparatus of delight"—this applies the second topical heading, the objects bestowed; above, it spoke of "one great cart". "All of one character and one kind, praised by the sages, capable of producing the purest, most wonderful, foremost delight"—this applies the third, elaborating on the one great cart; above, it said, "That cart was high and broad", and so forth.