法華經義記 5.51

5.51

就第一父子相失譬，領上宅主譬亦名總譬。譬中本有六義，今唯領二義，領第一「有大長者」化主之義，復領第六三十子義，此二義是要者，亦是〈方便品〉釋迦同諸佛先三後一化眾生之主。今就父子相失譬領上二義，不得作二段，父子相簡為四重，第一明子背父而去，第二明父覓子不得，第三明子還近父，第四明父失子憂念轉深。內合四重者，第一先明眾生昔日二萬億佛時曾稟大乘，自爾之後失解捨如來流轉六道。第二明如來從眾生失大乘解之後，恒覓可化之機不得。第三內合眾生從失大乘以來，在五戒十善教中學，則有機感佛出世，此則是漸近父義。第四眾生既為五濁所惛，如來慈惻彌深，是父憂念轉深義也。又就此四重之中各有兩階。子離父中有二者，一者明子背父而去，二者明子向國而還。今言「譬若有人」者，只明四大弟子自譬，故言若有人。「年既幼稚」者，內合明眾生昔日二萬億佛所于時已曾稟受如來大乘化，但于時稟大乘化不久，故言幼稚。不道大乘解小。若言解小是幼稚者，下言年既長大便應是解大，故知不名解小是幼稚。後解言只是解小故幼稚。何以知之？只是幼稚故捨父，若不幼稚云何捨父？內明為論眾生於二萬佛所稟如來大乘化，于時只得外凡夫解，而此解怯弱，故言幼稚。「捨父逃逝」者，隱密而去，非公灼故言逃也。逝者言去，內合眾生即失大乘解，理中密有背佛之義也。

Regarding the first parable, in which father and son lose one another, it matches the above parable of the householder and is also called the general parable. In the [earlier] parable there were originally six points, but here only two points are matched: the first point, the meaning of the teacher as 'a great elder', and further the sixth point, the meaning of the thirty sons. These two points are the essential ones, and also represent the teacher who, in the 'Expedient Means Chapter', converts sentient beings first by the three [vehicles] and later by the one [vehicle], just like Śākya and all [other] Buddhas. Now, matching the above two points in this parable of father and son losing one another cannot be made into two separate sections; instead, the separation of father and son is distinguished into four stages: first, explaining that the son turns his back on the father and departs; second, explaining that the father searches for the son but cannot find him; third, explaining that the son turns back and draws near to the father; fourth, explaining that the father's anxious longing grows ever deeper over having lost his son. Internally applying these four stages: first, it explains that in the past, at the time of the twenty billion Buddhas, sentient beings once received the Great Vehicle; from then onward they lost understanding, abandoned the Tathāgata, and wandered in transmigration through the six destinies. Second, it explains that ever since sentient beings lost their understanding of the Great Vehicle, the Tathāgata has constantly searched for those with the capacity to be transformed, but could not find them. Third, internally applying it, ever since sentient beings lost the Great Vehicle, they have trained within the teachings of the five precepts and ten virtues; thus having the capacity to affect the Buddha to appear in the world, this is the meaning of gradually drawing near to the father. Fourth, since sentient beings are confused by the five turbidities, the Tathāgata's sorrowful compassion grows all the deeper; this is the meaning of the father's anxious longing growing ever deeper. Furthermore, within these four stages, each has two sub-steps. In the son's departure from the father there are two: first, explaining that the son turns his back on the father and departs; second, explaining that the son turns back toward the country. Now, as for the words, 'Suppose there was a man': this only explains that the four great disciples are using a parable for themselves; hence it says 'suppose there was a man'. As for 'being yet young of age': the internal application explains that in the past, in the presence of the twenty billion Buddhas, sentient beings had already received the Tathāgata's Great Vehicle teaching; however, at that time they had not received the Great Vehicle teaching for long, so it is said that he was 'young of age'. It does not mean that their understanding of the Great Vehicle was small. If one says that an understanding that is small is 'young of age', then below, where it says 'when he had grown older', it would mean understanding the Great [Vehicle]; hence we know that 'young of age' does not mean small understanding. A later interpretation says: it is simply because the understanding is small that he is 'young of age'. How is this known? Simply because he is young of age, he abandons his father; if he were not young of age, how could he abandon his father? Discussing the internal meaning: sentient beings received the Tathāgata's Great Vehicle teaching in the presence of the twenty billion Buddhas; at that time they only attained the understanding of external ordinary persons, and this understanding was timid and weak; hence it says 'young of age'. As for 'abandoned his father and fled away': departing secretly, not publicly or openly, is why it says 'fled'. 'Away' means going; in the internal application, sentient beings then lost their understanding of the Great Vehicle, which implicitly contains the meaning of turning one's back on the Buddha.