法華經義記 5.60

5.60

「爾時窮子傭賃展轉」此下是第二父子相見譬，此則領上火宅中第二長者見火譬，亦遠領〈方便品〉中「我以佛眼觀見六道眾生等」也。但上譬中唯明長者見子義，不道子見父義，內合上單明佛見五濁眾生有人天等小機，今此譬中委悉，先明人天小機感佛，即是子見父義，後明佛見此機，即是父見子義。然感應之義，只感時應、應時是感，然逐義為便有感故有應，不得先應後感。是故此譬中有兩段，第一子見父，第二「於師子座見子便識」以下明父見子。就此兩段中各有四階。子見父中有四者，第一明見父緣由，第二明見父之處，第三正明見父，第四明子見父生懷畏避之心。言「傭賃展轉」此是見父之緣由，若不傭賃何容得與長者相見？內合眾生修五戒十善相資，遠得助一乘機發之義也。「遇到父舍住立門側」此是第二明見父之處，內合眾生五戒十善小機感佛不正，如立門側也。「遙見其父踞師子床」此下是第三正明見父尊嚴，五戒十善機來闚佛，故言見父也。「遙」者，此機遠闚法身地，故言遙也。如來處在無畏之座如師子床也。「寶机承足」者，有二種解，一解戒定為脚足，二諦境為寶机。一家言權實二智為脚足，二諦境為寶机，如來二智常照二諦境，如寶机承足也。外國言婆羅門者，高良大姓。八地以上如婆羅門，七地以還如剎利也，大乘內凡夫如居士也。

"At that time the poor son, hiring out his labour from place to place": from here down is the second parable, the mutual seeing of father and son. This resumes from above the second parable in the burning house, that of the elder seeing the fire; it also distantly resumes from the "Chapter on Skilful Means": "With the Buddha-eye I observe sentient beings in the six destinies, etc." However, in the earlier parable it explained only the elder seeing the sons, without speaking of the sons seeing the father. In internal application, the above merely explained that the Buddha saw that sentient beings in the five turbidities possessed lesser capacities for [rebirth as] humans or gods; now, in this parable, it is fully detailed: first explaining that the lesser capacity of humans and gods evokes the Buddha, which is the meaning of the son seeing the father, and subsequently explaining that the Buddha sees this capacity, which is the meaning of the father seeing the son. Now, regarding the meaning of stimulus and response (ganying): only when there is a stimulus is there a response, and the time of response is precisely the time of stimulus; yet following the logic for convenience, because there is a stimulus, therefore there is a response, and one cannot have the response first and the stimulus later. Therefore, within this parable there are two sections: first, the son sees the father; second, from "Upon the lion throne, seeing his son, he immediately recognized him" downward, it explains the father seeing the son. Within these two sections there are four steps each. Within the son seeing the father there are four: first, explaining the cause for seeing the father; second, explaining the place where he sees the father; third, directly explaining the seeing of the father; fourth, explaining that the son, upon seeing the father, gives rise to a mind of fear and avoidance. The words "hiring out his labour from place to place" are the cause for seeing the father: if he had not hired out his labour, how could he ever have met the elder? In internal application, it is the meaning of sentient beings cultivating the five precepts and ten virtues to sustain one another, distantly aiding the emergence of the capacity for the One Vehicle. "Arrived by chance at his father's residence and stood by the side of the gate": this is the second, explaining the place where he sees the father. In internal application, the lesser capacity of sentient beings for the five precepts and ten virtues evokes the Buddha obliquely, like standing by the side of the gate. "Seeing from afar his father seated on a lion couch": from here down is the third, directly explaining seeing the father's dignity and majesty. The capacity for the five precepts and ten virtues comes to peer at the Buddha, hence it says "saw his father." "From afar": this capacity peers from afar at the ground of the Dharma body, hence it says "from afar." The Tathāgata resides on the seat of fearlessness, which is like the lion couch. Regarding "a jeweled footstool supporting his feet," there are two explanations. One explanation holds that morality and concentration are the feet, while the realm of the two truths is the jeweled footstool. Our school says: the two wisdoms—expedient and real—are the feet, while the realm of the two truths is the jeweled footstool; the Tathāgata's two wisdoms constantly illuminate the realm of the two truths, like the jeweled footstool supporting the feet. In foreign lands, "brāhmaṇa" refers to an eminent, noble clan. Those of the eighth stage and above are like brāhmaṇas; those of the seventh stage and below are like kṣatriyas; internal ordinary persons of the Great Vehicle are like householders (gṛhapati).