法華經義記 6.15

6.15

「世尊大富長者即是如來，我等皆似佛子」，自此下是第二合譬，上有九譬今亦具合九譬，但闕略耳。今言「大富長者即是如來，我等皆似佛子」此二句合第一父子相失譬，上譬中本有四段，一者子離父而去，二者父覓子不得，三者子還近父，四者父既失子憂念轉深。又此四段中各有兩階，今此兩句都得合盡。今言「大富長者即是如來」，此上句即得合第二第四段也。「我等皆似佛子」此下句合第一第三段也。上句合兩段者，上第二父覓子不得中兩階，一者正明覓子不得，二者言不以失一子小事廢於家業大功。第四父憂念轉深中兩階，一者言失子之苦，二者言設念得子之樂也。「我等皆似佛子」此下句合第一段第三段者，第一段子離父中兩階，一者背父而去，二者向國而還。第三子近父中兩階，一者近父緣由，二者正明近父也。「如來常說我等為子」一句，即合上第二父子相見譬。上譬中自有二，一者言子見父，二者父見子。子見父中有四階，今盡不合，一者見父緣由，二者見父處，三者言「遙見其父踞師子床」正明見父，四者生畏避之心，此四階盡不合也。唯合第二父見子。但上見子中亦有四階，今者不合第一第三兩階，總合第二第四兩階。第二言「見子便識」，正見子之義。又合第四階言「我常思念此子無由見之，而忽自來甚適我願」，明長者既見子生開暢之念。今者總合兩階，故言「如來常說我等為子」。略不合第一言「時富長者於師子座」明見子之處，又不合第三言「心大歡喜」也。

"World-Honoured One, the great wealthy elder is the Tathāgata, and we all resemble Buddha sons." From here onward is the second part, the application of the parable. Previously there were nine parables, and here all nine parables are likewise comprehensively applied, though in an abbreviated manner. Now the two lines, "the great wealthy elder is the Tathāgata, and we all resemble Buddha sons," apply to the first parable, that of the father and son losing each other. In the previous parable there were originally four sections: first, the son leaving his father and going away; second, the father searching for his son without finding him; third, the son returning near to the father; fourth, the father, having lost his son, thinking of him with deepening sorrow. Furthermore, within these four sections there were two stages each; now these two lines manage to apply to all of them comprehensively. Now, "the great wealthy elder is the Tathāgata"—this upper line manages to apply to the second and fourth sections. "We all resemble Buddha sons"—this lower line applies to the first and third sections. That the upper line applies to two sections is because within the second section above, the father searching for his son without finding him, there are two stages: first, directly clarifying that he searched for his son without finding him; second, stating that he did not abandon the great work of the family estate on account of the minor matter of losing a single son. In the fourth section, the father thinking of him with deepening sorrow, there are two stages: first, stating the suffering of losing the son; second, stating the joy of imagining finding the son. That the lower line "we all resemble Buddha sons" applies to the first and third sections is because within the first section, the son leaving his father, there are two stages: first, turning his back on his father and departing; second, turning toward the homeland and returning. In the third section, the son drawing near to his father, there are two stages: first, the causes and conditions for drawing near to his father; second, directly clarifying his drawing near to his father. The single line "the Tathāgata constantly speaks of us as sons" applies to the second parable above, that of the father and son seeing each other. In the previous parable there were naturally two parts: first, stating the son seeing the father; second, the father seeing the son. In the son seeing the father there were four stages, none of which are applied to here: first, the causes and conditions for seeing the father; second, the place where he saw the father; third, stating "saw his father from afar seated upon a lion throne", directly clarifying seeing the father; fourth, generating a mind of fear and avoidance. These four stages are entirely not applied to. It applies only to the second part, the father seeing the son. However, within seeing the son above there were also four stages; here it does not apply to the first and third stages, but collectively applies to the second and fourth stages. The second states "saw his son and recognized him immediately", which is the meaning of directly seeing the son. It also applies to the fourth stage, which states: "I constantly reflected upon this son with no means of seeing him, yet suddenly he has arrived on his own, which thoroughly suits my wish," clarifying that the elder, having seen his son, gave rise to a thought of open relief. Now, collectively applying to both stages, it therefore says: "The Tathāgata constantly speaks of us as sons." In an abbreviated manner, it does not apply to the first stage, which states: "at that time the wealthy elder upon the lion seat", clarifying the place of seeing the son; nor does it apply to the third, which states: "rejoiced greatly in his mind."