法華經義記 6.6

6.6

「爾時長者將欲誘引其子」自此下是第四喚子得譬，此則是第四譬及第五譬共領上第四譬也。今此第四譬領上第四譬中前兩段擬宜與見三乘機，就此譬中自有二段，第一明父喚子，第二從「既已得之」以下明見子受喚也。內合為論，先領佛用三乘教擬宜，後見三乘人能受，就此兩段中各有四階。第一父喚子中有四階者，且就外譬為語，第一先覓可使之人，第二即得可使之人，第三與使之人語，第四使人受命喚之也。今言「長者將欲誘引其子而設方便」者，此是第一覓可使之人，內合明如來覓三乘教，此則領火宅中「我今當設方便」也。「密遣二人形色憔悴無威德者」，此是第二得可使之人，內合明如來得二乘教在法身之地，于時未說二乘教只是法身地擬宜，故言密遣。「形色憔悴」者，以理來名教，若用大乘教詮大乘理，名形色暉華，今二乘教不能詮大乘因果之理，故言憔悴也。「無威德者」，二乘教不說聲聞辟支有三十二相、八十種好、四無畏等德，故言無威德也。向者言三乘方便，今何故言二乘也？解釋者言：「今止道聲聞辟支二人領解，故仍道二乘也。」「汝可詣彼」此下是第三與使人語，內合明佛作二乘教方法也。四諦如此，十二因緣如彼也。二乘教非正直化物，入大乘解義奢，故言「徐語」也。「倍與汝直」者，二乘教擬宜為說二乘家盡無生智勝天等果，故倍直也。「將來使作」者，二乘人若受教應令修行，故言將來使作也。「雇汝除糞」者，二乘人若受教之後，望見修治道斷九十八使煩惱，如雇汝除糞也。「我等二人亦共汝作」者，言此二乘教有為眾生詮理、作修道外緣，即是共作義也。「時二使人即求窮子」，此是父喚子中第四階，正明使人奉命喚子，內合如來正用二乘教擬宜也。此則領火宅中「令諸子等得免斯害」，亦則領〈方便品〉中「我今所得法亦應說三乘」也。

"At that time the elder, wishing to entice his son"—from here downwards is the fourth [section], the parable of summoning the son and succeeding. This is the fourth parable and fifth parable jointly corresponding to the fourth parable above. Now, this fourth parable corresponds to the former two sections within the fourth parable above: tentative adaptation and seeing the capacity of the three vehicles. Within this parable there are naturally two sections: first, explaining the father summoning the son; second, from "Having already obtained him" downwards, explaining seeing the son accept the summons. Speaking in terms of internal match: first it corresponds to the Buddha using the three vehicle teaching for tentative adaptation, and afterwards seeing that the persons of the three vehicles can receive it. Within each of these two sections there are four steps. In the father summoning the son there are four steps; speaking provisionally in terms of the outer parable: first, first searching for persons who can be sent; second, then obtaining persons who can be sent; third, speaking with the persons sent; fourth, the emissaries receiving the order and summoning him. Now, as for "The elder, wishing to entice his son, devised an expedient means": this is the first, searching for persons who can be sent, internally matching the explanation that the Tathāgata searches for the three vehicle teaching; this corresponds to "I must now devise an expedient means" in the burning house. "Secretly dispatching two men of emaciated appearance and lacking majestic virtue": this is the second, obtaining persons who can be sent, internally matching the explanation that the Tathāgata obtains the two vehicle teaching in the stage of the Dharma-body; at that time he had not yet spoken the two vehicle teaching, but it was merely a tentative adaptation in the stage of the Dharma-body, hence it says "secretly dispatching." "Emaciated appearance": naming the teaching based on principle, if one uses the Great Vehicle teaching to express the Great Vehicle principle, it is called a radiant and flourishing appearance; now, the two vehicle teaching cannot express the principle of the Great Vehicle cause and effect, hence it says "emaciated." "Lacking majestic virtue": the two vehicle teaching does not state that śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas possess the thirty-two marks, eighty minor signs, four fearlessnesses, and other virtues; hence it says "lacking majestic virtue." Previously it was called the expedient means of the three vehicles; why does it now speak of the two vehicles? Commentators say: "Now it only speaks of the two persons, śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, receiving understanding, so it still speaks of the two vehicles." "You may go to that place" downwards is the third, speaking with the emissaries, internally matching the explanation of the Buddha's method of making the two vehicle teaching: the four noble truths are like this, and the twelve links of dependent origination are like that. The two vehicle teaching does not directly transform sentient beings, and its entry into the Great Vehicle understanding is gradual in meaning; hence it says "speak gently." "Giving you double wages": the two vehicle tentative adaptation speaks for their sake of the two vehicles' fruits of the knowledge of exhaustion and non-arising surpassing celestial and other fruits, hence double wages. "Bringing him here to work": if persons of the two vehicles receive the teaching, they should be made to cultivate practice, hence it says "bringing him here to work." "Hiring you to clear away dung": after the persons of the two vehicles receive the teaching, they anticipate cultivating the path to sever the ninety-eight propensities of defilement, which is like hiring you to clear away dung. "We two shall also work together with you": this means that this two vehicle teaching expresses principle for sentient beings and serves as an external condition for cultivating the path, which is the meaning of working together. "Then the two emissaries immediately sought out the poor son": this is the fourth step within the father summoning the son, directly explaining the emissaries obeying the order to summon the son, internally matching the Tathāgata directly using the two vehicle teaching for tentative adaptation. This corresponds to "enabling the sons to escape this harm" in the burning house, and also corresponds to "The Dharma I have now attained should also be preached as three vehicles" in the "Expedient Means Chapter."