法華經義記 4.32

4.32

From “And he told them: ‘The playthings you like are rare and hard to obtain…’” down to “I will give them all to you”, this is the third section, explaining that the elder spoke of the three carts for them, which illustrates the third section in the “Expedient Means” chapter above: “Having reflected on this matter, I immediately went to Vārāṇasī; the tranquil aspect of all dharmas cannot be declared in words, so through the power of expedient means I explained it for the five bhikṣus”, explaining his proceeding to the Deer Park to preach the three vehicles. Now within this third section there are four stages: first, praising the three carts; second, indicating the location of the carts; third, exhorting them to take the three carts; fourth, promising to give the three carts without falsehood. From “And he told them…” down to “afterwards you will surely grieve and regret”, this is the first stage, explaining the elder praising the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata praising the three vehicles; below, the application of the parable says, “You should know that these three vehicles’ dharmas are all praised by the sages.” “Such various goat, deer, and ox carts are now outside the gate, where you can play with them”: this is the second stage, explaining the elder showing the sons the location of the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata showing the persons of the three vehicles the location of the fruition. Since the three carts are outside the gate, and the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising of the persons of the three vehicles are outside the three realms, if they equally sever the active afflictions of the three realms completely and emerge outside the three realms, they realize the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; hence it says “showing the location of the three carts”. “You should come out quickly from this burning house”: this is the third stage, the elder exhorting the sons to go and take the three carts, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata exhorting persons of the three vehicles to cultivate practice and obtain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; below, the application of the parable says, “You should only diligently cultivate vigorous effort.” “According to what you desire, I will give them all to you”: this is the fourth stage, explaining that the elder’s promise to give the three carts is not false, which internally corresponds to the Tathāgata saying to persons of the three vehicles, “You need only cultivate the uncontaminated counteractive path, sever all afflictions of the three realms, and emerge outside the three realms, and you are guaranteed to attain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising”; below, the application of the parable says, “I now guarantee this matter for you, and it will never be false.” From “At that time the sons, hearing what their father said of these precious playthings…” downward, this is the fourth section, explaining the sons’ practice and reception, which illustrates the fourth section in the “Expedient Means” chapter above: “Then there were the sound of nirvāṇa, and the distinct names of arhat, Dharma, and Saṅgha”, explaining that persons of the three vehicles practiced and received [the teaching] and ultimately attained the noble Path. Now within this fourth section there are four stages: the first down to “each of their minds was brave and sharp”, which explains that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, immediately give rise to the good roots of external ordinary beings. The second is the single phrase “pushing and shoving one another”, which illustrates that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, cultivate practice and ascend to the stage of internal ordinary beings; although they push and shove, they have still not managed to exit the gate. Why? Internal ordinary beings are still fully bound; cultivating practice to subdue afflictions is the meaning of “movement”, while being unable to sever the fetters and emerge from birth and death is “non-movement”—thus there is both the sense of moving and not moving. The third is the single phrase “racing together in a rush”, which illustrates that beings, hearing the teaching of the three vehicles preached, cultivate practice, attain the uncontaminated, enter into signless practice, and become seven kinds of learners; each cultivating the uncontaminated to sever afflictions is “racing”, mutually contemplating the principle of the signless is “together”, and raising their minds to seek advancement is “in a rush”. The fourth is the single phrase “scrambled to get out of the burning house”, which illustrates that the seven kinds of learners cultivate practice and ultimately realize the fruit of arhatship, emerge outside the three realms, and attain the knowledge of exhaustion and the knowledge of non-arising; each realizing distinctly from one another is likened to “scrambling”. The first three phrases are additions not found in the exposition by dharma above; the last phrase serves solely as a parable for the exposition by dharma.