法華經義記 4.37

4.37

"Then the sons each said to their father: 'The rare and delightful playthings—the goat, deer, and ox carts—that father previously promised, please give them to us in due time'": this is the seventh [section], the parable of the sons demanding the carts. This corresponds above in the "Expedient Means Chapter" to the sixth [passage], the single verse: "All came before the Buddha with reverent minds, having formerly heard from the Buddhas the Dharma preached through skilful means," which is designated as the people of the three vehicles demanding the fruition. The fruition they demand is the Hinayana fruition of former days. Above, the arousal of capacity was the fifth, demanding the fruition was the sixth, and the Buddha's rejoicing was the seventh. This clarifies a contemporaneous meaning: it is simply at the time when the capacity for the Great Vehicle is aroused that they demand the fruition promised in former days; it is also that the time of demanding the fruition is precisely the time when the capacity for the Great Vehicle is aroused. Although in time there is no before and after, in principle there are a beginning and an end: one may only say that because the capacity for the Great Vehicle was aroused, they demanded the fruition; one cannot say that because they demanded the fruition, the capacity for the Great Vehicle was aroused. In this parable, first clarifying the Buddha [rejoicing] and then clarifying the demanding of the fruition is done in accordance with the principle of primary and secondary: the arousal of the capacity for the Great Vehicle is the crucial point today, whereas demanding the fruition was originally not crucial. How is this known? It directly clarifies that the arousal of the capacity for the Great Vehicle accords with the Tathāgata's fundamental mind; therefore the Buddha's rejoicing is linked after the arousal of capacity. The mind demanding the fruition seeks the fruition of the Hinayana promised in former days; this is indeed a deluded and inverted mind that fails to understand the meaning of skilful means—how could it be crucial? For this reason the meaning of demanding the fruition is linked after the Buddha's rejoicing. Now, briefly explaining the meaning of demanding the carts, there are four levels in total, describing different people's understandings: first, clarifying the substance and characteristics of the three carts; second, reconsidering the meaning of demanding the carts; third, clarifying whether there is demanding or no demanding; fourth, describing people's understandings. As for the first (two questions and answers): Teachers' traditions differ, and their aims are varied; from ancient times the old interpretations of substance and function were loose and vague. Some interpret, saying: "They demanded the great jewel cart. The sūtra text itself says, 'At that time the elder gave each of the sons a great cart.' If they did not demand the great one, why would he give the great one?" What we now practice considers this not to be so. The earlier text itself says: "Then the sons each said to their father: 'The three kinds of jewel carts that father previously promised, please give them to us.' If you say they demanded the great one, why did they seek three? Thus we know they were the three kinds of small carts promised in former days. Since it says 'previously promised by father,' how could they demand the great one? 'The sons' are precisely the people of the three vehicles; because the three vehicles are not one, it says 'the [sons].' The three kinds of jewel carts are precisely the goat, deer, and ox carts, which parable the ultimate fruition of the three learners of former days—arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and great-power bodhisattvas. The great jewel cart is of an equal nature, without threefold distinctions, which parables the reception of prediction in the present *Lotus Sūtra* for sentient beings to equally attain the Buddha fruition. Furthermore, when the elder formerly made the promise while inside the gate, [he promised] to give the sons the three carts outside the gate. Now, avoiding the suffering inside the gate, they have come out of the gate and take joy in obtaining the carts; having come outside the gate and not seeing any carts, they therefore seek and demand them from their father. What does this have to do with demanding the great cart?"