法華經義記 5.14

5.14

Now, the thirty-three verses are divided into four sections: the first single line versifies the first [item], the elder; the second, consisting of three verses and one line, versifies the second [item], the one great house; the third, consisting of half a verse, versifies the fourth [item], the five hundred people; the fourth, the remaining twenty-nine verses, versifies the fifth [item], the breaking out of the fire in the house. In the explanation of the elder above, there were three [parts]: first, 'whether in a state, city, or village', which is the place of his renown and status; second, 'there was a great elder', which directly explains the elder; third, from 'his years were advanced and decrepit' downward, which praises his virtues. Now, the single line stating 'For example, an elder' versifies only 'there was a great elder'. The place of renown and status, as well as the praise of virtues, are omitted and not versified. From 'There was a great house' downward, three verses and one line versify the great house. Many people take these verses as versifying the state, city, or village, but this is not correct; they directly versify 'his house was vast and great'. However, while the parable directly says 'his house was vast and great', here the second [section] extensively narrates the features of the great house. Although the phrasing is similar to the fifth [item] above narrating the features of the fire, while similar, it is not the same; below there is separate text versifying the breaking out of the fire. Since the three realms are taken as the house, it is 'great'. Because the three realms are impermanent from thought-moment to thought-moment, it is 'suddenly dilapidated'. The form and formless realms are like the halls, and the desire realm is like the rooms; yet there is no safety in the three realms, hence it is said to be 'high and precarious'. Lifespan is like the base of the pillars, also impermanent from thought-moment to thought-moment, hence it is said to be 'rotting and decaying'. Mental consciousness is like the beams and ridges, also arising and ceasing from thought-moment to thought-moment, hence it is said to be 'tilting and leaning'. Karma is the foundation and steps; since it is delusion and affliction born of fundamental ignorance, falsely constructed and arbitrarily created, it is said to be 'collapsing and ruined'. The four great elements are like the walls, all destroyed by impermanence, hence it is said to be 'cracked and split'. Visible form, sound, smell, taste, and tangibles are all impermanent from thought-moment to thought-moment, hence it is said to be 'the plaster peeling and falling'. The four deportments are not proper and upright, hence it is said that 'the thatch roofing is falling in disarray'; it also refers to the hair, teeth, and nails that adorn the body. The five consciousnesses taking up sensory objects no longer correspond [to truth] and their substance arises and ceases from thought-moment to thought-moment, hence one sees 'the rafters and eaves slipping out of place'; it also refers to the five sense faculties. The swift wisdom-contemplation of the noble ones observes this realm of impermanence, hence it is said to be 'enclosed by bends and windings'. 'Bends and windings' means in complete detail. 'There were five hundred people dwelling within it'—this half verse is the third [section], versifying the five hundred people above. From 'Kites, owls, eagles, and vultures' downward, there are twenty-nine verses, which are the fourth [section], versifying the fifth [item], the breaking out of the fire; above it said, 'the halls and pavilions were decayed, the walls cracked and crumbling' up to 'all around, all at once, fire suddenly broke out'. However, the prose above did not specifically speak of the three realms, whereas it is detailed in the verses now; therefore, the breaking out of the fire in the three realms is separately explained. Now, the twenty-nine verses are divided into four: first, there are twenty-two verses explaining the fire breaking out within the house, which is the fire breaking out in the desire realm. Second, from 'Vicious beasts and poisonous insects' downward, there are three and a half verses explaining the fire breaking out within the dens and burrows, which is the fire breaking out in the form realm. Third, from 'Centipedes and millipedes' downward, there are two and a half verses explaining the fire breaking out in empty space, which is the fire breaking out in the formless realm. Fourth, the one verse below 'Such was the house, extremely terrifying' summarizes the breaking out of the fire. Within each of the first three sections, four stages explain the meaning; the fourth is only one [stage] and is not subdivided. Now, taking the first twenty-two verses that explain the fire breaking out in the desire realm, there are four stages: first, there are seventeen and a half verses first enumerating the sentient beings who are burned; second, the one verse below 'This dilapidated old house belonged to one person' explains the cause of the fire breaking out in the desire realm; third, the two verses 'Later, in the house, a fire suddenly broke out' directly explain the breaking out of the fire; fourth, the one and a half verses 'The various ghosts and spirits raised their voices and shrieked loudly' summarize the manner of being burned. Furthermore, within the first seventeen and a half verses, there are themselves three sections: first, there are six verses that first individually present the sentient beings of the five dull propensities. Second, from 'everywhere there were' downward, ten verses also individually present the sentient beings of the five sharp propensities. Third, from 'yakṣas and hungry ghosts' downward, one and a half verses summarize the sentient beings who are burned. Within the first two stages, each has two [subsections]; the third is not subdivided. Within the six verses, there are themselves two: first, five and a half verses individually present the sentient beings of the five dull propensities; second, half a verse summarizes the sentient beings of the five dull propensities. Now, the five and a half verses explaining the sentient beings of the five dull propensities form five stages: first, half a verse explains the propensity of arrogance; second, one and a half verses explain the propensity of anger; third, one verse explains the propensity of ignorance; fourth, two verses explain the propensity of greed; fifth, two lines explain the propensity of doubt. First, the half verse below 'Kites, owls, eagles, and vultures' first explains the sentient beings of the propensity of arrogance. Next, the one and a half verses below 'Vipers, snakes, adders, and scorpions' explain the sentient beings of the propensity of anger. Next, the one verse below 'Places stinking of feces and urine' explains the sentient beings of the propensity of ignorance; feces and urine and so forth serve as a parable for the five dusts, and sentient beings greedily attach to the five dusts just as dung beetles and the like greedily seek feces and urine. From 'Foxes, wolves, and jackals' downward, two verses explain the sentient beings of the propensity of greed; dead corpses and so forth temporarily serve as a parable for the five dusts, and sentient beings vie to seize the five dusts of form, sound, smell, taste, and tangibles, hence it says 'chewing and gnawing'. Plundering one another and seizing arbitrarily without principle, it therefore says 'trampling underfoot'. 'Struggling, bickering, snarling, and howling'—these two lines explain the sentient beings of the propensity of doubt; pondering whether the principle of cause and effect exists or not, their unresolved views and minds are like two dogs undecided. From 'Its house was terrifying, transformed into such a state' downward, half a verse is the second [subsection], summarizing the sentient beings of the five dull propensities. From 'Everywhere there were chimera and mountain demons' downward, ten verses are the second [part], individually presenting the sentient beings of the five sharp propensities; it also has two [subsections]: first, this half verse first generally explains the sentient beings of the five sharp propensities; second, nine and a half verses individually present the sentient beings of the five sharp propensities. Thus, in explaining the sentient beings of the dull propensities previously, it was first specific and then general; for the sentient beings of the sharp propensities, it is first general and then specific. From 'Yakṣas and evil ghosts' downward, nine and a half verses are the second [subsection], individually presenting the sentient beings of the five sharp propensities; since they explain the five sharp propensities, they form five stages: first, three verses explain wrong views; next, two and a half verses explain attachment to rules and rituals; next, one and a half verses explain the view of self; next, half a verse explains attachment to views; next, two verses explain the two views of annihilation and permanence, which are extreme views. The three verses below 'Yakṣas and evil ghosts' first explain the sentient beings with wrong views who slanderously deny cause and effect; cause and effect are indeed the four noble truths, and slanderously denying the cause and effect of cessation and the path is like 'devouring human flesh'. From 'Poisonous insects and their kin' downward explains the denial of suffering and its origin; within this, first one verse enumerates suffering and its origin, and next one and a half verses directly explain the slander. 'Breeding and nursing' as cause is the truth of origin; 'giving birth' as effect is the truth of suffering; all possess suffering and its origin, each unrelated to the other, hence it says 'each sheltering and protecting their own'. From 'Yakṣas vie to come' downward, one and a half verses are the second [part], directly explaining the sentient beings of wrong view who slanderously deny the cause and effect of suffering and its origin. The fetter of wrong view is consolidated into the highest grade, hence it says 'their evil minds grew increasingly fierce'. Relying on perverse treatises and biased doctrines, it therefore says 'the sound of fighting and quarreling'. This will certainly bring about the suffering of the three bad destinies, hence it is said to be 'extremely terrifying'. From 'Kumbhāṇḍa ghosts' downward, two and a half verses are the second stage, explaining the sentient beings who attach to rules and rituals, which refers to observing the rules of chickens, dogs, and deer. A low mound on flat ground is called an earthen mound; this illustrates that sentient beings who attach to rules and rituals suppress the causes of the three bad destinies and are born among humans and devas, like an earthen mound. At times, weary of the suffering of the desire realm, they suppress the fetters of the desire realm and are temporarily born in the form realm, like being one foot off the ground. At times, weary of the suffering of the form realm, they suppress the fetters of the form realm and are temporarily born in the formless realm, like being two feet off the ground. Suppressing the fetters and being born in the form and formless realms is like going outward; because this temporary subjugation is not permanent subjugation, they fall back into the three bad destinies, hence it says returning. Because these sentient beings who attach to rules and rituals do not apply their minds in accord with principle, it says 'unrestrained'. Their efforts being devoid of merit, it says 'frolicking in sport'. Regarding 'seizing a dog by its two hind legs and slamming it down so that it loses its voice', someone explained: 'Sentient beings of the form realm slanderously deny that the formless realm has causes or effects, like seizing a dog by its two hind legs. They also slanderously deny that the desire realm has causes or effects, like placing a foot on its neck.' At first glance, this seems plausible, but upon examination, it is not so. Here it explains that the desire realm has sentient beings of the ten propensities, and below there is separate text explaining the form realm; how could one say this is the form realm? Now, 'seizing a dog by its two hind legs and slamming it down so that it loses its voice' means that they slanderously deny suffering and origin, causing the principle of cause and effect to be severed and obstructed, hence it says 'losing its voice'. 'Placing a foot on its neck, terrifying the dog for their own pleasure' means they slanderously deny the two truths of cessation and the path. Another explanation is that they slanderously deny that karma and afflictions are the origin, hence it says seizing the dog by its two hind legs, etc.; and they further slanderously deny that suffering is the effect, hence it says placing a foot on its neck, etc. From 'There were ghosts whose bodies were tall and large' downward, one and a half verses explain the sentient beings with the view of self. The self is large while form is small, hence they are said to be 'tall and large'. Since they have neither shame nor remorse, they are said to be 'naked'. 'Furthermore, there were ghosts whose throats were like needles'—this half verse explains the sentient beings who attach to views, who are unable to reflect critically themselves and confirm other views as true and the rest as false. From 'Furthermore, there were ghosts whose heads were like ox heads' downward, two verses explain the sentient beings who hold the two views of annihilation and permanence; the head of an ox has two horns, which is a parable for the two views of annihilation and permanence necessarily accompanying each other.