法華經義記 5.15

5.15

From “yakṣas, hungry ghosts, and malicious birds and beasts” downward, the verse and a half is the third [part], which summarizes in general the sentient beings who are burned; it is not further divided. As for the form and formless realms, [they are] like windows through which one peeps to gaze at the brilliance of the upper realms. “This decaying old house belongs to a single man”—this single verse is the second [part], which explains the cause from which the fire of the desire realm breaks out. It is solely because the elder is temporarily absent that it causes the fire to break out in the house. The internal correlation clarifies that the Tathāgata in the past had already transformed these sentient beings, and at that time their afflictions were temporarily subdued and did not arise, which was no different from the fire not yet breaking out when the elder was present. When the receptive capacity was exhausted, the Tathāgata went on to travel to other directions, and these sentient beings thereupon again gave rise even more extensively to afflictions that blazed up furiously; hence it is called the cause from which the fire breaks out. From “Afterwards, the house suddenly catches fire” downward, the two verses are the third [part], which directly clarifies the fire breaking out in the desire realm, that is, directly versifying the clause “suddenly catches fire”. From “All the ghosts and spirits raise their voices in great cries” downward, the verse and a half is the fourth [part], which summarizes in general the manifestation of the sentient beings of the desire realm being burned. From “Fierce beasts and venomous insects” downward, the three and a half verses are the second [section], which clarifies the fire breaking out in the form realm. Within this there are also four steps: the first verse first clarifies that the sentient beings of the desire realm, harassed by afflictions and the eight sufferings, thus still subdue the fetters of the desire realm to be born into the form realm, which is “hiding and scurrying into holes and crevices”. The second is the single line stating “because of scant blessings and virtue”, which clarifies the cause from which the fire breaks out. The third is the single line stating “are burned by the fire”, which directly clarifies the fire breaking out in the form realm. The fourth, being the remaining two verses, clarifies the manifestation of the sentient beings of the form realm being burned. From “Centipedes and millipedes” downward, the two verses are the third [section], which clarifies the fire breaking out in the formless realm. This also has four steps: the first verse first clarifies that sentient beings of the form realm subdue the fetters of the form realm and are born into the formless realm. Second is the half-verse stating “kumbhāṇḍa ghosts take and eat them at will”, which clarifies the cause from which the fire breaks out: because they are gathered through the teaching of people of wrong views in that place, it says “take and eat them at will”. Third is the half-verse stating “moreover, fires blaze atop the heads of all the hungry ghosts”, which directly clarifies the fire breaking out in the formless realm. Fourth, the half-verse “tormented by hunger, thirst, and heat, they run about in confusion within the surrounding walls”, clarifies the manifestation of being burned. From “Such is the house, exceedingly terrifying” downward, the single verse is the fourth [section] of the major division, which summarizes in general the breaking out of fire in the three realms; it is not further divided.