法華經義記 5.17

5.17

From “The elder, having heard” downward, there are six verses that versify the third parable, of being unable to rescue the sons. In the parable above there were originally two sections, admonition and exhortation, and within each of the two sections there were three steps, namely tentative adaptation, lack of capacity, and cessation of teaching. Here too it fully versifies the three steps in each of the two sections above, but the method is different. As for the difference in method, these six verses are divided into three sections: beginning with “The elder, having heard”, the five verses downward versify the tentative adaptation of both parties; next, two lines versify the lack of capacity of both parties; next, two lines versify the cessation of teaching of both parties. Downward from “The elder, having heard”, these three sections each have two [parts]: first, one verse first versifies the tentative adaptation on the side of exhortation, which is [the passage] downward from “his body and hands having strength”. Second, downward from “admonishing the sons”, there are four verses that versify the tentative adaptation on the side of admonition, which is [the passage] downward from “I shall speak to them of terrifying matters”. Downward from “The sons, ignorant”, the two lines are the second [section], which jointly versifies the lack of capacity of both parties. There are two [parts]: first, the single line stating “The sons, ignorant”, is the lack of capacity on the side of exhortation. Originally there were two [elements] in the lack of capacity above: now it does not versify the first, that the Great Vehicle teaching was of no use to them, which is “this house has only one gate and it is moreover narrow and small”; it only versifies having the small and lacking the great. Now this single line “The sons, ignorant” summarily versifies the above having the small and lacking the great, which is “the sons, being childish, have not yet known anything”. Second, the single line “though hearing the father’s admonition” versifies the lack of capacity on the side of admonition, which is “though the father, taking pity, induced and guided them with good words”. Third, the two lines versify the cessation of teaching of both parties, naturally having two [parts]: the first line versifies the cessation of teaching on the side of exhortation, which is “clinging to their play place”. Second, the single line “frolicking unceasingly” versifies the cessation of teaching on the side of admonition, where it said above “running and playing east and west, merely looking at their father”. Another explanation says: it does not versify the three sections on the side of exhortation, but only versifies two sections on the side of admonition: the first five verses versify tentative adaptation, and the latter one verse versifies lack of capacity, without versifying cessation of teaching. Within tentative adaptation above there were two [parts]: first, considering the method of rescuing the sons; second, the tentative adaptation itself. Here it is also divided into two: the first verse versifies the consideration of the method; the second, downward from the four verses of “admonishing the sons”, directly versifies tentative adaptation.