法華經義記 5.63

5.63

"At that time the wealthy elder, seated on his lion throne, saw his son and immediately recognized him": from here down is the second [section], the father seeing the son. Here there are also four steps: first, explaining the place where he sees the son; second, directly explaining seeing the son; third, explaining joy because of seeing the son; fourth, explaining the thoughts of relief and joy arising in the elder. Now, "upon the lion throne" is the first, explaining the place where he sees the son; in internal application, the Tathāgata is on the fearless seat of the Dharma body. "Seeing his son, he immediately recognized him": this is the second step, directly explaining seeing the son; in internal application, it explains that the Tathāgata sees the sentient beings and immediately recognizes them as the people he had transformed with the Great Vehicle in the past; this precisely resumes from the burning house above, where it says "the elder saw the great fire arising from the four directions," and also from the "Chapter on Skilful Means": "With the Buddha-eye I observe sentient beings in the six destinies." "In his heart he rejoiced greatly": this is the third step, explaining that the elder rejoiced because he knew this was his son; in internal application, it explains that the Buddha, seeing that the lesser capacity of these sentient beings had arisen and could be sustained and benefited by these wholesome roots to attain their past understanding of the Great Vehicle, felt it accorded with his great compassion, hence it says "rejoiced." From "He immediately thought" downward is the fourth step, explaining the elder's thoughts of relief; in internal application, it explains that the Tathāgata, seeing that sentient beings' capacity of wholesome roots had arisen, knew he could certainly entrust them with the transformation of the Dharma. "I constantly thought of this son, but had no way to see him": since sentient beings lost their understanding of the Great Vehicle at the place of the two billion Buddhas, he constantly sought sentient beings' wholesome capacity without finding it, hence it says "had no way to see him." Now for the first time he sees it, their capacity having arisen, hence it says "it accords with my wish." "Although I am aged and decrepit": having suspended the transformation of the Great Vehicle for a long time, he is therefore said to be "aged and decrepit." "I still cherish and begrudge": although he suspended the transformation for a long time, he still desires to use the Great Vehicle to bestow upon sentient beings, hence it says "cherish and begrudge." Among these four items, the second and the fourth directly resume what was able to see from above; the first and the third do not directly resume what was above.