法華經義記 6.48

6.48

From “Although produced on the same ground…” onwards is the second, clarifying the parable of not being aware. The three grasses and two trees receive heavenly moisture all day without knowing the distinct aspects of their growth; this clarifies that the four great śrāvakas in the past personally received the Tathāgata's distinct teachings of the three vehicles, clung to the three vehicles as definitively distinct, and were confused about the principle of the same return, without being aware that what was practiced in the three vehicles was from beginning to end only the One Vehicle tending toward the same single fruition. Furthermore, within the parable of not being aware there are also two levels: First, “Although produced on the same ground and moistened by the single rain,” first raises the source of not being aware. Second, the statement “yet the grasses and trees each have distinctions” directly clarifies not being aware; although there are aspects of distinction, they do not know why there is this distinction. In internal application, the four great śrāvakas in the past received the Tathāgata's distinct teachings of the three vehicles and each attained distinct fruitions; at that time, the three vehicles said among themselves that each was different from the other, yet they themselves did not know that from beginning to end they have the same return, all reaching the ultimate fruition.