法華經義記 7.30

7.30

From "Monks! The Tathāgata is also like this" onwards is the second section, the application of the parable. Within this, all five parables above are applied, though implicitly, combined, and abbreviated. In the first parable above there were four meanings; now here, it primarily applies the single meaning of the guide, but also combines the application of the other three meanings. "Guide" applies to the guide above. "Birth-and-death and afflictions" applies to the place of fear above. "Steep, perilous, and long" applies to the five hundred yojanas and the burning house above. Furthermore, the statement "ought to depart and ought to be saved" applies to the meaning of "if there were a multitude of people" and the thirty sons above. From "If sentient beings hear only of the One Buddha Vehicle" onwards applies to the second parable above, of slackening and retreating. From "The Buddha knows that their minds are timid, weak, and lowly" onwards applies to the third parable, of conjuring the illusory city: first it applies the second [meaning], lacking the Great and having the Small; next it applies the first, tentative adaptation; next it applies the third, conjuring the illusory city—within this, it applies only the phrase "if they enter this city." "If sentient beings abide in the two stages": this single phrase applies above to the two phrases in the fourth [point] of accepting and practicing, "producing the thought of having already crossed over," etc.; from "as the two stages" onwards, it applies to the fourth parable, knowing of the rest and cessation, precisely because through attaining the two knowledges of exhaustion and non-arising, their capacity for the Great Vehicle arises. From "The Tathāgata at that time" onwards applies to the fifth parable above, of dissolving the illusory city and leading them to the jewel place, combining both the phrases of opening the expedient and revealing the real: first applying the revelation of the real, and from "it is merely the Tathāgata's skilful means" onwards applying the opening of the expedient.