妙法蓮華經文句 6.45

6.45

推近知遠，若始道樹知無大機，不應兜率降神正慧託胎，乃至現有煩惱納妃生子，三十四心後身斷結，驗知脫大小相海微妙瓔珞，更著麁弊丈六垢衣，其已久矣。今初且釋齊教。領者，〈譬喻品〉文有四：一、用方便擬宜，二、知先心，三、歎三車，四、適其所願，〈方便品〉亦四。今領亦四：從「將欲誘引」下，是領上擬宜。「時二使人即求窮子，既已得之」，領上知子先心有機也。「具陳上事」，領上歎三車希有。「窮子先取其價」下，領上適願爭出火宅也。初、「將欲誘引」者，既息大化不容孤棄，欲設方便，故言將欲。「密遣二人」者，四弟子齊己分領，不涉菩薩，故言二人。約法是因緣四諦，約理是有作真俗，約人是聲聞緣覺。初擬大乘云密遣傍人，表一實諦、一大乘教、一菩薩人，今明方便，隱實為密，指偏真為遣。約教，隱滿字為密，指半字言遣。約人，內祕菩薩行故言密，外現是聲聞故言遣。「形」者，二乘教中不修相好，但說苦、無常、不淨，即是「形色憔悴」也。約人，則諸菩薩隱其本色示以迹形。非了義說，無有十力無畏，名「無威德」也。「汝可詣彼」者，即以小教擬小機也。大教明理直實，故言「疾走往捉」；小教明理迂隱，故云「徐語」。「此有作處」者，見修兩道是斷惑作處也。「倍與汝直」者，五戒十善止出三途，今四諦十二因緣能出生死，是為一倍；又外道六行但能伏惑，今修四諦則能斷惑得至涅槃，是為二倍也。「窮子若許」者，有機是許，即設教；無機是不許，不設教。「欲何所作」者，二乘唯欲除惑取證，不論淨佛國土成就眾生。所以言「雇汝除糞，我等二人亦共作」者，二乘鈍根憑教行行方能修業，約理者即是智諦相資也，約人即權人共實人修行也。「時二使人即求窮子」者，第二，審知有機，故言「已得」，領上知先心也。「具陳上事」下，第三，陳說雇作，領上歎三車也。除苦集之糞，取道滅之價。「窮子先取其價尋與除糞」下，第四，尋即為作，領上適願爭出火宅也。二乘慕果行因，所以先取也。「其父見子愍而怪之」者，怪不求佛道，愍其取阿羅漢，所失者大、所得者寡，故言怪也。齊此領法譬中意，其文竟。從「又以他日」下，第二，是取意領，靈智先照久設權謀崎嶇隨逐，非止樹下始見因緣，已如上說。此文為四：一、「又以他日」取意領先以權智久欲擬宜；二、見子憔悴，是久知方便是其玩好；三、脫妙著麁，領久知須歎三車；四、親教子作，久知適願受行今初。「又」者，鄭重辭也。將欲取意領法身之地久知大小之機（一三）施化，重述佛意故標章稱「又」也。「他日」者，二乘自謂方便為己，非二乘法為他，即擬法身也。「日」者時也，亦智也，依法身之時，用智照機，故言「他日」。若從此義，實智照實為自，權智照方便為他。齊教領，領化身用事為己日，非化身用事為他日。若就如來，自行權實之智皆名為己，如來化他權實之照，皆名為他。如來自他權實之照，照實為己，照權為他。此之探領法身之時，用化他之權智，照於權機若有若無，照用權事若可若否，皆是權智所照，故言他日。若從此義，齊教領，領化他之權事，故二乘稱己事，探領領自他之權，此權非二乘事，故稱為他。雖有兩意，他日俱成，今依二乘所領，又逐他日之文，以探領領法身中照機也。「牖窓」者，偏見則小，表權智照彼偏機也。「遙」者，小去大懸，故名為遙。「見子」者，昔曾種大稱之為子，以大擬之故言為見。窓牖偏狹未宜大化，故息大而施小也。「羸瘦」下，第二，是領先知有小玩好也。修因智力少為「羸」，修因福力少為「瘦」，內怖無常為「憔」，外遭八苦為「悴」。四住為「糞土」，無知為「塵坌」也。「即脫瓔珞」下，第三，是領先知須歎三車希有也。脫妙服，譬隱報身無量功德。四十二地戒定慧陀羅尼等「瓔珞」，寂滅忍「細軟上服」，大小相海「嚴飾之具」。容服若盛子則驚畏，二乘不宜見此相好，是故脫之。「更著麁弊」者，現丈六形是麁，生忍、法忍是弊也。「塵土坌身」者，現有煩惱有為有漏也。「執除糞」下，但治見思有漏之法，不論諸地清淨智慧也。左手喻實，右手喻權，權用便易，自以此法斷結成佛，又用此化人。「狀有所畏」者，示同怖生死，又有寒風馬麥之報也。「語諸作人」下，第四，親教子作譬也，即是道品中七科法門，以顯除糞之相，領上諸子心各勇銳互相推排競共馳走爭出火宅也。一者語作人譬，譬四念處是外凡位；二、令勤作勿得懈息譬，譬四正勤；三、「咄男子」，勿復餘去譬，譬四如意足；四、「好自安意」下，名安慰譬，譬五根；五、「所以者何」下，名無五過譬，譬五力。此前四句是第二內凡位。六、即時長者字以為子譬，譬八正。七、「雖欣此遇」下，名教常令除糞譬，譬七覺。此二句是第三聖位也。

By inferring the distant from the near: if it were only beneath the Bodhi tree that he knew there was no capacity for the Great [Vehicle], he would not have descended in spirit from Tuṣita with right wisdom to enter the womb, nor would he even have manifested having afflictions, taking a consort, fathering a child, and severing the fetters in his final body through the thirty-four mental moments. This verifies that taking off the sublime necklace of the ocean of major and minor marks and putting on again the coarse, ragged, and defiled garments of the sixteen-foot body had already occurred long ago.

Now, first, to interpret [their understanding] on the level of the teaching. The reception of understanding comprises four points in the text of the “Parable Chapter”: first, using expedient means to assess suitability; second, knowing the original mind; third, praising the three carts; and fourth, suiting their wishes. The “Expedient Means Chapter” also has four. Here the reception of understanding likewise has four: From “when he was about to entice him” onwards, it receives the previous assessment of suitability. “Then the two emissaries immediately sought out the poor son, and having found him…” receives the previous knowledge of the son's original mind as possessing capacity. “Fully stated the matters above…” receives the previous praise of the three carts as rare. “The poor son first took his wages…” onwards receives the previous suiting of wishes in competing to escape the burning house.

First, “when he was about to entice him”: having ceased the great conversion, he could not bear to abandon him in isolation; wishing to set forth expedient means, it therefore says “about to.” “Secretly dispatched two men”: the four disciples received the understanding on the level of their own share, not involving the bodhisattvas; hence it says “two men.” In terms of Dharma, these are causality and the Four Truths; in terms of principle, these are the constructed ultimate and conventional [truths]; in terms of persons, these are the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. When initially assessing suitability for the Mahāyāna, it spoke of secretly dispatching an attendant, signifying the one real truth, the one Mahāyāna teaching, and the one bodhisattva person. Now, clarifying expedient means, concealing the real is “secret,” and pointing to the one-sided truth is “dispatched.” In terms of teaching, concealing the complete letters is “secret,” and pointing to the half letters is “dispatched.” In terms of persons, secretly harboring the bodhisattva practice internally is “secret,” and outwardly manifesting as śrāvakas is “dispatched.” “Appearance”: in the teaching of the two vehicles, one does not cultivate the major and minor marks, but only preaches suffering, impermanence, and impurity—this is “emaciated and haggard in appearance.” In terms of persons, the bodhisattvas concealed their original forms and manifested trace bodies. It is not an explicit preaching, lacking the ten powers and fearlessnesses; this is called “lacking majesty and virtue.” “You may go there”: this is assessing the small capacity with the small teaching. The great teaching clarifies principle directly and truly, hence it says “ran quickly to seize him”; the small teaching clarifies principle in a roundabout and concealed manner, hence it says “gently spoke.” “Here there is a place to work”: the two paths of seeing and cultivation are the places to work in severing delusions. “Giving you double the wages”: the five precepts and ten virtues merely stop rebirth in the three evil destinies, whereas now the Four Truths and twelve links of dependent origination can lead out of birth and death—this is one fold [greater]; furthermore, the six practices of non-Buddhists merely suppress delusions, whereas now cultivating the Four Truths severs delusions to reach nirvāṇa—this is the second fold. “If the poor son agrees”: having capacity is agreement, whereupon the teaching is established; lacking capacity is not agreeing, so the teaching is not established. “What would you have me do?”: the two vehicles only wish to eradicate delusions and attain realization, without discussing purifying buddha lands or maturing sentient beings. As for the words “Hire you to clear away dung, and we two will also work together”: the dull faculties of the two vehicles must rely on the teaching to practice in order to cultivate their karmic work; in terms of principle, this is wisdom and truth mutually supporting each other; in terms of persons, it is the provisional person practicing together with the real person. “Then the two emissaries immediately sought out the poor son”: second, carefully knowing that he had capacity, it therefore says “having found him,” receiving the previous knowledge of the original mind. From “Fully stated the matters above…” onwards: third, explaining the hiring for work, receiving the previous praise of the three carts. Clearing the dung of suffering and origin, taking the wages of the path and cessation. From “The poor son first took his wages and immediately joined them in clearing away dung” onwards: fourth, immediately working for it, receiving the previous suiting of wishes in competing to escape the burning house. The two vehicles yearn for the fruit and practice the cause, which is why he first takes the wages. “His father saw his son and felt pity and wonder”: he wondered at his not seeking the Buddha path, and pitied his taking arhatship—what was lost was great, and what was gained was little; therefore it says “wondered.” Here ends the text receiving the meaning within the Dharma and the parable on this level.

From “Again on another day…” onwards: second, this is receiving the meaning by grasping its intent, [showing that] spiritual wisdom had long illuminated and long set forth expedient stratagems, following him arduously, not merely seeing causality initially beneath the tree, as already stated above. This text has four parts: first, “Again on another day” grasps the intent to receive the prior longing to assess suitability with provisional wisdom; second, seeing the son emaciated is long knowing that expedient means are his delight; third, stripping off the fine and donning the coarse receives long knowing that it was necessary to praise the three carts; fourth, personally instructing the son in his work receives long knowing that he would accept and practice according to his wishes. Now for the first.

“Again” is a solemn word. About to grasp the intent and receive that in the realm of the Dharmakāya he had long known the capacities of great and small and bestowed conversion, reiterating the Buddha’s intent, the heading thus states “Again.” “Another day”: the two vehicles regard the expedient as their own, and what is not the Dharma of the two vehicles as other—that is, applying it to the Dharmakāya. “Day” means time, and also wisdom; relying on the time of the Dharmakāya, using wisdom to illuminate capacities, it therefore says “another day.” Following this meaning, real wisdom illuminating the real is the self, and provisional wisdom illuminating expedients is the other. Receiving on the level of the teaching receives the nirmāṇakāya’s performing activities as one’s own day, and what is not the nirmāṇakāya’s performing activities as another day. In the case of the Tathāgata, his own practice of both provisional and real wisdom is called the self, whereas the Tathāgata’s illumination of others through both provisional and real is called the other. Among the Tathāgata’s illuminations of self and other through provisional and real, illuminating the real is the self, and illuminating the provisional is the other. This probing reception of the time of the Dharmakāya uses the provisional wisdom of converting others to illuminate whether the provisional capacity exists or not, and to illuminate whether the provisional activities are suitable or not—all are illuminated by provisional wisdom; therefore it says “another day.” Following this meaning, receiving on the level of the teaching receives the provisional activities of converting others, so the two vehicles call them their own activities; the probing reception receives the provisionality of self and other, and since this provisionality is not an activity of the two vehicles, it is called “other.” Although there are two meanings, “another day” is accomplished in both. Now, following what the two vehicles received, and following the text of “another day,” it uses the probing reception to receive the illumination of capacities within the Dharmakāya.

“Window”: a partial view is small, symbolizing provisional wisdom illuminating that partial capacity. “From afar”: the small is far removed from the great, hence it is called “from afar.” “Saw his son”: having planted the great in the past, he is called “son”; assessing him with the great, it therefore says “saw.” The window being narrow, he was not yet suited for the great conversion; hence he set aside the great and bestowed the small.

From “Emaciated…” onwards: second, this receives prior knowledge of having a delight in the small. Little power of wisdom in cultivating the cause is “frail”; little power of merit in cultivating the cause is “emaciated”; internally terrified of impermanence is “haggard”; externally meeting the eight sufferings is “worn down.” The four dwelling places are “dung and dirt”; ignorance is “dust and grime.”

From “Immediately took off his necklaces…” onwards: third, this receives prior knowledge of the need to praise the rarity of the three carts. Taking off the fine garments allegorizes concealing the immeasurable merits of the saṃbhogakāya. The “necklaces” of the forty-two stages of morality, concentration, wisdom, dhāraṇī, etc.; the “fine, soft, superior garments” of the forbearance of extinction; and the “adornments” of the ocean of major and minor marks. If his appearance and garments were magnificent, the son would be terrified; the two vehicles are not suited to see these marks, so he took them off. “Put on again coarse and ragged garments”: manifesting the sixteen-foot form is “coarse”; forbearance toward sentient beings and forbearance toward phenomena are “ragged.” “Defiling his body with dust and dirt”: manifesting having afflictions, the conditioned, and the defiled. From “Holding a dung-removal [implement]…” onwards: only curing the defiled dharmas of views and thoughts, without discussing the pure wisdom of the various stages. The left hand allegorizes the real, the right hand allegorizes the provisional; the provisional application is convenient and easy; he himself severed fetters and attained Buddhahood through this method, and also used this to convert others. “Appearing fearful”: showing the same dread of birth and death, and also having the retributions of cold winds and horse-barley.

From “Spoke to the workers…” onwards: fourth, the parable of personally instructing the son to work, which is the seven categories of dharmas among the factors of awakening to reveal the manner of clearing away dung; this receives the previous [line]: “The sons’ hearts were each brave and sharp, pushing against each other and racing along, competing to escape the burning house.” First, the parable of speaking to the workers allegorizes the four applications of mindfulness, which is the stage of outer ordinary persons. Second, the parable of bidding them work diligently without resting allegorizes the four right exertions. Third, “Oh, good man, do not go elsewhere,” allegorizes the four bases of psychic power. Fourth, from “Be well at ease…” onwards, it is called the parable of comforting, allegorizing the five faculties. Fifth, from “Why is this?…” onwards, it is called the parable of lacking the five faults, allegorizing the five powers. These previous four phrases are the second stage, that of inner ordinary persons. Sixth, the elder immediately designating him as his son allegorizes the eightfold noble path. Seventh, from “Although rejoicing at this encounter…” onwards, it is called the parable of always bidding him clear away dung, allegorizing the seven factors of awakening. These two phrases are the third, the noble stage.