妙法蓮華經文句 6.62

6.62

八十六行半偈，初七十三行半，頌上；次十三行，歎佛恩深。初又二：初二行，頌法說；後七十一行半，頌譬說。法說中不頌不求，但頌自得。頌譬說又二：初四十一偈，頌開譬；次三十偈半，頌合譬。上開有四：父子相失、相見、委業、付財，今皆頌。初十三行，頌父子相失，上相失譬有四：一、子背父，二、父求子，三、子漸還，四、父念子。今頌亦四，但不次第。初，一行半，頌第一，子背父去；次第二，七行，頌弟二，父求子不得；次第三，二行，超頌第四憂念轉深；次第四，二行半，追頌第三漸還近父。上四文各二。今初，「譬如」下一行半，但頌子背父而去，不頌向國而還也。火宅中明長者所王國邑聚落語寬，此中明窮子輪迴三界名諸國，六道名五十餘年也。「其父憂念」下，第二，七行，是頌父求子不得。上亦有二，今頌亦二。初半行，頌覓子不得。「求之既疲」下六偈半，頌不以失一子廢家業事。「四方推求」者，不同於上，上四方是約四諦推理，今四方是觀四生中覓可度之機也。「造立舍宅」者，有餘國中有餘涅槃也，起慈悲舍，依性空宅也。「往來者眾」者，諸土菩薩來往聽法也。「而年朽邁」下，第三，二行，超頌第四憂念轉深。上文有二，此但頌先失子，今苦無所委付，是故憂耳。「爾時窮子求索衣食」下，第四，二行半，追頌上第三漸還向父。上文有二，今頌亦二。初二行，頌近父之由，由求衣食也。「漸次經歷」下，半行，頌正近父城也。初近父由中。「從邑至邑」者，根塵相涉如「邑」，十八界如「國」。修有漏善如「有所得」，修二乘善如「無所得」。不得大乘法食為「飢餓」，無大力用為「羸」，無大功德為「瘦」，有無善上起見思如「瘡癬」。從「傭賃」下七行半偈，頌第二父子相見。上文有二，今頌亦二。初六行半，頌子見父；次一行，頌父見子。上子見父文有四，今頌三：初半行，頌見父之由，由傭賃遂至父舍也。次「爾時長者」下，第二，二行半，頌第三見父之相也。上明見父之處，處是門側；今言「長者於其門內」者，兼得處也。「施大寶帳」等，正見父相，處踞師子座也。法身是師是王，報應是長者，「注記券疏」即是授記，明修行也。私謂以廣顯略為「注」，授決為「記」，四弘誓為「券」，修行為「疏」。「窮子見父」下三行半，頌第四生畏避之心。

Of the eighty-six and a half verses, the first seventy-three and a half verses reiterate the above; the next thirteen verses praise the depth of the Buddha's grace. The first [part] also has two: the first two verses reiterate the presentation in terms of Dharma; the subsequent seventy-one and a half verses reiterate the presentation in terms of parable. Within the presentation in terms of Dharma, it does not reiterate not seeking, but only reiterates obtaining on one's own. Reiterating the presentation in terms of parable also has two: the first forty-one verses reiterate setting forth the parable; the next thirty and a half verses reiterate matching the parable. Above, setting forth had four: father and son losing each other, seeing each other, assigning the estate, and bestowing the wealth; now all are reiterated. The first thirteen verses reiterate father and son losing each other. Above, the parable of losing each other had four: first, the son turning his back on the father; second, the father seeking the son; third, the son gradually returning; fourth, the father longing for the son. Now the verses also have four, but not in sequential order. First, one and a half verses reiterate the first, the son turning his back on the father and departing; next, the second, seven verses, reiterate the second, the father seeking the son without finding [him]; next, the third, two verses, leap ahead to reiterate the fourth, the anxious longing growing ever deeper; next, the fourth, two and a half verses, trace back to reiterate the third, gradually returning near the father. The four passages above each had two [parts]. Now, first, the one and a half verses from “Just as” downward only reiterate the son turning his back on the father and departing, and do not reiterate returning toward the homeland. In the burning house [parable], clarifying the state, city, and hamlets where the elder ruled used broad terms; here, clarifying the poor son wandering through the three realms is termed “various lands,” and the six destinies are termed “fifty-odd years.” From “His father was anxious and pensive” downward is the second, seven verses, which reiterate the father seeking the son without finding [him]. Above there were also two, and here the verse also has two. The first half-verse reiterates searching for the son without finding [him]. The six and a half verses from “Having grown weary from seeking him” downward reiterate the matter of not abandoning the family estate because of losing one son. “Searching and seeking in the four directions” differs from above: above, the four directions were investigating principle in terms of the Four Truths; here, the four directions are searching for capacities that can be delivered by observing among the four modes of birth. “Building and establishing houses” refers to the remainder-nirvāṇa within the lands of remainder: raising the house of compassion, relying on the dwelling of empty nature. “Those who came and went were numerous” refers to bodhisattvas of various lands coming and going to hear the Dharma. From “And being decrepit with age” downward is the third, two verses, leaping ahead to reiterate the fourth, the anxious longing growing ever deeper. The text above had two [parts]; this only reiterates having previously lost the son and now grieving that there is nowhere to assign and entrust, and for this reason feeling anxiety. From “At that time the poor son sought clothing and food” downward is the fourth, two and a half verses, tracing back to reiterate the third above, gradually returning toward the father. The text above had two; now the verse also has two. The first two verses reiterate the reason for approaching the father, being due to seeking clothing and food. The half-verse from “Gradually passing through” downward reiterates directly approaching the father's city. Within the first, the reason for approaching the father: “From hamlet to hamlet”—sense faculties and dusts mutually interacting are like “hamlets,” and the eighteen realms are like “lands.” Cultivating wholesome deeds with outflows is like “having attainment”; cultivating the wholesome deeds of the Two Vehicles is like “having no attainment.” Not obtaining the Dharma-food of the Mahāyāna is “starving”; having no great power or function is “emaciated”; having no great merit is “haggard”; having view and thought [afflictions] arising atop the existence or non-existence of wholesome deeds is like “sores and ringworm.” The seven and a half verses from “Hiring out as a laborer” downward reiterate the second, father and son seeing each other. The text above had two; now the verse also has two. The first six and a half verses reiterate the son seeing the father; the next one verse reiterates the father seeing the son. Above, the text of the son seeing the father had four; now the verse reiterates three: the first half-verse reiterates the reason for seeing the father, being due to hiring out as a laborer and finally reaching the father's house. Next, from “At that time the elder” downward is the second, two and a half verses, which reiterate the third, the signs of seeing the father. Above, the place of seeing the father was clarified, the place being by the side of the gate; now saying “The elder within his gate” encompasses both the place [and the person]. “Spreading a great jeweled canopy,” and so forth, directly sees the father's appearance, sitting cross-legged upon a lion seat. The Dharma-body is the master and the king; the reward and response [bodies] are the elder. “Noting and recording bonds and registers” is precisely bestowing prediction, clarifying cultivation and practice. In private opinion, using the broad to reveal the concise is “noting”; bestowing determination is “recording”; the four universal vows are “bonds”; cultivation and practice are “registers.” The three and a half verses from “The poor son, seeing his father” downward reiterate the fourth, giving rise to a mind of fear and avoidance.