妙法蓮華經文句 7.35

7.35

「化」者，神力所為也，以神力故無而欻有，名之為化。防非禦敵，稱之為「城」，內合二乘涅槃者，權智所為也。以權智力無而說有，用教為化防思禦見，名為涅槃；蘇息引入實未究竟，而言滅度。權假施設故言「化城」。喻如前說。此是因緣釋也。約教者，若三藏義者，於涅槃生安隱想、生滅度想；若通教二乘與三藏同；菩薩不爾，《釋論》云，如父過險，一脚入城一脚門外，憶妻子故從城入險，誓願扶餘習入生死，而不以空為證也；別教不道城如化，用城防險，從城門徑過，將城作方便斷見思惑，不道此為極也；圓教知無賊病亦不須城，故言化城也。今是圓教意，故題為「化城喻品」也。本迹、觀心不記。

"Conjured" is what is produced by spiritual power; because of spiritual power, what does not exist suddenly appears—this is called conjured. Guarding against errors and defending against enemies is called a "city." Inwardly matching the nirvāṇa of the two vehicles, it is produced by expedient wisdom. By the power of expedient wisdom, where there is nothing, it is spoken of as existing; using the teaching as the conjuration to guard against thought and defend against views is called nirvāṇa. Giving rest and drawing them forward, it is not actually ultimate, yet it is spoken of as extinction. Because it is an expedient, provisional setup, it is called a "conjured city." The simile is as explained previously. This is the explanation according to causes and conditions. In terms of the teachings: according to the meaning of the Tripiṭaka [teaching], one gives rise to the conception of safety and the conception of extinction regarding nirvāṇa. According to the shared teaching, the two vehicles are the same as in the Tripiṭaka; bodhisattvas are not so: the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says that like a father crossing a peril, with one foot inside the city and one foot outside the gate, because he remembers his wife and children, he enters the peril from the city, vowing to support the remaining habits to enter birth and death, without taking emptiness as realization. The distinctive teaching does not say that the city is like a conjuration, but uses the city to defend against peril, passing straight through the city gate, taking the city as an expedient to sever the delusions of view and thought, not saying that this is ultimate. The perfect teaching knows that there are neither thieves nor sickness, nor is there need for a city; hence it is called a conjured city. Here, it is the intention of the perfect teaching; therefore it is titled the "Parable of the Conjured City Chapter." The origin and traces, and contemplation of mind, are not recorded.