妙法蓮華經文句 7.64

7.64

「將導眾人」下，是第二，將導譬，此與〈火宅〉、〈方便〉別譬廣頌意同也。就此文為三：一、所將人眾譬。譬本結緣未得度者，本緣不失，而為導師所將，同上〈火宅〉長者見火驚怖、〈方便品〉見五濁而起大悲心。二、中路懈退譬。譬上中間相值退大乘心即以小接，與〈火宅〉中不用身手而歎三車希有、〈方便品〉息大乘化念用方便意也。三、「爾時導師知此人眾」下，滅化引至寶所譬。譬上還為說《法華經》，便集菩薩及聲聞眾為說此經，即與〈火宅〉賜一大車、〈方便〉中但說無上道意同也。分文竟。次釋文，初「所將人眾」者，通是結緣之眾也；若別論者，昔得大益被將已竟，未得大益正是所將；若約五百人三十子中，未得開悟之人也。「中路懈退」者，即是第二譬。文為二：一、退大，二、接小。退大擬上息一，接小擬上施三。退大，文為三：一、「中路懈退」，即擬上無大機。二、「白導師言」擬上不受勸誡，「我等疲極」即是不受勸門，「而復怖畏」即不受誡門。三、「不能復進」者，即擬上息化也。分文竟。次釋者，初、「中路」者，非是半途名中路，但以發心為始、至佛為終，此兩楹間而起退意故名中路。第二、「白導師言」者，自有通途慈悲導師，如文云「有一導師將導眾人」者是也；自有結緣導師，如文云「所將人眾白導師言」是也；自有權智導師，如文云「導師多諸方便」者是也；自有實智導師，如文云「導師知此人眾」是也。今言「白導師」者，正白結緣之導師也，以其退大則大滅、接小則小生，一生一滅感於法身，呼此為「白」。王子知其退大，即是聞其所白。善根微弱、無明所翳，故言「疲極」。憚生死名為「怖畏」。第三、「不能復進前路猶遠」者，見思、塵沙、無明難可卒斷也，然用小乘接之，不令頓還本處亦有進義。「導師多方便」下，第二，即以小接也。上〈火宅〉、〈方便〉開三乘法皆有四意，此中具足。初，多方便譬擬宜。「而作是念」下，第二，傷其失寶譬，知有小無大也。次「作是念已」下，第三，化作城譬，正用方便。「是時疲極之眾」下，第四，入城譬，三乘悟入也。上兩意如文，作化城譬自復為二：先、作化，後、說化。「以方便力」下，正作化；「告眾言」下，正說化。上車譬云，吾為汝等造作此車。今城是有，故須先作。說化城譬擬上勸、示、證也。「汝等勿怖莫得退還」者，勸轉，令前進入城也。「今是大城」乃至「隨意所作」者，是示轉，示城可住也。「若入是城快得安樂」，是證轉，讚城安隱也。「前至寶所亦可得去」者，三藏教中未論前進。一說云，明三乘教時語言，若發大乘求佛者亦善，如其不能但作二乘亦好，例如《勝鬘》云「三乘初業不愚於法」，自知應得作佛，但厭憚不堪，故取永滅耳。若爾成別教。又說云，但令入化城竟，然後更復前進，《大品》、《淨名》中悉有其意。此即別接通意耳。但於今佛未開顯之前，不得彰灼而有此語，若論宿世應有是言。何者？既知退意，王子教化言，汝等若畏生死，且取涅槃消息，然後更行大道，亦可隨意；亦如今人欲學大乘而畏怖生死欲起退心，有人勸言汝且斷煩惱證羅漢，然後更取大道亦可得也。今現在一代化道未周，不得忽有此語，若開權顯實即得說之，如《涅槃》中諸取羅漢者，皆是其義也。「大歡喜」即聞慧，「未曾有」即煖位，「免惡道」即頂位，「快安隱」即忍位，「前入城」即見諦位，「已度想」即無學位，此與〈火宅〉適子願勇銳推排出宅同也。生已度想如得盡智，安隱想如得無生智；又具智德如已度，證斷德如安隱也。有人說寶所者，三界二乘若過即至佛道，佛道是寶所。《大經》有三文：一、至菩提心，二、至菩提，三、至大涅槃門。若至菩提心，必至菩提及涅槃。引此三文者，至菩提心謂至因，菩提、涅槃謂至果。果中有智、斷，菩提是智、涅槃是斷。具說始終、具說智斷，故說三文也。然過五百有三義：一免惡道、二得好路、三是寶所。菩提心謂度惡道，菩提行如平坦路，三得佛道如至寶所，下文云「今為汝說實汝所得非真」，此明度五百惡道也；「為佛一切智當發大精進」，謂行菩提好道也；「汝證一切智十力等佛法」，謂得佛道也。何故要須度五百？二乘度三百，菩薩度四百，佛乘度五百也。

From “leading the crowd of people” below is the second [section], the parable of the guide leading them; this shares the same intention as the separate parables and the expanded verses in the “Burning House” and “Expedient Means” [chapters]. Within this text there are three parts: First, the parable of the crowd of people being led. This illustrates those who originally formed affinities [with the Dharma] but have not yet attained deliverance; because their original affinity is not lost, they are led by the guide, just as above in the “Burning House” the elder is alarmed and terrified upon seeing the fire, and in the “Expedient Means Chapter” he sees the five turbidities and gives rise to great compassion. Second, the parable of becoming weary and falling back midway. This illustrates what was mentioned above, that encountering each other midway they fell back from the Mahāyāna mind, whereupon he accommodated them with the Hīnayāna, which carries the same sense as not using physical hands and instead praising the three carts as rare in the “Burning House”, and ceasing the conversion of Mahāyāna to use expedient means in the “Expedient Means Chapter”. Third, from “At that time the guide, knowing this crowd of people” below, the parable of destroying the phantom [city] and leading them to the place of jewels. This illustrates what was mentioned above of preaching the Lotus Sūtra for them again, immediately assembling the bodhisattvas and the śrāvaka assembly to preach this sūtra for them, which has the same meaning as bestowing the single great cart in the “Burning House” and speaking only of the unsurpassed path in the “Expedient Means [Chapter]”. The division of the text is concluded.

Next, explaining the text: First, “the crowd of people being led” generally refers to the assembly that formed affinities. If discussed specifically, those who obtained the great benefit in the past have already been led; those who have not yet obtained the great benefit are precisely those being led. In terms of the five hundred people among the thirty sons, they are those who have not yet attained awakening.

“Becoming weary and falling back midway” is the second parable. The text has two parts: first, falling back from the great; second, accommodating with the small. Falling back from the great corresponds to the cessation of the one above; accommodating with the small corresponds to bestowing the three above. Falling back from the great has three parts in the text: 1. “Becoming weary and falling back midway” corresponds to the absence of the great capacity above. 2. “Addressing the guide, saying” corresponds above to not accepting admonition and warning: “We are utterly exhausted” is the door of not accepting admonition, and “and moreover terrified” is the door of not accepting warning. 3. “Unable to advance any further” corresponds to the cessation of conversion above. The division of the text is concluded.

Next, the explanation: First, “midway” does not mean halfway along the road; taking the initial resolve as the beginning and reaching buddhahood as the end, to give rise to thoughts of retreating between these two posts is called “midway”. Second, regarding “addressing the guide, saying”: there is naturally the universally compassionate guide, as the text says, “There was a guide leading the crowd of people”; there is naturally the guide who established affinities, as the text says, “The crowd of people being led addressed the guide, saying”; there is naturally the guide of expedient wisdom, as the text says, “The guide possessed many expedient means”; there is naturally the guide of real wisdom, as the text says, “The guide knew this crowd of people.” Here, saying “addressed the guide” specifically means addressing the guide who established affinities. Because when they fall back from the great, the great is extinguished, and when he accommodates them with the small, the small arises; one arising and one extinguishing affect the Dharmakāya, and this is referred to as “addressing”. The prince knowing that they fell back from the great is precisely his hearing what they addressed. Their roots of goodness being weak and veiled by ignorance, they thus say “utterly exhausted”. Dreading birth-and-death is called “terrified”. Third, “unable to advance further, the road ahead is still far”: the delusions of seeing and thought, the dust-and-sand delusions, and ignorance are difficult to cut off abruptly. Yet accommodating them with the Hīnayāna so that they do not suddenly return to their original place also carries the meaning of advancing.

From “The guide, having many expedient means” below is the second [part], namely accommodating them with the small. Above, in the “Burning House” and “Expedient Means”, the opening of the three-vehicle teaching all had four meanings, which are fully present here. First, the parable of having many expedient means corresponds to deliberation. Second, from “and had this thought” below, the parable of grieving over their losing the jewels: knowing there is the small but not the great. Next, from “having had this thought” below, third, the parable of conjuring a city: the actual employment of expedient means. Fourth, from “At that time the utterly exhausted assembly” below, the parable of entering the city: the awakening and entry of the three vehicles. The two meanings above are as in the text. The parable of conjuring a phantom city itself has two parts: first, conjuring it; second, speaking of what was conjured. From “by the power of expedient means” below, it is the actual conjuring; from “addressed the assembly, saying” below, it is the actual speaking of what was conjured. In the cart parable above, it says: “I have made these carts for you.” Here the city exists [in the parable], so it must first be conjured. The parable of speaking of the phantom city corresponds to the above [three turns of the wheel]: exhorting, demonstrating, and witnessing. “Do not be afraid, do not turn back” is the turn of exhortation, causing them to advance into the city. From “Now this great city” down to “you may do as you please” is the turn of demonstration, demonstrating that the city is habitable. “If you enter this city, you will quickly find peace and joy” is the turn of witnessing, praising the city’s tranquility. “When you advance to the place of jewels, you can also go there”: advancing further is not discussed in the Tripiṭaka teaching. One explanation says: when explaining the three-vehicle teaching, it said that if one gives rise to the Mahāyāna to seek buddhahood, that is also good; if one cannot, it is also fine to merely practice the two vehicles, just as the Śrīmālā-sūtra says, “Those of initial practice in the three vehicles are not deluded about the Dharma”; knowing themselves that they should attain buddhahood, but weary and unable to bear it, they therefore seize eternal extinction. If so, this would become the distinctive teaching. Another explanation says: it merely causes them to fully enter the phantom city, and then they advance further; in the Pañcaviṃśati and the Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa, this intention is found everywhere. This is simply the intention of the distinctive connecting to the shared [teaching]. But prior to the present Buddha’s opening and revealing, he could not clearly and openly make such statements; yet discussing past lives, there must have been such words. Why? Knowing their intent to retreat, the prince taught and converted them, saying: “If you fear birth-and-death, take temporary rest in nirvāṇa, and afterwards you may practice the Great Path further, as you wish.” It is like someone today who wishes to learn the Mahāyāna but fears birth-and-death and wishes to give rise to a retreating mind; someone advises them, “First cut off afflictions and realize arhatship, and afterwards you may take up the Great Path, which is also obtainable.” In the present lifetime, before the course of conversion was complete, one could not suddenly speak these words; once the expedient is opened and the real revealed, it may be stated, just as in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra all those who attain arhatship embody this meaning.

“Great joy” is the wisdom of hearing; “unprecedented” is the warmth stage; “escaping the evil paths” is the summit stage; “delightful peace” is the forbearance stage; “advancing to enter the city” is the stage of seeing the truth; “conceiving the idea of having crossed over” is the stage of non-learning. This is the same as the sons in the “Burning House” eagerly and impetuously thrusting their way out of the burning house to match their wishes. Conceiving the idea of having crossed over is like attaining the knowledge of exhaustion; the thought of peace is like attaining the knowledge of non-arising. Furthermore, being equipped with the virtue of wisdom is like having crossed over, and realizing the virtue of severing is like peace. Some say regarding the place of jewels: if one crosses beyond the three realms and the two vehicles, one reaches the Buddha Path; the Buddha Path is the place of jewels. The Great Sūtra has three passages: 1. reaching the bodhicitta, 2. reaching bodhi, 3. reaching the gate of the great nirvāṇa. If one reaches the bodhicitta, one will definitely reach bodhi and nirvāṇa. Citing these three passages: reaching the bodhicitta refers to reaching the cause; bodhi and nirvāṇa refer to reaching the effect. In the effect there are wisdom and severing: bodhi is wisdom, and nirvāṇa is severing. Fully stating the beginning and the end, and fully stating wisdom and severing, it therefore speaks of these three passages. Now, crossing five hundred [yojanas] has three meanings: first, escaping the evil paths; second, finding a good road; third, the place of jewels. Bodhicitta is crossing the evil paths; the practice of bodhi is like a level road; third, attaining the Buddha Path is like reaching the place of jewels. The text below says: “Now I tell you the truth: what you have attained is not real”—this explains crossing the five hundred [yojanas of] evil paths. “For the sake of the Buddha’s all-inclusive knowledge, you should arouse great diligence”—this refers to traveling the good road of bodhi. “You shall realize all-inclusive knowledge, the ten powers, and other Buddha dharmas”—this refers to attaining the Buddha Path. Why must one cross five hundred? The two vehicles cross three hundred, bodhisattvas cross four hundred, and the Buddha Vehicle crosses five hundred.