妙法蓮華經文句 9.15

9.15

從「文殊」至「是法華」下，第二，歎經難聞。又二：法說、譬說。法說又二：一、昔未曾顯說故昔不得，二、今日乃得。譬說亦二：一、不與珠譬，譬昔未曾顯說；二、與珠譬，譬今日得聞。二譬各有開、合。不與珠譬為六：一、威伏諸國，二、小王不順，三、起兵往罰，四、有功歡喜，五、隨功賞賜，六、而不與珠。「輪王」譬如來化世，「降伏諸國」譬陰界入諸境。二、「小王」譬煩惱等，未得無漏調伏，名「不順其命」。三、「起種種兵」譬七賢中方法為前軍，須陀、斯陀中方法為次軍，阿那、阿羅漢中方法為後軍。所破者是三毒等分八萬四千之寇盜，能破者是八萬四千法門之官兵。「王見兵」下，第四、有功歡喜。「隨功賞」下，第五、隨功賞賜者，「田」即三昧，「宅」即「智慧」，「聚落」初果二果，「邑」即三果，「城」即涅槃，「衣服」即慚忍善法，「嚴身之具」，助道善法也，「種種七寶」即七覺等，「象馬車乘」即二乘盡無生智也，「奴婢」即神通，得有漏善法如「人民」。「唯髻中」下，第六、而不與珠。有出分段機為小功勳，有出變易之機為大功勳。「驚怪」者，未有大勳忽賜髻珠，諸臣皆怪，譬眾生大機未動忽說此經，二乘疑惑、菩薩驚怪。合六譬一一如文。

From "Mañjuśrī" down to "this Lotus [Sūtra]", second, praises the sūtra as difficult to hear. This also has two: exposition through Dharma and exposition through simile. The exposition through Dharma also has two: 1. In the past it was never explicitly expounded, hence in the past it could not be obtained; 2. Only today is it obtained. The exposition through simile also has two: 1. The simile of not giving the pearl, which illustrates that in the past it was never explicitly expounded; 2. The simile of giving the pearl, which illustrates that today it is heard. Both similes have their respective opening and closing. The simile of not giving the pearl has six: 1. Awing and subduing all kingdoms; 2. Lesser kings being disobedient; 3. Raising troops to go punish them; 4. Rejoicing in their meritorious deeds; 5. Rewarding them according to their deeds; 6. Yet not giving the pearl. "The wheel-turning king" illustrates the Tathāgata converting the world; "subduing all kingdoms" illustrates the realms of the aggregates, elements, and sense bases. Second, "lesser kings" illustrates the defilements and so forth that have not yet been subdued by the taintless [wisdom], termed "disobeying his command". Third, "raising various troops" illustrates the methods among the seven worthies as the vanguard; the methods among the srotāpannas and sakṛdāgamins as the secondary army; and the methods among the anāgamins and arhats as the rearguard. What is destroyed are the bandits of the equal distribution of the three poisons numbering eighty-four thousand; what can destroy them are the government troops of the eighty-four thousand dharma doors. From "The king saw the soldiers..." below, fourth, rejoicing in their meritorious deeds. From "Rewarding them according to their deeds..." below, fifth, rewarding according to merit: "fields" are samādhi; "houses" are wisdom; "villages" are the first and second fruits; "towns" are the third fruit; "cities" are nirvāṇa; "clothing" is the wholesome dharma of shame and forbearance; "adornments for the body" are the auxiliary wholesome dharmas of the path; "various seven jewels" are the seven factors of awakening and so forth; "elephants, horses, and carriages" are the two vehicles' wisdom of exhaustion and non-arising; "slaves and servants" are supernatural powers; obtaining contaminated wholesome dharmas is like "the populace". From "Only [the jewel] in the topknot..." below, sixth, yet not giving the pearl. Having the capacity to transcend fragmented [samsāra] is a minor meritorious deed; having the capacity to transcend transformed [samsāra] is a major meritorious deed. "Astonished and bewildered": when without great merit the topknot pearl is suddenly bestowed, all the ministers are bewildered; this illustrates that when sentient beings' great capacity has not yet stirred, if this sūtra is suddenly expounded, the two vehicles harbor doubt and the bodhisattvas are astonished. The applications of the six similes are each as in the text.