妙法蓮華經文句 5.63

5.63

From "At that time the elder, seeing that his sons..." onwards is the third [section] within the specific parables, the parable of bestowing great carriages equally on all the sons, which corresponds to the above revealing of the true reality. This text has four parts: First, the parable of the father seeing the sons escape hardship and rejoicing, which takes as its basis the previous two lines and one phrase of verse, from "I immediately had this thought: 'The reason I appeared in the world'" to "Now I am joyful and fearless"; second, the parable of the sons demanding carriages, which takes as its basis the above awakening of the Mahāyāna capacity, the two lines of verse: "I see the Buddha's sons who strive to seek the Buddha path, all with reverent minds coming to where I am"; third, the parable of bestowing great carriages equally on all the sons, which takes as its basis the above three phrases: "Among the bodhisattvas, frankly casting aside expedient means, I preach only the unsurpassed path"; fourth, the parable of the sons obtaining the carriages and rejoicing, which takes as its basis the above single gāthā: "When the bodhisattvas hear this Dharma, the net of doubts is completely removed." In the above Dharma explanation, the awakening of capacity was explained first, and next it was explained that obstacles were removed and the Buddha was joyful and fearless; now in the parable, escaping hardship is explained first, and demanding the carriages is explained later. If discussed completely, four alternatives should be made: There is the case where obstacles are removed first and then capacity awakens, as with the four great śrāvakas and others whose obstacles were removed in the Tripiṭaka [teachings], and at the end of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā and the beginning of the Lotus Sūtra their great capacity first awakened; second, obstacles are not yet removed but the Mahāyāna capacity awakens, as in the Avataṃsaka-sūtra and among the assembly of ordinary persons in the Lotus Sūtra who attained entry into the Buddha's wisdom; the remaining two alternatives are as explained above. If the great capacity is first stirred and obstacles are subsequently removed, it is as explained in the "Expedient Means Chapter"; if obstacles are removed first and capacity is stirred later, it is as explained now—the stirring of capacity and the removal of obstacles are mutually manifested, together completing a single meaning. Furthermore, the "Expedient Means Chapter" explains that the Buddha was joyful and fearless, while here the sons rejoice; because the sons rejoice, their father also rejoices—this is also a mutual manifestation, together completing a single meaning. In escaping hardship, two meanings are contained: namely, escaping hardship and rejoicing. If the sons had not escaped hardship, the father would be worried; if they manage to get away from the fire, his mind is at ease; therefore, escaping hardship and rejoicing constitute a single parable. Because the sons rejoice, their father also rejoices, which serves as a parable for the Buddha's joy. Regarding "at a crossroads (four-way intersection)": the old [commentary] says that the removal of the four turbidities as obstacles is like a four-way thoroughfare, and the further removal of one turbidity is like sitting in the open ground. Now, this is not so: the five turbidities directly explain the dharmas of defiled obstacles, and do not yet discuss the path of antidote; they should not be compared to a crossroads. The crossroads specifically corresponds to the Four Noble Truths: because the contemplations of the Four Noble Truths differ, they are called four crossroads; the Four Noble Truths together converge upon seeing the truths, like the junction of roads. Although the delusions of view are removed, the delusions of thought still remain, so it is not yet called "the open ground." When thought [delusions] of the three realms are exhausted, it is called "the open ground." Abiding in the fruit without advancing is called "sitting." Not being confined by views and thoughts is called "at ease." Generating the thought of extinction and tranquility is called "rejoicing."