妙法蓮華經文句 6.4

6.4

From "At that time the householder stood outside the gate" onwards, there are thirty-two and a half lines of verse, which versify the second [section], the particular parable. The particular parable had four parts, but here only three are versified. First, there are two and a half lines versifying the elder seeing the fire; next, second, there are thirteen lines versifying the parable of setting aside the table and using the carts, [that is,] shelving the great and bestowing the small; next, third, there are seventeen lines versifying the parable of bestowing the great carts. The initial two and a half lines versifying the seeing of the fire have three parts: first, the one who can see; second, what is seen; third, the arising of alarm and fright. Here they are versified completely. First, the three lines from "the householder" onwards are the person who can see: above it explained "seeing", while now it says "hearing", substituting hearing for seeing; hearing necessarily comes from another. "Stood outside the gate" directly versifies the above passage [stating that] although I was able to emerge safely through the burning gate. "Stood" means that while dwelling on the plane of the Dharma-body, he constantly harbors great compassion, desiring to rescue sentient beings and not abiding on the seat of paramārtha-śūnyatā. The old interpretation says: The Buddhas of the ten directions spoke to Śākyamuni, saying, "Your children with whom you have karmic affinity are within the triple world, and their roots of goodness are about to be extinguished." Another says: The capacity of sentient beings to evoke the Buddha is regarded as "another person". Now we say: The Dharma is the Buddha's teacher, referring to the dharma of samādhi; regarding this dharma as teacher, it is indeed "another person". If one enters samādhi, one is able to see their capacities; samādhi enables the Buddha to see, hence it says "someone said". Another says: Great compassion is "another person" (and so forth). From "Your children and the rest" onwards, the second [part], one line and one phrase, versifies the fire that is seen.