妙法蓮華經文句 7.79

7.79

From 'Monks, the Tathāgata…' onward is the second part, matching the parable [to its meaning], first directly matching it, and later quoting the parable to append and match it, though not in linear order. From 'The Tathāgata is also like this' onward is, first, matching the fifth parable of the guide. From 'Now for your sakes' onward is, second, matching the third parable of the multitude of people. From 'knowing that the evil paths of the defilements of samsara are perilous and difficult' onward is, third, matching the second parable of the perilous and evil path. The two words 'vast and distant' are, fourth, matching the first [element of the] five-hundred-yojana parable. 'To be traversed and to be crossed over' is, fifth, matching the intelligent and thoroughly discerning [nature of the guide], and also matches the fourth [element of] wishing to cross the perilous path to reach the place of rare jewels. From 'If sentient beings only hear' onward matches the second parable of leading and guiding. The parable originally had three [parts], and here it also matches three: 'If sentient beings' matches the first [part], the multitude of people being led; 'only hear of the One Buddha Vehicle' matches the second parable of retreating from the great and receiving the small; from 'If sentient beings abide in the two stages' onward matches the third parable of extinguishing the conjuration and leading them to the place of jewels. The second parable originally contained retreating from the great and receiving the small, which are now matched together. Above, retreating from the great had three senses: 'only hear of the One Buddha Vehicle' matches the sense above of growing weary and retreating midway due to lack of capacity; 'do not wish to see the Buddha and do not wish to hear the Dharma' matches the addressing of the guide above, refusing to accept admonition and exhortation; 'and then have this thought' matches the sense above of being unable to advance and abandoning transformation. From 'The Buddha, knowing these minds' onward matches the receiving of the retreating through the small above. The parable originally had four [parts], but here only three are matched: 'The Buddha, knowing these minds' matches the sense above of the guide having many expedients and deliberating what is appropriate; 'timid and inferior' matches the sense above of them being pitiable, knowing there is capacity for the small; from 'and for the sake of giving them rest along the midway' onward matches the third [part], manifesting the conjured city and the multitude entering the city; 'and along the midway expounds the two nirvāṇas' means that the afflictions of the three realms are exhausted, but [the afflictions as numerous as] dust and sand and fundamental ignorance have not yet been broken, and between these two posts, nirvāṇa with remainder and without remainder are designated, which are also the nirvāṇas of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Furthermore, when fragmentary [samsara] is exhausted and transformative [samsara] is not yet eliminated, between the two deaths [nirvāṇa] is designated as with remainder and without remainder; hence it is called 'the midway' (and so forth). From 'If sentient beings abide in the two stages' onward matches the third [part], leading them to the place of jewels. The text above had two [parts], and here two are also matched: 'If sentient beings abide in the two stages' matches knowing they have rested; from 'The Tathāgata at that time then expounds for them' onward matches leading them toward the place of jewels. From 'Just as that guide' onward is, second, repeating the parable to append and match it: taking up the parable of receiving the retreating to match the bestowal of the three, and taking up the parable of extinguishing the conjuration to match the revealing of the one, as in the text (and so forth).