妙法蓮華經文句 8.10

8.10

The verse section has eleven lines and divides into two parts: first, nine and a half lines in verse prophesy for Kaundinya and the five hundred; second, one and a half lines collectively bestow prophecy upon all śrāvakas. The understanding expressed by the five hundred consists of prose and verse sections. In the prose section, first the compiler of the sūtra recounts their joy, and next they personally state their understanding. First, the compiler of the sūtra celebrates their present attainment of understanding and rejoicing, and next recounts how they reproached themselves out of shame for not understanding previously. In the celebration, it first clarifies their inner rejoicing and celebration, and afterwards clarifies their external physical reverence. Repenting mistakes and reproaching themselves clarifies their shame at not understanding previously. From 'World-Honoured One, we...' onward is the second part, personally stating their understanding, which has two sections: first, an exposition in terms of Dharma; second, an exposition by means of a parable. In the exposition in terms of Dharma, first they repent being satisfied with a little, and next they reproach their faculties for being dull and difficult to awaken. From 'World-Honoured One' down to 'quenched and crossed over' is repenting and reproaching their past delusion of taking the small as sufficient without knowing to seek the great; from 'now we know' onward, it is reproaching their dull faculties for only now awakening and not knowing it earlier, now knowing that the small is not ultimate, and that the great is the real. The parable contains two parts: first, a brief presentation; next, setting out the parable itself. 'Like a person without wisdom' is a brief presentation of the parable. From 'Why is this?' onward explains the meaning of lacking wisdom. The exposition by parable has two parts: first, the parable of intoxication with wine, which illustrates the exposition in terms of Dharma where they repent being satisfied with a little without knowing to seek the great, understanding the previous Dharma and parables regarding the intention behind applying expedients in past lifetimes; second, the parable of the close friend awakening them, which illustrates the exposition in terms of Dharma where they reproach their dull faculties as difficult to awaken and only now realizing it, understanding the previous Dharma and parables regarding revealing the real in past lifetimes. Within the first, there are again three points: first, the parable of tying the jewel, which expresses their understanding of the prince forming an affinity above; second, the parable of lying intoxicated and unaware, which expresses their understanding of encountering the retreat from the Mahāyāna above; third, the parable of getting up and traveling, which expresses their understanding of being accommodated with the Hīnayāna above. 'Suppose there is a person' refers to the people of the two vehicles. 'Close friend' refers to the sixteenth prince of former times. 'House' means the Mahāyāna teaching as the house. 'Lying down intoxicated with wine': at that time their great capacity momentarily arose and ignorance was momentarily subdued; having heard the sūtra, they gained a slight understanding in their inner minds, yet because their ignorance was heavy, they fell back into delusion and loss. Intoxication has two meanings: first, deep intoxication, being completely unaware; second, light intoxication, being slightly aware but soon forgetting, which is also called unawareness. Although there are these two meanings, in the end the tying of the jewel became like [the sound of] a poisoned drum. 'Official business required him to travel' clarifies that when capacities arose elsewhere to which the prince had an affinity, he went to respond to them; hence it says 'required him to travel.' Propagating the Dharma to convert others is not a private matter; hence it says 'official business.' 'Priceless jewel' is the jewel of wisdom of the single vehicle, the true mark, and suchness. 'Tied it inside his garment': shame and forbearance can block anger and prevent external evils; this is the outer garment. The mind of faith and joy, the internal wholesome root, is the inner garment. Hearing the Dharma at that time and having slight faith, joy, and aspiration is the seed of the cognitive cause and wisdom vows. Second, 'lying intoxicated, unaware' means that their mind of ignorance was heavy, and they soon forgot it again; this expresses their understanding of their slackening, retreating, and not accepting the great Dharma in the interim. Third, 'having gotten up, he traveled to another country' expresses their understanding of being accommodated with the Hīnayāna in the interim and accepting the conversion of the three vehicles; because wholesome roots were about to arise, they loathed suffering and sought joy; hence it says 'having gotten up, he traveled.' Ignorance obscured their understanding, so they did not know to turn toward the origin to seek the clothing and food of the Mahāyāna; hence it says they went to another country to seek the clothing and food of the Hīnayāna. If Māra and the Buddha are contrasted, the realm of Māra of birth-and-death is another country, while the Buddhist Dharma, whether Hīnayāna or Mahāyāna, is the native country. Looking at the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna contrasted with each other, the Hīnayāna has not yet escaped birth-and-death, so it is still another country; the Mahāyāna escapes birth-and-death forever, so it is the homeland, ultimately returning to the source. This clarifies turning one's back on the country of the Mahāyāna and going to the land of the Hīnayāna, not knowing how to draw provision from the jewel, and instead hiring oneself out as a laborer to support oneself and receiving a single day's wage, being satisfied with a little.