法華文句記 10.191

10.191

「先白母」者，父邪母正，故先白母，共設化方。若據其本，母子元知。今約化儀機熟應發，槌碪相扣物器方成，是故云「白」。若附世情則母慈先白，利他之本慈復居先，父王已信宮中又熟，父王一人何足可化？秖緣宮內未熟，所以王亦待時。能化兩重遠鑑機理，推功化主結會古今。《經》云「譬一眼龜」者，約事秖是譬難值耳。若作所乘，凡龜魚之眼兩向看之，既云一眼所見非正，在生死海而又邪見，何可值於佛法浮木實諦之孔？「善知識」者，具如《止觀》第四記。《華嚴》亦云：「如父母導師醫船」等。聞品益中「法眼淨」者，有云：初果也。豈王夫人及與八萬，皆持此經皆當作佛，而聞品者得小果耶？名同義殊善須斟酌，已如前說。注者亦云「所見清淨」，不云「小乘初果位」也。

Regarding 'first informing the mother': the father was heterodox while the mother was orthodox; hence they first informed the mother to devise a means of conversion together. If based on their origin, the mother and sons knew from the beginning. Now, in terms of the ritual of conversion, when the capacity is mature the response should be initiated; only when the hammer and anvil strike each other is an implement formed, which is why it says 'informing'. If following worldly sentiment, the mother is compassionate so they first informed her; compassion is also foremost as the root of benefiting others. When the father king has already gained faith, the inner palace is also matured; how could the father king alone be sufficient to convert? It was simply because those in the palace were not yet mature that the king also waited for the time. The transformers doubly and farsightedly discerned the principle of capacities, attributing the merit to the master of conversion and uniting past and present. Regarding the sūtra stating 'Like a one-eyed turtle': in terms of the matter, it is merely a metaphor for how difficult it is to encounter [the Dharma]. If taken as what is ridden: ordinary turtles and fish look with their eyes in two directions; since it says 'one-eyed', what is seen is not upright. Being in the ocean of birth and death and having wrong views besides, how could it encounter the hollow in the floating log of the true reality of the Buddha's Dharma? Regarding 'good spiritual friend': this is fully explained as in the notes to the fourth fascicle of the *Great Calming and Contemplation*. The *Avataṃsaka* also states: 'Like parents, a guide, a physician, a boat,' and so forth. Among the benefits of hearing the chapter, regarding 'the purification of the Dharma eye': some say it is the first fruit. How could the king, his lady, and the eighty thousand all uphold this sūtra and all be destined to become buddhas, yet those who heard the chapter attained a lesser fruit? The names are identical but the meanings differ; one must weigh this carefully, as explained earlier. The commentator also said 'what is seen is purified', and did not say 'the rank of the lesser vehicle's first fruit'.