法華玄論 6.31

6.31

The meaning of asking for carriages is explained in two layers: first, clarifying the asking; second, explaining the carriages. The first section discusses the terminology through ten lines. First, the treatise says that in the text there is no character for 'asking' (suo), but only the word 'bestow' (ci). The prose clarifies 'wishing that they be bestowed in due time', and the verse says, 'We wish you would bestow upon us the three kinds of precious carriages.' Although there is no word 'asking', merely 'wishing that they be bestowed in due time' is precisely asking. However, there are two kinds of asking: first, asking because of a promise, as the verse says, 'We wish you would bestow upon us the three kinds of precious carriages, as previously promised.' The sons having come out, this is asking for what was previously promised. Second, asking without a promise, as when worldly people beg and demand, which is called asking. However, asking for what was previously promised can properly be called 'asking', whereas demanding what was not promised should rather be called 'seeking'.