法華義疏 5.216

5.216

有人言：皆從〈方便品〉文生。今明不必爾也。此經有三周不同者，為根性各異，宜轉勢說法，故有三說不同也。若一一皆如上說者，則文成煩重、言非巧妙。又後不異前，聞前既惑、稟後亦迷，則聖說無益也。今明唯中間四譬大格從〈方便品〉四段文生。初總譬及後不虛譬，皆是今品義說，所言四譬從前生者，見火譬從前「我以佛眼觀見六道眾生」文生也。彼文明佛居法身地，見眾生有苦無樂起大悲心；今文明「長者在門外，見火起燒宅即大驚怖」，二文義同，故今文從上生也。次、長者救子不得譬，從上佛初成道一乘化眾生不得文生。第三、長者三車引子得譬，從上三乘化眾生得文生。第四、等賜大車譬，從〈方便品〉為說一乘文生。釋迦一期出五濁世，始法身地見機、終竟靈山之會說一乘法，唯有四章不得多少，是故今明始從見火終竟等賜大車，亦唯四譬不得增減，是故四譬從四法生。

Some people say: they all arise from passages in the "Expedient Means Chapter". Now I clarify that it is not necessarily so. That this sūtra has three distinct cycles is because capacities and natures are each different, and it is fitting to shift the approach to preach the Dharma; hence there are three different expositions. If every single one were just like what was said above, the text would become cumbersome and repetitious, and the words would not be skillful. Furthermore, if the later does not differ from the former, since they were confused upon hearing the former, they would also be deluded upon receiving the later, and the sage's preaching would be of no benefit. Now I clarify that only the middle four parables in their general framework arise from four sections of the text in the "Expedient Means Chapter". The initial general parable and the final parable of not being false are both doctrinal expositions of the present chapter. As for the statement that the four parables arise from the preceding, the parable of seeing the fire arises from the preceding passage, "With the Buddha eye I observe beings in the six destinies". That passage clarifies that the Buddha, dwelling in the ground of the dharmakāya, sees that sentient beings have suffering and no joy, and arouses great compassion; the present passage clarifies that "the elder was outside the gate and, seeing a fire arise and burn the house, was greatly alarmed and terrified". The meanings of the two passages are identical; hence the present passage arises from the preceding. Next, the parable of the elder being unable to save the children arises from the preceding passage where the Buddha, upon first attaining the Way, was unable to transform sentient beings with the ekayāna. Third, the parable of the elder succeeding in enticing the children with three carriages arises from the preceding passage of transforming sentient beings with the triyāna. Fourth, the parable of equally bestowing the great carriages arises from the passage in the "Expedient Means Chapter" expounding the ekayāna. Śākyamuni's single period of appearing in the world of five defilements, from beginning on the ground of the dharmakāya seeing capacities down to the assembly on Gṛdhrakūṭa expounding the ekayāna Dharma, consists of only four sections, which can neither be more nor less. Therefore, it is now clarified that from beginning with seeing the fire down to equally bestowing the great carriages, there are also only four parables, which can neither be increased nor decreased; therefore the four parables arise from the four dharmas.