法華義疏 5.279

5.279

前〈方便品〉法說有三：一、能見；二、所見；三、起悲。今轉勢說法亦開為三：第一、明長者見火即大驚怖；二、自序己之已出；第三、傷子之未離。初有三句，一、能見；二、所見；三、驚怖也。「是長者見是」者，將欲救難故前明見，即譬如來居法身地，以佛眼見眾生無樂有苦也。「是大火」下，第二、明所見。普燒三界故稱「大火」也。「四面起」者，即是生老病死。《涅槃經》取譬四山，今譬之四面，生為東面，老為南面，病為西面，死為北面。「即大驚怖」者，第三、明驚怖。別據三十子而言者，昔經受化不應致火，故驚；迷著苦境恐慧命將盡成一闡提，所以怖也。通就六道眾生釋者，一往怛愕曰驚，定知是可畏之事稱怖，譬慈心一往與樂稱驚，次起悲心拔苦為怖也。

The doctrinal exposition in the preceding Expedient Means Chapter had three parts: first, the one who sees; second, that which is seen; third, giving rise to compassion. Now, altering the presentation to expound the Dharma, it is also opened into three: first, explaining that upon seeing the fire, the elder was greatly frightened; second, recounting that he himself had already escaped; third, grieving that the children had not yet departed. The first has three phrases: first, the one who sees; second, that which is seen; third, being frightened. 'This elder saw this': because he was about to rescue them from distress, his seeing is explained first; this illustrates the Tathāgata residing on the ground of the dharmakāya, beholding with the Buddha-eye that sentient beings have no joy and only suffering. From 'this great fire' downward is the second part, explaining that which was seen. Because it universally burns the three realms, it is called a 'great fire.' 'Arising on four sides' refers to birth, old age, sickness, and death. The Nirvāṇa Sūtra uses the parable of the four mountains; here it uses the parable of four sides: birth is the eastern side, old age is the southern side, sickness is the western side, and death is the northern side. 'Was greatly frightened' is the third part, explaining his fear. If explained specifically regarding the thirty children: having received his teaching in the past, they should not have incurred the fire, hence he was startled; confused and attached to painful realms, he feared their life of wisdom was about to perish and they would become icchantikas, hence he was terrified. If explained generally regarding the sentient beings of the six destinies: an initial startle is called 'startled' (jing); knowing with certainty that it is a terrifying matter is called 'terrified' (kong). It is like the mind of benevolence initially giving joy being called 'startled,' and subsequently giving rise to the mind of compassion to eradicate suffering being 'terrified.'