法華義疏 6.115

6.115

據譬而言，宅有二事不可栖止：一者、上有怪鳥；二者、下有毒虫。即從上至下、自外至內，為此義故前明怪鳥、後辨毒虫。有人言：怪鳥以譬慢使如鳥飛翔高舉，譬眾生起慢陵他舉自高，慢非三毒之初、又非五鈍之首，但示起無定相故前明慢。又此經正斥增上慢人故前明也。有人言：既稱怪鳥，取其發聲為譬，然此諸鳥或𠱚怪聲或吐和音，怪聲即譬惡口、兩舌，和音以況妄言、綺語也。今謂理實難明，但斯一宅內上有怪鳥下有毒虫，以此為譬者，上在怪鳥譬上二界愛使也。是故經云「色染無色染」，以愛為生死之本，故命初說之。又諸外道皆言上二界是極樂涅槃，而貪著禪味，今偏破之故先明上二界愛也。

Based on the parable, the house has two matters making it uninhabitable: first, above there are strange birds; second, below there are poisonous insects. That is, from above to below, from outside to inside; for this reason the strange birds are explained first and the poisonous insects are distinguished afterward. Some say: the strange birds illustrate the underlying tendency of pride; just as birds soar and fly high, this illustrates sentient beings giving rise to pride, encroaching on others and elevating themselves. Pride is not the first of the three poisons, nor the head of the five dull [afflictions], but it merely shows that its arising has no fixed characteristic, hence pride is explained first. Furthermore, this sūtra directly reproaches persons of overweening pride, so it is explained first. Some say: since they are called strange birds, the parable is taken from their making sounds; yet these birds either screech strange sounds or utter harmonious voices. Strange sounds illustrate harsh speech and double-tongued speech; harmonious voices illustrate false speech and frivolous talk. Now I say: the principle is truly difficult to illuminate, but within this one house, above there are strange birds and below there are poisonous insects. Using this as a parable: the strange birds above illustrate the underlying tendency of craving in the upper two realms. Therefore the sūtra states "attachment to the form [realm] and attachment to the formless [realm]"; taking craving as the root of saṃsāra, it is mentioned and spoken of at the beginning. Furthermore, the various non-Buddhists all say that the upper two realms are supreme bliss and nirvāṇa, and greedily attach to the flavor of dhyāna; now, to specifically refute them, the craving of the upper two realms is explained first.