法華義疏 7.113

7.113

「即遣傍人」下，第五、喚子不得譬，領上長者救子不得譬。上火宅中開誡、勸二門化子不得，今領此意而文開為兩別：初、各領二門化物不得；次、合領二門息化。初別領二門化物不得即為兩別：第一、正明大乘化子不得；第二、假設強授之以大則有損無益。此二與〈方便品〉二思惟大同，不與火宅之誡勸文同也。舊經師云領火宅誡勸門者，失經旨也。就初文為二：第一、正明為說大乘；二、明無機不堪。初文二句前明遣使，譬佛念欲遣化物，初成道時即欲為二乘人說於大法，故名則遣也。「傍人」者，在長者左右者，故言傍人。大乘是佛常用法，去佛親近故稱為傍；教能詮理，如人能示語，故云人也。「急追將還」者，初成道時即顯說大乘，欲令了悟大乘，故稱為急。追其惑情，使其反本還受大化，故云急追將還。「爾時使者疾走往捉」，第二、明使者受旨。譬佛正說教被緣，教能宣傳佛意譬之如使，初成道時則欲為二乘人說於大法名為疾走，教正被緣故稱往捉也。「窮子驚愕稱怨大喚我不相犯何為見捉」者，第二、明無機不受化也。大教被於小機，非本意所期，故云驚；小機不惻大教所由，為愕；大教違小心而強授之，為稱怨，怨謂怨枉，怨枉事甚為大，顯彰於外稱喚。教大而機小，其猶方蓋而圓底，理不相稱、名不相犯，不應授之，如云何為見捉也？

From "he immediately dispatched a bystander" onward, fifth, the parable of failing to summon the son receives the parable above of the elder failing to rescue the sons. Above, in the burning house, opening the two gates of warning and encouragement failed to convert the sons; here, this meaning is received, and the text divides into two distinct parts: first, separately receiving the failure of the two gates to convert beings; second, jointly receiving the cessation of conversion in both gates. First, separately receiving the failure of the two gates to convert beings further has two parts: first, directly explaining the failure to convert the son with the Mahāyāna; second, [explaining that] hypothetically forcing the great upon him brings harm without benefit. These two correspond largely to the two deliberations in the "Expedient Means Chapter," and do not correspond to the text of warning and encouragement in the burning house. The old sūtra masters who said this receives the gates of warning and encouragement of the burning house have missed the sūtra's purport. Regarding the first text, it has two parts: first, directly explaining preaching the Mahāyāna for him; second, explaining that lacking capacity, he could not endure it. In the first text, two phrases first explain dispatching the messenger, parabling the Buddha's thought of wishing to dispatch [the teaching] to convert beings; upon first attaining enlightenment, he immediately wished to preach the great Dharma for the persons of the two vehicles, hence it is called "immediately dispatched." "Bystanders" are those at the left and right of the elder, hence called bystanders. The Mahāyāna is the dharma constantly used by the Buddha, and being intimately close to the Buddha, it is called "at his side"; teaching can express principle, just as a person can convey words, hence it is called "person." As for "urgently pursue and bring him back," upon first attaining enlightenment he immediately expounded the Mahāyāna, wishing to make him clearly understand the Mahāyāna, hence called "urgently." Pursuing his deluded sentiments to make him return to the origin and once again receive the great conversion, it therefore says "urgently pursue and bring him back." "At that time, the messenger ran swiftly and went to seize him" is second, explaining the messenger receiving the instruction. It parables the Buddha's direct preaching of the teaching reaching the conditions; the teaching can proclaim the Buddha's intention, parabled as the messenger; upon first attaining enlightenment, he wished to preach the great Dharma for the persons of the two vehicles, called "running swiftly"; the teaching directly reaching the conditions is called "going to seize him." As for "the poor son was startled and terrified, cried out in grievance, and shouted loudly: 'I have not offended you, why am I seized?'", this is second, explaining that lacking capacity, he does not receive conversion. The great teaching reaching a small capacity was not what he originally expected, hence "startled"; the small capacity not comprehending where the great teaching comes from is "terrified"; the great teaching running contrary to his small mind yet being forced upon him is "crying out in grievance." Grievance means injustice; being greatly wronged, he proclaims it outwardly, called "shouting loudly." The teaching is great while the capacity is small, just like a square lid on a round base: their principles do not correspond, and their designations do not infringe upon each other; it should not be bestowed, like saying: "Why am I seized?"