法華義疏 7.117

7.117

「爾時長者」下，第七、誘引還家譬。就文為二：第一、雇子除糞譬；第二、教作人譬。所以有此二譬者，初、領隱實教起權教；次、領隱本身起迹身。故初成道華嚴之會則雙說，從鹿薗以去為雙覆，至法華時為雙開。今是雙覆也。初譬有四：第一、知小機喻；第二、說小教譬；第三、稟教得益譬；第四、愍怪譬。「將欲誘引其子」者，譬說二乘教意也。所以說二乘教者，欲誘引令悟入一乘也。「而設方便」者，明誘引之事也。無二說二，故稱方便也。「密遣二人」者，出方便之事也。若顯灼云是長者之使，窮子則畏憚不受，若言開一為三，即是方便之三，物不信受，故隱於此說而覆相示三，故名密。二者、昔說三乘是佛祕密之言，非二乘之所能解，故名為密。三者、雖復唱三密引歸一，故云密遣。四者、說三乃欲令眾生了悟非三非一言斷意亡，是故此三名之為密也。

From "At that time the elder" downwards is the seventh, the parable of enticing him to return home. Within the text there are two parts: first, the parable of hiring the son to clear away dung; second, the parable of instructing him to be a servant. Why are there these two parables? The first understands concealing the real teaching and giving rise to the provisional teaching; the next understands concealing the fundamental body and manifesting the trace body. Therefore, at the assembly of the Avataṃsaka upon first attaining enlightenment, both were simultaneously expounded; from the Deer Park onward, both were concealed; up until the Lotus Sūtra, both were revealed. Here, both are concealed. The first parable has four [parts]: first, the parable of knowing the small capacity; second, the parable of preaching the small teaching; third, the parable of receiving the teaching and gaining benefit; fourth, the parable of pity and wonder. "Wishing to entice his son" compares to the intention of preaching the teaching of the two vehicles. The reason for preaching the teaching of the two vehicles is that he wished to entice him so as to bring him to awakening and entry into the ekayāna. "Devising an upāya" explains the matter of enticement. Where there are not two, preaching two, is therefore called upāya. "Secretly dispatching two men" brings forth the matter of upāya. If he were to state clearly that they were messengers of the elder, the destitute son would be fearful and would not accept; if he were to speak of opening the one into three, that would be the three of upāya, and beings would not believe and accept it; hence, concealing this discourse and covering the marks to display the three is called "secretly." Second, in the past preaching the three vehicles was the Buddha's secret discourse, not something the two vehicles could understand; hence it is called "secret." Third, although proclaiming three, he secretly enticed them to return to the one; hence it says "secretly dispatched." Fourth, preaching the three was in fact to make sentient beings completely awaken to the non-three and non-one, where words are cut off and thoughts cease; therefore these three are called "secret."