法華義疏 7.59

7.59

序昔迷又二：初、明執小故不求大；二、明聞大亦不求大。所以但明此二者，蓋是具迷大小二種教也。佛說小本欲令悟大，如舉指本為示月，今逐執小不求大、守指而忘月，蓋是迷小教也。二者、昔親聞大法令其捨小悟大，而遂樂小不欣於大，復是迷於大法。自靈山之前唯此二病，故具序之也。「我等居僧之首」者，四因緣故不求無上菩提：一者、居僧之首，但是誨授於他，非自進求之時也。二、「年已朽邁」者，意志衰畢不堪自進業也。三、「自謂已得涅槃」者，謂所得究竟，不更修因也。四、「無所堪任」者，沈寂空理不能更須修行。如四河合流同注海口，非大力龍莫能自返。三解脫俱流注涅槃海，聲聞小力不能自出，故云無所堪任。亦如《淨名經》云「猶如敗種不任生牙」，具此四義故不進求菩提也。

Recounting past delusion also has two parts: first, clarifying that because they clung to the Hīnayāna, they did not seek the Mahāyāna; second, clarifying that even upon hearing the Mahāyāna, they did not seek the Mahāyāna. The reason only these two are clarified is that they were fully deluded about both the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna teachings. When the Buddha spoke the Hīnayāna, his original intention was to make them awaken to the Mahāyāna, just as raising a finger originally aims to point out the moon; yet now they chased after and clung to the Hīnayāna without seeking the Mahāyāna, holding to the finger and forgetting the moon—this was delusion regarding the Hīnayāna teaching. Second, when they previously heard the great Dharma in person, which was meant to make them abandon the Hīnayāna and awaken to the Mahāyāna, they ended up delighting in the Hīnayāna without yearning for the Mahāyāna—this again was delusion regarding the great Dharma. Prior to the Vulture Peak, there were only these two ailments, and therefore they are recounted in full. Regarding 'we stand at the head of the saṃgha': for four causes and conditions they did not seek unsurpassed bodhi: First, standing at the head of the saṃgha, they merely instructed others, and it was not a time for progressing on their own. Second, 'our years are already decayed and old': their will and resolve were declining and exhausted, incapable of advancing their own practice. Third, 'thinking that we had already attained nirvāṇa': thinking that what they attained was ultimate, they did not cultivate causes further. Fourth, 'being incapable of any responsibility': sinking into quiescent emptiness, they could not undergo practice further. Just as four rivers join and flow together into the mouth of the ocean, where none but a dragon of great strength can turn back on its own, so the three liberations flow together into the ocean of nirvāṇa, and the small strength of the śrāvaka cannot emerge on its own; hence it says 'incapable of any responsibility.' It is also like the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra saying, 'Just like rotten seeds that are incapable of producing sprouts.' Possessing these four meanings, they did not advance to seek bodhi.