[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721) › 7.81 # 法華義疏 7.81 法華義疏 7.81 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [7.81](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7.81) 「其父先來求子不得」，此就父明三義：一、為父時；二、中途失子時；三、中止一城時。「其父」者，即初為父時也。對上第一初為子時也。「先來求子不得」者，對上第二、子失於父，由子失父故父覓子，大乘善根成就不得。「中止一城」者，第三，對上子漸還鄉也。就譬而言，父子天性感應道交，子既漸還本國，父則中止一城以待子也。就理而明三根聲聞道緣應熟，如來居法身地照彼機緣，故垂應成佛也。「中止」者，據身而言。此文始終具有三身：前言求子不得，即是法身，謂前時也；今是舍那身，初成道時化諸菩薩、未化二乘，名中止時；後脫珍御服著弊垢衣，為釋迦佛化彼二乘，謂後時也。如人趣道未至所期而中道止息。就聲聞領解為譬，如來出世為化諸子，大機已熟，故但化菩薩未至化二乘處，故云中止。亦得昔化今化二楹之間，故云中止也。垂應居一方作佛，故言一城。又垂應為顯一道故名為一，防於邪非以稱城也。「其家大富」者，就迹而言，昔菩薩時共為父子，而子背父流浪生死貧窮困苦，而父失子行滿成佛眾德圓具如大富也。此文大意對子貧窮歎，父巨富故無物不備也。就文為三：一、歎化主；二、明徒眾；三、辨教門。即是真法說者及以聽人，略擬初成道時《華嚴》之會有三事也。若取上中止一城擬於化處，則是摩竭提界寂滅道場也。「大富」者，佛地眾德也。十力無畏其體可珍義同七寶，眾德中養慧命者如倉、安法身者如庫。又法寶無能窺窬亦如倉庫，圓滿義如盈，出用義如溢。「多有僮僕」者，第二、明徒眾，初成道時所化非一故言「多有」，外凡如僮僕，內凡如吏民，登地已上能助佛揚化為臣佐也。此時未有聲聞，不得舉二乘合之。「象馬車乘」下，第三、明教門也。象馬能負重致遠，教門能運凡登聖，即五乘之教，如《華嚴．性起品》具說五乘。「無數」者，八萬法藏及不可說法門也。「出入息利」者，化從佛出為出，化工歸佛為入，教授為資息，迴向為大利也。「乃遍他國」者，化流十方也。「商估賈客亦甚眾多」者，俗民有四業，謂農、商、工、估。農者田也，商者商量物價謂行貨也，工者工匠，估者坐販也。此字應西下為貝，今經文估字乃是估稅之估耳。「賈客」者（假音），上是貨物人，今賈客者即賈物人。此土稟道傳化他方，謂商也。此土受化即此土說法，謂估也。通稟前二人所化，如賈客也。即成道時有斯事故，借以為喻也。 > "His father had previously sought his son without finding him": this explains three meanings with regard to the father: first, the time when he was a father; second, the time when he lost his son along the way; and third, the time when he stopped midway in a city. "His father" refers to the initial time when he was a father. This corresponds to the first above, the initial time when he was a son. "Had previously sought his son without finding him" corresponds to the second above, where the son lost his father; because the son lost the father, the father sought his son, but his wholesome roots of the Mahāyāna could not be brought to fruition. "Stopped midway in a city" is the third, corresponding to the son's gradual return to his homeland above. In terms of the parable, the natural bond between father and son brings about sympathetic resonance and spiritual interaction: once the son gradually returned to his native land, the father stopped midway in a city to await his son. In terms of the principle, it explains that the conditions for the path of the three faculties of śrāvakas were ripe for maturation; the Tathāgata, abiding on the ground of the dharmakāya, illuminated their capacities and conditions, and thus manifested a responsive body to become a Buddha. "Stopped midway" is spoken in terms of the bodies. This text possesses three bodies from beginning to end: the earlier statement that he sought his son without finding him is the dharmakāya, referring to the former time; the present is the Rocana body, which converted the bodhisattvas upon first achieving the Path and had not yet converted the two vehicles, called the time of stopping midway; and later, taking off his precious royal ornaments and putting on worn, soiled clothes to become Śākyamuni Buddha converting those of the two vehicles, refers to the latter time. It is like a person setting out toward a goal, who, having not yet reached his destination, halts and rests along the way. In terms of the parable of the śrāvakas' comprehension: the Tathāgata appeared in the world to convert his sons, and since the capacity for the Great \[Vehicle\] was already mature, he only converted the bodhisattvas and had not yet reached the point of converting the two vehicles; hence it says "stopped midway." It can also be understood as \[standing\] between the two pillars of past conversion and present conversion, hence it says "stopped midway." Manifesting a responsive body to reside in one region and act as a Buddha is why it says "one city." Moreover, manifesting a responsive body to reveal the one path is why it is called "one," and guarding against the false and wrong is why it is called a "city." "His family was exceedingly wealthy": in terms of the traces, formerly at the time of bodhisattvas they were together as father and son, yet the son turned his back on the father and wandered through birth and death in poverty and hardship, while the father, having lost his son, completed his practices, became a Buddha, and was fully endowed with all virtues—like being exceedingly wealthy. The general purport of this text praises the father's immense wealth in contrast to the son's poverty, such that nothing was lacking. As for the text, it has three parts: first, praising the master of conversion; second, explaining the assembly of disciples; and third, discerning the pedagogical teachings. These are the preacher of the true Dharma and the listeners, which briefly outline the three aspects of the assembly of the Avataṃsaka \[Sūtra\] at the time of first achieving the Path. If one takes the "stopped midway in a city" above to outline the site of conversion, it is the bodhimaṇḍa of tranquility and extinction in the realm of Magadha. "Exceedingly wealthy" refers to the manifold virtues of the Buddha-ground. The ten powers and the fearlessnesses are precious in essence, identical in meaning to the seven treasures; among the manifold virtues, that which nourishes the life of wisdom is like a granary, and that which stabilizes the dharmakāya is like a storehouse. Furthermore, the treasure of the Dharma cannot be spied upon or stolen, which is also like granaries and storehouses; the meaning of perfection is like "full," and the meaning of issuing forth for application is like "overflowing." "Having many servants": the second part explains the assembly of disciples; upon first achieving the Path, those converted were not of one kind, hence it says "having many." External commoners are like servants; internal commoners are like clerks and people; and those on the stages and above who can assist the Buddha in propagating the teaching are like ministers and aides. At this time there were no śrāvakas yet, so one must not cite the two vehicles to match this. From "elephants, horses, carriages, and mounts" onward: the third part explains the pedagogical teachings. Elephants and horses can bear heavy burdens and travel far; the pedagogical teachings can transport commoners and elevate them to the noble; these are the teachings of the five vehicles, just as the five vehicles are fully explained in the "Nature Arising Chapter" of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. "Incalculable" refers to the eighty thousand treasuries of Dharma and the ineffable doors to the Dharma. "Inward and outward interest and profits": the conversion going forth from the Buddha is "outward"; the merit of conversion returning to the Buddha is "inward"; instruction is the capital's interest; and dedication of merit (pariṇāmanā) is the great profit. "Extending even to other countries" means that the conversion spreads throughout the ten directions. "Traveling merchants and resident peddlers were also very numerous": common people have four occupations, namely farming, traveling commerce, crafts, and resident peddling. Farming is the fields; traveling commerce is deliberating the prices of goods, meaning carrying goods on the road; crafts are artisans; and resident peddling is sitting and trading. This character \[gu\] should have 'shell' (bei) below 'west' (xi); the character gu (估) in the present sūtra text is merely the gu meaning to appraise taxes. As for "merchants" (jiakè, pronounced jiǎ): the above refers to the one who moves goods, and the present merchant (jiakè) is the one who purchases goods. Receiving the Path in this land and transmitting the conversion to other lands is called traveling commerce. Receiving conversion in this land and preaching the Dharma right in this land is called resident peddling. Comprehensively receiving the conversion of the previous two persons is like the merchant. Since these matters existed at the time the Path was achieved, they are borrowed as a parable. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 7.80](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7.80) - [Next: 7.82](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7.82) - [Up: 7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721~en-mt.7.81) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7.81](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.7.81) · Pramāṇa