法華義疏 7.88

7.88

「而未曾向人說如此事」者，初成道時但說菩薩大行，未說二乘人本是佛子、曾受大化，今違化久也。又釋即詺二乘為人，初成道時二乘大機未發不堪聞說是子也。「但自思惟心懷悔恨」者，「悔恨」者，昔化不濃遂令失大乘流浪五趣也。蓋是悲心內切寄名悔恨耳。「自念老朽」者，釋念子之意。一方之迹、一時之化將滅不久，故言老朽。又廢大化來久，故言老朽。又如來亦以化工為命，所化之善既弱、能化之工亦微，義同老朽。又最後應付，如老朽也。「多有財物」者，文理無量也。「無有子息」者，初成道時雖多菩薩實堪紹佛業，但為二乘作譬，故言無有子息。二乘未能自悟，如無子；復未能傳化，如無息也。「是以慇懃」下，結念子意，有二因緣：一、佛去世；二、無人紹繼故法寶散失，所以憶子。「復作是念」下，第二、作假設復子之樂。上憶子之苦作前無大機譬，今明得子之樂作當有大機譬，以佛必知當有大機堪紹佛業，是以預想得子樂耳。「無復憂慮」者，既一期得子即付之以法財，令傳化不絕為無盡法燈則暢佛本心，故無復覓不得之憂，亦無散失大乘法財之慮也。

"Yet he had never spoken of this matter to anyone": when he first achieved the Path, he only spoke of the great practices of bodhisattvas, and had not yet stated that the people of the two vehicles were originally sons of the Buddha who had once received the great conversion and had now long strayed from that conversion. Another explanation is that he designates the two vehicles as "people"; when he first achieved the Path, the great capacity of the two vehicles had not yet been aroused, and they were unable to bear hearing that they were his sons. "Merely pondering to himself, his heart harbored regret": "regret" means that his former conversion was not profound enough, ultimately causing them to lose the Mahāyāna and wander through the five destinies. This is merely an expression of an intensely poignant compassion within, borrowing the name of "regret." "Considering himself old and decrepit" explains the intention behind thinking of his son. The traces of one region and the conversion of one era would soon be extinguished, hence he is said to be "old and decrepit." Moreover, having abandoned the great conversion for a long time, he is said to be "old and decrepit." Furthermore, the Tathāgata takes the work of conversion as his life; since the wholesome [roots] of those to be converted were weak, the work of the one capable of converting was also slight, identical in meaning to "old and decrepit." Moreover, making the final entrustment is like being old and decrepit. "Having much wealth and property" means that the texts and principles are immeasurable. "Lacking any sons" means that although there were many bodhisattvas upon first achieving the Path who were truly capable of inheriting the Buddha's enterprise, this is spoken as a parable for the two vehicles, hence it says "lacking any sons." The two vehicles were not yet able to awaken on their own, which is like lacking sons; nor were they yet able to transmit the conversion, which is like lacking progeny. From "Therefore, earnestly..." onward concludes the intention behind thinking of his son, which has two causes and conditions: first, the Buddha's passing away; second, there being no one to inherit, so the Dharma treasures would be scattered and lost; this is why he remembered his son. From "He again thought..." onward is the second part, hypothesizing the joy of regaining his son. The pain of remembering his son above served as a parable for previously lacking the great capacity; now, explaining the joy of regaining his son serves as a parable for the future presence of the great capacity, because the Buddha certainly knew that there would be a great capacity in the future capable of inheriting the Buddha's enterprise, and therefore anticipated the joy of regaining his son. "Having no further worry or anxiety": once he regained his son in this period, he would entrust him with the wealth of the Dharma, causing the transmission of the conversion to never cease, serving as an inexhaustible lamp of the Dharma, which would fulfill the Buddha's original intention; therefore, he would no longer have the worry of seeking without finding, nor the anxiety of the Mahāyāna Dharma-wealth being scattered and lost.