法華義疏 6.63

6.63

From "The Tathāgata is also like this" onward is the second major section, matching the parables. Matching the preceding six parables forms six chapters. Now I will first give a general introduction to the main idea of matching the parables, which briefly has four points: First, what is evident in the parable is not matched. Second, what is incomplete in the parable is supplemented in the matching. Third, where the sequence follows one course in the parable, the matching shows yet another course, which is shifting the framework to preach the Dharma. Fourth, directly matching in accord with the text of the parable. The intention in matching the six parables here is: matching the first general parable clarifies that the Buddha has ultimate joy and is free of ultimate suffering; matching the second parable of seeing the fire recounts that sentient beings have ultimate suffering and are devoid of ultimate joy; matching the third parable of being unable to save the children clarifies that when he first attained the Way, he immediately wished to eradicate sentient beings' ultimate suffering and bestow upon them ultimate joy, but because they were not yet capable, he ceased teaching; matching the fourth parable of being able to save the children means temporarily eradicating their heavy suffering and giving them small joy; matching the fifth parable of equally bestowing the great carriages means eradicating their light suffering and giving them great joy; matching the sixth parable on not being false clarifies that previously promising small joy and later giving great joy are not mutually contradictory in meaning. The general parable above had six meanings; now it directly matches the converting master, and concurrently matches the remaining five. Taking the converting master as the basis, he then initiates conversion; hence it must be directly matched. Regarding "all worlds": this matches the "states, cities, and villages" above. There are two kinds of worlds; here it specifically takes the world of sentient beings. "Father": this matches the elder above. From "Regarding all fears" onward matches the limitless wealth above. Within the text there are two parts: first, praising what is relinquished; second, praising what is attained. What is relinquished is the meaning of emptiness; what is attained refers to the meaning of non-emptiness. Because by the meaning of emptiness he is free of all entanglements, the dharmakāya is not existent; because he possesses all virtues, the dharmakāya is not non-existent; neither existent nor non-existent is called the Middle Way. Furthermore, being free of all entanglements refers to liberation; possessing all virtues is the dharmakāya and prajñā. Furthermore, being free of all entanglements refers to the fruit of fruits; possessing all virtues refers to the meaning of fruit. Furthermore, precisely because he is free of affliction, he can save from affliction; being about to explain saving from affliction, he first introduces freedom from affliction; precisely because he possesses virtue, he can rescue those without virtue; being about to explain rescuing those without virtue, he first praises his possession of virtue. Within relinquishing faults, he first explains relinquishing the fruit affliction, which is the fruits of the two kinds of birth and death. From "covered by the darkness of ignorance" onward, he relinquishes the causal affliction. As the cause of the two kinds of birth and death has only ignorance as its root, it is specifically spoken of. "Eternally and completely eliminated": this conjoins the conclusion that he is free from both causal and fruit afflictions. From "and fully accomplished" onward is the second part, praising what is attained. Within the text there are also two parts: first, praising his own virtues; next, praising his virtues in converting others. The first has four pairs: First, limitless knowledge and vision: knowing all dharmas is knowledge; knowing them clearly, like seeing with the eyes, is vision—thus knowledge and vision form one pair. Powers are internal and fearlessnesses are external: internal and external form one pair. Having great supernatural power refers to the wheel of supernatural transformation, and the power of wisdom refers to the wheel of preaching the Dharma: manifesting supernatural power and preaching the Dharma form one pair. Regarding "replete with the pāramitās of upāya and wisdom": the fourth clarifies that the two wisdoms of upāya and reality are both perfected. From "great kindness and great compassion" onward is the second part, praising the virtues of converting others. Within the text there are two parts: first, praising the basis of converting others; next, praising the traces of converting others. "Great kindness and great compassion": universally wishing to eradicate suffering and universally wishing to bestow joy is the vast mind. "Ever without indolence or weariness" is the constant mind. "Constantly seeking good matters" refers to the supreme mind, wishing to bestow the supreme Dharma upon sentient beings. Furthermore, kindness and compassion mean eradicating suffering and bestowing joy; constantly seeking good matters means destroying evil and generating good. From "and is born in the three realms" onward is the second part, praising the traces of converting others. In the basis there are two bases, namely great kindness and great compassion. In the traces there are also two traces: first, explaining the trace of great compassion in eradicating suffering; from "teaching and transforming to enable them to attain" onward is the trace of great kindness in bestowing joy. Since it clarifies here that the response body is born in the three realms, one knows that the dharmakāya has no arising or ceasing; this reveals the two bodies of birth and non-birth. One should not say that this sūtra has not yet clarified eternal abiding.