法華義疏 9.99

9.99

Regarding "later": that is, after the expounding of the minor teaching, the great capacity imperceptibly stirred, which is named "encountering"; being illuminated by the Buddha's wisdom is called "seeing him." Regarding "and spoke these words: 'Alas, good fellow! Why, for the sake of food and clothing, [have you come] even to this?'": the preceding clarified seeing the capacity; now it distinguishes expounding the teaching. Formerly he gave rise to the great aspiration and practiced the great practice, with vigorous and heroic resolve and strength, hence he is called a "good fellow." Now he has ended up abandoning the great and learning the small, which is lamentable indeed. Regarding "I formerly wished to cause you to obtain peace and joy, to indulge freely in the five desires": formerly he wished to cause sentient beings to obtain the bliss of Buddhahood. Regarding "in such-and-such a year, month, and day, I tied a priceless jewel inside your garment, and it is still present even now": the time of the Buddha Mahābhijñājñānābhibhū was the year, month, and day; expounding the Lotus Sūtra for him and conferring the understanding of the ekayāna was tying the jewel; that the past cause did not perish is "it is still present even now." Regarding "yet you did not know": this clarifies that he did not know he possessed the great understanding. Regarding "toiling in sorrow and affliction to seek a livelihood": this clarifies his adopting the small. Regarding "you are exceedingly foolish": forgetting the great and adopting the small is due to the afflictions of ignorance, hence it is called "foolish." Regarding "you may now trade this jewel for what you require": trading with the jewel of the bodhicitta, one will certainly evoke the perfect virtues of the Buddha Path. Evoking the fruit by means of the cause is precisely the meaning of "trading." From "The Buddha is also like this" onward is the third [section], matching the three parables. That is, three [parts]. Regarding "when he was a bodhisattva": this matches the "close friend" above. Regarding "transformed and guided": this matches the "providing wine" above. Regarding "caused them to generate the mind of omniscient knowledge": this matches the "tying the precious jewel" above. From "yet they soon neglected and forgot it" downward is the second [part], matching the parable of abandoning the great and adopting the small, which also simultaneously matches "having drunk wine, he lay down asleep" above. "Neglected and forgot" properly matches "completely unaware" above. Regarding "having already attained arhatship": the above matched forgetting the great; this matches adopting the small. Regarding "the vow for omniscient knowledge still remains and is not lost": this matches the third [part], the parable of the close friend showing the jewel. From "Now the World-Honoured One awakens us" downward matches the words above, "Alas, good fellow! [Why] ... even to this?" From "I long ago caused you all" downward matches the text above from "I formerly wished to cause you to obtain peace and joy" up to "tying the jewel." From "yet you considered it to be" downward matches the above "yet you did not know ... you are exceedingly foolish."