法華遊意 1.395

1.395

〈譬喻品〉云「我亦如是，眾聖中尊、世間之父，一切眾生皆是吾子」，則知此經明父母之道。父則有樂無苦，子則有苦無樂，今大悲拔子之苦，大慈與子之樂，令一切眾生普皆成佛，故說《法花經》。末世法師既代佛弘經，亦宜學佛之行，是故慈悲名如來室。若為利養名聞、勝他勢力而講說者，則不拔苦與樂，乖父子恩情，非弘佛乘之道也。

The "Simile Chapter" states: "I too am like this, the most honored among all holy ones, the father of the world; all sentient beings are my children." Thus we know that this sūtra elucidates the way of father and child. The father has joy and no suffering, whereas the children have suffering and no joy. Now, with great compassion he plucks out the children's suffering, and with great benevolence he grants the children joy, causing all sentient beings universally to achieve buddhahood; hence he expounded the Lotus Sūtra. Since the Dharma masters of the latter age propagate the sūtra on the Buddha's behalf, they should also emulate the Buddha's practice. Therefore benevolence and compassion are called the Tathāgata's room. If one lectures and expounds for the sake of material gain and renown, or to overpower others with influence, then one does not pluck out suffering and grant joy, contravening the kindness and affection between father and child; this is not the way to propagate the Buddha Vehicle.