妙法蓮華經玄贊 7.43

7.43

贊曰：下共語。長行有二，此亦有二：初半頌總與語勸勉，後二頌別與語教示。後文有二：初一頌半隨須即與，後半頌假稱父子。「塗足油」者，西方人庶例多塗跣，時既溫熱塵坌頻沾，至必洗足以油塗之。今言足者，即四神足：欲、勤、心、觀。油謂八斷行，即欲、精進、信、輕安、正念、正知、思、捨。初三為加行，輕安攝受身心，正念、正知為繼屬，不忘所緣安心一境故。有放逸生如實了知故，思、捨為對治，策心、持心二種力故。已生沈掉能遠離之，名塗足油，如去風痺，斷障染故。或足謂戒，油謂六支，受學學處善能防護別解脫律儀，軌則所行皆具圓滿，見微細罪生大怖畏，滋潤戒故法食既充，無貪瞋癡薦席亦厚。《無垢稱》云：「四靜慮為床，淨命為茵蓐」。淨命即是無貪所起身語二業，故以無貪為薦席也。在茵蓐下、床之上故。「薦」音作見反，亦蓆也。《玉篇》「獸之所食草也」。又床薦，所以同薦藉也。「廗」音詳石反，《玉篇》「蓆，廧亦反，廣多也」。《切韻》為「廗」。假稱父子，又以軟語若如我子。「若」者如也，如我入聖之真子也。此乃見道已前。

The Commentary says: Below is conversing together. The prose has two parts, and this also has two: first, half a verse on generally speaking to encourage him; next, two verses on specifically speaking to instruct him. The latter text has two parts: first, one and a half verses on granting whatever is needed immediately; second, half a verse on provisionally calling him father and son. ‘Oil for anointing the feet’: commoners in the Western regions mostly go barefoot; since the weather is warm and hot, dust and dirt frequently cling to them, so upon arriving they must wash their feet and anoint them with oil. Now, speaking of the ‘feet,’ these are the four bases of psychic power: zeal, vigor, mind, and contemplation. The ‘oil’ refers to the eight factors of abandonment, namely: zeal, effort, faith, pliancy, right mindfulness, right awareness, volition, and equanimity. The first three are preliminary applications; pliancy embraces body and mind; right mindfulness and right awareness are continuous connection, because without forgetting the object of focus, one settles the mind upon a single object; and because when negligence arises, one knows it as it really is, volition and equanimity serve as antidotes, through the two forces of urging the mind and steadying the mind. Being able to leave behind torpor and restlessness that have arisen is called ‘oil for anointing the feet,’ just as removing wind-paralysis cuts off obstructing defilements. Alternatively, ‘feet’ refers to morality (śīla), and ‘oil’ refers to the six branches: receiving and training in the training precepts, being well able to guard the prātimokṣa restraint, being fully endowed in deportment and sphere of activity, giving rise to great dread upon seeing minute faults, and nourishing morality, so that the food of Dharma is abundant; and the mats and cushions of non-greed, non-anger, and non-delusion are also thick. The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says: ‘The four dhyānas are the bed, and pure livelihood is the mattress.’ Pure livelihood is precisely the two karmas of body and speech arisen from non-greed; hence non-greed is taken as the mat and cushion. This is because it lies beneath the mattress and above the bed. Jian is pronounced with the fanqie zuo-jian; it also means a mat. The Yupian says: ‘Grass eaten by beasts.’ Furthermore, a bed-mat is that which serves as a padding. Xi is pronounced with the fanqie xiang-shi; the Yupian says: ‘Xi is also pronounced with the fanqie qiang-yi, meaning broad and abundant.’ In the Qieyun it is xi. Provisionally calling him father and son, and moreover speaking with gentle words, ‘just as if you were my son’: ‘as if’ (ruo) means like; like a true son of mine who has entered the noble state. This is prior to the path of seeing.