妙法蓮華經玄贊 5.294

5.294

The Commentary says: This is the burning and torment of stinginess and greed, and the transmigration in the various destinies. Being greedily attached to wealth already obtained and pursuing things not yet obtained, one therefore gives rise to multiple sufferings; the previous five desires are also precisely this suffering of not getting what one seeks. In the Commentary on the Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā, explaining that giving seven treasures filling worlds as many as the sands of the Ganges is not as good as upholding a single four-line verse of the sūtra, it says: "Afflictions arise on account of wealth like the micro-atoms of the worlds; yet on account of upholding the sūtra these afflictions are extinguished, hence the merit of giving wealth is small and the merit of upholding the sūtra is great." The suffering of transmigration in the five destinies will be explained when reaching the verses. Poverty and destitution exist solely among humans; the hardship of separation from what is loved and association with what is hated extend to both humans and devas, such as when a powerful deva enters a heavenly palace, seizes another's wife and children, and drives him out of his own palace. As the fourth [fascicle] of the Yogācārabhūmi explains in detail the sufferings of devas, the five destinies, and so forth. The characteristics of hells and the like will be explained in the verses. Because the realms among humans and devas are exquisite and wonderful, there is much suffering of separation from what is loved and suffering of association with what is hated; therefore they are specifically spoken of. One should extensively cite the Yogācārabhūmi to comment on this passage, such as the matters of fighting with asuras.