妙法蓮華經玄贊 6.271

6.271

Eulogy: Below, in the third section, is the metaphor of seeing the Buddha once again. That is to say, before retreating from the great aspiration for bodhi, he sees the Buddha yet again; because he had already been transformed by the Buddha life after life, prior to this whenever he met the Buddha, he was always transformed through the Mahāyāna. The text has three parts: first, the son grows older and returns to the homeland; second, the father seeks him beforehand; third, the son happens upon the city. This is the first. Within it there are six points: First, his faculties and nature gradually mature, 'having grown older'—this is the lineage of practice. Second, not yet having cultivated merit and wisdom, he is 'further impoverished and destitute.' Third, transmigrating through the four modes of birth, he 'hastens in all four directions.' Fourth, scheming to escape the path of suffering, he 'seeks clothing and food.' Fifth, the mind of wisdom born of hearing and contemplation is impelled by his lineage, so that day by day good arises and he 'gradually wanders.' Sixth, fortunately encountering the Buddhadharma, he 'chances to head toward his native homeland.' Initially he was taught to arouse the great resolve; though he retreated and flowed into saṃsāra, now he encounters it again and abides within the Buddhadharma. Conforming to what was cultivated in the past, this is called arriving in his native homeland. 'Hasten' (chīben) means to gallop and run.