妙法蓮華經玄贊 6.40

6.40

The Commentary says: The following ten and a half verses specifically explain the reasons why insects and ghosts riotously and chaotically arose. There are three parts: the first two verses explain that when the master is present there are no disasters, and when the master is absent disasters arise; the next verse explains that on account of fire burning and sweeping through, the house collapsed; the following seven and a half verses pertain to this chaotic dispersal and the agitation of insects and ghosts. This is the first text. Shu (屬) is pronounced zhi-yu reverse, meaning 'owing to' or 'dependent upon.' The intention is to say that when a bodhisattva is in the causal stage in the house, and after having attained buddhahood remains in the world to benefit beings, the disasters and tribulations of saṃsāric afflictions then cease. When the Buddha enters nirvāṇa and bodhisattvas vanish, the benefits to beings cease, and the disasters and tribulations of saṃsāric afflictions consequently arise. It is also because when the master is in the house, strictly managing, repairing, and encouraging his children, disasters and tribulations do not arise; if the master leaves home and no one repairs it, since there is no encouragement, the children become dissolute, disasters arise, and the house collapses. Therefore, in the house of the triple world, because the Buddha is present, disasters do not arise; because the Buddha is absent, disasters arise; hence it is said to 'belong to one person,' which is a metaphor for buddhas and bodhisattvas. It is not dependent on non-Buddhists, but solely dependent on the Buddha Dharma; therefore it says 'one person.' Again, shu (屬) is pronounced shi-zhu reverse, meaning 'subsumed under' or 'belonging to.' The triple world is entirely possessed by the Buddha; the Buddha is said to be the master, and all belongs to the Buddha. 'That person having recently departed': entering nirvāṇa and concealing himself, leaving the births of the triple world, is called 'having recently departed,' like a house lacking a master. 'Suddenly fire broke out' is a metaphor for the various afflictions destroying the bodily vessel, like fire damaging a house. It should be the character shu (屬). Arising without an apparent beginning is called 'suddenly fire broke out.' Arising everywhere encountered from birth to death is called 'on all four sides at once.' On account of this, immeasurable evil karma is generated, called 'its flames blazed up together.'