大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 50.6

50.6

疏「四十一求法入火」者，三地有文。又《賢愚經》云「又復世尊過去久遠無量阿僧祇劫，此閻浮提有大國王名曰梵天王，有太子名曰曇摩鉗，好樂正法四方求法，周遍不獲愁悶懊惱。帝釋化為婆羅門來詣王所，王請就座為說妙法。婆羅門言：『學之甚難。云何便說？』太子審問。答言：『若能作大火坑令深十丈，滿中熾火，自投於中為供養者，吾乃與法。』太子如教，群臣諫喻令愍我等。婆羅門曰：『吾不相逼。若不爾者，吾不說法。』王知意定，令使乘八千里象，宣告一切：太子於是却後七日求法入火。諸小王等遠近皆集，悲哀勸喻。太子告言：『我於久遠生死之中喪身無數，人中為貪更相殘害，天上壽盡失欲憂苦，地獄之中火燒湯煮等，受無量苦未曾為法。吾今以此臭穢之身為法供養，云何止我？』將欲投火，先請說法。婆羅門為說偈云：『常行於慈心，除去恚害想，大悲愍眾生，矜傷為雨淚。修行於大喜，同已所得法，救護以道意，乃應菩薩行。』聞說法已便投火坑。帝釋并梵天王各執一手而歎之言：『一切生類，賴太子安。何為投火，喪他父母？』太子答言：『為無上道，不惜身命。』纔投於火，火變華池，太子安然坐連華臺，諸天雨華沒至于膝。爾時梵天王者，淨飯王是。」

Regarding the commentary's citation "Forty-one: entering fire to seek the Dharma," this text is found in the third ground. Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish says: "Again, in the far-distant past, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, on this Jambudvīpa there was a great king named King Brahmā. He had a crown prince named Dharmakāma, who loved the true Dharma and sought it in the four directions, but having searched everywhere without finding it, he was distressed and sorrowful. Śakra transformed himself into a brahmin and came to the king's dwelling. The king invited him to take a seat and expound the wondrous Dharma for him. The brahmin said: 'It was exceedingly difficult to study it. How could I speak it lightly?' The crown prince questioned him closely. He answered: 'If you can make a great fire-pit ten fathoms deep, fill it with blazing fire, and throw yourself into it as an offering, then I will grant you the Dharma.' The crown prince followed his instruction. The host of ministers admonished and pleaded with him to have pity on them. The brahmin said: 'I am not forcing you. If you will not do this, I will not preach the Dharma.' The king knew his intention was firm, so he ordered an envoy riding an elephant that traveled eight thousand li to proclaim to all: 'After seven days from now, the crown prince will enter the fire to seek the Dharma.' Minor kings and others from far and near all gathered, weeping and dissuading him. The crown prince said to them: 'Throughout the long expanse of saṃsāra, I have lost my life countless times—among humans, slaughtering one another out of greed; in the heavens, when lifespan ended, falling into distress and sorrow over the loss of desires; in the hells, being burned by fire, boiled in cauldrons, and the like. I have endured immeasurable sufferings without ever doing so for the sake of the Dharma. Now I make an offering of this foul, putrid body for the Dharma; how could you stop me?' Just as he was about to throw himself into the fire, he first requested the preaching of the Dharma. The brahmin spoke a verse for him: / 'Always practice a mind of loving-kindness, / And eliminate thoughts of wrath and harm; / With great compassion, pity sentient beings, / Grieving for them so that tears fall like rain. / Cultivate great sympathetic joy, / Equalizing [others with] the Dharma you have attained; / Rescue and protect them with the intention of the Path: / Only then do you accord with the bodhisattva's practice.' / Having heard the Dharma preached, he threw himself into the fire-pit. Śakra and King Brahmā each took hold of one of his hands and praised him, saying: 'All living kinds depend on the crown prince for peace. Why throw yourself into the fire and bereave your parents?' The crown prince replied: 'For the sake of the unsurpassed Path, I do not spare my physical life.' No sooner had he thrown himself into the fire than the fire turned into a lotus pond, and the crown prince sat peacefully upon a lotus terrace, while the devas rained flowers until they reached the knees. King Brahmā of that time was Śuddhodana."