大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 17.48

17.48

Regarding the commentary's "If one aligns the meaning with the text and provisionally divides it into three" and so forth, under the second part distinguishing what has now been heard: regarding the commentary's "The meaning of an entire sūtra like this" and so forth, the text of the commentary has two parts: first, setting forth past interpretations; second, clarifying what is rejected and what is accepted. The former also has two parts: first, explaining trust and hearing combined; second, explaining trust and hearing separately. The former also has two: first, explaining in general; second, following "'Thus' as a general term functions according to four meanings," separately explaining its characteristics.

First, saying "relying on metaphor": for instance, someone might say: "Wealth and nobility are like Vaiśravaṇa." The Dharma thus transmitted and heard is like that which was taught by the Buddha. This takes what the Buddha taught as comparable to Vaiśravaṇa, and what I now transmit as comparable to the wealthy person; hence, it takes the Buddha's teaching as the metaphor. Some also say: "Such phrases and sentences are like what I formerly heard." This takes what was formerly heard as a metaphor for what is currently heard; hence it is called a metaphor. Therefore, some explain "thus" (rushi) by saying: "Two things being similar is called 'as/like' (ru); one thing being free from error is called 'this/so' (shi)." Similarity is simply metaphor.