大般涅槃經疏 14.13

14.13

「復次迦葉如婆羅門」下，第三明生之過患，凡五譬：初譬淺善。又四婆羅門淨行，譬菩薩初欲修般若畢竟淨道。幻童解行淺弱饑所偪者，三塗苦偪。糞中果者，苦無常中有生天果。「有智人」下，二深行訶責。「童子聞已」下，三淺行懷愧。云非貪天樂，為欲於中修道捨之。「智者語言」下，四菩薩勸捨。「善男子」下合，但合後兩、不合前二。「復次」下，是第二譬。有人譬佛，四衢譬四生初受身，器譬經教，盛滿飯食譬佛說五戒十善招人天果。言而賣者，以此化生。遠來譬從惡道中來，饑虛羸乏譬重苦。問言者，實有此事不？食主答言譬佛答。唯有一毒，不免無常，即死滅也。更復重審，若無常者，如來何故令人修之？故言何以賣之。佛還答言：深智令捨，愚淺凡夫一往接之。三四兩譬可見。譬如險岸下，是第五譬。生死果上有草覆，譬生死中有假名我及相續常。多有甘露譬虛妄樂，深坑譬三塗，脚跌譬命根斷。

From "Furthermore, Kāśyapa, just as a brahmin" below is the third [part], explaining the faults and perils of birth, with five analogies in total. The first analogy is shallow goodness. Furthermore, the four brahmins' pure conduct allegorises a bodhisattva initially wishing to cultivate the ultimately pure path of prajñā. The illusory boy's shallow and weak understanding and practice, being pressed by hunger, means being pressed by the suffering of the three evil destinies. The fruit in the dung allegorises the fruit of birth in heaven amid suffering and impermanence. From "A wise person" below, the second is deep practice rebuking [it]. From "Having heard this, the boy" below, the third is shallow practice feeling ashamed, saying that he does not crave heavenly bliss, but wishes to cultivate the path therein and abandon it. From "The wise person said to him" below, the fourth is the bodhisattva urging him to abandon it. From "Good son" below is the application; it applies only to the latter two, not the former two. From "Furthermore" below is the second analogy. The person allegorises the Buddha; the crossroads allegorises initially receiving a physical body in the four modes of birth; the vessel allegorises the scriptural teachings; being filled with food and drink allegorises the Buddha teaching the five precepts and ten virtuous actions to invite the fruits of gods and humans. Saying that he was selling it allegorises using this to transform sentient beings. Coming from afar allegorises coming from the evil destinies; hunger, emptiness, and emaciation allegorise severe suffering. Asking allegorises: is this truly so? The reply of the food's owner allegorises the Buddha's reply. That there is only a single poison and one cannot escape impermanence means death and extinction. Inquiring further once more: if it is impermanent, why does the Tathāgata cause people to cultivate it? Hence he says, "Why sell it?" The Buddha answers back: through deep wisdom one makes them abandon it, while for foolish, shallow worldlings one initially gathers them in with it. The third and fourth analogies are clear. From "Just like a precipitous cliff" below is the fifth analogy. The fruit of birth and death being covered with grass allegorises the nominally designated self and the continuum of permanence within birth and death. Having much nectar allegorises false and illusory pleasure; the deep pit allegorises the three evil destinies; slipping of the foot allegorises the cutting off of the life-faculty.