大般涅槃經疏 7.12

7.12

四開譬中，先譬、次合譬。如王子者，似譬道前。王譬菩薩，子譬群生，犯罪譬起惡因，繫獄譬受惡果。憐憫譬天性相關，愛念譬拔惡因，躬至繫所譬拔惡果。夫王子者，剎利種也，罪為獄囚；眾生亦爾，同佛之性，罪業所拘流浪生死，亦有佛性亦無佛性，如王子是囚、囚是王子，為此義故慈悲與拔。「菩薩亦爾」下，合譬。凡舉三法合譬：初、一子地合同體大悲、況即體而用。次、四無量心拔苦因與善因、拔苦果與樂果，大喜慶悅、大捨平等，況用不離體，即用而體。三、四弘誓願遍約四諦。苦諦則通不但四趣，集諦亦通不但十惡，道諦不但戒善，滅諦不但灰斷。弘誓之境囊括則周，故用三法合譬況業。五舉二報結者，聖人以慧為命，智慧自在故壽命長，即譬果報。天上受樂，則譬華報（云云）。

Fourth, in setting forth the simile, first is the simile, next the application of the simile. "Like a prince" seems to illustrate [the stage] prior to the path. The king illustrates the bodhisattva; the son illustrates the multitudes of sentient beings; committing an offense illustrates giving rise to evil causes; being bound in prison illustrates experiencing evil fruits. Feeling pity illustrates the natural familial bond; cherishing affection illustrates pulling out evil causes; personally going to the place of imprisonment illustrates pulling out evil fruits. Now, as for a prince, he is of the kṣatriya clan, yet through an offense becomes a prisoner; sentient beings are also like this: identical with the nature of the Buddha, yet bound by evil karma they wander in birth and death; they both have buddhadhātu and lack buddhadhātu, just as the prince is a prisoner and the prisoner is a prince. For this reason, with friendliness and compassion he grants [joy] and pulls out [suffering]. From "The bodhisattva is also like this" onward is the application of the simile. In total, three teachings are adduced to apply the simile: First, the stage of the single child matches identical-substance great compassion, illustrating essence as function. Next, the four immeasurables pull out the cause of suffering and grant the cause of goodness, and pull out the fruit of suffering and grant the fruit of joy; great joy is rejoicing, and great equanimity is impartiality, illustrating that function is not separate from essence, directly function as essence. Third, the four universal vows are comprehensively applied to the four noble truths: the truth of suffering is pervasive and not merely the four lower destinies; the truth of origination is also pervasive and not merely the ten evil acts; the truth of the path is not merely the moral goodness [of precepts]; the truth of cessation is not merely ash-like annihilation. Since the scope of the universal vows encompasses everything completely, these three teachings are used to apply the simile to illustrate karma. Fifth, adducing the two retributions to conclude: the sage takes wisdom as life, and because wisdom is sovereign, his lifespan is long, which illustrates the fruit retribution. Experiencing bliss in heaven illustrates the flower retribution (and so on).