金光明經文句 6.21

6.21

文云「一能流水，二能與水。」與水者，與安樂水也，一世安樂、二出世安樂。世安樂者，如象負水濟彼枯魚是也。出世安樂者，如發誓言：「於未來世當施法食、與菩提記」是也。流水者，流除苦惱水也，一果報苦惱、二業因苦惱。流除果報苦惱，如治諸病人、救彼渴魚是也。流除業因苦惱者，授三歸、說十二因緣、讚佛十號是也。請父求方，欲成流水之義。從王借象，欲成與水之義。既有二能，那單以「流水」題品？文中既彰與水之義，題品須安「流水」之名。不煩於文，二義雙顯，出經者之巧，為若此也。長者者，如《法華疏》中十種長者義也。子者，持水之子，故言子也。此文是斷疑中第三，結緣之近由。近由又二：一弄引、二正近由。弄引又二：一行恩布德、二國人稱美，並如文。近由又三：一明眷屬、二見魚之緣、三正救魚，如文。

The text states: "First, he was able to flow away water; second, he was able to bestow water." Bestowing water means bestowing the water of peace and happiness: first, mundane peace and happiness; second, supramundane peace and happiness. Mundane peace and happiness is like using elephants to carry water to succour those parched fish. Supramundane peace and happiness is like making the vow: "In future ages, I shall bestow the food of the Dharma and give the prediction of bodhi." Flowing away water means water flowing away and removing suffering and affliction: first, the suffering and affliction of karmic retributions; second, the suffering and affliction of karmic causes. Flowing away and removing the suffering and affliction of karmic retributions is like curing all sick people and saving those thirsty fish. Flowing away and removing the suffering and affliction of karmic causes is like transmitting the three refuges, expounding the twelve links of dependent origination, and praising the Buddha's ten epithets. Petitioning his father to seek the medical recipes was intended to fulfil the meaning of flowing away water. Borrowing elephants from the king was intended to fulfil the meaning of bestowing water. Since there are these two abilities, why is the chapter titled solely by "Flowing Away Water" (Jalavāhana)? Because the text has already manifested the meaning of bestowing water, the chapter title needed to bear the name "Flowing Away Water" (Jalavāhana). Without overburdening the text, both meanings are doubly manifested; such was the skill of the compilers of the sūtra. "Elder" (śreṣṭhin) is according to the ten meanings of an elder in the Commentary on the Lotus Sūtra. "Son" means the son of Jaladhara [Water-Bearer]; hence he is called "son". This passage is the third [section] within the resolving of doubts, the immediate causes of forming affinities. The immediate causes also have two parts: first, the prelude; second, the actual immediate causes. The prelude also has two parts: first, practising kindness and distributing virtue; second, the praises of the kingdom's people, both as in the text. The actual immediate causes also have three parts: first, explaining the retinue; second, the conditions of seeing the fish; third, the actual saving of the fish, as in the text.