翻譯名義集 5.118

5.118

[Avadāna]
Here this is translated as 'metaphor' (pìyù). The Wenju says: '"Pì" means comparison; "yù" means instructing with clarity. The ultimate principle is subtle and abstruse, and people harbor confusion without awakening; the marvelous Dharma is profound and secret, and how could grasping sentiment understand it? One must use what is near to illustrate what is far; therefore one borrows that to compare with this.' The Nirvāṇa Sūtra explains that metaphors are of eight kinds: first, direct metaphor; second, reverse metaphor; third, present metaphor; fourth, non-metaphor; fifth, prior metaphor; sixth, posterior metaphor; seventh, prior-and-posterior metaphor; eighth, comprehensive metaphor. As for a direct metaphor: when heavy rain falls from the heavens, the ditches and channels all fill up; because the ditches and channels are full, the small pits fill up, and so forth. The Tathāgata's Dharma rain is also like this: the precepts of sentient beings become full, and because the precepts are completely fulfilled, the heart free from remorse becomes full, and so forth. As for a reverse metaphor: the great ocean has a source, namely the great rivers; the great rivers have a source, namely the small rivers, and so forth; this illustrates that nirvāṇa has a source, namely liberation, and so forth. As for a present metaphor: the mental nature of sentient beings is like a monkey. As for a non-metaphor: the Tathāgata once said to King Prasenajit, 'There are four mountains coming from the four directions, intending to harm people. If the Great King heard of this, what strategy would you devise?' The king immediately replied, 'I should only single-mindedly uphold the precepts and practice generosity.' The four mountains are birth, old age, sickness, and death, which constantly press upon people; hence it is called a non-metaphor. As for a prior metaphor: for example, a person greedily craves wondrous flowers, and when he wishes to gather them, he is swept away by water. Sentient beings are also like this: greedily craving the five desires, they are swept away and drowned by birth, old age, sickness, and death. As for a posterior metaphor: do not make light of small evils, thinking there will be no misfortune; though water drops are minute, they gradually fill a large vessel. As for a prior-and-posterior metaphor: for example, a plantain dies once it bears fruit. A foolish person being sustained is also like this; just as when a mule becomes pregnant, its life is not long preserved. As for a comprehensive metaphor: in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, there is the pārijāta tree; its roots penetrate five yojanas deep, its branches and leaves spread in all directions, and when the leaves ripen they turn yellow. Seeing this, the devas rejoice. When its leaves have fallen, they rejoice again. When the branches change color, they rejoice yet again, and so forth. My disciples are also like this: the leaves turning yellow illustrates my disciples thinking of wishing to go forth from the household life; the leaves falling illustrates my disciples shaving off their hair and beards, and so forth. The sūtra fully explains that this tree and the like comprehensively illustrate the Buddha's disciples and the like; hence it is called a comprehensive metaphor. Furthermore, the fifth roll explains partial metaphors, saying: 'The facial appearance is upright and handsome, like the full moon. The white elephant is fresh and clean, just like a snow mountain.' The full moon cannot be identical to a face; a snow mountain cannot be identical to a white elephant. A metaphor cannot [fully] illustrate true liberation. It is for the sake of sentient beings that such metaphors are made (likening a snow mountain to an elephant, how can one demand a tail and tusks? Comparing the full moon to a face, how could it have eyebrows and eyes?).