妙法蓮華經文句 信解品釋·父子相見譬
窮子一路為衣食奔走，輾轉來到父舍。照我們熟悉的故事，下一幕似乎應該是父子相認、相擁，從此苦盡甘來。
《法華經》偏偏先寫恐怖。
孩子遠遠看見父親安坐師子床，身有瓔珞，眾人圍繞，寶帳、花幡、香水、名花與寶物遍布眼前。他沒有認出父親，只看見一個自己從未接近過的世界。這裡的財富越盛、威勢越大，他越確定：『這不是我待得住的地方。』
於是，他不只不敢靠近，還後悔走到這裡。他猜那人是王或王等，怕被逼迫，怕被強使工作，寧願回到貧里，迅速逃走。
可是父親看見的是另一回事。
父親一見便認出兒子，不需要試探，也沒有認錯。孩子正在逃，父親已經歡喜；孩子覺得自己不配取得任何財物，父親卻想到庫藏終於有了可以付託的人。
同一場相見，兩人的距離並不相同。兒子只知道自己衣食匱乏、能力有限；父親知道他的來處，也知道自己長久在等誰。兒子用眼前的窮困判斷自己，父親以從未斷失的父子關係認出他。
這裡最動人的，不是孩子已經得到庫藏。此時他還沒有得到，甚至正在離開。動人的是：他的恐懼沒有使父親認不出他，他的逃走也沒有把父親的慈悲變成拒絕。
父親所珍惜的，也不是捨不得交出的財寶。祂所憂的是一期將盡，大法仍無人可以付託，將來學人不知從何得脫。如今兒子自己來到，哪怕尚未能承受，教化終於有了可以開始之處。
我們也常在真正寬廣的事物面前退縮。不是因它不值得，而是它一出現，便照見自己習慣了多小的地方。我們會把『還承受不了』誤說成『那不屬於我』，把敬畏改寫成逃離的理由。
父子相見提醒我們：尚未能受，不等於從未結緣；一時逃走，也不等於已被放棄。父親的歡喜先於兒子的明白，辨識先於兒子的回頭，庫藏也早在他敢於領受以前便已存在。
這一幕還沒有寫追人，也沒有寫付財。它只把最初的真相安放在門邊：孩子雖然不識父，父親從未不識孩子。
The poor son runs from place to place seeking clothing and food until he happens to reach his father's house. In the story we expect, the next scene would seem to be father and son recognizing and embracing one another, their suffering ended and happiness beginning.
The Lotus Sutra instead first describes terror.
From afar the son sees his father seated upon a lion throne, adorned with necklaces and surrounded by a multitude, with jeweled canopies, flower banners, scented water, famous flowers, and treasures spread before him. He does not recognize his father. He sees only a world he has never approached. The greater the wealth and majesty here, the more certain he becomes: “This is not a place where I can remain.”
So he not only dares not approach; he regrets having come. He guesses that the man must be a king or the equal of a king, fears being coerced and forced to work, and would rather return to a poor quarter. He flees at once.
But the father sees something else entirely.
At first sight the father recognizes his son, without testing him and without mistake. The son is fleeing, yet the father already rejoices. The son believes himself unworthy to obtain any wealth, yet the father thinks that at last there is someone to whom his treasuries can be entrusted.
Within the same encounter, the distance is not the same for the two. The son knows only that he lacks clothing, food, and ability. The father knows where he came from and knows whom he has long awaited. The son judges himself by his present poverty; the father recognizes him through a father-son relation that was never severed.
What moves us most here is not that the son has already received the treasury. At this point he has received nothing and is even leaving. What moves us is that his fear does not prevent the father from recognizing him, and his flight does not turn the father's compassion into rejection.
What the father cherishes is not treasure that he is reluctant to relinquish. He worries that the present lifetime of teaching is nearing its end while there is still no one to whom the great Dharma can be entrusted, leaving future students without a path to liberation. Now the son has come of himself. Though he cannot yet receive the inheritance, teaching finally has somewhere to begin.
We too often retreat before things of genuine vastness. Not because they lack worth, but because their appearance reveals how small a place we have grown accustomed to. We mistake “I cannot yet receive this” for “this does not belong to me,” rewriting awe as a reason to flee.
Father and son seeing one another reminds us: not yet being able to receive does not mean never having formed the connection; fleeing for a time does not mean having been abandoned. The father's joy precedes the son's understanding, recognition precedes the son's return, and the treasury exists before he dares receive it.
This scene does not yet describe pursuit, nor does it describe entrusting the wealth. It places only the first truth beside the gate: though the son does not recognize his father, the father has never failed to recognize his son.
隋天台智者大師說《妙法蓮華經文句》〔灌頂法師私記・唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫治定本・卷端序＝鏡中沙門神逈述〕· 大正藏 T34n1718〔起 T34 0082a15〕。段/行首〔T34 …〕＝大正藏頁·欄·行錨（換頁一枚）。
〔T34 0082a15〕妙法蓮華經文句卷第六下 天台智者大師說 「爾時窮子傭賃」下，第二父子相見譬，近領火宅中見火，遠領方便中五濁意。為三：一、明窮子傭賃，領火宅所見之火，法說所見五濁；二、父見子，領火宅長者見，法說中佛眼見也；三、歡喜適願，領火宅中驚怖，法說中起大悲心。法譬並明父前見子，此中明子前見父。就佛則靈智先知，機後起應，故言父先見子；若約眾生，必先機而後應，故言子先見父。機應不可思議，不後不前，故前後互舉也。今取文便但為二段：一、子見父，二、父見子。此兩段中各復為四。初子見父四者：一、見父之由，由求衣食；二、見父之處，處在門側；三、見父之相，踞師子床；四、生畏避，悔來至此。見父之由，由厭苦欣樂推求理味，漸漸積習，遂成出世善根，故言「傭賃展轉」。以此善根能扣佛慈悲，故言「遇到父舍」。父喻道後法身，舍喻無緣慈悲。大小二機雙扣此舍，有大機故，故言「遙見其父」，有小機故「住在門側」。若唯小無大則應不見尊特之身，父不應言「我財物庫藏今有所付」；若唯大無小，不應住立門側，子不應言「非我傭力得物之處」也。見父之處者即是門側，二觀為方便即門二邊，圓中之機當門正見，二乘偏真故言門側，但空三昧偏真慧眼，傍窺法身耳。「遙見其父」，正見有二種，一近見、二遠見，今言大機始發扣召事遠，是故言「遙」；又機微非應赴，名之為「遙」也。「踞師子床」者，圓報法身安處空理，無復通別二惑、八魔等畏，故云踞師子床也。《華嚴》說第一義空，四無所畏為床也。「寶几承足」者，定慧為足，實諦為几，無生定慧依真如境也。「婆羅門」，舊云，高良大姓，八地已上也。「剎利」者，七地已還也。「居士」，內凡夫等。舊云，此經中明法身，非常住法身也，乃是他方應身將應此土，即為此間之法身，故有內凡諸人圍遶。今謂不爾，若作他方佛者，子父機應體用著脫，皆不成，如前說。又不容小機扣此、大機扣彼，亦不應結大緣於彼、結小緣於此，亦不應雙結在此、雙應在彼，如是大惑亂。今明勝應應菩薩，即盧舍那尊特身，大機所扣者也；劣應應小乘，丈六弊衣，小機所扣者也。今經明常住醍醐與《涅槃》等，法身圓頓與《華嚴》等，所譬長者威德侍衛剎利婆羅門恭敬圍遶，悉指《華嚴》中眷屬皆無異也，所說法相如彼所明亦復無別。婆羅門名淨行，貴族高潔即等覺離垢菩薩也；剎利即是王種，九地已下初地已上也；居士富而不貴，即三十心也。「真珠瓔珞」者，即戒定慧。陀羅尼、三昧，四瓔珞也。「價直千萬」者，即四十地功德，以嚴法身也。「吏民僮僕」者，異門明義，即是稟方便教，斷通惑者名為民，稟別教斷通惑者名為吏；若同門明義者，還是方便波羅蜜也。內與實智同，外與機緣同，喻如吏民有內奉外役之義也。「白拂」者，即是權智之用也。「左右」者，右即入空智用。拂四住塵，左即入假智用；拂無知塵，此二為中道方便，故言侍立〔云云〕。「覆以寶帳」者，真實慈悲也。「垂諸花幡」者，花即四攝，幡即神通。「香水灑地」，降注法水灑諸菩薩心地以淹惑塵，亦是定水灑散心也。「散眾名花」者，布以七淨花，謂戒、定、慧、斷疑、道非道、知見淨、斷知淨也，戒者攝律儀等三種戒也，定者首楞嚴等也，慧者實智慧也，斷疑者已度二諦之疑也，道非道淨者行於非道通達佛道也，知見淨者智德圓滿了了見佛性也，斷知者斷德成就無明永盡也。「羅列寶物」者，羅列諸地真實功德也。出內如前釋〔云云〕。「威德特尊」者，光明無邊、色像無邊，相海巍巍堂堂，此義須作舍那之佛，豈得作餘釋耶？ 「窮子見父有大力勢」下，是第四，見父畏避。「大力勢」者，智大故名大力，神通大故名大勢，如上身手有力義也。「恐怖」者，小機劣弱怯懼大道也。「悔來至此」者，佛本欲以大法擬之，應不稱機，但有退大之意，故言悔來至此也。「竊作是念」者，機中潛密冥有此事，非是顯對見勝應身也。「或是王王等」者，波旬是王，徒輩為等，小機灰斷無言說道絕於色像，既見勝應之像，非天人所及，所說法相逈異二乘，小智薄德未曾見聞，便謂是魔是魔所說。略開三顯一，身子狐疑將非魔作佛惱亂我心耶？若初用大逗小疑佛為魔，有過今日也。復次勝應譬長者，長者即表報身佛，故是王等，法身是報師，師即如王，諸經多名是經王，智契於法即是智與法等，故名報佛為等，此乃大乘法報，非是小乘得益之處，故或是王王等也。「非我傭力得物之處」者，小機不能受大化也。「不如往至貧里」乃至「衣食易得」者，《淨名》云「能以貧所得法，度斯下劣」也。但空之理不含萬德非如來藏，故言貧里；偏空稱於小智，故言「肆力有地」也。「衣食易得」者，能得有餘涅槃無漏衣食，行行衣惠行食也。「若久住此或見逼迫強使我作」者，行大乘道經無量劫，故言久住。我本厭怖生死，若修大乘必入生死。廣學萬行，故言逼迫。我本樂小，而今令我發大乘菩提心，是為強使。捨大取小故言「疾走」也。 〔T34 0083a26〕「時富長者」下，第二，父見子譬。亦有四：一、父見子處，二、見子便識，三、見子歡喜，四、見子適願。見子處者，即師子床也。如來法身，居第一義空無畏之境，明照機也。見子便識者，知是往日結緣眾生也。心大歡喜者，佛恒伺子機，今機來稱慈，是故歡喜，即是領法說而起大悲，火宅即大驚怖，彼明拔苦故言驚怖，此明與樂故言歡喜。「即作是念庫藏今有所付」者，是見子適願。昔見眾生退大取小，貧里求食資生艱難，常欲與財無機不得，今日機來稱大慈心，故言庫藏今有所付。「我常思念」者，明其非但貧無大財，又流轉生死眾苦所逼，為大悲所痛，故言常思念之。雖欲救拔無機叵濟，故云「無由見之」。今有可度機生，故云「而忽自來」。稱大悲心，故云「甚適我願」。「我雖年朽猶故貪惜」者，釋於適願之由。由一期化訖故言年朽，未見大機法無委付，將來之徒從誰得脫？為可度者故言貪惜。今機自來無此憂念，故我願得適也。
The canonical text stands in Chinese only. This edition renders the essence, the plain reading, the exposition and the apparatus into English — never the sūtra itself. Switch to 漢讀本 or 並行雙語 above to read it.
《妙法蓮華經文句》第六卷下，天台智者大師說。
一、三重領解與隨文二段
從窮子受僱謀生以下，是第二段父子相見的譬喻。就近處說，它領會火宅譬中看見大火的意思；從遠處說，它領會〈方便品〉中五濁的意思。這一重領解分成三項。
第一，窮子受僱謀生，領會火宅中所看見的火，也領會法說中所看見的五濁。第二，父親看見兒子，領會火宅譬中長者的看見，也領會法說中佛眼的看見。第三，父親歡喜而滿足心願，領會火宅譬中的驚怖，也領會法說中生起大悲心。
在法說與譬喻中，都是先說父親看見兒子；這裡卻先說兒子看見父親。就佛而言，靈明的智慧先已知道眾生之機，然後才隨機而起應化，所以說父親先看見兒子。若就眾生而言，必定先有感發之機，然後才有佛的應化，所以說兒子先看見父親。機與應的交會不可思議，不能定作應在後，也不能定作機在前；經文因此互相舉出一邊，從兩面顯示先後。
如今為使隨文解釋便利，只把這段分成兩大段：第一是兒子看見父親，第二是父親看見兒子。兩段又各自分成四項。兒子看見父親有四項：一是看見父親的緣由，緣由是尋求衣食；二是看見父親的地方，地方在門旁；三是看見父親的形貌，父親坐在師子床上；四是心生畏懼而躲避，後悔自己來到這裡。父親看見兒子也有四項：一是父親看見兒子的所在，二是一見便認出兒子，三是看見兒子而歡喜，四是看見兒子正合自己的心願。
二、為求衣食，展轉來到父舍
先說看見父親的緣由。窮子厭惡痛苦、欣求安樂，進而尋求義理的滋味；這樣漸次累積、薰習，終於形成出世的善根，所以經文說他受僱謀生、輾轉經歷多處。這分善根能夠感扣佛的慈悲，所以經文說他遇到父親的舍宅。
譬喻中的父親表示成道以後的法身，舍宅表示不以特定緣由為限的慈悲。大乘之機與小乘之機同時感扣這座父舍。因有大乘之機，所以說他從遠處看見父親；因有小乘之機，所以又說他停在門旁。
如果只有小乘之機而完全沒有大乘之機，他便不應看見尊勝特異之身，父親也不應想到自己的財物庫藏如今有人可以付託。如果只有大乘之機而完全沒有小乘之機，他便不應停立門旁，兒子也不應想到這裡不是自己受僱出力便可取得財物的地方。經中的遠見與門側，正把兩種機同時保存下來。
三、門旁、正見與兩種遙遠
其次說看見父親的地方，就是門旁。兩種觀法作為方便，如同門的兩邊；圓滿中道之機正對門而看見，二乘人卻偏在真諦一邊，所以說停在門側。他們以只觀空的三昧與偏在真諦的慧眼，從一旁窺見法身而已。
所謂從遠處看見父親，所說的正見又有兩種：第一是近見，第二是遠見。這裡說大乘之機才剛發起，距離真正感召應現的事還遠，所以稱為遙遠；又可說機尚微弱，佛的應化還沒有赴機，也因此稱為遙遠。這兩種解釋都在說明同一個遙字。
四、師子床與寶几
再說看見父親的形貌。父親安坐師子床，表示圓滿報身、法身安住於空理，已不再有通、別兩類惑與八魔等怖畏，所以用安坐師子床來譬喻。《華嚴》以第一義空、四無所畏說明這張床。
寶几承托雙足，是以定與慧表示雙足，以真實諦理表示承足之几；無生的定慧依於真如之境。經文眼前先讓人看見的是長者安坐與寶几承足的富盛景象，本論隨後才逐件說明它們所表示的法義。
五、婆羅門、剎利、居士的舊解
對圍繞長者的婆羅門、剎利、居士，先前有一種解釋。婆羅門被解作門第高貴、出身良好的大姓，配在八地以上；剎利配在七地以下；居士則配作內凡夫等。
另有舊解說，這部經所說的法身並非常住法身，而是他方應身將要應現於此土時，就被稱作此間的法身，因此才有內凡夫等人圍繞。
智者認為這樣解釋不對。若把長者作他方佛解，父與子、機與應、體與用、穿著與脫去等關係便都不能成立，理由如前文所說。又不能讓小乘之機感扣此佛、大乘之機感扣彼佛；也不應讓大乘之緣結在彼處、小乘之緣結在此處；同樣不能說大小兩緣都結在此處，大小兩應卻同在彼處。這樣配合，會造成很大的混亂。
六、勝應、劣應與三類眷屬的今解
智者現在說，勝妙的應身應對菩薩，就是盧舍那的尊勝特異之身，是大乘之機所感扣；較劣的應身應對小乘，就是丈六而著弊衣之身，是小乘之機所感扣。這部經所明的常住醍醐與《涅槃》相等，圓頓法身與《華嚴》相等；譬喻中長者有威德，剎利與婆羅門恭敬侍衛、環繞在旁，都是指向《華嚴》中的眷屬，沒有差別；這裡所說的法相，與那裡所明的也沒有差別。
依本論現在的解釋，婆羅門意為清淨的行持，又是高貴潔淨的一族，表示等覺離垢菩薩；剎利是王族，表示從初地以上到九地以下；居士富有而不屬貴族，表示三十心。這是本論後出的今解，與前面的舊配位分開陳述。
七、瓔珞、價值、吏民僮僕與白拂
真珠瓔珞表示戒、定、慧，以及合為第四組的陀羅尼與三昧，共是四種瓔珞。價值千萬，表示四十地的功德，以這些功德莊嚴法身。
吏民與僮僕，可以從異門和同門兩路說明。依異門說，領受方便教而斷除通惑的人稱為民；領受別教而斷除通惑的人稱為吏。依同門說，吏民僮僕仍表示方便波羅蜜：對內與真實智慧相同，對外又與眾生機緣相同，譬如吏民有對內奉事、對外服役兩重職分。
白拂表示權宜智慧的作用。站在右邊，表示入空智慧的作用，用來拂除四住之塵；站在左邊，表示入假智慧的作用，用來拂除無知之塵。這兩種作用都作為中道的方便，所以經文說眾人手執白拂、侍立左右。本文在這裡留有從略之語，沒有展開。
八、寶帳、花幡、香水、七淨花與寶物
覆在上方的寶帳表示真實慈悲。垂下的各種花幡，花表示四攝，幡表示神通。
香水灑地有兩路解釋。第一，佛降下注入法水，灑在菩薩的心地，使惑塵受到浸潤；第二，以定水灑在散亂的心上。散布各種名花，表示布列七種清淨之花。七項依次是戒、定、慧、斷疑、道非道、知見淨與斷知淨。
第一，戒，是攝律儀等三種戒。第二，定，是首楞嚴等定。第三，慧，是真實智慧。第四，斷疑，是已經超度對真、俗二諦的疑惑。第五，道非道淨，是行於非道而能通達佛道。第六，知見淨，是智慧之德圓滿，清楚明白地看見佛性。第七，斷知淨，是斷除之德成就，無明永遠窮盡。道非道是一個名目，知見淨與斷知淨則是前後兩個不同名目。
地上羅列寶物，表示羅列各地的真實功德。至於取出、納入，仍如前文所解；本文用從略之語，不再展開。所謂威德最為尊特，是說光明沒有邊際、色像沒有邊際，相好之海高大盛美、堂皇具足。這層意義必須作舍那佛解，怎麼能另作其他解釋？
九、窮子為何恐怖而後悔
從窮子看見父親有大力、大勢以下，是兒子看見父親四項中的第四項：看見父親而畏懼、躲避。智慧廣大，所以稱為大力；神通廣大，所以稱為大勢，正如上文以身與手有力來說明。
窮子心生恐怖，表示小乘之機薄弱，畏怯廣大的道。後悔來到這裡，是因佛原本想以大法迎合他，所應之法卻不符合眼前之機，於是他只有退失大法之意，所以說後悔來到這裡。
他暗自在心中思量，表示這件事幽微潛藏在眾生之機裡；並不是說他已經明白地與尊勝應身相對，也不是說他已認出眼前長者就是父親。
十、對王與王等的兩重解釋
窮子猜想眼前的人也許是王，或是與王同等的人。第一種解釋，是以波旬為王，以波旬的徒眾為王等。小乘之機以灰斷為歸，言說之道斷絕，對色像也不作取著；如今忽然看見超越天人的尊勝應身，又聽見與二乘迥然不同的法相，小智薄德之人從未見聞，便以為這是魔，也以為所說之法是魔所說。
經中稍微開示三乘而顯出一乘時，舍利弗尚且懷疑：這難道是魔化作佛，前來擾亂我的心嗎？如果早先一開始便用大法來接引小乘之機，對佛是魔的懷疑會比今日更甚。
第二種解釋從另一面說：尊勝應身如長者，長者表示報身佛，所以稱為與王同等。法身是報身之師，師如同王；許多經又稱法為經中之王。智慧契合法，便是智慧與法相等，所以把報身佛稱為等。這裡所說的是大乘的法身與報身，不是小乘人能在其中得益的地方，因此窮子才猜想這是王或王等。
十一、貧里、衣食與疾走
窮子認為，這不是自己受僱出力便能取得財物的地方，表示小乘之機不能承受大乘教化。他寧可前往貧窮的里巷，正如《淨名》所說，以貧窮人所能得到的法，度脫這些根性低下的人。
只觀空的道理不含一切功德，不是如來藏，所以稱為貧里；偏於空理，恰好符合小乘的智慧，所以說那裡有可以施展力量的地方。衣食容易取得，表示可以得到有餘涅槃的無漏衣食；又以行行為衣，以惠行為食。
如果長久停留在這裡，是說修行大乘之道要經過無量劫。窮子原本厭惡、畏懼生死，若修大乘便必須進入生死，所以感到自己也許會受逼迫；逼迫表示廣泛學習萬種行門。他本來喜愛小法，如今卻被要求發起大乘菩提心，所以說被強迫工作。最後他捨棄大法、選取小法，所以經文說他迅速逃走。
十二、父見子：所在、辨識、歡喜、適願
從富長者以下，是第二大段父親看見兒子的譬喻，也有四項：一是父親看見兒子的所在，二是看見兒子便認出，三是看見兒子而歡喜，四是看見兒子正合心願。
父親看見兒子的所在，就是師子床。如來法身安住在第一義空、沒有怖畏的境界中，明明照見眾生之機。
父親一看見兒子便認出，是說佛知道這正是往日曾經與大法結緣的眾生。不是父親經過試探才辨明他的身分。
父親心中非常歡喜，是因佛一直等待、察看兒子的根機；如今機緣到來，正與慈心相稱，所以歡喜。這領會法說中生起大悲的意思。火宅譬說大為驚怖，是著重拔除眾生的痛苦；這裡說心大歡喜，是著重給予眾生安樂。
父親想到財物庫藏如今終於有人可以付託，是看見兒子正合心願。往昔看見眾生退失大法、選取小法，在貧里中為維持生命而艱難求食；佛常想把財物給他，卻因根機未到而不能給予。今天根機到來，正合廣大慈心，所以說庫藏如今有人可以付託。這裡只是父親歡喜有了可以付託的人，並不是兒子已經領受庫藏。
十三、常念、自來、年朽與貪惜
父親說自己一直思念兒子，是說眾生不但貧乏而沒有大法財，又在生死中流轉，被種種痛苦逼迫；佛的大悲為此深感悲痛，所以一直思念他。佛雖想救拔，眾生之機尚未生起，便無法救濟，所以說沒有途徑見到他。
如今可以受度的根機生起，所以父親說兒子忽然自己來到；這根機符合大悲之心，所以說非常滿足自己的心願。此時追人與試作等事都還沒有發生，經文只寫到父親看見、認出、歡喜和心願滿足。
父親又說自己雖已年老，仍然珍惜這些財物。本論解釋，年老表示這一期教化將要完畢；在尚未看見大乘之機時，大法沒有可以委付的人，將來的學人又要從誰得到解脫？正因為憐惜可以受度的人，所以稱為貪惜。如今機緣自己到來，便不再有大法無人付託的憂念，父親的心願也因此得到滿足；這不是世俗上捨不得把財物交給兒子。
The Fahua Wenju, Fascicle Six, Lower, spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai.
I. Three Understandings and Two Passages Following the Text
Beginning with the poor son's hiring himself out to make a living is the second passage, the parable of father and son seeing one another. Proximately, it understands the sight of the great fire in the burning-house parable; remotely, it understands the five turbidities in the “Skillful Means” chapter. This understanding has three items.
First, the poor son's hiring himself out to make a living understands both the fire seen in the burning house and the five turbidities seen in the Dharma teaching. Second, the father's seeing the son understands both the elder's seeing in the burning-house parable and the seeing of the Buddha-eye in the Dharma teaching. Third, the father's joy and fulfillment of his wish understand both the alarm in the burning-house parable and the arising of great compassion in the Dharma teaching.
In the Dharma teaching and the parable, the father is described as seeing the son first; here, however, the son is described as seeing the father first. From the Buddha's side, numinously luminous wisdom already knows the capacities of living beings and only then gives rise to responsive transformation according to those capacities, and therefore the father is said to see the son first. From the side of living beings, the capacity that evokes a response must arise before the Buddha responds and transforms, and therefore the son is said to see the father first. The meeting of capacity and response is inconceivable: the response cannot be fixed as later, nor the capacity as earlier. The scripture therefore raises each side in turn, showing sequence from both perspectives.
For convenience in explaining the wording, this passage is now divided into only two major passages: first, the son's seeing the father; second, the father's seeing the son. Each again has four items. The son's seeing the father has four: the reason he sees his father, namely seeking clothing and food; the place from which he sees him, beside the gate; the marks of the father he sees, seated upon a lion throne; and the fearful avoidance that arises in his mind, regretting that he came there. The father's seeing the son likewise has four: the place from which the father sees him; recognizing him at sight; rejoicing upon seeing him; and seeing that the son fulfills his wish.
II. Seeking Clothing and Food, He Passes from Place to Place and Reaches His Father's House
First comes the reason for seeing the father. The poor son rejects suffering and seeks happiness, then goes on to seek the savor of principle. Through gradual accumulation and habituation, he finally forms wholesome roots that transcend the world, and therefore the scripture says that he hires himself out to make a living and passes successively through many places. These wholesome roots can evoke the Buddha's compassion, and therefore the scripture says that he happens upon his father's house.
The father in the parable represents the dharma body after attainment of the Way, while the house represents compassion not limited by any particular condition. Mahāyāna and Lesser-Vehicle capacities evoke this father's house simultaneously. Because he has a Mahāyāna capacity, he is said to see his father from afar; because he has a Lesser-Vehicle capacity, he is also said to remain beside the gate.
If he had only a Lesser-Vehicle capacity and no Mahāyāna capacity at all, he should not see the specially honored body, nor should the father think that his wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted. If he had only a Mahāyāna capacity and no Lesser-Vehicle capacity at all, he should not stand beside the gate, nor should the son think this is not a place where hired labor can obtain wealth. The scripture's seeing from afar and standing beside the gate preserve both capacities together.
III. Beside the Gate, Right Seeing, and Two Kinds of Distance
Next comes the place from which he sees his father: beside the gate. The two contemplations serve as skillful means, like the two sides of a gate. A capacity for the Perfect middle sees directly through the gate, while people of the two vehicles remain partial to the side of the real truth and are therefore said to stand beside the gate. Through the samādhi that contemplates emptiness alone and the wisdom-eye partial to the real truth, they merely glimpse the dharma body from the side.
As for seeing the father from afar, the right seeing spoken of here has two kinds: first, near seeing; second, far seeing. Here, the Mahāyāna capacity has only just arisen and remains far from the actual event of calling forth a responsive manifestation, and therefore is called distant. Alternatively, the capacity remains weak and the Buddha's responsive transformation has not yet gone to meet it, and therefore it too is called distant. Both explanations clarify the same word “afar.”
IV. The Lion Throne and Jeweled Footstool
Next come the marks of the father he sees. The father is seated at ease upon a lion throne, representing the complete reward body and the dharma body abiding in the principle of emptiness, no longer fearing the shared and distinct classes of delusion, the eight māras, and the rest. Hence it is illustrated by being seated at ease upon a lion throne. The Avataṃsaka explains this throne through emptiness in the ultimate meaning and the four fearlessnesses.
The jeweled footstool supporting both feet takes concentration and wisdom as the two feet and the real truth as the stool that supports them. The concentration and wisdom of nonarising rely upon the object-realm of suchness. What the scripture first places before the eyes is the wealthy scene of the elder seated at ease with a jeweled stool supporting his feet; only afterward does the root treatise explain one by one the Dharma-meanings they represent.
V. Old Explanations of the Brahmans, Kṣatriyas, and Householders
There was an earlier explanation of the brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders surrounding the elder. The brahmans were explained as eminent clans of noble lineage and good birth and correlated with the eighth ground and above; the kṣatriyas with the seventh ground and below; and the householders with inner ordinary beings and the rest.
Another old explanation says that the dharma body taught in this scripture is not the permanent dharma body. Rather, when a responsive body from another direction is about to respond and manifest in this land, it is called the dharma body here; for this reason it is surrounded by inner ordinary beings and others.
Master Zhiyi holds that this explanation is wrong. If the elder is explained as a buddha from another direction, none of the relations of father and son, capacity and response, essence and function, or donning and removing can be established, for the reasons given earlier. Nor can the Lesser-Vehicle capacity evoke this buddha while the Mahāyāna capacity evokes that one; the Mahāyāna connection should not be formed there while the Lesser-Vehicle connection is formed here; and one likewise cannot say that both great and small connections were formed here while both great and small responses are there. Such correlations create great confusion.
VI. The Present Explanation of Superior and Inferior Responses and Three Kinds of Retinue
Master Zhiyi now says that the wondrous superior response responds to bodhisattvas: it is Vairocana's specially honored body, evoked by the Mahāyāna capacity. The inferior response responds to the Lesser Vehicle: it is the sixteen-foot body dressed in coarse clothing, evoked by the Lesser-Vehicle capacity. The permanent clarified essence explained in this scripture is equal to the Nirvāṇa, while its perfect and immediate dharma body is equal to the Avataṃsaka. The elder in the parable possesses majestic virtue and is respectfully attended and surrounded by kṣatriyas and brahmans, all pointing to the retinue in the Avataṃsaka without difference; the characteristics of Dharma explained here likewise do not differ from those taught there.
According to the root treatise's present explanation, “brahman” means pure conduct and also a noble and pure lineage, representing bodhisattvas at equal awakening who are free from defilement. Kṣatriyas are the royal lineage, representing those from the first ground through the ninth. Householders are wealthy but do not belong to the nobility, representing the thirty minds. This is the root treatise's subsequent present explanation and is stated separately from the earlier old correlations.
VII. Necklaces, Value, Officials and People, Servants, and White Fly-Whisks
The pearl necklaces represent ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, and, as a fourth group, dhāraṇī and samādhi: four kinds of necklace in all. Their value in the tens of millions represents the qualities of the forty stages, through which the dharma body is adorned.
Officials and people, together with servants, can be explained through distinct and shared gates. According to the distinct gate, those who receive expedient teachings and sever shared delusions are called people; those who receive the Distinct Teaching and sever shared delusions are called officials. According to the shared gate, the officials, people, and servants still represent the pāramitā of skillful means: inwardly identical with real wisdom and outwardly identical with living beings’ capacities, just as officials and people have the two duties of inward service and outward labor.
The white fly-whisks represent the function of provisional wisdom. Standing on the right represents the function of wisdom entering emptiness, which whisks away the dust of the four abiding delusions. Standing on the left represents the function of wisdom entering conventional existence, which whisks away the dust of ignorance. Both functions serve as skillful means of the middle way, and therefore the scripture says that the assembly held white fly-whisks and stood in attendance on the left and right. The text leaves an abbreviated phrase here and does not elaborate.
VIII. Jeweled Canopy, Flower Banners, Scented Water, Seven Pure Flowers, and Treasures
The jeweled canopy overhead represents true compassion. Of the various flower banners hanging down, the flowers represent the four means of gathering and the banners represent supernormal powers.
Sprinkling scented water upon the ground has two explanations. First, the Buddha pours down Dharma-water upon the bodhisattvas’ mind-ground, moistening the dust of delusion. Second, the water of concentration is sprinkled upon distracted minds. Scattering various famous flowers represents arraying the seven kinds of pure flower. In sequence, the seven are ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, removal of doubt, purity concerning what is and is not the path, purity of knowledge and vision, and purity of the knowledge of severance.
First, ethical discipline means the three kinds of discipline, including that which gathers regulations. Second, concentration means the Śūraṃgama and other samādhis. Third, wisdom is true wisdom. Fourth, removal of doubt means having crossed doubt concerning the real and conventional truths. Fifth, purity concerning what is and is not the path means practicing what is not the path while penetrating the Buddha Way. Sixth, purity of knowledge and vision means perfection of wisdom-virtue and clear vision of buddha-nature. Seventh, purity of the knowledge of severance means accomplishment of severance-virtue and the permanent exhaustion of ignorance. “What is and is not the path” is one term, while purity of knowledge and vision and purity of the knowledge of severance are two distinct successive terms.
The treasures arrayed upon the ground represent the arrayed real qualities of the various grounds. Taking out and putting in remain as explained earlier; the text uses an abbreviated phrase and does not elaborate. The majesty and virtue that are most specially honored mean that the light is boundless, the colors and forms boundless, and the ocean of marks lofty, magnificent, splendid, and complete. This meaning must be explained as the Buddha Vairocana; how could it receive some other explanation?
IX. Why Is the Poor Son Terrified and Regretful?
Beginning with the poor son's seeing that his father possesses great power and majesty is the fourth item in the son's seeing the father: seeing his father and fearfully avoiding him. Because wisdom is vast, it is called great power; because supernormal powers are vast, it is called great majesty, just as the preceding text explained through strength of body and hands.
The poor son's terror represents the weakness of the Lesser-Vehicle capacity and its fear of the vast path. His regret at having come there means that the Buddha originally wished to meet him through the great Dharma, but the Dharma of the present response does not accord with the present capacity, and therefore he has only the intention to retreat from the great Dharma. Hence he is said to regret coming there.
His private reflection means that this matter lies obscurely concealed within the capacity of living beings. It does not mean that he clearly confronts the specially honored response body or has recognized that the elder before him is his father.
X. Two Explanations of the King and the King's Equal
The poor son guesses that the person before him may be a king or the equal of a king. The first explanation takes Pāpīyān as the king and his followers as the king's equals. The Lesser-Vehicle capacity takes extinguishing body and cognition as its destination, where the path of speech is cut off and no attachment is formed to colors and forms. Now it suddenly sees a specially honored response body surpassing gods and humans and hears Dharma characteristics wholly different from those of the two vehicles. People of small wisdom and meager virtue, never having seen or heard this before, suppose it is Māra and that the Dharma taught is Māra's teaching.
When the scripture briefly opened the three vehicles to reveal the one, even Śāriputra wondered: could Māra have transformed into the Buddha and come to disturb my mind? If the great Dharma had been used from the outset to guide the Lesser-Vehicle capacity, the suspicion that the Buddha was Māra would have been even stronger than it is today.
The second explanation approaches from another side. The specially honored response body is like the elder, and the elder represents the Buddha's reward body, and therefore is called the equal of a king. The dharma body is the teacher of the reward body, and a teacher is like a king; many scriptures also call Dharma the king among scriptures. Wisdom accords with Dharma and is therefore equal to Dharma, so the Buddha's reward body is called “equal.” The present passage concerns the Mahāyāna dharma body and reward body, not a place where Lesser-Vehicle practitioners can gain benefit; hence the poor son guesses that this is a king or the equal of a king.
XI. The Poor Quarter, Clothing and Food, and Swift Flight
The poor son thinks this is not a place where his hired labor can obtain wealth, representing the Lesser-Vehicle capacity's inability to receive Mahāyāna transformation. He would rather go to a poor alley, just as the Vimalakīrti says that these people of inferior faculties are liberated through a Dharma poor people can obtain.
The principle that contemplates emptiness alone does not contain all qualities and is not the tathāgata-garbha, and is therefore called a poor quarter. Being partial to the principle of emptiness corresponds precisely to Lesser-Vehicle wisdom, and so he says that there is a place where he can apply his strength. Clothing and food are easily obtained there, representing the undefiled clothing and food of nirvāṇa with remainder; alternatively, the practice of conduct is clothing and the practice of wisdom is food.
Remaining here for a long time means that cultivation of the Mahāyāna path requires immeasurable kalpas. The poor son already rejects and fears birth and death, and if he cultivates the Mahāyāna he must enter birth and death, so he feels that he may be pressured. Pressure represents broadly studying the myriad gates of practice. He formerly delighted in the Lesser Dharma, but now is required to arouse the resolve for Mahāyāna awakening, and so he says that he is being compelled to work. In the end, he abandons the great Dharma and chooses the Lesser, and therefore the scripture says that he flees at once.
XII. The Father Sees the Son: Place, Recognition, Joy, and Fulfillment
Beginning with the wealthy elder is the second major passage, the parable of the father's seeing the son, which likewise has four items: where the father sees the son; recognizing him upon seeing him; rejoicing upon seeing him; and seeing the son as the fulfillment of his wish.
The place from which the father sees the son is the lion throne. The Tathāgata's dharma body abides in the fearless object-realm of emptiness in the ultimate meaning and clearly illuminates living beings’ capacities.
The father's recognizing his son at sight means that the Buddha knows him to be precisely a living being who formed a connection with the great Dharma in the past. The father does not discern his identity only after testing him.
The father greatly rejoices because the Buddha has continually awaited and observed the son's capacity; now the capacities and conditions arrive and correspond precisely to His compassionate mind. This understands the arising of great compassion in the Dharma teaching. The burning-house parable speaks of great alarm to emphasize removing living beings’ suffering; here, great joy in the mind emphasizes giving living beings happiness.
When the father thinks that the wealth and treasuries finally have someone to whom they can be entrusted, seeing the son fulfills his wish. In the past, he saw living beings retreat from the great Dharma and choose the Lesser, struggling to seek food in a poor quarter to sustain their lives. The Buddha always wished to give them wealth, but could not because their capacity had not arrived. Today the capacity arrives and corresponds precisely to the mind of great loving-kindness, and therefore the treasuries are said now to have someone to whom they can be entrusted. Here the father only rejoices that there is someone to receive the entrustment; the son has not yet received the treasuries.
XIII. Constant Thought, Arrival of Himself, Decrepitude, and Cherishing
The father's saying that he constantly thought of his son means that living beings not only are poor and lack the great Dharma-wealth, but also wander in birth and death under the pressure of various sufferings. The Buddha's great compassion aches deeply for this, and therefore He constantly thinks of them. Though the Buddha wishes to save them, until their capacity arises there is no way to rescue them, and therefore the father says that he had no way to see him.
Now the capacity able to receive liberation arises, and therefore the father says that the son has suddenly come of himself. This capacity accords with the mind of great compassion, and therefore he says that it greatly fulfills his wish. At this point, pursuit and trial work have not occurred. The scripture describes only the father's seeing, recognizing, rejoicing, and fulfillment of his wish.
The father further says that, though already old, he still cherishes this wealth. The root treatise explains that his age represents the present lifetime of teaching nearing its end. Before the Mahāyāna capacity appears, the great Dharma has no one to whom it can be entrusted, and from whom will future students obtain liberation? Because he cherishes those able to receive liberation, this is called cherishing. Now that the capacities and conditions have come of themselves, he no longer worries that there is no one to whom the great Dharma can be entrusted, and his wish is fulfilled. This does not mean that he is worldly and reluctant to hand the wealth to his son.
窮子從遠處看見富盛威嚴的長者，第一個反應不是親近，而是恐怖、後悔，轉身疾走。長者看見窮子，卻立即認出這是自己的兒子，心中歡喜，想到庫藏終於有了可以付託的人。同一場相見，為何在兩人眼中如此不同？
答案不在於父子之情忽然有了兩種，也不在於長者認錯了人。兒子尚未認父，只從自己的能力與處境衡量眼前所見；父親卻從往日結緣與今日來機看見兒子。於是，相見已經發生，相認卻只在父親一邊。這一段把兩邊依次展開，使莊嚴、畏避、歡喜與適願都各安其位。
一、三領說前文，二段說眼前
本論先把父子相見放回法說與前譬。窮子受僱謀生，近處領會火宅中所見之火，遠處領會法說中所見五濁；父親看見兒子，領會長者見火與佛眼所見；父親歡喜而滿足心願，領會火宅中的驚怖與法說中生起大悲心。這是三重領解。
隨後，本論為了依行文解釋，又開作兒子見父、父親見子兩段。前一段有見父之由、見父之處、見父之相、生畏而避四項；後一段有見子之處、見子便識、見子歡喜、見子適願四項。三領把本段向前接到法說與火宅譬，二段則順著眼前父子兩邊來讀；兩個數目各自回答不同問題，並不互相刪除。
父與子誰先看見，也要從兩邊說。就佛而言，靈明之智早已知道眾生之機，然後隨機起應，所以說父先見子；就眾生而言，先有能感之機，才有應現，所以又說子先見父。機應不可思議，不能用一個固定的先後窮盡；經文分別舉出父、子一邊，使兩面都能被看見。
二、窮子為何會走到父舍
父子相見不是從父親追出大門開始，而是從窮子求衣求食開始。他厭苦而欣樂，進一步推求義理，經過漸次積習，形成出世善根。受僱與展轉所顯的，正是這段累積；遇到父舍，則是這分善根已能感扣佛的慈悲。父表示成道後的法身，舍表示無緣慈悲；窮子本為謀生而行，卻在行途中來到父舍。
到舍以後，經文同時寫遙見與門側。本論由此指出，大、小兩種機同時感扣父舍：有大機，所以能從遠處看見尊特之身；有小機，所以仍停在門旁。若只有小機，他便不應看見尊特之身，父親也不應想到庫藏可付；若只有大機，他又不應停在門旁，更不應把此處看成不是自己傭力取物之地。窮子的處境，正在能見與不能承受同時出現。
門旁又顯出所見的位置。二觀是方便，如同門的兩邊；圓中之機正對門而見，二乘偏真，只能在門側以但空三昧、偏真慧眼傍窺法身。遙見也有兩層：大機初發，距感召應現之事尚遠；機仍微弱，應還沒有赴機。遙不表示完全不見，而是雖已看見，尚未走到相應之處。
三、父親的莊嚴，為何成了兒子的壓力
窮子看見父親安坐師子床、寶几承足。就本論所合之義，師子床顯圓滿報身、法身安處空理，已離兩類惑與八魔等畏；寶几承足則以定慧為足、實諦為几，顯無生定慧依真如境。這些莊嚴先是窮子眼前的形貌，本論再一件件揭示其所表。
圍繞長者的婆羅門、剎利與居士，本論先錄舊解，再提出今解。舊解把三者依次配在八地以上、七地以下與內凡夫等。今解則以婆羅門的淨行與高潔配等覺離垢菩薩，以剎利王種配初地以上、九地以下，以富而不貴的居士配三十心。兩套配位前後並存，不被揉成同一套序次。
另一舊解把此處法身說成非常住法身，又以將應此土的他方應身作此間法身。本論不採，因為如此一來，父子、機應、體用、著脫都不能成立，大小兩機在此彼之間的感扣、結緣與應現也會陷入混亂。本論所明，是勝應應菩薩，顯盧舍那尊特身；劣應應小乘，顯丈六弊衣。大小兩機都在同一教化中有其所扣，沒有把大應、小應分配到彼此兩佛。
長者身上的真珠瓔珞，表示戒、定、慧與陀羅尼三昧四種瓔珞；價值千萬，表示四十地功德莊嚴法身。侍立的吏民僮僕有同、異兩路：異門中，領受方便教、斷通惑的稱民，領受別教、斷通惑的稱吏；同門中，仍是方便波羅蜜，內與實智同，外與機緣同，如吏民兼有內奉、外役之職。
白拂是權智之用：右邊顯入空智，拂四住塵；左邊顯入假智，拂無知塵，二者都是中道方便。寶帳顯真實慈悲，花幡分顯四攝與神通。香水灑地，一面顯法水灑菩薩心地、浸潤惑塵，一面顯定水灑散心。
散布的名花顯七淨花，次第是戒、定、慧、斷疑、道非道、知見淨、斷知淨。戒攝三種戒，定舉首楞嚴等，慧是真實智慧；斷疑是已度二諦之疑，道非道淨是行於非道而通達佛道，知見淨是智德圓滿而明見佛性，斷知淨是斷德成就而無明永盡。羅列寶物顯諸地真實功德，光明、色像與相海的盛大則顯舍那之佛。
對父親而言，這些是法身、定慧、慈悲、智慧與功德的莊嚴；對窮子當下的機而言，它們首先顯成自己未曾見聞的大力大勢。父親所具沒有變，兒子所能承受卻尚弱，所以同一莊嚴在父邊是可以付與之財，在子邊卻成為不敢接近之勢。
四、恐怖從何而來
本論把大力配智慧廣大，把大勢配神通廣大。窮子見此而恐怖，表示小機劣弱，怯懼大道；後悔來到這裡，表示佛原要以大法接引，而眼前之應不合其機，於是生起退大之意。他暗中思量，也只是機中潛密有這件事，並不是已清楚面對尊勝應身，更不是已經認出父親。
他猜眼前或許是王、或是王等，本論先從畏魔說明。波旬是王，其徒眾是等；小機從未見過超越天人的勝應形像，也未聽過與二乘迥異的法相，便懷疑這是魔及魔所說。舍利弗在略開三乘而顯一乘時，尚且疑惑是否魔作佛來擾亂其心；若在更早時便以大法逗小機，這種疑懼會更加強烈。
本論又作第二重解釋。勝應所譬的長者表示報身佛，故如王等；法身是報身之師，師如王，經又多以法為王，智慧契合法，所以報身與法相等。這裡是大乘法、報二身，不是小乘得益之處。第二釋說明所見之尊勝，第一釋說明小機如何把尊勝誤認為威脅，兩者共同解開窮子的畏避。
五、為何寧往貧里
窮子判斷此處不是自己傭力便能取得財物的地方，表示小機不能接受大化。他寧往貧里，是因只觀空的道理不含萬德、不是如來藏，卻與眼前小智相稱，所以覺得在那裡可以施力，也容易取得衣食。本論以有餘涅槃作無漏衣食，又以行行為衣、惠行為食。
若久住此，表示行大乘道要經無量劫；窮子原已厭怖生死，想到修大乘仍須入生死，便感到逼迫。逼迫表示廣學萬行，強使表示令他發大乘菩提心。這一串心念最後落在疾走：他不是留下來接受庫藏，也不是經過強使才證明誠心，而是捨大取小，迅速離去。
從遙見到疾走，經文所寫的不是兒子缺少一個身分名稱，而是他所能承受的法仍與父親要付的財相距甚遠。父子關係早已成立，往日大緣也沒有消失；可是，關係存在不等於兒子已能受用。這正是父親接下來雖然歡喜，卻不能立即把庫藏交出的原因。
六、父親看見的，不只是門邊一個窮人
父見子一段也有四項。第一，父親在師子床上看見兒子，表示如來法身居第一義空無畏之境，明照眾生之機。第二，父親見子便識，知道這正是往日與大法結緣的眾生。兒子還在猜眼前是王或王等，父親卻不必試探，不經辨認過程便已知道他是誰。
第三，父親心大歡喜。佛一直等待、察看兒子的機，如今機來而與慈心相稱，所以歡喜。火宅譬說驚怖，是從拔苦一面說；此處說歡喜，是從與樂一面說。兩處都由大悲而發，卻隨所要顯出的作用，一處著重眾生將受之苦，一處著重今日終可給予之樂。
第四，父親想到庫藏如今有所付，是見子正合心願。過去眾生退大取小，在貧里求食、資生艱難；父親常想給財，卻因根機不到而不能給。今天可度之機來到，正稱大慈之心，父親才歡喜庫藏終於有了付託的方向。這仍是父親心中的適願，不是兒子已經接收財物。
七、珍惜的不是財物，而是付託之機
父親說自己常常思念兒子，因兒子不但貧而沒有大法財，還在生死中流轉、受眾苦逼迫，使大悲為之痛切。雖想救拔，沒有能受教化之機便無從救濟；如今可度之機生起，所以說兒子忽然自己來到，正好滿足父親的願。
年朽表示一期教化將要完畢。大機未現，法便沒有可以委付的人；父親所憂的，是將來學人將從何處得到解脫。祂因可度之人而珍惜，並非世俗的長者吝惜財寶、不肯給兒子。如今機已自來，無人可付的憂念才得解除。
所以，一邊歡喜、一邊逃走，並不是這場相見失敗了。從兒子一邊看，過大的財與過盛的相超出所能承受，畏懼如實顯出當下之機；從父親一邊看，能回到父舍、讓父親見到，已表明往日緣分與今日之機重新相接。父親認得兒子，卻仍要等待兒子能夠認父、能夠受財。父子相見因此既不是最後付託，也不是徒然擦身而過，而是長久教化重新有了可以開始之處。
文句記之眼
湛然先校準三領與二段的關係，說「今此雖有三文，且依二文消便」〔T34n1719 0278c13〕。二段只是隨文消釋之便，不能因此替父子安上一個實際固定的先後。對見父之由，祂又說「雖復邪求冥資正道，故使世間厭苦遂成出世善機」〔0278c18〕，把本論所說厭苦、推理、積習成善根，進一步照出世間求取如何暗中資助出世善機。
對遙見的近、遠，《記》作出明確配位：「近即華嚴中諸菩薩眾，遠即二乘」〔0279a03〕。這是鏡釋對本論二種正見的展開，不回寫成智者原句。師子床與寶几處，湛然以一几承二足說定慧同有所依，又從定名諦、從慧名境，使本論定慧、實諦、真如境的配合更清楚。
舊說部分，《記》把他方應身說歸納為「古有四失：一法身非常，二他方為此，三以應為法，四對面違教」〔0279a18〕，又另析本論後一重反駁。四失的名目及後續細分都是湛然判釋；本論自身只明說諸關係不成及此彼扣應惑亂，兩層不相冒充。
吏民僮僕處，湛然說「同異二門，跨節為同、當分為異」〔0279c03〕，再以同體、異體申其所對。香水與七淨花處，祂又把除三惑塵、菩薩行因等義展開；這些都是鏡面的細判，不下灌成本論直說，也不取代智者已列的七項及各項釋義。
王王等的第二釋容易被誤讀成窮子已經知道法、報二身，《記》特別提醒：「小機爾時豈知二身，故是述於機中不受」〔0280a25〕。換言之，疏家可以用二身說明譬義，譬中窮子卻仍只在不受之機中起畏；注釋所得不能反轉人物當下所知。
到父見子段，湛然總攝為「今設父見子譬，妙喻領佛見機而不謀恒了」〔0280b08〕。父親不是等兒子表明身分後才認出，佛對機也不是臨時推測。祂又說「如來拔苦本在與樂，子領樂已知拔苦」〔0280b14〕，把本論分別著重的驚怖與歡喜，照成拔苦、與樂本來相通而隨文互出。
對兒子忽然自來，《記》設問後答道：「雖機生由佛，感亦由生」〔0280b26〕。這既保存佛能使機生，也保存眾生之感，所以譬中仍可寄長者之語歎子自來。最後，湛然以「儻一期報謝無付故惜」〔0280b29〕申說年朽與貪惜：所惜的是一期將終而大法未付，不是長者守財。鏡面至此收束；同一行後面的遣人急追，已屬下一段。
When the poor son sees the wealthy and majestic elder from afar, his first response is not to draw near but to feel terror and regret and flee at once. When the elder sees the poor son, however, he immediately recognizes his own child, rejoices, and thinks that at last there is someone to whom his treasuries can be entrusted. Why does the same encounter appear so different to the two?
The answer is not that the bond between father and son has suddenly become two different things, nor that the elder mistakes the person he sees. The son does not yet recognize his father and measures what lies before him only by his own ability and circumstances. The father sees his son through their former connection and the capacity that has now arrived. Thus they have seen one another, but recognition is present only on the father's side. The passage unfolds each side in turn, placing adornment, fearful avoidance, joy, and fulfillment of the wish in their proper positions.
I. Three Understandings Explain What Precedes; Two Passages Explain What Is Present
The root treatise first places father and son seeing one another back within the Dharma teaching and the preceding parable. The poor son's hiring himself out to make a living proximately understands the fire seen in the burning house and remotely understands the five turbidities seen in the Dharma teaching. The father's seeing the son understands the elder's seeing the fire and what the Buddha-eye sees. The father's joy and fulfillment of his wish understand the alarm in the burning house and the arising of great compassion in the Dharma teaching. These are three understandings.
The root treatise then follows the wording and opens two passages: the son's seeing the father and the father's seeing the son. The former has four items—the reason for seeing the father, the place from which he sees him, the marks he sees, and his fearful avoidance. The latter has four—the place from which the father sees the son, recognizing him at sight, rejoicing upon seeing him, and finding that the sight fulfills his wish. The three understandings connect this passage backward to the Dharma teaching and burning-house parable; the two passages follow the two present sides of father and son. The two numbers answer different questions and do not cancel one another.
Who sees whom first must likewise be explained from two sides. From the Buddha's side, numinously luminous wisdom has long known the capacities of living beings and then gives rise to a response according to capacity, so the father is said to see the son first. From the side of living beings, a capacity capable of evoking a response arises first, and only then does the response manifest, so the son is also said to see the father first. Capacity and response are inconceivable and cannot be exhausted by one fixed sequence. The scripture separately raises the father and son so that both sides can be seen.
II. Why Does the Poor Son Reach His Father's House?
Father and son seeing one another does not begin when the father sends someone out of the gate in pursuit. It begins with the poor son's search for clothing and food. Weary of suffering and drawn to happiness, he proceeds to inquire into principle. Through gradual accumulation and habituation, he forms wholesome roots that transcend the world. Hiring himself out and passing from place to place show precisely this accumulation; happening upon the father's house shows that these wholesome roots can now evoke the Buddha's compassion. The father represents the dharma body after awakening, while the house represents objectless compassion. The poor son sets out to make a living, yet on the way he comes to his father's house.
After he reaches the house, the scripture describes both seeing from afar and standing beside the gate. The root treatise thereby shows that great and small capacities evoke the father's house at the same time. Because he has a great capacity, he can see the specially honored body from afar; because he has a small capacity, he still remains beside the gate. If he had only the small capacity, he should not see the specially honored body, nor should the father think that the treasuries can be entrusted. If he had only the great capacity, he should not remain beside the gate or regard this as a place where he cannot obtain anything through hired labor. The poor son's situation lies precisely in seeing and being unable to receive at the same time.
Beside the gate also reveals his position of seeing. The two contemplations are skillful means, like the two sides of a gate. A capacity for the Perfect middle sees directly through the gate, while the partial truth of the two vehicles can only peer obliquely at the dharma body from beside the gate through the samādhi of emptiness alone and the wisdom-eye of partial truth. Seeing from afar likewise has two levels: the great capacity has only begun to arise and remains far from the event in which stimulus calls forth a responsive manifestation; the capacity is still weak, and the response has not yet gone to meet it. “Afar” does not mean that nothing is seen, but that, though he has seen, he has not yet reached the place of correspondence.
III. Why Do the Father's Adornments Become Pressure upon the Son?
The poor son sees his father seated at ease upon a lion throne, with a jeweled footstool supporting his feet. In the meaning applied by the root treatise, the lion throne reveals the complete reward body and the dharma body resting in the principle of emptiness, free from fear of the two classes of delusion, the eight māras, and the rest. The jeweled footstool supporting his feet takes concentration and wisdom as the feet and the real truth as the stool, revealing the concentration and wisdom of nonarising resting upon the object-realm of suchness. These adornments are first the forms before the poor son's eyes; the root treatise then reveals one by one what they represent.
For the brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders surrounding the elder, the root treatise first records an old explanation and then presents the current one. The old explanation correlates the three respectively with those on the eighth ground and above, those on the seventh ground and below, and inner ordinary beings. The current explanation correlates the brahmans’ pure practice and lofty refinement with bodhisattvas at equal awakening who are free from defilement, the kṣatriya royal lineage with those from the first through the ninth grounds, and householders who are rich but not noble with the thirty minds. The two systems of stages remain in sequence and are not blended into one.
Another old explanation calls the dharma body here an impermanent dharma body and treats a responsive body from another direction that is about to respond in this land as the dharma body here. The root treatise does not adopt this, because then father and son, capacity and response, essence and function, and donning and removing could not be established, while the stimulus, connection, and responsive manifestation of great and small capacities between here and there would fall into confusion. What the root treatise explains is that the superior response responds to bodhisattvas and reveals Vairocana's specially honored body, while the inferior response responds to the Lesser Vehicle and reveals a sixteen-foot body in coarse clothing. The great and small capacities both evoke what pertains to them within one transformation; the great and small responses are not assigned to two mutually separate buddhas.
The elder's pearl necklaces represent four kinds of necklace: ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, and dhāraṇī samādhi. Their value in the tens of millions represents the merit of the forty stages adorning the dharma body. The officials, people, and servants standing in attendance have distinct and shared approaches. In the distinct gate, those who receive expedient teachings and sever shared delusions are called people, while those who receive the Distinct Teaching and sever shared delusions are called officials. In the shared gate, they remain the pāramitā of skillful means, inwardly identical with real wisdom and outwardly identical with the relevant capacities, just as officials and people have duties of inward service and outward labor.
The white fly-whisks are functions of provisional wisdom. Those on the right reveal the wisdom entering emptiness and whisk away the dust of the four abiding delusions; those on the left reveal the wisdom entering conventional existence and whisk away the dust of ignorance. Both are skillful means of the middle way. The jeweled canopy reveals true compassion, while flower banners separately reveal the four means of gathering and supernormal powers. Sprinkling scented water upon the ground reveals, on one side, Dharma-water sprinkling the bodhisattvas’ mind-ground and moistening the dust of delusion, and on the other, the water of concentration sprinkling distracted minds.
The famous flowers scattered about reveal the seven flowers of purity: purity of ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, removal of doubt, knowledge of what is and is not the path, knowledge and vision, and knowledge of severance. Ethical discipline includes the three kinds of discipline, concentration raises the Śūraṃgama and other samādhis, and wisdom is true wisdom. Purity through removing doubt means having crossed doubt concerning the two truths; purity concerning what is and is not the path means practicing what is not the path while penetrating the Buddha Way; purity of knowledge and vision means the perfection of wisdom-virtue and clear vision of buddha-nature; purity of the knowledge of severance means accomplishment of severance-virtue and the permanent ending of ignorance. The displayed treasures reveal the real qualities of the grounds, while the magnificence of light, colors and forms, and the ocean of marks reveals the Buddha Vairocana.
For the father, these are adornments of the dharma body, concentration and wisdom, compassion, wisdom, and qualities. For the poor son's present capacity, they first appear as great power and majesty unlike anything he has seen or heard. Nothing in the father's possession has changed, but what the son can receive is still weak. Thus the same adornments are wealth the father can entrust, yet on the son's side they become a force he dares not approach.
IV. Where Does the Terror Come From?
The root treatise correlates great power with the vastness of wisdom and great majesty with the vastness of supernormal powers. The poor son's terror on seeing them represents the weakness of the small capacity and its fear of the great path. Regretting that he has come here represents the Buddha's original intention to guide through the great Dharma, while the present response does not correspond to his capacity, so an intention to retreat from the Great arises. His private reflection means only that this occurs obscurely within the capacity; he is not consciously confronting the specially honored response body, still less recognizing his father.
When he guesses that the figure may be a king or the equal of a king, the root treatise first explains this through fear of Māra. Pāpīyān is the king, and his followers are the king's equals. The small capacity has never seen a form of superior response surpassing gods and humans or heard characteristics of Dharma wholly different from those of the two vehicles, and therefore suspects that these are Māra and Māra's teaching. When the three vehicles were briefly opened to reveal the one, even Śāriputra wondered whether Māra had assumed the Buddha's form to disturb his mind. If the great Dharma had met the small capacity still earlier, such fear and doubt would have been still stronger.
The root treatise gives a second explanation. The elder represented by the superior response signifies the Buddha's reward body and is therefore like the equal of a king. The dharma body is the teacher of the reward body; a teacher is like a king, and scriptures often also take Dharma as king. Wisdom accords with Dharma, and therefore the reward body is equal to Dharma. These are the Mahāyāna dharma body and reward body, not a place where the Lesser Vehicle gains benefit. The second explanation clarifies the excellence of what is seen; the first explains how the small capacity mistakes that excellence for a threat. Together they explain the poor son's fearful avoidance.
V. Why Would He Rather Go to a Poor Quarter?
The poor son's judgment that this is not a place where his hired labor can obtain anything represents the small capacity's inability to receive great transformation. He would rather go to a poor quarter because the principle that contemplates emptiness alone does not contain the myriad virtues and is not the tathāgata-garbha, yet corresponds to his present small wisdom. He therefore feels that he can work there and easily obtain clothing and food. The root treatise takes nirvāṇa with remainder as undefiled clothing and food, and also takes the practice of conduct as clothing and the practice of wisdom as food.
Remaining here long represents the immeasurable kalpas required to practice the Mahāyāna path. The poor son already fears birth and death; when he thinks that Mahāyāna practice still requires entering birth and death, he feels pressured. Pressure represents extensively studying the myriad practices, and being compelled represents being made to arouse the resolve for Mahāyāna awakening. This sequence of thoughts ends in his swift flight. He does not remain to receive the treasuries, nor is his sincerity proven by undergoing coercion. He abandons the Great, takes up the Lesser, and rapidly departs.
From seeing at a distance to fleeing swiftly, the scripture does not describe a son who lacks a title of identity. It shows that the Dharma he can receive remains far from the wealth his father wishes to entrust. The father-son relationship has long been established, and their great connection from the past has not disappeared. Yet the existence of a relationship does not mean that the son can already use the inheritance. This is why the father, though rejoicing in what follows, cannot immediately hand over the treasuries.
VI. The Father Sees More Than a Poor Man Beside the Gate
The passage on the father's seeing the son also has four items. First, the father sees his son from the lion throne, representing the Tathāgata's dharma body abiding fearlessly in the object-realm of emptiness in the ultimate meaning and clearly illuminating living beings’ capacities. Second, the father recognizes the son as soon as he sees him, knowing him to be precisely a living being who formed a connection with the great Dharma in the past. The son is still guessing that the figure may be a king or the equal of a king, but the father need not test him and knows who he is without a process of identification.
Third, the father greatly rejoices. The Buddha has continually awaited and observed the son's capacity. Now the capacity arrives and corresponds to His compassionate mind, and therefore He rejoices. The burning-house parable speaks of alarm from the side of removing suffering; this passage speaks of joy from the side of giving happiness. Both arise from great compassion, but according to the function being revealed, one emphasizes the suffering living beings are about to undergo and the other the happiness that can finally be given today.
Fourth, when the father thinks that the treasuries can now be entrusted, the sight of his son fulfills his wish. In the past, living beings retreated from the Great and took up the Lesser, seeking food in a poor quarter and struggling to sustain their lives. The father always wished to give them wealth, but could not because the capacity had not arrived. Today a capacity that can be liberated has come, precisely corresponding to the mind of great loving-kindness, and the father rejoices that the treasuries finally have a direction of entrustment. This is still the fulfillment of the father's inward wish, not the son's actual receipt of the wealth.
VII. What He Cherishes Is Not the Wealth but the Capacity for Entrustment
The father says that he constantly thought of his son because the son was not only poor and lacked the great Dharma-wealth but also wandered through birth and death under the pressure of many sufferings, causing great compassion to ache for him. Though the father wished to save him, without a capacity capable of receiving transformation there was no way to rescue him. Now a capacity that can be liberated has arisen, and so the son is said suddenly to have come of himself, precisely fulfilling the father's wish.
The father's decrepitude represents the present lifetime of teaching nearing its end. Until the great capacity appears, Dharma has no one to whom it can be entrusted; what the father fears is where future students will find liberation. He cherishes the person who can be liberated, not, like a worldly elder, the wealth he is reluctant to give his son. Now that the capacity has arrived of itself, the worry that there was no one to receive the entrustment is relieved.
Thus the joy on one side and flight on the other do not mean that this encounter has failed. From the son's side, wealth too great and marks too magnificent exceed what he can receive, and his fear accurately reveals his present capacity. From the father's side, reaching the father's house and being seen shows that their former connection and present capacity have rejoined. The father recognizes his son, yet must still wait until the son can recognize his father and receive the wealth. Father and son seeing one another is therefore neither the final entrustment nor a futile passing encounter. It is the point at which a long course of teaching can begin again.
Through the Eye of the Wenjuji
Zhanran first calibrates the relation between the three understandings and two passages, saying “Although there are three textual aspects here, for convenience in explaining the passage we follow the two”〔T34n1719 0278c13〕. The two passages are only a convenience for explaining the wording and cannot impose one fixed actual sequence upon father and son. Concerning the reason for seeing the father, he further says “Although the search is deviant, it obscurely supports the right path; thus weariness of worldly suffering finally becomes a wholesome capacity transcending the world”〔0278c18〕. This further illuminates how the root treatise's weariness of suffering, inquiry into principle, and gradual accumulation of wholesome roots allow worldly seeking obscurely to support a wholesome capacity beyond the world.
For near and far seeing, the Wenjuji gives an explicit correlation: “The near are the bodhisattva assembly in the Avataṃsaka; the far are those of the two vehicles”〔0279a03〕. This is the mirror explanation's development of the root treatise's two kinds of right seeing and is not rewritten as Master Zhiyi's own sentence. At the lion throne and jeweled footstool, Zhanran explains that one stool supports two feet, so concentration and wisdom share one support; it is called truth from the standpoint of concentration and object-realm from that of wisdom, making clearer the root treatise's correlation of concentration and wisdom, real truth, and the object-realm of suchness.
Among the old explanations, the Wenjuji summarizes the account of a responsive body from another direction as “The old account has four errors: first, making the dharma body impermanent; second, taking another direction as this one; third, taking the response body as the dharma body; and fourth, contradicting the teaching face to face”〔0279a18〕, and separately analyzes the root treatise's later refutation. The labels of the four errors and their subsequent analysis are Zhanran's judgments. The root treatise itself states only that the various relations cannot be established and that stimulus and response between here and there become confused; the two layers are not conflated.
At the officials, people, and servants, Zhanran says “In the two gates of shared and distinct, crossing stages is shared and remaining within one's own division is distinct”〔0279c03〕, then develops their referents through identity and difference of essence. At the scented water and seven pure flowers, he further unfolds removal of the dust of the three delusions, the causal practices of bodhisattvas, and related meanings. These are detailed mirror judgments. They are not poured downward as direct statements of the root treatise, nor do they replace the seven items and explanations already listed by Master Zhiyi.
The second explanation of the king and the king's equal can easily be misread as though the poor son already knew the dharma body and reward body. The Wenjuji expressly warns, “How could the small capacity at that time have known the two bodies? This therefore describes the capacity's nonacceptance”〔0280a25〕. In other words, the commentator can explain the parable through the two bodies, while the poor son within it still only feels fear in a capacity unable to accept. What the commentary knows cannot reverse what the character knows at that moment.
At the father's seeing the son, Zhanran gathers the point as “The present parable of the father's seeing the son wondrously illustrates understanding that the Buddha sees capacities, not through deliberation but by knowing them constantly”〔0280b08〕. The father does not wait for the son to state his identity before recognizing him, and the Buddha does not conjecture about a capacity only at that moment. Zhanran further says “The Tathāgata's removal of suffering is originally directed toward giving happiness; once the son understands the happiness, he knows the removal of suffering”〔0280b14〕. This illuminates the alarm and joy separately emphasized by the root treatise as removal of suffering and giving happiness, originally interrelated but raised separately according to the wording.
Concerning the son's sudden arrival of himself, the Wenjuji asks and answers: “Although the arising of capacity depends upon the Buddha, stimulus also depends upon the living being”〔0280b26〕. This preserves both the Buddha's ability to bring forth capacity and the living being's stimulus, so the elder's words in the parable may still praise the son's coming of himself. Finally, Zhanran uses “He cherishes it lest the recompense of this lifetime end with no one entrusted”〔0280b29〕 to explain decrepitude and cherishing: what is cherished is that the present lifetime may end before the great Dharma is entrusted, not that the elder guards his wealth. The mirror closes here; the sending of someone in urgent pursuit later on the same line already belongs to the next passage.
考據Apparatus
本單元消釋〈信解品〉窮子傭賃、遙見父親而畏避，以及富長者見子便識、歡喜適願兩段。智者先以火宅譬與方便法說作近、遠二領，再依行文開作子見父、父見子二段；兩段各有四項。根經、疏中所帖、他經所引與《法華文句記》鏡釋在下文分層並錄。
一、科判定位
嚴格域為大正藏 T34n1718〔0082a15–0083b17〕，共一千八百八十七個漢字。〔0082a15〕是卷題，〔0082a17〕是作者行，義科正文從 「爾時窮子傭賃」下，第二父子相見譬〔0082a18〕起。末句「故我願得適也」首字在〔0083b17〕；同一行後半「即遣傍人，急追」已轉入下一相，不納入本域。
本單元在迹門〈信解品〉譬說領解之中，先以三領建立前文對位：
| 次第 | 窮子譬 | 火宅譬 | 方便法說 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 窮子傭賃 | 所見之火 | 所見五濁 |
| 二 | 父見子 | 長者見 | 佛眼見 |
| 三 | 歡喜適願 | 驚怖 | 起大悲心 |
智者隨後說「今取文便但為二段：一、子見父，二、父見子」〔0082a27〕。三領是領解前文的三組對位，二段是本相依行文所作的開合，兩個數目各守其層。二段又各開四項：
| 段 | 四項 |
|---|---|
| 子見父 | 見父之由／見父之處／見父之相／生畏避 |
| 父見子 | 見子處／見子便識／見子歡喜／見子適願 |
依本文既有轉折，可分十科：
| 次第 | 行域 | 本論內容 |
|---|---|---|
| 一 | 0082a18–0082b01 | 父子相見總標；三領、父子前後互舉及文便二段 |
| 二 | 0082b02–0082b05 | 子見父之一：見父之由，由厭苦欣樂而成出世善根 |
| 三 | 0082b06–0082b15 | 子見父之二：見父之處；大小二機、門側與遙見二釋 |
| 四 | 0082b15–0082b19 | 子見父之三：踞師子床、寶几承足 |
| 五 | 0082b19–0082c07 | 婆羅門、剎利、居士的舊解與今解；他方應身舊說及本論破釋 |
| 六 | 0082c07–0082c16 | 真珠瓔珞、吏民僮僕、白拂與左右 |
| 七 | 0082c16–0082c28 | 寶帳、花幡、香水、七淨花、寶物與威德特尊 |
| 八 | 0082c28–0083a12 | 子見父之四：大力勢、恐怖、悔來、王王等初釋 |
| 九 | 0083a12–0083a26 | 王王等復次釋、貧里、衣食、逼迫、強使與疾走 |
| 十 | 0083a26–0083b17 | 父見子四：處、識、歡喜、適願 |
《法華文句記》對位域起於 T34n1719〔0278c08〕同行中段 「法譬」至「互舉」者，止於〔0280c02〕尚惜，故名為「雖」；同一行後半 「即遣旁人」等者 已釋下一相。鏡面與本論在此同時換科。
二、成立與傳本
本帙卷端神逈序記灌頂私記及唐天寶戊子朗和尚條倫治定；本單元所在卷端則逐字題作「妙法蓮華經文句卷第六下」〔0082a15〕，作者行作「天台智者大師說」〔0082a17〕。故義說歸智者，灌頂私記與天寶治定屬全帙傳錄層；本段不另補傳錄者名號，也不把後出鏡釋改成本論原說。
本域有八組成對校異、一枚甲本卷界附記及兩枚所傳夾註。這些材料可見現行文字有異存，卻不足復原治定以前的全部傳寫次第。正文守大正本，各讀並列，不判孰勝。
三、所帖經文與所引
（一）根經定界與本版對位
| 項目 | 對位 |
|---|---|
| 根經 | 後秦鳩摩羅什譯《妙法蓮華經》T09n0262〈信解品第四〉 |
| 本版封印對應 | canon/tiantai/fahua/treatise/04_xinjie/04_xinjie_source.md |
| 本版實位 | 第一段是原典第六行全文；第二段是第七行從行首至「猶故貪惜。』」的前綴 |
| 本相起句 | 「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍」〔T09n0262 0016c11〕 |
| 本相末句 | 「適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』」〔T09n0262 0016c25〕 |
| 下一相入口 | 同一〔0016c25〕後半「即遣傍人，急追將還」，不納入本相 |
| 行域 | 兩個連續經段，跨十五個實體行〔0016c11–0016c25〕；首尾均依同一行的義界截斷 |
窮子見父、畏避而去：
「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍，住立門側。遙見其父、踞師子床，寶机承足，諸婆羅門、剎利、居士皆恭敬圍繞，以真珠瓔珞，價直千萬，莊嚴其身；吏民、僮僕，手執白拂，侍立左右。覆以寶帳，垂諸華幡，香水灑地，散眾名華，羅列寶物，出內取與，有如是等種種嚴飾，威德特尊。窮子見父有大力勢，即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念：『此或是王，或是王等，非我傭力得物之處。不如往至貧里，肆力有地，衣食易得。若久住此，或見逼迫，強使我作。』作是念已，疾走而去。
富長者見子、歡喜適願：
「時富長者於師子座，見子便識，心大歡喜，即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付。我常思念此子，無由見之，而忽自來，甚適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』
第二段只取至閉引號；不把下一相「即遣傍人」混入。
（二）根經十五個實體行
首行剝除前相殘尾，末行截去下一相；中間各行照今本字面列出：
| 行錨 | 本相所收逐字 |
|---|---|
| 0016c11 | 「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍，住 |
| 0016c12 | 立門側。遙見其父、踞師子床，寶机承足， |
| 0016c13 | 諸婆羅門、剎利、居士皆恭敬圍繞，以真珠瓔 |
| 0016c14 | 珞，價直千萬，莊嚴其身；吏民、僮僕，手執白 |
| 0016c15 | 拂，侍立左右。覆以寶帳，垂諸華幡，香水灑 |
| 0016c16 | 地，散眾名華，羅列寶物，出內取與，有如 |
| 0016c17 | 是等種種嚴飾，威德特尊。窮子見父有大 |
| 0016c18 | 力勢，即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念：『此 |
| 0016c19 | 或是王，或是王等，非我傭力得物之處。不 |
| 0016c20 | 如往至貧里，肆力有地，衣食易得。若久 |
| 0016c21 | 住此，或見逼迫，強使我作。』作是念已，疾 |
| 0016c22 | 走而去。「時富長者於師子座，見子便識，心 |
| 0016c23 | 大歡喜，即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付。 |
| 0016c24 | 我常思念此子，無由見之，而忽自來，甚 |
| 0016c25 | 適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』 |
（三）本論所帖經語與今本
下表並錄本論的帖語、節引與根經今本；省引、異字及標點差均不改成同一形態。
| T34n1718 所帖／所釋 | T34n1718 行錨 | T09n0262 今本 | T09n0262 行錨 | 並錄點 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
爾時窮子傭賃 | 0082a18 | 世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍 | 0016c11 | 疏以短語掛科 |
傭賃展轉 | 0082b03 | 窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍 | 0016c11 | 字面相合 |
遇到父舍 | 0082b04 | 遇到父舍 | 0016c11 | 字面相合 |
住在門側 | 0082b07 | 住立門側 | 0016c11 | 在／立異 |
遙見其父 | 0082b06 | 遙見其父 | 0016c12 | 字面相合 |
踞師子床 | 0082b15 | 踞師子床 | 0016c12 | 字面相合 |
寶几承足 | 0082b18 | 寶机承足 | 0016c12 | 几／机異；今本机另有几讀 |
婆羅門／剎利／居士 | 0082b19 | 諸婆羅門、剎利、居士 | 0016c13 | 三類相合 |
真珠瓔珞 | 0082c07 | 以真珠瓔珞 | 0016c13 | 今本瓔珞另有纓絡讀 |
價直千萬 | 0082c08 | 價直千萬 | 0016c14 | 字面相合 |
吏民僮僕 | 0082c09 | 吏民、僮僕 | 0016c14 | 列舉標點有異 |
白拂／左右 | 0082c13 | 手執白拂，侍立左右 | 0016c14 | 疏分語釋之 |
覆以寶帳 | 0082c16 | 覆以寶帳 | 0016c15 | 字面相合 |
垂諸花幡 | 0082c17 | 垂諸華幡 | 0016c15 | 花／華異 |
香水灑地 | 0082c17 | 香水灑地 | 0016c15 | 字面相合 |
散眾名花 | 0082c19 | 散眾名華 | 0016c16 | 花／華異 |
羅列寶物 | 0082c25 | 羅列寶物 | 0016c16 | 字面相合 |
威德特尊 | 0082c26 | 威德特尊 | 0016c17 | 字面相合 |
窮子見父有大力勢 | 0082c28 | 窮子見父有大力勢 | 0016c17 | 字面相合 |
恐怖／悔來至此／竊作是念 | 0083a02 | 即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念 | 0016c18 | 疏逐詞分釋 |
或是王王等 | 0083a06 | 此或是王，或是王等 | 0016c18 | 疏省此及第二個或是 |
非我傭力得物之處 | 0083a16 | 非我傭力得物之處 | 0016c19 | 字面相合 |
不如往至貧里 | 0083a17 | 不如往至貧里 | 0016c19 | 跨行，首字在本行 |
肆力有地／衣食易得 | 0083a20 | 肆力有地，衣食易得 | 0016c20 | 字面相合 |
若久住此或見逼迫強使我作 | 0083a22 | 若久住此，或見逼迫，強使我作 | 0016c20 | 疏節引省標點 |
疾走 | 0083a26 | 疾走而去 | 0016c21 | 字面相合 |
時富長者 | 0083a26 | 時富長者於師子座 | 0016c22 | 疏以短語掛第二段 |
見子便識／心大歡喜 | 0083a27 | 見子便識，心大歡喜 | 0016c22 | 字面相合 |
我財物庫藏今有所付 | 0082b08 | 我財物庫藏，今有所付 | 0016c23 | 經有逗號 |
即作是念庫藏今有所付 | 0083b05 | 即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付 | 0016c23 | 疏再節引時省我財物 |
我常思念 | 0083b09 | 我常思念此子 | 0016c24 | 疏取短語 |
無由見之 | 0083b12 | 無由見之 | 0016c24 | 字面相合 |
而忽自來 | 0083b12 | 而忽自來 | 0016c24 | 字面相合 |
甚適我願 | 0083b13 | 甚適我願 | 0016c24 | 跨行，首字在本行 |
我雖年朽猶故貪惜 | 0083b13 | 我雖年朽，猶故貪惜 | 0016c25 | 疏節引省逗號 |
（四）近領火宅與遠領方便
| 本論領解語 | 本論行錨 | T09n0262 今本 | 今本行錨 | 性質 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
火宅中見火／火宅長者見／火宅中驚怖 | 0082a19–0082a22 | 長者見是大火從四面起，即大驚怖 | 0012b19 | 〈譬喻品〉火宅長行 |
方便中五濁意 | 0082a19 | 諸佛出於五濁惡世，所謂劫濁、煩惱濁、眾生濁、見濁、命濁 | 0007b23 | 〈方便品〉五濁長行 |
法說中佛眼見也 | 0082a21 | 舍利弗當知！我以佛眼觀，見六道眾生 | 0009b25 | 〈方便品〉偈 |
法說中起大悲心 | 0082a22 | 為是眾生故，而起大悲心 | 0009c03 | 〈方便品〉偈 |
（五）本論引《法華經》他處
| 本論所傳 | 本論行錨 | T09n0262 今本 | 今本行錨 | 並錄 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
身子狐疑將非魔作佛惱亂我心耶？ | 0083a10 | 將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？ | 0011a21 | 疏前加敘述主語，經偈有逗號 |
諸經多名是經王 | 0083a13 | 是諸經之王，聞已諦思惟 | 0032a16 | 今本明見諸經之王；本論語是概括，不硬合為單一逐字引 |
（六）《華嚴》引語與指針
本論明標《華嚴》的句子及今本近見證如下：
| 層位 | 原句／今本 | 行錨 | 記錄 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所傳 | 《華嚴》說第一義空，四無所畏為床也。 | 0082b17 | 本論明標《華嚴》 |
| T09n0278 近見證 | 令一切眾生得師子座，具足如來無畏之座。 | 0501b06 | 見師子座、無畏之座；不含本論完整句 |
| T10n0279 近見證 | 願一切眾生得師子床座，常如如來右脇而臥。 | 0137a17 | 見師子床座；不含本論完整句 |
在本地大正藏以第一義空與四無所畏、為床的同句組合檢索，未定位到 T278、T279 的逐字同句；故只列近見證，不判本論引法的來源形態。
本論另有兩條比較性指針：
| 本論逐字 | 行錨 | 性質 |
|---|---|---|
今經明常住醍醐與《涅槃》等，法身圓頓與《華嚴》等 | 0082c01 | 比較性來源指針，不是引號內逐字引文 |
悉指《華嚴》中眷屬皆無異也，所說法相如彼所明亦復無別 | 0082c02 | 指《華嚴》眷屬與法相；本段未給可逐字並列的單句 |
《法華文句記》又對相海指出兩品：
| 層位 | 鏡文逐字 | 行錨 | 今本對位 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 鏡釋 | 全指《華嚴．如來相海品》，及以〈隨好光明品〉 | 0280a12 | T09n0278「如來相海品第二十九」〔0601a21〕；T10n0279「如來十身相海品第三十四」〔0251b24〕、「如來隨好光明功德品第三十五」〔0255c11〕 |
| 鏡釋 | 毘盧遮那具足十蓮華藏世界海微塵數相，一一皆以妙相莊嚴 | 0280a13 | T10n0279「毘盧遮那如來有如是等十華藏世界海微塵數大人相；一一身分，眾寶妙相以為莊嚴。」〔0255c08〕 |
鏡文作十蓮華藏，T279 今本作十華藏；兩形並錄。
（七）《淨名》引語
| 層位 | 原句／今本 | 行錨 | 字面差 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1718 所傳 | 《淨名》云「能以貧所得法，度斯下劣」也。 | 0083a18 | 能以／所得／度斯下劣 |
| T14n0475 今本 | 乃以貧所樂法度脫眾生 | 0553a17 | 乃以／所樂／度脫眾生 |
本論所傳與今本各守其字，不以今本靜默改寫疏文。
（八）《法華文句記》引《大論》
| 層位 | 原句／今本 | 行錨 | 字面差 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T34n1719 鏡引 | 故《大論》云：「佛為人中師子，故佛所坐名師子座，佛之所說名師子吼。」 | 0279a07 | 兩句並列 |
| T25n1509 今本 | 佛為人中師子，佛所坐處若床若地，皆名「師子座」。 | 0111b03 | 有若床若地；此處未接佛之所說名師子吼 |
本地 T25n1509 未見鏡引末句的逐字同句；只記異同，不判鏡文引法。
（九）鏡文的其餘來源指針
| 鏡文逐字 | 行錨 | 來源層次 |
|---|---|---|
如《止觀》明感應意中 | 0278c10 | 指《摩訶止觀》感應意，未給逐字引號 |
具如《止觀》第三 | 0279a12 | 指《摩訶止觀》第三，未給逐字引號 |
總如《玄》文十妙引諸文證 | 0279b14 | 指《法華玄義》十妙，未給逐字引號 |
縱有經云諸經之王，不云已今當說最為第一 | 0280b04 | T0262 今本分見「是諸經之王」〔0032a16〕、「我所說諸經，而於此經中，法華最第一」〔0031b14〕、「已說、今說、當說」〔0031b17〕；鏡文是合述，不偽作今本一條連句 |
（十）根經校記與外字
| 類別 | 行錨 | 並錄 |
|---|---|---|
| 根經校異 | 0016c12 | 机【大】／几【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【博】 |
| 根經校異 | 0016c13 | 瓔珞【大】／纓絡【博】；瓔珞跨至下一行，行錨取首字實位 |
| 根經外字 | — | 本相嚴格根經域沒有外字標記 |
四、文句記釋要〔鏡〕
湛然的鏡釋從父子前後互舉開始，連續覆蓋子見父四項與父見子四項。下表依本論十科列出骨幹；每項均屬鏡釋，不改作智者原說。
| 本論節點 | 《法華文句記》逐字要句與行錨 | 鏡中所明 |
|---|---|---|
| 三領與二段 | 「今此雖有三文，且依二文消便，非即二文使見有前後」〔T34n1719 0278c13〕 | 三文、二文是消文層次，不建立實際先後 |
| 見父之由 | 「雖復邪求冥資正道，故使世間厭苦遂成出世善機」〔0278c18〕 | 申說傭賃、展轉與善機 |
| 見父之處 | 「近即華嚴中諸菩薩眾，遠即二乘」〔0279a03〕 | 申說近見、遠見；配位屬鏡 |
| 師子床與寶几 | 「一几承於二足，定慧所依無殊」〔0279a11〕 | 申本論定慧、實諦之釋 |
| 舊解與今解 | 「古有四失：一法身非常，二他方為此，三以應為法，四對面違教」〔0279a18〕 | 把舊說分作四失；四目屬鏡 |
| 瓔珞與侍從 | 「同異二門，跨節為同、當分為異」〔0279c03〕 | 申同門、異門的比較層次 |
| 帳、幡、香水與相海 | 「華表因嚴、寶表果德」〔0280a08〕；「全指《華嚴．如來相海品》，及以〈隨好光明品〉」〔0280a12〕 | 申花、寶及相海來源 |
| 見父畏避 | 「小機爾時豈知二身，故是述於機中不受」〔0280a25〕 | 說明王王等復次釋不是窮子明知二身 |
| 肆與王王等 | 「肆」者，放也、泄也、申也〔0280b06〕 | 三訓均屬鏡文 |
| 父見子四 | 「今設父見子譬，妙喻領佛見機而不謀恒了」〔0280b08〕 | 申父見子之所以異於子見父 |
| 歡喜與驚怖 | 「如來拔苦本在與樂，子領樂已知拔苦，二處義同隨文互出」〔0280b14〕 | 申兩譬互出，仍不改本論拔苦、與樂明配 |
| 自來、年朽與貪惜 | 「雖機生由佛，感亦由生」〔0280b26〕；「儻一期報謝無付故惜」〔0280b29〕 | 回答何以稱自來，並申後期未付之惜 |
本鏡面沒有為大力、大勢，恐怖、悔來至此、竊作是念、非我傭力之處、久住、逼迫、強使、疾走、見子便識、無由見之及甚適我願另立逐詞訓釋；相關處只有鄰近總釋。
五、諸家異釋
本論嚴格域中「舊云」實有兩處；「有人云」「或言」「一云」「解者不同」均未見。第一處引出婆羅門、剎利、居士的舊配位，後兩項依同一列舉句法承接：
| 支 | 聲部 | 本論逐字 | 行錨 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 舊解 | 「婆羅門」，舊云，高良大姓，八地已上也。 | 0082b19 |
| 二 | 舊解承接 | 「剎利」者，七地已還也。 | 0082b20 |
| 三 | 舊解承接 | 「居士」，內凡夫等。 | 0082b21 |
本論後出的今解另作：
| 類別 | 本論今解 | 行錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 婆羅門 | 「婆羅門名淨行，貴族高潔即等覺離垢菩薩也」 | 0082c04 |
| 剎利 | 「剎利即是王種，九地已下初地已上也」 | 0082c05 |
| 居士 | 「居士富而不貴，即三十心也」 | 0082c06 |
第二處是他方應身舊說、本論破釋與今解：
| 支 | 聲部 | 本論逐字 | 行錨 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一 | 舊解 | 「舊云，此經中明法身，非常住法身也，乃是他方應身將應此土，即為此間之法身，故有內凡諸人圍遶。」 | 0082b21 |
| 二 | 本論破一 | 「今謂不爾，若作他方佛者，子父機應體用著脫，皆不成，如前說。」 | 0082b24 |
| 三 | 本論破二 | 「又不容小機扣此、大機扣彼，亦不應結大緣於彼、結小緣於此，亦不應雙結在此、雙應在彼，如是大惑亂。」 | 0082b25 |
| 四 | 本論今解 | 「今明勝應應菩薩，即盧舍那尊特身，大機所扣者也；劣應應小乘，丈六弊衣，小機所扣者也。」 | 0082b28 |
《法華文句記》後來把舊師所指明作彌陀，並分四失、三失；這是湛然判語，不回填成本論已點名之說。
本論對「王王等」又自列兩路。這一組不是外家標誌語所引的異說，卻是同一經語的兩釋，故仍並列：
| 釋次 | 本論逐字 | 行錨 |
|---|---|---|
| 初釋 | 「或是王王等」者，波旬是王，徒輩為等，小機灰斷無言說道絕於色像，既見勝應之像，非天人所及，所說法相逈異二乘，小智薄德未曾見聞，便謂是魔是魔所說。略開三顯一，身子狐疑將非魔作佛惱亂我心耶？若初用大逗小疑佛為魔，有過今日也。 | 0083a06 |
| 復次釋 | 「復次勝應譬長者，長者即表報身佛，故是王等，法身是報師，師即如王，諸經多名是經王，智契於法即是智與法等，故名報佛為等，此乃大乘法報，非是小乘得益之處，故或是王王等也。」 | 0083a12 |
六、術語
| 詞語 | 本論義位 |
|---|---|
| 機應 | 就佛說靈智先知、機後起應；就眾生說先機後應；又說不可思議、不後不前而前後互舉 |
| 傭賃展轉 | 厭苦欣樂、推求理味，漸積而成出世善根 |
| 父舍 | 父譬道後法身，舍譬無緣慈悲 |
| 門側／門二邊 | 二觀為方便，圓中之機當門正見，二乘偏真在側 |
| 遙 | 正見有近、遠二種；本段又以大機始發而事遠、機微而應未赴作兩釋 |
| 師子床 | 圓報法身安處空理，離二惑、八魔之畏 |
| 寶几承足 | 定慧為足，實諦為几，無生定慧依真如境 |
| 勝應／劣應 | 勝應應菩薩，為盧舍那尊特身；劣應應小乘，為丈六弊衣 |
| 四瓔珞 | 戒、定、慧、陀羅尼三昧；末項依本文句法合讀 |
| 同門／異門 | 解吏民僮僕的兩路；異門再分民、吏，同門回到方便波羅蜜 |
| 左右 | 右為入空智用，拂四住塵；左為入假智用，拂無知塵 |
| 七淨花 | 戒、定、慧、斷疑、道非道、知見淨、斷知淨 |
| 大力／大勢 | 智大名大力，神通大名大勢 |
| 王王等 | 初釋以波旬為王、徒輩為等；復次以法身如王、報佛為等 |
| 貧里 | 但空之理不含萬德，非如來藏 |
| 衣食 | 有餘涅槃無漏衣食；本文傳作「行行衣惠行食」 |
| 久住／逼迫／強使 | 行大乘道經無量劫／廣學萬行／發大乘菩提心 |
| 父見子處 | 師子床，即第一義空無畏之境 |
| 驚怖／歡喜 | 火宅拔苦故驚怖，本譬與樂故歡喜 |
| 年朽／貪惜 | 一期化訖／大法未委付而憂將來之徒 |
本域逐字未見五時八教、化儀、化法、藏通別圓、迹門十妙、本門十妙、一念三千七個後世約詞。
七、譬喻・互讀・承衍
本相最顯著的張力，是同一場相見在父、子兩邊並不相同。窮子遙見富盛莊嚴，只感到大力大勢，遂生恐怖而疾走；長者卻見子便識，歡喜自己終有可付庫藏之人。子未認父，父已識子；物理上同在一處，機與應的敘述位置卻不同。
門側、師子床、寶几、瓔珞、白拂、寶帳、花幡、香水、名花與寶物，先是根經譬喻中的可見物件，本論才逐項配釋。互讀本倉〈信解品〉原典時，應先保留窮子所見的富盛場景，再看智者如何以法身、定慧、慈悲、權智、四攝、神通與七淨解其莊嚴；譬事與所合之法不互相取代。
本相開頭近領〈譬喻品〉火宅長者見火而驚怖，遠領〈方便品〉佛眼見與起大悲心；父見子段又明說驚怖屬拔苦、歡喜屬與樂。兩段把前文法說、譬說帶入聲聞自領之中，正可與同品窮子長譬前後互讀。
與《法華玄義》互讀，可見教相所立之旨如何在逐句消文中落到機應、權實與本迹；與《摩訶止觀》互讀，只取感應與觀心的穩定接點。《法華玄贊》與本論同釋一經，可在同一根經句上並觀慈恩、天台兩鏡。本相承衍至下一段「即遣傍人」時，父已見子、識子、歡喜而適願；追取與試作均尚未發生。
八、校本定位
（一）本論八組【大】／【甲】校異
| 校記號 | 行錨 | 【大】 | 【甲】 | 短境 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0082004 | 0082b01 | 之 | 甲本缺 | 見父之相 |
| 0082005 | 0082b05 | 緣 | 緣大 | 無緣慈悲 |
| 0082006 | 0082b08 | 尊特 | 特尊 | 尊特之身 |
| 0082007 | 0082b17 | 云 | 言 | 故云踞師子床 |
| 0082008 | 0082c08 | 者 | 甲本缺 | 價直千萬者 |
| 0082009 | 0082c18 | 法 | 法身 | 降注法水 |
| 0083001 | 0083b13 | 大 | 本 | 稱大悲心 |
| 0083002 | 0083b17 | 也 | 甲本缺 | 願得適也 |
0082007 的校記文字作「云【大】＊，言【甲】＊」，但原始校記仍是普通編號成對式；星號只是校記文字的一部分，本域沒有另以 corresp 回掛的星號校。成對校異之外，另有一枚單邊附記：
| 附記號 | 行錨 | 逐字 | 性質 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0082003 | 0082a18 | 不分卷【甲】 | 甲本卷界附記；沒有正文、異讀兩欄 |
本域沒有『首字……末字、若干字』的省略式校記。故本論校勘分母為八組成對校異加一枚單邊附記，不另增一組星號校。
（二）所傳夾註
| 行錨 | 讀者形逐字 | 所在短境 |
|---|---|---|
| 0082c16 | 〔云云〕 | 故言侍立〔云云〕 |
| 0082c26 | 〔云云〕 | 出內如前釋〔云云〕 |
兩枚均是隨文夾註；不展補省略內容，也不與正文抹平成連文。
（三）外字、目錄與頁錨
T34n1718 本論域、T34n1719 鏡面域及 T09n0262 根經域的外字標記均為零。此零值只限各自嚴格域，不外推全帙。
全帙目錄題有兩形：〈序品〉不冠釋字，其餘二十七品冠釋字；本單元是〈信解品〉內的次級切分，不另占一品。讀者原典採換頁一枚、段首行內精錨，本域在〔T34 0082a15〕與〔T34 0083a26〕標示頁面、段落轉換。考據中的每條逐字引文則另取引句首字前最近的大正藏行標；讀者頁錨不能代替引文首字實位。
This unit explains two passages in the “Faith and Understanding” chapter: the poor son's hiring himself out, seeing his father from afar, and fearfully avoiding him; and the wealthy elder's recognizing his son at sight, rejoicing, and finding his wish fulfilled. Master Zhiyi first takes the burning-house parable and the Skillful Means Dharma teaching as the proximate and remote understandings, then follows the wording and opens two passages, the son's seeing the father and the father's seeing the son, each with four items. The root scripture, passages attached in the commentary, citations from other scriptures, and mirror explanations from the Fahua Wenjuji are recorded below in separate layers.
I. Doctrinal-Outline Placement
The strict domain is Taishō T34n1718〔0082a15–0083b17〕 and comprises 1,887 Han characters. 〔0082a15〕 is the fascicle title and 〔0082a17〕 the attribution line. The doctrinal division begins with 「爾時窮子傭賃」 tr. “‘At that time the poor son hired himself out’” followed by 下，第二父子相見譬 tr. “from this onward is the second parable, father and son seeing one another”〔0082a18〕. The first graph of the final sentence 「故我願得適也」 tr. “Therefore my wish has been fulfilled” is at 〔0083b17〕. The words 「即遣傍人，急追」 tr. “immediately dispatched an attendant in urgent pursuit” later on the same line have already turned to the next episode and are excluded from this domain.
Within the Trace Gate's explanation of understanding through parable in the “Faith and Understanding” chapter, this unit first establishes three preceding correspondences:
| Sequence | Poor-Son Parable | Burning-House Parable | Skillful Means Dharma Teaching |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | The poor son hires himself out | The fire that is seen | The five turbidities that are seen |
| II | The father sees the son | The elder sees | The Buddha-eye sees |
| III | Joy and fulfillment of the wish | Alarm | The arising of great compassion |
Master Zhiyi then says 「今取文便但為二段：一、子見父，二、父見子」 tr. “Now, for convenience in following the text, there are only two passages: first, the son sees the father; second, the father sees the son”〔0082a27〕. The three understandings are three sets of correspondences that understand the preceding text, while the two passages are the divisions made according to the wording of the present episode; each number remains in its own layer. Each of the two passages again opens into four items:
| Passage | Four Items |
|---|---|
| The son sees the father | Reason for seeing the father / place from which he sees the father / marks of the father he sees / fearful avoidance arises |
| The father sees the son | Place from which he sees the son / recognizing the son at sight / rejoicing upon seeing the son / seeing the son fulfill his wish |
Following the transitions already present in the text, the domain can be divided into ten sections:
| Sequence | Line Domain | Root-Treatise Content |
|---|---|---|
| I | 0082a18–0082b01 | General heading of father and son seeing one another; three understandings, mutually raising the father and son as earlier and later, and the two passages adopted for textual convenience |
| II | 0082b02–0082b05 | The son's seeing the father, first: the reason for seeing him; through rejecting suffering and seeking happiness he forms wholesome roots transcending the world |
| III | 0082b06–0082b15 | The son's seeing the father, second: the place of seeing; great and small capacities, beside the gate, and two explanations of seeing from afar |
| IV | 0082b15–0082b19 | The son's seeing the father, third: seated upon a lion throne with a jeweled footstool supporting his feet |
| V | 0082b19–0082c07 | Old and present explanations of brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders; the old account of a responsive body from another direction and the root treatise's refutation and explanation |
| VI | 0082c07–0082c16 | Pearl necklaces, officials and people, servants, white fly-whisks, and left and right |
| VII | 0082c16–0082c28 | Jeweled canopy, flower banners, scented water, seven pure flowers, treasures, and majesty most specially honored |
| VIII | 0082c28–0083a12 | The son's seeing the father, fourth: great power and majesty, terror, regretting his arrival, and the first explanation of king and king's equal |
| IX | 0083a12–0083a26 | Further explanation of king and king's equal, the poor quarter, clothing and food, pressure, compulsion, and swift flight |
| X | 0083a26–0083b17 | Four items in the father's seeing the son: place, recognition, joy, and fulfillment of the wish |
The corresponding Fahua Wenjuji domain begins in the middle of the same line at T34n1719〔0278c08〕 with 「法譬」 tr. “‘Dharma and parable’” 至 tr. “through” 「互舉」 tr. “‘mutually raised’” 者 and ends at 〔0280c02〕 with 尚惜，故名為「雖」 tr. “still cherishes it, and therefore it says ‘although.’” The words 「即遣旁人」等者 tr. “as for ‘immediately dispatched an attendant’ and so forth,” later on the same line, already explain the next episode. The mirror and root treatise change divisions together here.
II. Formation and Transmission
Shenjiong's preface at the head of the work records Guanding's private record and its ordered redaction by Master Lang in the wuxu year of the Tang Tianbao era. The fascicle containing this unit bears the exact title 「妙法蓮華經文句卷第六下」 tr. “Words and Phrases of the Sutra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma, Fascicle Six, Lower”〔0082a15〕, followed by the attribution 「天台智者大師說」 tr. “spoken by the Great Master Zhiyi of Tiantai”〔0082a17〕. Thus the doctrinal teaching belongs to Master Zhiyi, while Guanding's private record and the Tianbao redaction belong to the transmission layer of the whole work. This passage does not add the recorder's name anew, nor are later mirror explanations rewritten as original statements of the root treatise.
This domain has eight paired variants, one unilateral fascicle-boundary note from witness A, and two transmitted inline notes. These materials show that the current text has variant witnesses, but they are insufficient to reconstruct the entire transmission sequence preceding the ordered redaction. The body follows the Taishō edition; the readings are recorded side by side without adjudication.
III. Sutra Passages Explained and Works Cited
1. Root-Scripture Boundary and Alignment in This Edition
| Item | Alignment |
|---|---|
| Root scripture | The “Faith and Understanding” chapter, Chapter Four, in Kumārajīva's Later Qin translation of the Sutra of the Lotus Blossom of the Wondrous Dharma, T09n0262 |
| Sealed counterpart in this edition | canon/tiantai/fahua/treatise/04_xinjie/04_xinjie_source.md |
| Actual position in this edition | The first passage is the complete sixth line of the source; the second is the prefix of the seventh line from its beginning through 「猶故貪惜。』」 tr. “‘still cherishes it’” |
| Opening sentence of this episode | 「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍」 tr. “World-Honored One! At that time the poor son hired himself out and, passing from place to place, happened to reach his father's house”〔T09n0262 0016c11〕 |
| Final sentence of this episode | 「適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』」 tr. “It fulfills my wish. Although I am old and decrepit, I still cherish it’”〔T09n0262 0016c25〕 |
| Entrance to the next episode | The words 「即遣傍人，急追將還」 tr. “immediately dispatched an attendant in urgent pursuit to bring him back,” later on the same〔0016c25〕, are excluded from this episode |
| Line domain | Two consecutive scriptural passages spanning fifteen physical lines〔0016c11–0016c25〕; both beginning and end are cut at doctrinal boundaries within a line |
The poor son sees his father and fearfully withdraws:
「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍，住立門側。遙見其父、踞師子床，寶机承足，諸婆羅門、剎利、居士皆恭敬圍繞，以真珠瓔珞，價直千萬，莊嚴其身；吏民、僮僕，手執白拂，侍立左右。覆以寶帳，垂諸華幡，香水灑地，散眾名華，羅列寶物，出內取與，有如是等種種嚴飾，威德特尊。窮子見父有大力勢，即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念：『此或是王，或是王等，非我傭力得物之處。不如往至貧里，肆力有地，衣食易得。若久住此，或見逼迫，強使我作。』作是念已，疾走而去。 — tr. “World-Honored One! At that time the poor son hired himself out and, passing from place to place, happened to reach his father's house, where he stood beside the gate. From afar he saw his father seated upon a lion throne, with a jeweled footstool supporting his feet. Brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders all respectfully surrounded him. Pearl necklaces worth tens of millions adorned his body; officials, people, and servants stood in attendance on the left and right holding white fly-whisks. A jeweled canopy covered him, various flower banners hung down, scented water was sprinkled on the ground, famous flowers were scattered, and treasures arrayed. With all these various adornments, his majesty was most specially honored. When the poor son saw his father's great power and majesty, he became terrified and regretted coming there. He privately thought: ‘This may be a king or the equal of a king, not a place where my hired labor can obtain anything. I would do better to go to a poor quarter, where I have a place to apply my strength and clothing and food are easily obtained. If I remain here long, I may be pressured and compelled to work.’ Having formed this thought, he fled at once.”
The wealthy elder sees his son, rejoices, and finds his wish fulfilled:
「時富長者於師子座，見子便識，心大歡喜，即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付。我常思念此子，無由見之，而忽自來，甚適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』 — tr. “At that time the wealthy elder, from his lion throne, saw his son and recognized him at once. His mind greatly rejoiced, and he formed this thought: ‘My wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted. I constantly thought of this son but had no way to see him, and now he has suddenly come of himself, greatly fulfilling my wish. Although I am old and decrepit, I still cherish it.’”
The second passage ends at the closing quotation mark; the next episode's 「即遣傍人」 tr. “immediately dispatched an attendant” is not included.
2. The Root Scripture's Fifteen Physical Lines
The residual ending of the preceding episode is removed from the first line, and the next episode is cut from the last line; the intervening lines are recorded according to the wording of the present text:
| Anchor | Verbatim Wording Included in This Episode and Translation |
|---|---|
| 0016c11 | 「世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍，住 tr. “‘World-Honored One! At that time the poor son hired himself out and, passing from place to place, happened to reach his father's house, where he” |
| 0016c12 | 立門側。遙見其父、踞師子床，寶机承足， tr. “stood beside the gate. From afar he saw his father seated upon a lion throne, with a jeweled footstool supporting his feet” |
| 0016c13 | 諸婆羅門、剎利、居士皆恭敬圍繞，以真珠瓔 tr. “Brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders all respectfully surrounded him, and pearl neck-” |
| 0016c14 | 珞，價直千萬，莊嚴其身；吏民、僮僕，手執白 tr. “laces worth tens of millions adorned his body. Officials, people, and servants held white” |
| 0016c15 | 拂，侍立左右。覆以寶帳，垂諸華幡，香水灑 tr. “fly-whisks and stood in attendance on the left and right. A jeweled canopy covered him, various flower banners hung down, and scented water was sprinkled” |
| 0016c16 | 地，散眾名華，羅列寶物，出內取與，有如 tr. “on the ground; famous flowers were scattered, treasures arrayed, and goods taken out and put in, given and received. With” |
| 0016c17 | 是等種種嚴飾，威德特尊。窮子見父有大 tr. “these and other various adornments, his majesty was most specially honored. The poor son saw that his father had great” |
| 0016c18 | 力勢，即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念：『此 tr. “power and majesty and immediately became terrified, regretting that he had come there. He privately thought: ‘This” |
| 0016c19 | 或是王，或是王等，非我傭力得物之處。不 tr. “may be a king or the equal of a king, not a place where my hired labor can obtain anything. I would” |
| 0016c20 | 如往至貧里，肆力有地，衣食易得。若久 tr. “do better to go to a poor quarter, where I have a place to apply my strength and clothing and food are easily obtained. If I remain” |
| 0016c21 | 住此，或見逼迫，強使我作。』作是念已，疾 tr. “here, I may be pressured and compelled to work.’ Having formed this thought, he” |
| 0016c22 | 走而去。「時富長者於師子座，見子便識，心 tr. “fled at once. ‘At that time the wealthy elder, from his lion throne, saw his son, recognized him at once, and his mind” |
| 0016c23 | 大歡喜，即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付。 tr. “greatly rejoiced. He formed this thought: ‘My wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted” |
| 0016c24 | 我常思念此子，無由見之，而忽自來，甚 tr. “I constantly thought of this son but had no way to see him, and now he has suddenly come of himself, greatly” |
| 0016c25 | 適我願。我雖年朽，猶故貪惜。』 tr. “fulfilling my wish. Although I am old and decrepit, I still cherish it’” |
3. Root-Scripture Phrases Attached by the Root Treatise and the Present Text
The following table records side by side the phrases attached or excerpted by the root treatise and the present root scripture; omissions, variant graphs, and punctuation differences are not made uniform.
| T34n1718 Attachment or Explanation | T34n1718 Anchor | Present T09n0262 | T09n0262 Anchor | Point Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
爾時窮子傭賃 tr. “At that time the poor son hired himself out” | 0082a18 | 世尊！爾時窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍 tr. “World-Honored One! At that time the poor son hired himself out and, passing from place to place, happened to reach his father's house” | 0016c11 | The commentary attaches its division with a short phrase |
傭賃展轉 tr. “hired himself out and passed from place to place” | 0082b03 | 窮子傭賃展轉遇到父舍 tr. “the poor son hired himself out and, passing from place to place, happened to reach his father's house” | 0016c11 | Wording agrees |
遇到父舍 tr. “happened to reach his father's house” | 0082b04 | 遇到父舍 tr. “happened to reach his father's house” | 0016c11 | Wording agrees |
住在門側 tr. “dwelt beside the gate” | 0082b07 | 住立門側 tr. “stood beside the gate” | 0016c11 | “Dwelt” / “stood” differ |
遙見其父 tr. “saw his father from afar” | 0082b06 | 遙見其父 tr. “saw his father from afar” | 0016c12 | Wording agrees |
踞師子床 tr. “seated upon a lion throne” | 0082b15 | 踞師子床 tr. “seated upon a lion throne” | 0016c12 | Wording agrees |
寶几承足 tr. “a jeweled footstool supporting his feet” | 0082b18 | 寶机承足 tr. “a jeweled footstool supporting his feet” | 0016c12 | The graphs 几 and 机 differ; the present text also has a 几 reading |
婆羅門／剎利／居士 tr. “brahmans / kṣatriyas / householders” | 0082b19 | 諸婆羅門、剎利、居士 tr. “the brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders” | 0016c13 | The three classes agree |
真珠瓔珞 tr. “pearl necklaces” | 0082c07 | 以真珠瓔珞 tr. “with pearl necklaces” | 0016c13 | The present text also has the reading 纓絡 |
價直千萬 tr. “worth tens of millions” | 0082c08 | 價直千萬 tr. “worth tens of millions” | 0016c14 | Wording agrees |
吏民僮僕 tr. “officials, people, and servants” | 0082c09 | 吏民、僮僕 tr. “officials and people, and servants” | 0016c14 | Enumerative punctuation differs |
白拂／左右 tr. “white fly-whisks / left and right” | 0082c13 | 手執白拂，侍立左右 tr. “held white fly-whisks and stood in attendance on the left and right” | 0016c14 | The commentary explains the phrases separately |
覆以寶帳 tr. “covered by a jeweled canopy” | 0082c16 | 覆以寶帳 tr. “covered by a jeweled canopy” | 0016c15 | Wording agrees |
垂諸花幡 tr. “various flower banners hung down” | 0082c17 | 垂諸華幡 tr. “various flower banners hung down” | 0016c15 | The graphs 花 and 華 differ |
香水灑地 tr. “scented water sprinkled on the ground” | 0082c17 | 香水灑地 tr. “scented water sprinkled on the ground” | 0016c15 | Wording agrees |
散眾名花 tr. “scattered various famous flowers” | 0082c19 | 散眾名華 tr. “scattered various famous flowers” | 0016c16 | The graphs 花 and 華 differ |
羅列寶物 tr. “arrayed treasures” | 0082c25 | 羅列寶物 tr. “arrayed treasures” | 0016c16 | Wording agrees |
威德特尊 tr. “majesty most specially honored” | 0082c26 | 威德特尊 tr. “majesty most specially honored” | 0016c17 | Wording agrees |
窮子見父有大力勢 tr. “the poor son saw that his father had great power and majesty” | 0082c28 | 窮子見父有大力勢 tr. “the poor son saw that his father had great power and majesty” | 0016c17 | Wording agrees |
恐怖／悔來至此／竊作是念 tr. “terror / regretting coming there / privately formed this thought” | 0083a02 | 即懷恐怖，悔來至此。竊作是念 tr. “immediately became terrified, regretted coming there, and privately formed this thought” | 0016c18 | The commentary explains each phrase |
或是王王等 tr. “perhaps a king or the equal of a king” | 0083a06 | 此或是王，或是王等 tr. “this may be a king or the equal of a king” | 0016c18 | The commentary omits “this” and the second “perhaps” |
非我傭力得物之處 tr. “not a place where my hired labor can obtain anything” | 0083a16 | 非我傭力得物之處 tr. “not a place where my hired labor can obtain anything” | 0016c19 | Wording agrees |
不如往至貧里 tr. “I would do better to go to a poor quarter” | 0083a17 | 不如往至貧里 tr. “I would do better to go to a poor quarter” | 0016c19 | Crosses a line; the first graph is on this line |
肆力有地／衣食易得 tr. “a place to apply my strength / clothing and food easily obtained” | 0083a20 | 肆力有地，衣食易得 tr. “a place to apply my strength, with clothing and food easily obtained” | 0016c20 | Wording agrees |
若久住此或見逼迫強使我作 tr. “if I remain here long, I may be pressured and compelled to work” | 0083a22 | 若久住此，或見逼迫，強使我作 tr. “if I remain here long, I may be pressured and compelled to work” | 0016c20 | The commentary's excerpt omits punctuation |
疾走 tr. “fled at once” | 0083a26 | 疾走而去 tr. “fled at once and departed” | 0016c21 | Wording agrees |
時富長者 tr. “at that time the wealthy elder” | 0083a26 | 時富長者於師子座 tr. “at that time the wealthy elder, from his lion throne” | 0016c22 | The commentary attaches the second passage with a short phrase |
見子便識／心大歡喜 tr. “recognized the son at sight / his mind greatly rejoiced” | 0083a27 | 見子便識，心大歡喜 tr. “recognized his son at sight, and his mind greatly rejoiced” | 0016c22 | Wording agrees |
我財物庫藏今有所付 tr. “my wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted” | 0082b08 | 我財物庫藏，今有所付 tr. “my wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted” | 0016c23 | The scripture has a comma |
即作是念庫藏今有所付 tr. “he immediately formed this thought: the treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted” | 0083b05 | 即作是念：『我財物庫藏，今有所付 tr. “he immediately formed this thought: ‘My wealth and treasuries now have someone to whom they can be entrusted” | 0016c23 | On reciting it again, the commentary omits “my wealth” |
我常思念 tr. “I constantly thought” | 0083b09 | 我常思念此子 tr. “I constantly thought of this son” | 0016c24 | The commentary takes a short phrase |
無由見之 tr. “had no way to see him” | 0083b12 | 無由見之 tr. “had no way to see him” | 0016c24 | Wording agrees |
而忽自來 tr. “and suddenly came of himself” | 0083b12 | 而忽自來 tr. “and suddenly came of himself” | 0016c24 | Wording agrees |
甚適我願 tr. “greatly fulfills my wish” | 0083b13 | 甚適我願 tr. “greatly fulfills my wish” | 0016c24 | Crosses a line; the first graph is on this line |
我雖年朽猶故貪惜 tr. “although I am old and decrepit, I still cherish it” | 0083b13 | 我雖年朽，猶故貪惜 tr. “although I am old and decrepit, I still cherish it” | 0016c25 | The commentary's excerpt omits the comma |
4. Proximate Understanding of the Burning House and Remote Understanding of Skillful Means
| Root-Treatise Understanding | Root-Treatise Anchor | Present T09n0262 and Translation | Present-Text Anchor | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
火宅中見火 tr. “seeing the fire in the burning house” / 火宅長者見 tr. “the burning-house elder sees” / 火宅中驚怖 tr. “alarm in the burning house” | 0082a19–0082a22 | 長者見是大火從四面起，即大驚怖 tr. “The elder saw this great fire rising from four sides and became greatly alarmed” | 0012b19 | Prose of the burning house in “The Parable” chapter |
方便中五濁意 tr. “the meaning of the five turbidities in Skillful Means” | 0082a19 | 諸佛出於五濁惡世，所謂劫濁、煩惱濁、眾生濁、見濁、命濁 tr. “The buddhas appear in an evil world of five turbidities: the turbidity of the kalpa, afflictions, living beings, views, and lifespan” | 0007b23 | Prose on the five turbidities in “Skillful Means” |
法說中佛眼見也 tr. “the Buddha-eye sees in the Dharma teaching” | 0082a21 | 舍利弗當知！我以佛眼觀，見六道眾生 tr. “Śāriputra, know that with the Buddha-eye I contemplate and see living beings in the six destinies” | 0009b25 | Verse in “Skillful Means” |
法說中起大悲心 tr. “the arising of great compassion in the Dharma teaching” | 0082a22 | 為是眾生故，而起大悲心 tr. “For the sake of these living beings, I arouse a mind of great compassion” | 0009c03 | Verse in “Skillful Means” |
5. Citations from Elsewhere in the Lotus Sutra
| Wording Transmitted by the Root Treatise and Translation | Root-Treatise Anchor | Present T09n0262 and Translation | Present-Text Anchor | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
身子狐疑將非魔作佛惱亂我心耶？ tr. “Śāriputra doubted: could Māra have become the Buddha to disturb my mind?” | 0083a10 | 將非魔作佛，惱亂我心耶？ tr. “Could Māra have become the Buddha and disturbed my mind?” | 0011a21 | The commentary adds the narrative subject; the scriptural verse has a comma |
諸經多名是經王 tr. “many scriptures name it the king of scriptures” | 0083a13 | 是諸經之王，聞已諦思惟 tr. “It is the king of scriptures; after hearing it, carefully contemplate” | 0032a16 | The present text expressly has “king of scriptures”; the root-treatise wording is a summary and is not forced into one verbatim quotation |
6. Avataṃsaka Citation and Cross-References
The sentence expressly marked as from the Avataṃsaka by the root treatise and nearby present-text witnesses are as follows:
| Layer | Original Sentence or Present Text and Translation | Anchor | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wording transmitted by T34n1718 | 《華嚴》說第一義空，四無所畏為床也。 tr. “The Avataṃsaka explains emptiness in the ultimate meaning and the four fearlessnesses as the throne” | 0082b17 | The root treatise expressly names the Avataṃsaka |
| Nearby witness in T09n0278 | 令一切眾生得師子座，具足如來無畏之座。 tr. “May all living beings attain the lion throne, fully possessing the Tathāgata's fearless throne” | 0501b06 | Contains lion throne and fearless throne, but not the root treatise's complete sentence |
| Nearby witness in T10n0279 | 願一切眾生得師子床座，常如如來右脇而臥。 tr. “May all living beings attain a lion couch and throne and always lie upon the right side like the Tathāgata” | 0137a17 | Contains lion couch and throne, but not the root treatise's complete sentence |
A search of the local Taishō corpus for the same combination of emptiness in the ultimate meaning, the four fearlessnesses, and a throne did not locate a verbatim sentence in T278 or T279. Therefore only nearby witnesses are listed, without adjudicating the form of the root treatise's citation.
The root treatise also has two comparative cross-references:
| Verbatim Root-Treatise Wording and Translation | Anchor | Character |
|---|---|---|
今經明常住醍醐與《涅槃》等，法身圓頓與《華嚴》等 tr. “The present scripture explains permanent clarified essence as equal to the Nirvāṇa, and the perfect and immediate dharma body as equal to the Avataṃsaka” | 0082c01 | Comparative source reference, not a verbatim quotation in quotation marks |
悉指《華嚴》中眷屬皆無異也，所說法相如彼所明亦復無別 tr. “All point to the retinue in the Avataṃsaka without difference; the Dharma characteristics taught here likewise do not differ from those explained there” | 0082c02 | Points to the Avataṃsaka retinue and Dharma characteristics; this passage gives no discrete sentence for verbatim comparison |
The Fahua Wenjuji further points to two chapters in connection with the ocean of marks:
| Layer | Verbatim Mirror Wording and Translation | Anchor | Present-Text Alignment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror explanation | 全指《華嚴．如來相海品》，及以〈隨好光明品〉 tr. “This points entirely to the Avataṃsaka's ‘Ocean of the Tathāgata's Marks’ chapter and ‘Light of the Secondary Marks’ chapter” | 0280a12 | T09n0278 「如來相海品第二十九」 tr. “Chapter Twenty-Nine: Ocean of the Tathāgata's Marks”〔0601a21〕; T10n0279 「如來十身相海品第三十四」 tr. “Chapter Thirty-Four: Ocean of the Tathāgata's Ten-Body Marks”〔0251b24〕 and 「如來隨好光明功德品第三十五」 tr. “Chapter Thirty-Five: Qualities of the Light of the Tathāgata's Secondary Marks”〔0255c11〕 |
| Mirror explanation | 毘盧遮那具足十蓮華藏世界海微塵數相，一一皆以妙相莊嚴 tr. “Vairocana possesses marks equal in number to the dust motes in ten lotus-treasury oceans of worlds, each adorned with wondrous marks” | 0280a13 | T10n0279 「毘盧遮那如來有如是等十華藏世界海微塵數大人相；一一身分，眾寶妙相以為莊嚴。」 tr. “Vairocana Tathāgata has these and other marks of a great person equal in number to the dust motes in ten flower-treasury oceans of worlds; every part of His body is adorned with wondrous marks of many treasures”〔0255c08〕 |
The mirror has “ten lotus-treasuries,” while the present T279 has “ten flower-treasuries”; both forms are recorded.
7. Citation from the Vimalakīrti
| Layer | Original Sentence or Present Text and Translation | Anchor | Wording Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wording transmitted by T34n1718 | The Vimalakīrti says 「能以貧所得法，度斯下劣」 tr. “‘able through the Dharma obtained by the poor to liberate these inferior ones’” | 0083a18 | “Able through” / “obtained” / “liberate these inferior ones” |
| Present T14n0475 | 乃以貧所樂法度脫眾生 tr. “Then, through the Dharma in which the poor delight, liberate living beings” | 0553a17 | “Then through” / “in which they delight” / “liberate living beings” |
The wording transmitted by the root treatise and that of the present text each remain in their own form; the commentary is not silently rewritten from the present text.
8. The Fahua Wenjuji's Citation from the Great Treatise
| Layer | Original Sentence or Present Text and Translation | Anchor | Wording Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror citation in T34n1719 | The Great Treatise says 「佛為人中師子，故佛所坐名師子座，佛之所說名師子吼。」 tr. “‘The Buddha is a lion among humans; therefore the place where the Buddha sits is called a lion throne, and what the Buddha teaches is called a lion's roar’” | 0279a07 | Gives the two sentences together |
| Present T25n1509 | 佛為人中師子，佛所坐處若床若地，皆名 tr. “The Buddha is a lion among humans; wherever the Buddha sits, whether a couch or the ground, is all called” 「師子座」 tr. “‘a lion throne’” | 0111b03 | Includes whether couch or ground; here it is not followed by “what the Buddha teaches is called a lion's roar” |
The final sentence of the mirror citation was not found verbatim in the local T25n1509. Only the agreement and difference are recorded, without adjudicating the mirror's mode of citation.
9. The Mirror's Remaining Source Cross-References
| Verbatim Mirror Wording and Translation | Anchor | Source Layer |
|---|---|---|
如《止觀》明感應意中 tr. “As in the Mohe Zhiguan's explanation of stimulus and response” | 0278c10 | Points to the meaning of stimulus and response in the Mohe Zhiguan, without a verbatim quotation |
具如《止觀》第三 tr. “In full, as in the third fascicle of the Mohe Zhiguan” | 0279a12 | Points to the third fascicle of the Mohe Zhiguan, without a verbatim quotation |
總如《玄》文十妙引諸文證 tr. “In general, as the ten subtleties in the text of the Xuanyi cite various passages as proof” | 0279b14 | Points to the ten subtleties in the Fahua Xuanyi, without a verbatim quotation |
縱有經云諸經之王，不云已今當說最為第一 tr. “Even if a scripture says ‘king of scriptures,’ it does not say ‘among those already, presently, and yet to be taught, it is foremost’” | 0280b04 | The present T0262 separately has 「是諸經之王」 tr. “it is the king of scriptures”〔0032a16〕, 「我所說諸經，而於此經中，法華最第一」 tr. “among the scriptures I teach, within them the Lotus is foremost”〔0031b14〕, and 「已說、今說、當說」 tr. “already taught, presently taught, and yet to be taught”〔0031b17〕. The mirror gives a combined account and is not presented as one continuous present-text sentence |
10. Root-Scripture Variants and Characters Outside the Common Library
| Category | Anchor | Record and Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Root-scripture variant | 0016c12 | 机【大】 tr. “‘stool’ [Taishō]” / 几【宋】【元】【明】【宮】【博】 tr. “‘stool’ [Song, Yuan, Ming, Palace, and Hakata witnesses]” |
| Root-scripture variant | 0016c13 | 瓔珞【大】 tr. “‘jeweled necklaces’ [Taishō]” / 纓絡【博】 tr. “‘tasseled cords’ [Hakata witness]”; 瓔珞 crosses into the following line, so its anchor is the physical location of its first graph |
| Root-scripture characters outside the common library | — | The strict root-scripture domain of this episode has no marked character outside the common library |
IV. Essential Explanations from the Wenjuji [the Mirror]
Zhanran's mirror explanation begins by mutually raising father and son as earlier and later, then continuously covers the four items in the son's seeing the father and the four in the father's seeing the son. The table below lists its framework according to the root treatise's ten sections. Every item belongs to the mirror explanation and is not rewritten as an original statement by Master Zhiyi.
| Root-Treatise Node | Verbatim Essential Sentence from the Fahua Wenjuji, Translation, and Anchor | What the Mirror Clarifies |
|---|---|---|
| Three understandings and two passages | 「今此雖有三文，且依二文消便，非即二文使見有前後」 tr. “Although there are three textual aspects here, for convenience in explaining the passage we follow the two; the two passages do not make seeing actually earlier or later”〔T34n1719 0278c13〕 | The three and two are levels of textual explanation, not an actual sequence |
| Reason for seeing the father | 「雖復邪求冥資正道，故使世間厭苦遂成出世善機」 tr. “Although the search is deviant, it obscurely supports the right path; thus weariness of worldly suffering finally becomes a wholesome capacity transcending the world”〔0278c18〕 | Develops hiring oneself out, passing from place to place, and the wholesome capacity |
| Place of seeing the father | 「近即華嚴中諸菩薩眾，遠即二乘」 tr. “The near are the bodhisattva assembly in the Avataṃsaka; the far are those of the two vehicles”〔0279a03〕 | Develops near and far seeing; the correlation belongs to the mirror |
| Lion throne and jeweled footstool | 「一几承於二足，定慧所依無殊」 tr. “One stool supports the two feet; the support of concentration and wisdom does not differ”〔0279a11〕 | Develops the root treatise's explanation of concentration, wisdom, and the real truth |
| Old and present explanations | 「古有四失：一法身非常，二他方為此，三以應為法，四對面違教」 tr. “The old account has four errors: first, making the dharma body impermanent; second, taking another direction as this one; third, taking the response body as the dharma body; and fourth, contradicting the teaching face to face”〔0279a18〕 | Divides the old account into four errors; the four headings belong to the mirror |
| Necklaces and attendants | 「同異二門，跨節為同、當分為異」 tr. “In the two gates of shared and distinct, crossing stages is shared and remaining within one's own division is distinct”〔0279c03〕 | Develops the comparative levels of the shared and distinct gates |
| Canopy, banners, scented water, and ocean of marks | 「華表因嚴、寶表果德」 tr. “Flowers represent adornment of the cause; treasures represent qualities of the fruit”〔0280a08〕; 「全指《華嚴．如來相海品》，及以〈隨好光明品〉」 tr. “This points entirely to the Avataṃsaka's ‘Ocean of the Tathāgata's Marks’ chapter and ‘Light of the Secondary Marks’ chapter”〔0280a12〕 | Develops the flowers, treasures, and source of the ocean of marks |
| Seeing the father and fearfully avoiding him | 「小機爾時豈知二身，故是述於機中不受」 tr. “How could the small capacity at that time have known the two bodies? This therefore describes the capacity's nonacceptance”〔0280a25〕 | Clarifies that the further explanation of king and king's equal does not mean that the poor son knew the two bodies |
| Applying strength and king and king's equal | 「肆」者，放也、泄也、申也 tr. “‘Apply’ means release, discharge, and extend”〔0280b06〕 | All three glosses belong to the mirror |
| Four items in the father's seeing the son | 「今設父見子譬，妙喻領佛見機而不謀恒了」 tr. “The present parable of the father's seeing the son wondrously illustrates understanding that the Buddha sees capacities, not through deliberation but by knowing them constantly”〔0280b08〕 | Develops why the father's seeing the son differs from the son's seeing the father |
| Joy and alarm | 「如來拔苦本在與樂，子領樂已知拔苦，二處義同隨文互出」 tr. “The Tathāgata's removal of suffering is originally directed toward giving happiness; once the son understands the happiness, he knows the removal of suffering. The meaning is the same in the two places and is raised mutually according to the text”〔0280b14〕 | Develops the mutual expression of the two parables while preserving the root treatise's explicit correlations with removing suffering and giving happiness |
| Arrival of himself, decrepitude, and cherishing | 「雖機生由佛，感亦由生」 tr. “Although the arising of capacity depends upon the Buddha, stimulus also depends upon the living being”〔0280b26〕; 「儻一期報謝無付故惜」 tr. “He cherishes it lest the recompense of this lifetime end with no one entrusted”〔0280b29〕 | Answers why the son is said to come of himself and develops the concern that the Dharma remain unentrusted late in the lifetime |
This mirror domain does not establish separate word-by-word glosses for great power, great majesty, terror, regretting coming there, privately forming this thought, the place where hired labor cannot obtain anything, remaining long, pressure, compulsion, swift flight, recognizing the son at sight, having no way to see him, or greatly fulfilling the wish. The relevant locations have only nearby general explanations.
V. Explanations of Various Masters
Within the strict root-treatise domain, 「舊云」 tr. “‘the old explanation says’” occurs exactly twice; 「有人云」 tr. “‘someone says,’” 「或言」 tr. “‘alternatively it is said,’” 「一云」 tr. “‘one account says,’” and 「解者不同」 tr. “‘interpreters differ’” do not occur. The first instance introduces the old correlations of brahmans, kṣatriyas, and householders, with the latter two branches continuing through the syntax of the same list:
| Branch | Voice | Verbatim Root-Treatise Wording and Translation | Anchor |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Old explanation | 「婆羅門」 tr. “‘brahman’” ，舊云，高良大姓，八地已上也。 tr. “the old explanation says, means an eminent great clan of good lineage, at the eighth ground and above” | 0082b19 |
| II | Continuation of old explanation | 「剎利」 tr. “‘kṣatriya’” 者，七地已還也。 tr. “means the seventh ground and below” | 0082b20 |
| III | Continuation of old explanation | 「居士」 tr. “‘householder’” ，內凡夫等。 tr. “means inner ordinary beings and the rest” | 0082b21 |
The root treatise's subsequent present explanation is given separately:
| Class | Root Treatise's Present Explanation and Translation | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Brahman | 「婆羅門名淨行，貴族高潔即等覺離垢菩薩也」 tr. “Brahman means pure conduct; as a noble and pure lineage, it means bodhisattvas at equal awakening who are free from defilement” | 0082c04 |
| Kṣatriya | 「剎利即是王種，九地已下初地已上也」 tr. “Kṣatriya means the royal lineage, from the first ground through the ninth” | 0082c05 |
| Householder | 「居士富而不貴，即三十心也」 tr. “A householder is rich but not noble, meaning the thirty minds” | 0082c06 |
The second instance is the old account of a responsive body from another direction, the root treatise's refutations, and its present explanation:
| Branch | Voice | Verbatim Root-Treatise Wording and Translation | Anchor |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Old explanation | 「舊云，此經中明法身，非常住法身也，乃是他方應身將應此土，即為此間之法身，故有內凡諸人圍遶。」 tr. “The old explanation says: the dharma body explained in this scripture is not the permanent dharma body. Rather, when a responsive body from another direction is about to respond in this land, it becomes the dharma body here, and therefore inner ordinary beings and others surround it” | 0082b21 |
| II | Root treatise's first refutation | 「今謂不爾，若作他方佛者，子父機應體用著脫，皆不成，如前說。」 tr. “I now say this is not so. If it is taken as a buddha from another direction, son and father, capacity and response, essence and function, and donning and removing are all impossible, as explained earlier” | 0082b24 |
| III | Root treatise's second refutation | 「又不容小機扣此、大機扣彼，亦不應結大緣於彼、結小緣於此，亦不應雙結在此、雙應在彼，如是大惑亂。」 tr. “Nor can the small capacity evoke this one and the great capacity that one; a great connection should not be formed there and a small connection here; nor should both connections be formed here while both responses occur there. Such an account creates great confusion” | 0082b25 |
| IV | Root treatise's present explanation | 「今明勝應應菩薩，即盧舍那尊特身，大機所扣者也；劣應應小乘，丈六弊衣，小機所扣者也。」 tr. “The present explanation is that the superior response responds to bodhisattvas: it is Vairocana's specially honored body, evoked by the great capacity. The inferior response responds to the Lesser Vehicle: it is the sixteen-foot body in coarse clothing, evoked by the small capacity” | 0082b28 |
The Fahua Wenjuji later specifies that the old master meant Amitābha and divides the account into four errors and three errors. These are Zhanran's judgments and are not filled backward into the root treatise as an account that it explicitly named.
For 「王王等」 tr. “‘king and king's equal,’” the root treatise itself gives two approaches. This group is not an alternative view introduced by an external-school marker, but it gives two explanations of the same scriptural phrase and is therefore still recorded side by side:
| Explanation | Verbatim Root-Treatise Wording and Translation | Anchor |
|---|---|---|
| Initial explanation | 「或是王王等」者，波旬是王，徒輩為等，小機灰斷無言說道絕於色像，既見勝應之像，非天人所及，所說法相逈異二乘，小智薄德未曾見聞，便謂是魔是魔所說。略開三顯一，身子狐疑將非魔作佛惱亂我心耶？若初用大逗小疑佛為魔，有過今日也。 tr. “‘Perhaps a king or the equal of a king’ means that Pāpīyān is the king and his followers are the king's equals. The small capacity extinguishes body and cognition, has no path of speech, and is cut off from colors and forms. When it sees the form of superior response, beyond what gods and humans can reach, and the Dharma characteristics taught wholly different from the two vehicles, people of small wisdom and meager virtue, never having seen or heard this, suppose it is Māra and Māra's teaching. In briefly enacting opening the three to reveal the one, Śāriputra doubted whether Māra had become the Buddha to disturb his mind. If the Great had initially met the small capacity, its suspicion that the Buddha was Māra would have exceeded today's” | 0083a06 |
| Further explanation | 「復次勝應譬長者，長者即表報身佛，故是王等，法身是報師，師即如王，諸經多名是經王，智契於法即是智與法等，故名報佛為等，此乃大乘法報，非是小乘得益之處，故或是王王等也。」 tr. “Further, the superior response is illustrated by the elder, and the elder represents the Buddha's reward body, and therefore is the king's equal. The dharma body is the teacher of the reward body, and the teacher is like a king. Many scriptures name it the king of scriptures. Wisdom accords with Dharma and is therefore equal to Dharma, so the reward buddha is called the equal. These are the Mahāyāna dharma body and reward body, not a place where the Lesser Vehicle gains benefit; therefore he thinks this may be a king or the equal of a king” | 0083a12 |
VI. Terminology
| Term | Root-Treatise Meaning |
|---|---|
| Capacity and response | From the Buddha's side, numinous wisdom knows first and then gives rise to a response according to capacity; from the side of living beings, capacity precedes response; it is also said to be inconceivable, neither later nor earlier, while earlier and later are mutually raised |
| Hiring oneself out and passing from place to place | Rejecting suffering, seeking happiness, and inquiring into the savor of principle gradually accumulate and become wholesome roots that transcend the world |
| Father's house | The father illustrates the dharma body after attainment of the Way; the house illustrates objectless compassion |
| Beside the gate / two sides of the gate | The two contemplations are skillful means; a capacity for the Perfect middle sees directly through the gate, while the partial truth of the two vehicles remains to the side |
| Afar | Right seeing has near and far kinds; this passage further gives two explanations, that the great capacity has only begun and the event remains distant, and that the capacity is weak and the response has not yet gone to meet it |
| Lion throne | The complete reward body and dharma body rest in the principle of emptiness, free from fear of the two delusions and eight māras |
| Jeweled footstool supporting the feet | Concentration and wisdom are the feet, the real truth is the footstool, and the concentration and wisdom of nonarising rely upon the object-realm of suchness |
| Superior response / inferior response | The superior response responds to bodhisattvas and is Vairocana's specially honored body; the inferior response responds to the Lesser Vehicle and is the sixteen-foot body in coarse clothing |
| Four necklaces | Ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, and dhāraṇī samādhi; the final item is read as one according to the syntax of the root text |
| Shared gate / distinct gate | Two approaches to explaining officials, people, and servants; the distinct gate further separates people from officials, while the shared gate returns to the pāramitā of skillful means |
| Left and right | The right is the function of wisdom entering emptiness and whisks away the dust of the four abiding delusions; the left is the function of wisdom entering conventional existence and whisks away the dust of ignorance |
| Seven pure flowers | Ethical discipline, concentration, wisdom, removal of doubt, purity concerning what is and is not the path, purity of knowledge and vision, and purity of the knowledge of severance |
| Great power / great majesty | Vast wisdom is called great power; vast supernormal powers are called great majesty |
| King and king's equal | The initial explanation takes Pāpīyān as the king and his followers as the equals; the further explanation takes the dharma body as like a king and the reward buddha as the equal |
| Poor quarter | The principle of emptiness alone does not contain the myriad virtues and is not the tathāgata-garbha |
| Clothing and food | The undefiled clothing and food of nirvāṇa with remainder; the transmitted text reads 「行行衣惠行食」 tr. “‘the practice of conduct as clothing and the practice of wisdom as food’” |
| Remaining long / pressure / compulsion | Practicing the Mahāyāna path for immeasurable kalpas / broadly studying the myriad practices / arousing the resolve for Mahāyāna awakening |
| Place from which the father sees the son | The lion throne, namely the fearless object-realm of emptiness in the ultimate meaning |
| Alarm / joy | The burning house removes suffering and therefore has alarm; the present parable gives happiness and therefore has joy |
| Decrepitude / cherishing | The present lifetime of transformation nearing its end / worry that the great Dharma remains unentrusted and that future students will lack a source |
Within this domain, the seven later summary expressions “Five Periods and Eight Teachings,” “modes of conversion,” “methods of teaching,” “Tripiṭaka, Shared, Distinct, and Perfect,” “ten subtleties of the Trace Gate,” “ten subtleties of the Origin Gate,” and “three thousand in one thought-moment” do not occur verbatim.
VII. Similes · Cross-Reading · Carrying Forward
The most conspicuous tension in this episode is that the same encounter is not the same on the father's and son's sides. The poor son sees magnificent wealth from afar, perceives only great power and majesty, becomes terrified, and flees at once. The elder recognizes the son at sight and rejoices that at last there is someone to whom the treasuries can be entrusted. The son does not recognize the father, while the father already recognizes the son. They are physically in the same place, yet the narrative positions of capacity and response differ.
Beside the gate, the lion throne, jeweled footstool, necklaces, white fly-whisks, jeweled canopy, flower banners, scented water, famous flowers, and treasures are first visible objects in the root scripture's parable; only then does the root treatise correlate each with Dharma-meaning. When cross-reading the source text of the “Faith and Understanding” chapter in this repository, the reader should first preserve the magnificent scene seen by the poor son, then observe how Master Zhiyi explains its adornments through the dharma body, concentration and wisdom, compassion, provisional wisdom, the four means of gathering, supernormal powers, and the seven purities. The narrative of the parable and the Dharma to which it is applied do not replace one another.
At its opening, this episode proximately understands the burning-house elder in “The Parable” chapter seeing the fire and becoming alarmed, and remotely understands the Buddha-eye seeing and the arising of great compassion in “Skillful Means.” The passage on the father's seeing the son further expressly says that alarm belongs to removing suffering and joy to giving happiness. The two passages carry the preceding Dharma teaching and teaching by parable into the śrāvakas’ own understanding and can be cross-read with the long poor-son parable before and after them in the same chapter.
Cross-reading the Fahua Xuanyi shows how the purport established by classification of the teaching comes down into line-by-line explanation through capacity and response, provisional and real, and Origin and Trace. Cross-reading the Mohe Zhiguan takes only the stable points of contact in stimulus and response and contemplating the mind. The Fahua Xuanzan and the root treatise explain the same scripture and can be read together as Ci'en and Tiantai mirrors upon the same root-scripture sentence. When this episode carries forward into the next passage, 「即遣傍人」 tr. “‘immediately dispatched an attendant,’” the father has already seen and recognized the son, rejoiced, and found his wish fulfilled; pursuit and trial work have not yet occurred.
VIII. Placement of the Editions
1. Eight Paired Taishō / Witness-A Variants in the Root Treatise
| Collation No. | Anchor | Taishō | Witness A | Short Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0082004 | 0082b01 | 之 tr. “of” | absent | Marks of the father seen |
| 0082005 | 0082b05 | 緣 tr. “condition” | 緣大 tr. “great condition” | Objectless compassion |
| 0082006 | 0082b08 | 尊特 tr. “specially honored” | 特尊 tr. “especially honored” | Specially honored body |
| 0082007 | 0082b17 | 云 tr. “says” | 言 tr. “states” | Therefore it says “seated upon a lion throne” |
| 0082008 | 0082c08 | 者 tr. “as for” | absent | As for the value in the tens of millions |
| 0082009 | 0082c18 | 法 tr. “Dharma” | 法身 tr. “dharma body” | Pours down Dharma-water |
| 0083001 | 0083b13 | 大 tr. “great” | 本 tr. “original” | Corresponds to the mind of great compassion |
| 0083002 | 0083b17 | 也 tr. “also” | absent | The wish is fulfilled |
The collation wording for 0082007 is 「云【大】＊，言【甲】＊」 tr. “‘says’ [Taishō], ‘states’ [witness A],” but the raw collation remains an ordinary numbered pair. The asterisks are only part of the wording of the collation note; this domain has no separate asterisk collation linked back through corresp. In addition to the paired variants, there is one unilateral note:
| Note No. | Anchor | Verbatim Wording and Translation | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0082003 | 0082a18 | 不分卷【甲】 tr. “not divided into fascicles [witness A]” | Witness-A fascicle-boundary note; it has no body-reading and variant-reading columns |
This domain has no abbreviated collation note of the form 首字……末字、若干字 tr. “first graph … last graph, several graphs.” The root-treatise collation denominator is therefore eight paired variants plus one unilateral note; no additional asterisk variant is counted.
2. Transmitted Inline Notes
| Anchor | Exact Reader Form and Translation | Short Context |
|---|---|---|
| 0082c16 | 〔云云〕 tr. “[and so forth]” | Therefore it says they stood in attendance [and so forth] |
| 0082c26 | 〔云云〕 tr. “[and so forth]” | Taking out and putting in are as explained earlier [and so forth] |
Both are inline notes following the wording. Their omitted content is not supplied, and they are not flattened into a continuous sentence with the body.
3. Characters Outside the Common Library, Table of Contents, and Page Anchors
The marked characters outside the common library number zero in the T34n1718 root-treatise domain, the T34n1719 mirror domain, and the T09n0262 root-scripture domain. These zero values apply only to their respective strict domains and are not extrapolated to the whole work.
The table of contents for the entire work has two title forms: “Introduction” is not prefixed by “Explanation of,” while the other twenty-seven chapter titles are. This unit is a subordinate division within the “Faith and Understanding” chapter and does not occupy a separate chapter. The reader source uses one page-break marker and an inline precision anchor at the paragraph opening; this domain marks page and paragraph transitions at 〔T34 0082a15〕 and 〔T34 0083a26〕. Every verbatim quotation in the apparatus instead uses the nearest Taishō line marker preceding its first graph. A reader page anchor cannot replace the actual first-graph location of a quotation.