Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s 14-volume commentary on the Lotus Sutra offers a number of what are for me “new” perspectives. Here’s an example where Hsuan Hua explains the meaning of the rich man’s visible wealth in Chapter 4.
Hsuan Hua Lotus Sutra Commentary, v5, p31-35SUTRA
“His father, from the first, had set out seeking his son, but in vain. He settled midway in a city. His household was one of immense wealth, with limitless fortune and treasures of gold, silver, vaiḍūrya, coral, amber, crystal beads, and other such things. His granaries and storehouses were overflowing, and he had many servants, vassals, and assistants as well as numerous elephants, horses, carriages, cattle, and sheep. Не profited from trade with other countries; he had business transactions with many, many merchants and vendors.”
COMMENTARY
His father, from the first, had set out seeking his son, but in vain. “His father” is an analogy for the Buddha. The Buddha taught living beings the Great Vehicle, but living beings preferred the Lesser Vehicle, as if they had run far, far away to another country. Therefore, the Buddha set out searching for his sons, his disciples. However, they did not have the potential for the Great Vehicle, so they did not meet up with the Buddha. Having sought his son, the Buddha’s Great Vehicle disciples, in vain, he settled midway in a city. “Midway” refers to being in between the realm with residue, attained through skillful means, and the realm adorned with true rewards. The Buddha stopped there, no longer teaching the Dharma or teaching living beings, and was considering entering nirvāṇa.
His household was one of immense wealth, with limitless fortune and treasures. Although the Buddha wanted to enter nirvāṇa, he thought, “I have so many Dharma treasures, yet I have no one to pass them on to, that is, to continue the work of teaching living beings. Who am I going to bequeath my family property to?” “Immense wealth” refers to the twelve literary categories of the Tripiṭaka, and “limitless fortune” refers to the countless Dharma treasures.
Of gold, silver, vaiḍūrya, coral, amber, crystal beads, and other such things. There are gold, silver, vaiḍūrya, and coral. Coral is a treasure from the ocean. There are also amber and crystal beads. Crystal beads are like wish-fulfilling pearls with which one can obtain everything one wishes. There are also all kinds of other treasures. These refer to the Buddha’s thirty-seven factors of awakening: the seven factors of awakening, the eightfold path, the five roots, the five powers, the four foundations of mindfulness, the four kinds of right effort, and the four steps to spiritual powers. There are also the four noble truths, the twelve links of dependent arising, the six pāramitās, and other Dharma treasures.
His granaries and storehouses were overflowing. Granaries are where grain is stored, and storehouses are where other valuables and precious objects are stored. Overflowing granaries and storehouses are metaphors for the Buddha’s possession of countless Dharma treasures.
And he had many servants, vassals, and assistants. Not only does the Buddha have many storehouses for his Dharma treasures, he also has many servants, vassals, and assistants. “Servants, vassals, and assistants” is a metaphor for expedient Dharmas. Servants can do all kinds of work, such as sweeping the floor or cooking, among other things. In the same way, expedient Dharmas can be used in any way. All of these represent the many skillful means of a Buddha.
As well as numerous elephants and horses. “Elephants” is a metaphor for the three contemplations in a single thought in the Great Vehicle: the contemplation of emptiness, the contemplation of the provisional, and the contemplation of the Middle Way. Emptiness is the provisional as well as the Middle Way; these three do not differ from one another. These are represented by “elephants.”
“Horses” represents the three contemplations in succession. First one contemplates the empty, then the provisional, and finally the Middle Way. The contemplation is performed in sequential order, step by step, bringing Bodhisattvas of the distinct teaching to the fruition of the Great Vehicle.
The aforementioned three contemplations in a single thought indicate that the three aspects – the empty, the provisional, and the middle – of any phenomenon are present within the same instant without sequence, in that, within the same thought, emptiness is the provisional and is also the middle. Followers of the perfect teaching possess the seeds of the Great Vehicle. With sharp faculties, they reach attainment suddenly, without having to cultivate step by step. This is called the three contemplations in a single thought, whereas “horses” is a metaphor for the three contemplations in succession, which require step-by-step cultivation. There are also carriages of all kinds.
Cattle and sheep. “Cattle” represents the realization of emptiness through analyzing phenomena into their component elements and the realization that all phenomena are intrinsically empty. These two realizations bring living beings of the interrelated teaching to the Great Vehicle. “Sheep” represents bringing Śrāvakas to the fruition of the Great Vehicle. The Vehicle of Pratyekabuddhas is not mentioned here because, when the Buddha was in the world, Pratyekabuddhas were Śrāvakas and Śrāvakas were Pratyekabuddhas. “Numerous” cattle and sheep represent those with dispositions toward the Lesser Vehicle, who are countless.
He profited from trade with other countries. What does “trade” represent? It implies that our mind gives rise to the myriad phenomena, and the myriad phenomena will eventually return to the mind. “Profited” refers to the benefits attained through teaching and transforming living beings. It is like earning interest on a savings account. When the Buddha saves living beings and brings them to the fruition of the Great Vehicle, it is like earning interest. “Other countries” means the interest earned extends everywhere throughout the three realms.
He had business transactions with many, many merchants and vendors. The price of merchandise is set during business transactions. “Merchants” are businessmen who travel around. “Vendors” refer to those who stay in one place to do business. The vendors and merchants represent those with Great Vehicle and Lesser Vehicle dispositions – the Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas respectively – who were many in number.