Below is another example of how Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s commentary expands the Lotus Sutra. In this case he is commenting on the Parable of the Conjured City. (This has been edited to remove duplication.)

For example, suppose there is a treacherous, difficult road, five hundred yojanas in length, that runs through a desolate wasteland filled with terrors. Śākyamuni Buddha set up an analogy for the assembly. Why did he teach expedient Dharmas and the principles of the Two Vehicles? One yojana is 80 li [about 25 miles]. Ten yojanas would then be 800 li [about 250 miles], and 100 yojanas would be 8,000 li [about 2,500 miles]. Therefore, a road of 500 yojanas would be 40,000 li [about 12,500 miles] long. This road was extremely dangerous and difficult to travel. Let’s assume there were bandits as well as jackals, wolves, tigers, and panthers. There was no human presence at all along the 500 yojanas. It was very scary to walk down this road.

Suppose a large group of people wish to travel this road to reach a land of treasures. Suppose a large number of people wanted to reach a place where precious treasures were stored, but to get there they had to take a perilous road that was 500 yojanas in length. The 500 yojanas are an analogy for the hardships we need to pass through while cultivating the Buddhadharma and walking the Buddha’s Path. The land of treasures represents the highest realization-Buddhahood. At the midpoint of their journey waits a city, the conjured city of the Two Vehicles.

Among them is a guide of intelligence and penetrating clarity who knows well the passable and impassable parts of the dangerous road. The guide, who is intelligent and wise and knows the way, is a metaphor for the Buddha. He knows how great the dangers are and how to avoid them. He knows which ways are clear and which are blocked.

He will lead the group through this hardship. The guide wants to lead all the people along the difficult path.

Halfway through their journey, the group he is leading grows weary and wishes to turn back. If you do something but quit halfway, that is to “grow weary” and “turn back.” If you cultivate and cultivate but then stop, you have become weary and are retreating halfway. They say to the guide, “We are exhausted and afraid, so we cannot go any farther. Our destination is still far from here. We want to turn back now. We are now extremely tired. We really don’t want to go any farther along this dangerous road. Since there’s still a long way to go, we’d rather turn back. We don’t want to go on.”

Their guide, who possesses many expedients, thinks, “How pitiful they are! How can they renounce the great treasures and turn back?” This guide, who has many expedient Dharma-doors at his disposal, thinks that these living beings are pathetic. How can they abandon their quest for the great treasures of Buddhahood and go back? So thinking, he conjures up a city through skillful means at a point three hundred yojanas along the dangerous road. The five hundred yojanas are a metaphor for the five destinies of rebirth: gods, humans, hungry ghosts, animals, and hell beings. Asuras are not mentioned because they can be found in each one of the five realms. While transmigrating through the five realms, you may be a cow or a horse. If you aren’t a human being, you may be a ghost. You may fall into the hells or ascend to the heavens. Life in the five destinies is extremely dangerous. These people had traveled three hundred yojanas along the road, which was more than half their journey. This represents the fact that they had reached a halfway point in their process of transcending the five realms. At that point in their journey, the Buddha conjured up a city.

And then the guide says to them, “Do not be afraid. Do not turn back! Do not think of retreat. You can stay in this great city and do as you please. You can live here and do what-ever you like.” The conjured city, representing the fruition of the Two Vehicles, was not real. However, the Buddha told them that if they reached the city – that is, if they attained Arhatship – they could do as they pleased, because “having completed their task and cultivated pure conduct to perfection, they would no longer be subject to the cycle of birth and death.”

Then the exhausted group rejoiced greatly over this un-precedented opportunity, saying, “We have now escaped this terrible road and will soon find peace and tranquility.” At that time they were extremely tired and couldn’t walk another step. They represent people who have cultivated for a long time and feel tired from working so hard. Hearing there was a city where they could stop and rest, they were filled with joy. They thought that now they had the chance to live in a fine city, one where they had never been before. The city, a metaphor for the spiritual attainment of Śrāvakas, is called a conjured city. They thought to themselves that they’d escaped that terrible road, a road that included the destinies of gods and humans as well as the lower realms of animals, hell beings, and hungry ghosts; they thought they would soon attain peace and tranquility.

The group then proceeded into the conjured city and believed that they had gained liberation and attained peace and tranquility. At that time all of them entered the conjured city and thought they’d been taken across and had reached the level of the highest tranquility.

At that time the guide, knowing that they had rested and that their fatigue was gone, dissolved the conjured city. When they had rested and restored their energy and had settled down, the Buddha made the conjured city vanish and said, “All of you, come along, let us go! The land of treasures is near. The great city was merely something I conjured up as a place for you to take a rest.” The guide told them that they were not far from the land of treasures. This means that if the Śrāvakas, having attained the fourth stage of Arhatship, were to turn toward the Great Vehicle, they would be close to Buddhahood. The conjured city that they lived in was created by the Buddha so they could take a rest in it. It wasn’t real, so they shouldn’t have mistaken the false for the true.

Following yesterday’s post, here’s another example of
Chinese Master Hsuan Hua’s perspective. Here he explains the “expedient” employed by the rich man to entice his poor son to come to him in Chapter 4.

SUTRA

“Then the elder, wishing to entice his son, contrived an expedient. He secretly sent two people, haggard and wretched in appearance and lacking dignity, saying to them, ‘You may go there and gently tell the poor fellow that you can take him to a place where he can work and earn twice as much. If he agrees, bring him back and put him to work. If he asks what work he is to do, you may tell him, ‘You are being hired to sweep away dung, and the two of us will work along with you.”

COMMENTARY

Then the elder, wishing to entice his son, contrived an expedient. In this context, “then” refers to a time when those of the Two Vehicles were cultivating the position of the path of insight and the position of the path of cultivation – that is, the realization of the first, second, and third fruition of Arhatship. These stages are referred to as being in a “poor village.” The Buddha was just about to contemplate the potentials of living beings in order to develop a plan to teach them using an expedient method.

He secretly sent two people. “Two people” refers to Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas who were transformation bodies of Bodhisattvas. The Buddha had instructed the Bodhisattvas to transform themselves into Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas.

To explain it in terms of the Dharma, “two people” refers to the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent arising that the Buddha uses to teach living beings.

To explain it in terms of the teaching, “secretly” and “sent” refer to the complete-word teaching and the half-word teaching respectively, which are two classifications of the Buddha’s teaching. The complete-word teaching is the perfect teaching, which is exemplified in the Dharma Flower Sūtra. The Tripiṭaka teaching, the inter-related teaching, and the distinct teaching are classified as the half-word teaching.

To explain it in terms of people, “secretly” refers to one who secretly practices as a Bodhisattva, and “sent” refers to one who assumes the appearance of a Śrāvaka.

To explain it in terms of the provisional and the ultimate, “secretly” refers to the ultimate teaching and “sent” refers to the provisional teaching. Therefore, Bodhisattvas are represented by “secretly,” and Śrāvakas are represented by “sent.” “Secretly sent two people” means the Bodhisattvas transformed themselves and manifested as Śrāvakas.

Haggard and wretched in appearance. Those of the Lesser Vehicle do not cultivate wholesome physical characteristics. They are concerned about suffering, emptiness, impermanence, non-self, and impurity. They think everything is really just suffering, an incredible amount of suffering, so they are motivated to cultivate. They find nothing worth being attached to; it is all empty and meaningless, which also motivates them to cultivate.

Furthermore, observing the twelve links of dependent arising, they realize that all phenomena are impermanent and that there is nothing to cling to, so they want to cultivate. They also cultivate the contemplation of non-self in order to be free from attachments.

Additionally, they cultivate the contemplation on impurity, seeing everything as being impure. They think, “Oh! The troubled world of the five turbidities is impure, and the body is impure; everything is impure.” Seeing everything as being impure, they seek purity.

Seeing everything as impermanent, they wish to attain permanence, joy, true self, and purity. They cultivate the principle of the one-sided view of emptiness that perceives only the empty character of existence. Because they have not awakened to the principle of the Middle Way, they have no desire to cultivate wholesome physical characteristics such as the thirty-two hallmarks and the eighty subsidiary characteristics of a Buddha. Hence, they are “haggard and wretched in appearance.” If the Buddha manifested the ten-thousand-foot Nişyanda Buddha body, those of the Lesser Vehicle would not believe in him, so the Buddha instructs the Bodhisattvas to disguise themselves as Śrāvakas or Pratyekabuddhas, haggard and wretched in appearance.

And lacking dignity. “Dignity” is a metaphor for the ten powers and the four kinds of fearlessness. In disguise, the Bodhisattvas appear to lose the ten powers and the four kinds of fearlessness; thus, they now look the same as those of the Two Vehicles.

The elder had the attendants disguise themselves as penniless people and sent them to the impoverished village where the poor son stayed, saying to them, “You may go there and gently tell the poor fellow that you can take him to a place where he can work and earn twice as much.” Likewise, the Buddha sent the Bodhisattvas, disguised as Śrāvakas, to those of the Two Vehicles, telling them not to chase after those of the Two Vehicles and hurriedly explain the Great Vehicle Dharma to them in the manner they had before. He told them to speak slowly, telling those of the Two Vehicles that they would take them to a place where they could cultivate to the position of the Path of insight and the position of the path of cultivation – that is, the first, second, and third stages of Arhatship.

Followers of non-Buddhist religions can quell delusions through the cultivation of ascetic practices. However, quelling delusions doesn’t mean that one severs them. Those delusions still remain; they have not yet been cut off. There are coarse delusions, subtle delusions, delusions as innumerable as dust and sand, delusions arising from incorrect views, delusions arising from incorrect thoughts, and delusions of ignorance. “Gently tell the poor fellow” means slowly explaining to them the four noble truths – suffering, the aggregation of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the Path. “A place where he can work” refers to severing delusions arising from incorrect views and delusions arising from incorrect thoughts. “Take him to a place where he can work” means taking him to a place where he can cultivate and attain the position of the path of insight.

The ascetic practices that non-Buddhists cultivate can quell delusions but cannot cut them off. Once delusions are quelled, one thereby gains birth in the heavens of the realm of form or the realm of the formless. Those non-Buddhists who say, “Let’s ascend to heavenly paradise!” are of this type. One who has quelled delusions but has not yet cut them off can still ascend to the heavens. Being born in the heavens does not mean ending birth and death; one still remains within the three realms, which is the same as being in the burning house.

“And earn twice as much” represents the realization of the fourth stage of Arhatship. If you teach them the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent arising and they cultivate accordingly, they can end birth and death and realize the fourth stage of Arhatship, thereby:

Transcending the three realms
And breaking the constraints of the five elements.

This is to “earn twice as much.”

If he agrees, bring him back and put him to work represents the readiness of those of the Two Vehicles to be saved.

If there are living beings with such potential, then save them; if there are no such living beings, then stop. “If he agrees, bring him back and put him to work” represents making those of the Two Vehicles walk the Path. If he asks what work he is to do, you may tell him, “You are being hired to sweep away dung.” To sweep away dung can be likened to cleaning out toilets. It is a metaphor for cultivating the first two of the four noble truths: suffering and the aggregation of suffering. It also means to cast out delusions arising from incorrect views and delusions arising from incorrect thoughts. When cultivating the position of the path of insight and the position of the path of cultivation, one needs to sever delusions arising from incorrect views and delusions arising from incorrect thoughts – that is, to cut off ignorance. Originally, those of the Two Vehicles focused on cultivation concerning suffering and emptiness and did not care about purifying the Buddhalands, bringing living beings to perfection, or practicing the Bodhisattva Path. Because of that, they can simply do the work of sweeping away dung.

And the two of us will work along with you means those of the Great Vehicle will work side by side with those of the Lesser Vehicle. Those of the Great Vehicle will lead those of the Lesser Vehicle toward the Great Vehicle. “Work along with” represents those with potential for the provisional teaching and those with potential for the ultimate teaching cultivating together, exemplified here by Bodhisattvas and Śrāvakas working together.

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.

SUTRA

“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.