Some days later he saw his son in the distance from the window. The son was weak, thin, worn-out, and defiled with dirt and dust.

Spiritual penetration is deposited in the six feelings; thus, “through a window he [they] saw.” The body is not the outcome of meritorious virtues: it is “weak and emaciated.” The bonds and the instigators of depravities (kleśa or anuśaya) [caused them to] receive it [i.e., the body]: it is “unclean with dirt and dust.”

The father took off his necklace, his garment of thin and soft cloth, and other ornaments. He put on tattered and dirty clothing, smeared himself with dust,

[The Buddha] hid the Dharma-body [in himself] in a mysterious way: he “removed (his) ornaments.” This shows that a bodhisattva becoming a Buddha is not merely interested in external pomp: he “puts on a dirty, tar-stained garment.” Also he was reborn from the bonds and passion instigators: he was “smearing dust over his body.

carried a dirt-utensil in his right hand. He looked fearful.

He had not practiced [the path] free from depravities (anāsrava); this is what took a dung shovel means. It is convenient and easy; hence, “the right hand.” It looked as if he had warded off depravities: he was “frightful in appearance.”

He [came to the workers and] said, ‘Work hard! Do not be lazy!’

When [the Buddha] turned the Dharma wheel (cakra) at the Deer Park, he preached to that effect.

With this expedient the father came to his son.

The li of the Buddha was cut off from men, [so that] [the Buddha], by condescending to demonstrate, “contrived” to establish contact [with men].

He said to him, ‘Man! Stay here and work! Do not go anywhere else! I will pay you more.

By entering into the path free from depravities, he was destined not to return to birth and death: he “worked here always, and did not go anywhere else.” The pleasure he achieved surpassed that of the seven expedient positions [of the Lesser Vehicle] hence, “increase your wages.”

Do not hesitate to take trays, rice, flour, salt and vinegar as much as you need! You can have an old servant if you want to.

Nowhere are the meritorious virtues free from depravities lacking or few: they are [like] “salt, vinegar, or that sort of thing.” The spiritual penetration of the two vehicles originally is limited and weak: they are “other servants, aged and decrepit.”

When you work, you do not deceive [the other workers]. You are not lazy.

He felt at home in the Dharma of the Lesser Vehicle, which is meant in the statement, “I have never seen you guilty of these evils, as are the other workmen.” The other workmen refer to the seven expedient positions [of the Lesser Vehicle]. It follows that the seven expedient positions are with “these evils.”

The rich man gave him a name and called him son.

Those who have obtained [the path] free from depravities have been “called” as if they were the Buddha’s sons, but have not yet been spoken of as his real sons.