The various teachings I expound are of the same content, of the same taste. Those who emancipate themselves [from the bonds of existence,] from illusions, and from birth and death, will finally obtain the knowledge of the equality and differences of all things. But those who hear or keep my teachings or read or recite the sutras in which my teachings are expounded, or act according to my teachings, do not know the merits that they will be able to obtain by these practices.

The Dharma being of “a single mark,” li has no different “flavors” (rasa). Even though living beings are all identically soaked in the marsh of the Tao, they do not realize that this is so.

Why is that? It is because only I know their capacities, appearances, entities and natures. Only I know what teachings they have in memory, what teachings they have in mind, what teachings they practice, how they memorize the teachings, how they think of the teachings, how they practice the teachings, for what purpose they memorize the teachings, for what purpose they think of the teachings, for what purpose they practice the teachings, and for what purpose they keep what teachings.

What living beings “think back on” is not the same: it may be morality (śīla), or it may be almsgiving (dāna). Hence, it is said, “what things they think back on.” “[What things] they think ahead to” and “[what things] they cultivate” also are like this.

For the sake of attaining to the minds of the three vehicles, one is mindful of almsgiving. For the sake of attaining to the minds of men and gods, one is mindful of almsgiving. “[How they] think ahead” and “[how they] practice” also are like this.

In hopes of gaining the fruits of the three vehicles, one is mindful of almsgiving. Expecting the retribution of men and gods, one is mindful of almsgiving.

This sums up the three [statements] covered so far. By resort to what means “by means of what good deed as cause.” What dharma they gain means “what retribution they receive as effect.” Cause and effect all lead to the Buddha, but living beings do not realize it. All hold on to what they think is different; only the Buddha is aware that they all belong to the same [One].

“Kāśyapa, know this! I, the Tathāgata, am like the cloud. I appeared in this world just as the large cloud rose.

The Dharma-body fills up [the ultimate of nonbeing]; the shade of compassion is like a cloud.

I expounded the Dharma to gods, men and asuras of the world with a loud voice just as the large cloud covered all the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds.

li is broad and immeasurable: it is “great.” There is no being that does not hear and know about it: it “pervades.” It “pervades” and covers men and gods, so that they may be free of the heat (or passion) of depravities (kleśa).

I said {proclaimed} to the great multitude, ‘I am the Tathāgata, the Deserver of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One, the Man of Wisdom and Practice, the Well-Gone, the Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed Man, the Controller of Men, the Teacher of Gods and Men, the Buddha, the World-Honored One. I will cause all living beings to cross [the ocean of birth and death] if they have not yet done so. I will cause them to emancipate themselves [from suffering] if they have not yet done so. I will cause them to have peace of mind if they have not yet done so. I will cause them to attain Nirvana if they have not yet done so. I know their present lives as they are, and also their future lives as they will be. I know all. I see all. I know the Way. I have opened the Way. I will expound the Way. Gods, men and asuras! Come and hear the Dharma!’

li becomes luminous: he “proclaims.” They should pay attention to it: thus, he talks about it. The Tao spreads in the world. When conditions are met, they are certain to hear it. This is, “all should come here in order to listen to the Dharma!”

forests, mountains, ravines and valleys

This phrase illustrates that the benefit of the Dharma extends everywhere, leaving no corner unreached.

all these plants being different in names and forms

Conditions (pratyaya) and physical forms are not identical.

were covered with a dark cloud

Cloud symbolizes the Dharma-body; rain represents the preaching of the Dharma. The Dharma-body pervades everywhere, fully and thickly, and the Dharma-sound permeates all over equally.

watered by a rainfall at the same time. {Everything rained on by the same cloud}

[The phrase] at the same time means that there is no [sequence of time], first or later. Raining down equally means that [rain] falls without any distinction between much and little. The Dharma rains of the four virtues with respect to li also are like that.

Rain “by the same cloud” implies that there is no water of a different taste. Although their genetic natures are varied, all [beings of different] appellations seek to sustain life. The same “rain” of the previous conversion [causes] the shoots of the Tao to issue forth: it is “the earth.” The present preaching helps them to attain understanding: it is the “rain.”

Kāśyapa! Suppose the various trees and grasses of the one thousand million Sumeru-worlds

Delusion arises when one deviates from li; delusions vary in a myriad of ways. By turning one’s back [to delusion] one becomes enlightened to li. li must be nondual; the Tao of the Thus Come One is one. Beings go against (the One), calling it three. The three originated in beings’ own disposition, but li has remained one always. It is like the fact that, though the clouds and rains fall equally [on all the medicinal trees], the medicinal trees themselves vary in a myriad of ways. It is the medicinal trees that are varied in a myriad of ways, not the clouds and rains. What he said in parable of the difference and similarity was meant to show how [the three] turn out to be unified. Kāśyapa comprehended this purport, achieving the ultimate “rarely” experienced by any. [The words] three thousand refer to the single domain of the Buddha’s transformative teaching in its entirety.

You spoke of my true merits very well. {Truly it is as he has said}

The Thus Come One’s wisdom and meritorious virtues enabled him to preach the path of the three first and the One later, and Kāśyapa himself has spoken of it by taking up a parable. What he has said shows that he has attained to the Sage’s meaning. Hence, in sanctioning it, [the Buddha says], “Truly it is as he has said.”

In reality, however, I have more merits. They are innumerable, asaṃkhya.

What has been said (by Mahākāśyapa and others) is “true” and real because it relates to the region of the One. Now this passage deals with the boundlessness of the region of the One. The boundlessness of the region of the One, unexhausted for many kalpas, broadly verifies [the theme] that the transformative teaching of the three is [identical with] that of the One; how, then, can there be any mistake?

I expound all teachings with expedients by my wisdom in order to lead all living beings to the stage of knowing all things. I know what region a living being will be taken to by what teaching, and what a living being has deep in his mind. I am not hindered by anything in knowing all this. I know all things clearly, and show my knowledge of all things to all living beings.

What is explicated here is how [the Buddha] has reached the state of All-Knowledge (sarvajñā): first, by investigating thoroughly the profound intent of the dharmas; and second, by knowing where living beings’ thoughts tend to go. Because he knew that medicines help regulate diseases, he took them, which led him to bring depravities and calamities to an end without fail, finally attaining to the All-Knowledge.
Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p242

Thereupon the World-Honored One said to Mahā-Kāśyapa and other great disciples: “Excellent, excellent! {well-done}

As four great voice hearers had achieved enlightenment by the first parable, subsequently they spoke of their faith and understanding, in order to express their enlightenment. Understanding had to be verified, [and it turned out that] they had comprehended in depth the Sage’s idea of first the three and later the One. Because they comprehended the purport of what the Sage was driving at, in this chapter the Buddha confirms the propriety of what they have said in order to perfect the meaning [of the doctrine]. Hence, he praised [them] saying, “well-done!” commending their rare achievement. [The Buddha] secretly guided them, undetected, making them equal with Kāśyapa [in understanding].

The title “Medicinal Herbs” conveys, the fact that in the past they had received and maintained the Sage’s teaching, and as the Sage’s teaching soaked their spirit, the disease of depravities (kleśa) was cured. Thus [the transmitter of the sūtra] used the [the words] medicinal herbs in titling the chapter.

At that time you caused us to think over all things and to clear away the dirt of fruitless discussions about them.

This is connected with the second [part of the] parable, intended for preaching the doctrine of the three vehicles. [The words] one day’s wages disparage the self-satisfied mind of the Lesser Vehicle. The merits they had accumulated when they were blind are equal to no more than those the bodhisattvas would accumulate in one day. They are so little and are short of [reaching] the ultimate.

The great rich man is you.

The next three [statements] are connected with the above three sections of the parable. This [sentence] conjoins with the first section of the parable, concerning the meaning of father and son.

We once had many troubles in the world of birth and death because of the three kinds of sufferings.’

The Buddha spoke of the three states of sensation (vedanā) as being the causes of the three kinds of suffering. When suffering becomes intensified, it is referred to as “suffering as [ordinary] suffering (duhkha-duhkha)”; when [suffering] comes as the result of change, it is spoken of as “suffering produced by change (vipariṇama-duhkha)”; and when it is neither an unpleasant nor pleasant [sensation] and changes every moment as its life passes beyond [the present life], it is referred to as “suffering as conditioned states (saṃskāra-duhkha). By reason of the three kinds of suffering” is “by reason of the three kinds of sensation.” Why? The sensation of suffering is bitter and cutting. Going against one’s sentiment gives rise to anger (dveṣa). Following the way one is used to gives rise to desire (rāga). [In a state] neither unpleasant nor pleasant, and in an utterly disturbed state, arises stupidity (moha). Because of these three states of sensation, there arise the three evil faculties. As the three evil faculties are affected, the passion instigators become active. As the passion instigators spread out and thrive, karma is being committed by body and mouth. When karma and the passion instigators join forces, future retributions are induced. Hence, it is said: “by reason of the three kinds of suffering, [in the midst of birth and death] we suffer various annoyances.” Because birth and death are the outcome of “annoyances,” it means that habits formed have not been overcome; hence, “erring and ignorant, we cling in desire to the lesser dharmas.” [The rest of the paragraph] from this point on conjoins with their wandering from the transformative teaching.

Now the rich man became ill. He knew that he would die soon. He said to the poor son, ‘I have a great deal of gold, silver, and other treasures. My storehouses are filled with them. You know the amounts of them. You know what to take, and what to give. This is what I have in mind. Know this! You are not different from me in all this. Be careful lest the treasures be lost!’

They already knew that [the Buddha] had preached various sūtras of the Greater Vehicle, such as when, [for instance], he ordered Subhūti to preach the Prajña(-pāramitā Sūtras) so that all might be taught that it was their own property.

“Thereupon the poor son obeyed his order. He took custody of the storehouses of gold, silver, and other treasures, but did not wish to take anything worth even a meal from them. He still stayed in his old lodging. He could not yet give up the thought that he was base and mean [lowly and inferior].

Although he received what he was entrusted with, he did not yet realize that it was his own property. He felt, therefore, [lowly and inferior].

“After a while the father noticed that his son had become more at ease and peaceful, that he wanted to improve himself, and that he felt ashamed of the thought that he was base and mean. The time of the death of the father drew near. The father told his son to call in his relatives, the king, ministers, kṣatriyas, and householders.

This is the third paragraph. His mind became open, and the incipient, subtle triggering-mechanism for embracing the Greater [Vehicle] was manifested. Following this [the father] gathered his kinsmen, announcing to them that he was his son: this refers to the preaching of the Dharma Blossom Sūtra.

When they all assembled, he said to them, ‘Gentlemen, know this! This is my son, my real son. He ran away from me when I lived in a certain city,

This refers to the place where formerly two trillion [future] Buddhas received transformative teaching. The merits of the transformative teaching had not yet matured, and he forsook “me” and ran off to hide himself in the three spheres.

and wandered with hardships for more than fifty years

He drifted through the five forms of existence, ready to taste “loneliness” and “hardship.”

“World-Honored One! At that time the poor son was very glad to hear these words of his father. He had the greatest joy that he had ever had. He thought, ‘I never dreamed of having this store of treasures myself. It has come to me unexpectedly.’

The preceding three paragraphs explain how the unsurpassed treasures reached him of themselves. Here this meaning is clearly shown.

The poor son was glad to be treated kindly, but still thought that he was a humble employee. Therefore, the rich man had him clear dirt for twenty years.

Seeing the truth and meditating on it have taken him ten [years] each: so it is said, “twenty years.”

After that the father and son trusted each other. Now the son felt no hesitation in entering the house of his father [Came and went at his ease]

[The Buddha] had him hear about the Greater Vehicle, and so he came and went to this li at his ease without harboring any doubt.

but still lodged in his old place.

He heard the teaching of the Greater Vehicle preached and was led to know that it was what he had already had, and yet he did not comprehend it: he was “lodged in the same place as before.”