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“Moreover, Shariputra, I too will now make use of
similes and parables to further clarify this doctrine. For through similes
and parables those who are wise can obtain understanding. "Shariputra, suppose that in a certain town in a
certain country there was a very rich man. He was far along in years and his
wealth was beyond measure. He had many fields, houses and menservants. His
own house was big and rambling, but it had only one gate. A great many
people--a hundred, two hundred, perhaps as many as five hundred--lived in the
house. The halls and rooms were old and decaying, the walls crumbling, the
pillars rotten at their base, and the beams and rafters crooked and aslant. "At that time a fire suddenly broke out on all
sides, spreading through the rooms of the house. The sons of the rich man, ten,
twenty perhaps thirty, were inside the house. When the rich man saw the huge
flames leaping up on every side, he was greatly alarmed and fearful and
thought to himself, I can escape to safety through the flaming gate, but my
sons are inside the burning house enjoying themselves and playing games,
unaware, unknowing, without alarm or fear. The fire is closing in on them,
suffering and pain threaten them, yet their minds have no sense of loathing
or peril and they do not think of trying to escape! "Shariputra, this rich man thought to himself, I
have strength in my body and arms. I can wrap them in a robe or place them on
a bench and carry them out of the house. And then again he thought, this
house has only one gate, and moreover it is narrow and small. My sons are very young, they have no understanding, and
they love their games, being so engrossed in them that they are likely to be
burned in the fire. I must explain to them why I am fearful and alarmed. The
house is already in flames and I must get them out quickly and not let them
be burned up in the fire! "Having thought in this way, he followed his plan
and called to all his sons, saying, 'You must come out at once!" But
though the father was moved by pity and gave good words of instruction, the
sons were absorbed in their games and unwilling to heed them. They had no
alarm, no fright, and in the end no mind to leave the house. Moreover, they
did not understand what the fire was, what the house was, what the danger
was. They merely raced about this way and that in play and looked at their
father without heeding him. "At that time the rich man had this thought: the
house is already in flames from this huge fire. If I and my sons do not get
out at once, we are certain to be burned. I must now invent some expedient
means that will make it possible for the children to escape harm. "The father understood his sons and knew what
various toys and curious objects each child customarily liked and what would
delight them. And so he said to them, 'The kind of playthings you like are
rare and hard to find. If you do not take them when you can, you will surely
regret it later. For example, things like these goat-carts, deer-carts and
ox-carts. They are outside the gate now where you can play with them. So you
must come out of this burning house at once. Then whatever ones you want, I
will give them all to you!' "At that time, when the sons heard their father
telling them about these rare playthings, because such things were just what
they had wanted, each felt emboldened in heart and, pushing and shoving one
another, they all came wildly dashing out of the burning house. "At that time the rich man, seeing that his sons
had gotten out safely and all were seated on the open ground at the
crossroads and were no longer in danger, was greatly relieved and his mind
danced for joy. At that time each of the sons said to his father, "the
playthings you promised us earlier, the goat-carts and deer-carts and
ox-carts--please give them to us now!' "Shariputra, at that time the rich man gave to
each of his sons a large carriage of uniform size and quality. The carriages
were tall and spacious and adorned with numerous jewels. A railing ran all
around them and bells hung from all four sides. A canopy was stretched over
the top, which was also decorated with an assortment of precious jewels.
Ropes of jewels twined around, a fringe of flowers hung down, and layers of
cushions were spread inside, on which were placed vermillion pillows. Each
carriage was drawn by a white ox, pure and clean in hide, handsome in form
and of great strength, capable of pulling the carriage smoothly and properly
at a pace fast as the wind. In addition, there were many grooms and servants
to attend and guard the carriage. "What was the reason for this? This rich man's
wealth was limitless and he had many kinds of storehouses that were all
filled and overflowing. And he thought to himself, 'There is no end to my
possessions. It would not be right if I were to give my sons small carriages
of inferior make. These little boys are all my sons and I love them without
partiality. I have countless numbers of large carriages adorned with seven
kinds of gems. I should be fair-minded and give one to each of my sons. I
should not show any discrimination. Why? Because even if I distributed these
possessions of mine to every person in the whole country I would still not
exhaust them, much less could I do so by giving them to my sons! "At that time each of the sons mounted his large
carriage, gaining something he had never had before, something he had
originally never expected. Shariputra, what do you think of this? When this
rich man impartially handed out to his sons these big carriages adorned with
rare jewels, was he guilty of falsehood or not?" Shariputra said, "No, World-Honored One. This rich
man simply made it possible for his sons to escape the peril of fire and
preserve their lives. He did not commit a falsehood. Why do I say this?
Because if they were able to preserve their lives, then they had already
obtained a plaything of sorts. And how much more so when, through an
expedient means, they are rescued from that burning house! World-Honored One,
even if the rich man had not given them the tiniest carriage, he would still
not be guilty of falsehood. Why? Because this rich man had earlier made up
his mind that he would employ an expedient means to cause his sons to escape.
Using a device of this kind was no act of falsehood. How much less so, then,
when the rich man knew that his wealth was limitless and he intended to
enrich and benefit his sons by giving each of them a large carriage." The Buddha said to Shariputra, "Very good, very
good. In is just as you have said. And Shariputra, the Thus Come One is like
this. That is, he is a father to all the world. His fears, cares and
anxieties, ignorance and misunderstanding, have long come to an end, leaving
no residue. He has fully succeeded in acquiring measureless insight, power
and freedom from fear and gaining great supernatural powers and the power of
wisdom. He is endowed with expedient means and the paramita of wisdom, his
great pity and great compassion are constant and unflagging; at all times he
seeks what is good and will bring benefit to all. 'He is born into the threefold world, a burning house,
rotten and old. In order to save living beings from the fires of birth, old
age, sickness and death, care suffering, stupidity, misunderstanding, and the
three poisons; to teach and convert them and enable them to attain
anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. "He sees living beings seared and consumed by
birth, old age, sickness and death, care and suffering, sees them undergo
many kinds of pain because of their greed and attachment and striving they
undergo numerous pains in their present existence, and later they undergo the
pain of being reborn in hell or as beasts or hungry spirits. Even if they are
reborn in the heavenly realm or the realm of human beings, they undergo the
pain of poverty and want, the pain of parting from loved ones, the pain of
encountering those they detest--all these many different kinds of pain. "Yet living beings drowned in the midst of all
this, delight and amuse themselves, unaware, unknowing, without alarm or
fear. They feel no sense of loathing and make no attempt to escape. In this
burning house which is the threefold world, they race about to east and west,
and though they encounter great pain, they are not distressed by it. Shariputra, when the Buddha sees this, then he thinks
to himself, I am the father of living beings and I should rescue them from
their sufferings and give them the joy of the measureless and boundless
Buddha wisdom so that they may find their enjoyment in that. "Shariputra, the Thus Come One also has this
thought: if I should merely employ supernatural powers and the power of
wisdom; if I should set aside expedient means and for the sake of living
beings should praise the Thus Come One's insight, power and freedom from
fear, then living beings would not be able to gain salvation. Why? Because
these living beings have not yet escaped from birth, old age, sickness,
death, care and suffering, but are consumed by flames in the burning house
that is the threefold world. How could they be able to understand the
Buddha's wisdom? "Shariputra, that rich man, though he had strength
in his body and arms, did not use it. He merely employed a carefully
contrived expedient means and thus was able to rescue his sons from the peril
of the burning house, and afterward gave each of them a large carriage
adorned with rare jewels. And the Thus Come One does the same. Though he
possesses power and freedom from fear, he does not use these. He merely
employs wisdom and expedient means to rescue living beings from the burning
house of the threefold world, expounding to them the three vehicles, the
vehicle of the voice-hearer, that of pratyekabuddha, and that of the Buddha. "He says to them, 'You must not be content to stay
in this burning house of the threefold world! Do not be greedy for its coarse
and shoddy forms, sounds, scents, tastes and sensations! If you become
attached to them and learn to love them, you will be burned up! You must come
out of this threefold world at once so that you can acquire the three
vehicles, the vehicles of the voice-hearer, the pratyekabuddha and the Buddha.
I promise you now that you will get them, and that promise will never prove
false. You have only to apply yourselves with diligent effort!' "The Thus Come One employs this expedient means to
lure living beings into action. And then he says to them, 'You should
understand that these doctrines of the three vehicles are all praised by the
sages. They are free, without entanglements, leaving nothing further to
depend upon or seek. Mount these three vehicles, gain roots that are without
outflows, gain powers, awareness, the way, meditation, emancipation,
samadhis, and then enjoy yourselves. You will gain the delight of
immeasurable peace and safety.' |