“Thereupon the rich man thought, ‘This house will be burned down soon by this great fire. If they and I do not get out at once, we shall be burned. I will save them from this danger with an expedient.’

“An idea came to his mind that his children would be attracted by the various toys which they wished to have. He said to them, ‘The toys you wish to have are rare and difficult to obtain. You will be sorry if you do not get them now. There are sheep-carts, deer carts, and bullock-carts outside the gate. You can play with them. Come out of this burning house quickly! I will give you any of them according to your wishes.’ “

This is the fifth segment. The Buddha wants to provide them with the happiness of the three vehicles. As he has told them about the frightening and dreadful happening in order to terrify them, they feel apprehensive, and when they hear the attractions of the three vehicles suddenly their hearts are filled with joy. This is not the real teaching; it is called an expedient device.

What living beings are fond of is replacing suffering with pleasure. Here he speaks of the joys of the three vehicles. These (joys) are what they are fond of; it looks as if they are [true joys], yet [in reality] they are not. What I mean by replacing suffering with pleasure is that in the absence of suffering there is pleasure, and in the absence of pleasure there is suffering. [However], [the statement] that there is no suffering eternally in the three vehicles must not be spoken of in this sense. Traces follow the state of their minds, enabling them to pull themselves out of the stations of suffering, which is a consummate case of an expedient device. Because there are no three vehicles, how can there be pleasure? Yet it is suggested that there is pleasure. [Why?] This also is an expedient device. It has been stated that the joy of the three vehicles consists in bringing suffering to an end (nirodha) but, because suffering has not been destroyed and [the vehicles] have not been clearly revealed, again [it proves that] they are expedient devices. The Buddha’s teaching is [for the sake of] others; those in the Lesser Vehicle follow their masters. These two teachings are compared to the ox and goat, which are the subjects of men. Because the pratyekabuddhas can neither teach [others] nor follow the masters, they are compared to the deer. Transmigration in the three worlds is represented in its walking and trotting the long passage of suffering. li is capable of the unconditioned. One may have joy by replacing walking [the long path of suffering] with it; it is symbolized by the carts. No sooner do they (beings) come out of the burning house through the doorway of the teaching, than they can get it (li). Hence, it is stated that “[they] are outside of the door.”

“Having thought this, he said to his children as he had thought, ‘Come out quickly!’ He warned them with these good words out of his compassion towards them, but they were too much engrossed in playing to hear the words of their father. They were not frightened or afraid. They did not wish to come out. They did not know what a fire was, what a house was, and what they would lose. They ran about happily. They only glanced at their father occasionally.”

Though the Sage has introduced them to the teaching [of the One], yet the children are too stupid to realize it, and they fall back again “to love of the playthings” of the five desires, and “they may fall victim to the fire” of the three evil paths. Even though [the Buddha] wants to teach the One, they are not capable of making use of it. Therefore, it (the teaching of the One) is abolished temporarily.

Traveling through the five ways of existence is what is meant by [the word] run. Revolving around and wandering in the six kinds of defilements is referred to as play. Looking at [the Buddha] in his [transformation body (nirmāṇakāya)] sixteen feet tall, not advancing a single foot, that is what [the phrase] merely looking at their father means.

But he thought again, ‘This house has only one gate [doorway]. Worse still, the gate is narrow and small.’

This is the fourth segment. He wants to offer the happiness of the three carts later. He first tells them about the frightening and dreadful happening in the house in order to terrify them. [The place] where various delusions are concealed is the “house.”

The doorway to [the Buddha’s] teaching is dark and deep. Those who have traveled to enlightenment are very few; few have advanced toward the doorway.

He also thought, ‘I am strong-muscled [powerfull body and arms]. I will put them in a flower-plate or on a table and bring them out [I might, in the folds of my robe or on top
of a table, take them out].’

This is the third segment. The theme substantiated here is that the Buddha, in combination with [his own awakening, wishes to] save [other beings]. Having been awakened himself to [the truth of] suffering, he intends to cause other beings to become [awakened] like him. Thus with great compassion [mahākaruṇā] arising in him, he has come to their aid. Originally the two kinds of transformation did not exist, but by going astray from the truth, they (beings) underwent suffering. [The Buddha] himself has to return to the use of the One Vehicle in order to teach them. Therefore he wants to set forth the doctrine of the One Vehicle. Body means the trace-body. The trace-body in essence (li) has the functional ability [of] holding and making contact [with beings]: it is [like] the “hands”. Essential ability is “strength.”

A “robe” can be bent to wrap the sons. [The Buddha] appears [in the world] like a supernatural power, able to help beings out of the rugged mountains.

[A table with four legs symbolizes] the four virtues [which he manifests] equally to all. [All the diverse] talk about li is universally similar and equal.