Day 6 continues Chapter 3, A Parable

Having last month covered the owner of this burning house and his dilemma in gathas, we consider the expedient used to save the children.

In order to save them
From burning to death,
He told them
Of the dangers of the house:
“There are demons and poisonous vermin here.
Flames have already spread all over.
Many sufferings are coming
One after another endlessly.
There are poisonous snakes,
Lizards, vipers,
Yaksas, kumbhanda demons,
Small foxes, foxes, dogs,
Crested eagles, eagles,
Kites, owls and centipedes here.
They are unbearably hungry and thirsty.
They are dreadful.
These sufferings are difficult to avoid.
Worse still, there is a big fire.”

Though the children heard his warning,
They were still engrossed in playing.
They did not stop playing
Because they were ignorant.

The rich man
Thought:
“They are ignorant.
My anxiety deepens
There is nothing pleasant
In this house.
But they are engrossed
In playing.
They do not listen to me.
They will be burned to death.”

At the time
He thought of an expedient.
He said to them:
“I have many kinds of toys.
They are beautiful carts
Made of wonderful treasures.
They are sheep-carts, deer-carts,
And large bullock-carts.
They are outside the gate.
Come out!
I made those carts
For you.
Play with them
As you like!”

Hearing of the carts from him,
They ran out,
Striving to be first,
And reached an open place.
They were now free
From the sufferings.

The Lecture on the Lotus Sutra offers a reminder of why we’re here:

The story of the Burning House is a way of retelling the important teaching of the Buddha of this single Buddha way which sets aside various other paths which before were seen as unique. The Buddha wishes for all people to leave the life of suffering and attain enlightenment equal to that of all Buddhas. That is the one great purpose for the appearance of any Buddha in any realm of any time. The Buddha, being a skillful teacher, realized at the beginning that people would not be able to grasp the very complex teaching of enlightenment equal to that of all Buddhas. He also realized people would doubt they had such a capacity. Even today, many people still cling to the notion they are not good enough, or they are not worthy of attaining such an indestructible life of true joy and cessation of suffering.
Lecture on the Lotus Sutra