Day 8 concludes Chapter 8, Understanding by Faith, and finishes the Second Volume of the Sūtra of the Lotus Flower of the Wonderful Dharma.

Day 8 covers the parable of the lost son and his rich father, a parable told by the elder Śrāvakas. I relate personally to the son’s feeling that he was unworthy.

The father said this because he had realized that his son was too base and mean to meet a noble man [like his father].

Even when treated like a son, he felt unworthy:

‘From now on I will treat you as my son.’ The rich man gave him a name and called him son. The poor son was glad to be treated kindly, but still thought that he was a humble employee.

For years and years:

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.

Even when he is finally given his inheritance:

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.’

Settling for a day’s pay:

We [Śrāvakas] made strenuous efforts according to the teachings [of the Lesser Vehicle] and attained Nirvāṇa as a day’s pay. Having attained it, we had great joy, and felt satisfied [with the attainment of it]. We said, ‘We have obtained much because we made efforts according to the teachings of the Buddha.’ But when you saw that we clung to mean desires and wished to hear only the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle, you left us alone.

We all are sons of the Buddha:

Now we know that you do not grudge your wisdom to anyone. Although we were your sons then as we are now, we wished to hear only the teachings of the Lesser Vehicle. If we had aspired for the teaching of the Great Vehicle, you would have already expounded it to us. Now you expound only the One Vehicle in this sūtra.