Tao-sheng Commentary on the Lotus Sutra, p207The rich man was very frightened at the great fires breaking out from the four sides of the house. He thought, ‘I am able to get out of the gate of the burning house safely, but my children are still inside. They are engrossed in playing.’
This is the second segment. The Buddha is awakened to the suffering [of the other beings]. [The fact] that [these living beings] are originally transformed does not correspond with the fact that suffering exists: he is “alarmed.” Perceiving suffering makes his mind confused and he fears that the wisdom-life may be burned up in the fire; hence, he is “terrified.”
The Buddha has his manifested form present in the house, also showing that he is in the state of suffering. The moment one enters nirvāṇa, the wisdom-life is [mobilized] to produce the power of [nirvāṇa] with remnants [upadhiseṣa-nirvāṇa), which enables one to reach [nirvāṇa] without remnants. That is what [the word] able implies. To follow before everything else the Buddha’s teaching is also what [the phrase] able to get out [safely] through this burning doorway means.
[The Beings’] minds roam in the five these are “games.” Never discarding them at any moment, they are “attached” [to desires].