Buddhism's Sacred Scripture: The Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma, Chapter 4, Part 2 of 6

We continue the parable today to find out what happens when the prodigal son returns to his father's house…. “World-Honored One, at that time the impoverished son drifted from one kind of employment to another until he came by chance to his father’s house. When the impoverished son saw how great was his father’s power and authority, he was filled with fear and awe and regretted he had ever come to such a place. Having thought in this way, he raced from the spot. At that time the rich old man, spied his son and recognized him immediately. Thereupon he dispatched a bystander to go after the son as quickly as possible and bring him back. The impoverished son, alarmed and fearful, cried out in an angry voice, ‘Why am I being seized?’ The father, observing this from a distance, spoke to the messenger, saying, ‘I have no need of this man. Don’t force him to come here.’ Why did he do that? He knew very well that this was his son, but as a form of expedient means he refrained from saying to anyone, ‘this is my son.’”