From Buddhism’s Sacred Scripture: The Sutra of the Lotus of the Wonderful Dharma, Chapter 3, Part 6 of 8

I, most venerable of the sages, am the father of this world and all living beings are my children. But they are deeply attached to worldly pleasures and lacking in minds of wisdom. There is no safety in the threefold world; it is like a burning house, replete with a multitude of sufferings. I (was) for the sake of living beings I employ these similes and parables to preach the single Buddha vehicle. If you and the others are caplble of believing and accepting my words, then all of you are certain to attain the Buddha way.