法華義疏 2.402

2.402

Some say: after the Buddha Lamp Brightness expounded the Lotus, he also expounded the *Nirvāṇa*, but the text concealed one side, and therefore says he did not expound it. Now I clarify that this is not so. The *Zhujing* says: "In the morning he finished expounding the sūtra, and at night he entered extinction"; thus we know he did not expound the *Nirvāṇa*. Furthermore, at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, although there was a *Nirvāṇa*, because the faculties of beings were sharp, there was no need to expound it. Lamp Brightness was also like this. Śākyamuni appeared in an evil world; those of sharp faculties had already awakened upon hearing the Lotus, so the *Nirvāṇa [Sūtra]*, pointing back to the Lotus, says: "Eight thousand śrāvakas received prophecies and realized the great fruit of reality, just as in the autumn harvest and winter storage there is nothing more to be done." Thus we know the Lotus clarified the meaning with complete fullness; those of sharp faculties awoke early, but those of dull faculties had not yet understood, so he further expounded the *Nirvāṇa*.