觀無量壽佛經疏 2.46

2.46

問曰：「若人食一飡之飯限至七日即死。父王以經三七，計合命斷無疑。闍王何以不直問曰：『門家，父王今者死竟耶？』云何致疑而問猶存在者，有何意也？」

Question: 'If a person eats only one meal of rice, his limit reaches seven days and then he dies. The father-king had already passed twenty-one days; by calculation his life should have ended without doubt. Why did King Ajātaśatru not ask directly: "Gatekeeper, has the father-king died by now?" Why did he raise doubt and ask if he was still alive: what is the meaning of this?'