大般涅槃經集解 18.125

18.125

案道生曰：前明除惑乃見，今明已經受化也。僧亮曰：譬佛也。女有養子之德，佛有慈護之道也。法瑤曰：大意為明昔所以不說，今所以說也。僧宗曰：此譬生前譬中。若果有而不無見者，如來出世便應早說，何故遂使眾生起無常之倒耶？此譬與新舊醫言相似而意異，彼譬徵二教之虛實，此譬咎佛何不早說也。略有五意：第一明過去久遠曾經常解；第二明背化失解；第三明善感釋迦為說偏教；第四雖說常教而未信也；第五明重說乃斷漸信服也。女人譬過去佛也。

Daosheng comments: The preceding explained that it is seen only upon removing delusion; the present passage explains that they have already received transformation. Sengliang comments: This is an analogy for the Buddha. A woman has the virtue of nurturing a child, and the Buddha has the path of compassionate protection. Fayao comments: The main idea is to explain why it was not taught in the past and why it is taught now. Sengzong comments: This analogy arises within the previous analogy: if [the buddhadhātu] indeed exists and is not unseen, then when the Tathāgata appeared in the world, he ought to have spoken of it early on; why did he instead cause sentient beings to give rise to the inversion of impermanence? This analogy is similar in expression to that of the new and old physicians, but different in intention: that analogy investigated the truth and falsity of the two teachings, while this analogy addresses the reproach of why the Buddha did not teach it earlier. It has roughly five points of meaning: first, explaining that in the distant past they once had an understanding of permanence; second, explaining that turning away from transformation, they lost understanding; third, explaining that wholesome roots evoked Śākyamuni to preach the one-sided teaching for them; fourth, that although the teaching of permanence was spoken, they did not yet believe it; fifth, explaining that only upon repeated preaching did they sever [doubt] and gradually believe and accept it. The woman is an analogy for the Buddhas of the past.