大般涅槃經集解 23.28

23.28

案僧亮曰：醫譬此經也。非人譬犯重也。妙藥譬常住二字也。使者譬受持此二字者也。速與彼人譬為說此二字也。自往譬具足得聞也。法瑤曰：凡四部之中，未聞常住者，及外道犯重五逆非法之徒，為他人子也。經為良醫，理為妙藥，文存傳理，為遣使送藥也。理貴流通，流通要由文字，為勅語使言卿持此藥送與彼人也。聞經之理，眾魔惡友不能為患，猶人有藥力，鬼神遠去也。僧宗曰：犯四重五逆者，一往聞經，為見使也。思惟於理，為吾威德也。以此二事，其罪得滅也。寶亮曰：此第八譬，明經力彼及外道也。醫譬佛也，使譬菩薩，藥譬此經也。為彼解說，如送與也。

Sengliang comments: The physician is likened to this sūtra. The non-human is likened to committing grave transgressions. The wondrous medicine is likened to the two characters 'eternal abiding'. The messenger is likened to one who receives and upholds these two characters. Speedily giving it to that person is likened to explaining these two characters for them. Going in person is likened to hearing it completely. Fayao comments: Among the four assemblies, those who have not heard of eternal abiding, as well as non-Buddhists, those who commit grave transgressions, the five heinous deeds, and unlawful persons, are 'other people's children'. The sūtra is the skilled physician; the principle is the wondrous medicine; the text preserving and transmitting the principle is sending a messenger to deliver the medicine. Principle values dissemination; dissemination must rely on writing, which is instructing the messenger, saying: 'Take this medicine and deliver it to that person.' Hearing the principle of the sūtra, the maras and bad friends cannot cause harm, just as when a person has the power of medicine, ghosts and spirits flee far away. Sengzong comments: For those who commit the four grave offences and five heinous deeds, hearing the sūtra once is 'seeing the messenger'. Contemplating the principle is 'my majestic virtue'. Through these two matters, their sins are eradicated. Baoliang comments: This eighth parable clarifies that the power of the sūtra reaches even non-Buddhists. The physician is likened to the Buddha, the messenger is likened to the bodhisattvas, and the medicine is likened to this sūtra. Explaining it for them is like delivering it.