大般涅槃經集解 25.42

25.42

案僧亮曰：無餘之義，經經皆有，但從始至終，事事皆實也。智秀曰：由佛說法有今昔兩異，願聞定說也。請答第八問云何說畢竟不畢竟耶。如令今教定能斷疑者，昔何以作不定說？

Sengliang notes: The meaning of 'without remainder' exists in every sūtra, but from beginning to end every matter is entirely real. Zhixiu says: Because the Buddha's teachings of the present and the past have two differences, [Kāśyapa] wishes to hear the definitive exposition. This requests the answer to the eighth question: 'Why does he teach the ultimate and the non-ultimate?' If the present teaching can definitively sever doubts, why did he make non-definitive expositions in the past?