大般涅槃經集解 9.56

9.56

案法瑤曰：夫長壽之由，窮不殺之理。然人天之命亦少分不殺，是則入佛壽命少分因也，故云一切命皆入佛命海中也。僧宗曰：海之吞納眾流，無有增減；因地萬善鍾於極果，以因滿則常也。又《勝鬘經》言「如來藏即是佛性，在因為藏、在果為佛，非始非終，隱顯為異耳。」若眾生無性者，中間亦可斷絕；以其性義不亡，必應成佛，至佛乃常。如眾流至海更無去處，故惑盡行周，得佛自常也。寶亮曰：海是納流之器，如來之壽是眾命之極。研辨其旨，凡有三義，其兩義玄推、一義從文。第一明眾生壽命皆是如來壽命，海內無有過於佛者；第二眾生壽命雖復無量，流轉不定，至佛方住；第三明菩薩在行地之日施眾生命，以此為因，得果之日則不容短促。然經言眾生生死，如蠶作繭，非聖所教。而今乃言施命為因，此實難曉。又言眾生可害，而行道者無有害心，即名施命，此復難解。夫聖人出世，正欲令人斷煩惱滅生死。若從此義應是奪命，而言施命者何耶？夫命者名之為生，生於真壽，真壽者即法性身也。是故聖人使眾生修道，顯真常之壽。聖意在此，故為施命也。

Fayao comments: The source of long life reaches to the principle of non-killing. However, the lifespans of humans and devas also contain a partial degree of non-killing; this then enters the partial cause of the Buddha’s lifespan. Therefore it is said that all lives enter the ocean of the Buddha’s lifespan. Sengzong comments: The ocean swallows and receives the multitude of streams without increase or decrease; on the causal stage, the myriad wholesomenesses concentrate in the ultimate fruit, and because the cause is fulfilled, it is permanent. Furthermore, the Śrīmālādēvī Sūtra says: ‘The tathāgatagarbha is itself the buddhadhātu; on the causal stage it is the garbha, and on the fruitional stage it is the Buddha; it has neither beginning nor end, differing only in being concealed or revealed.’ If sentient beings had no [Buddha-]nature, it could also be cut off in between; because the meaning of their nature does not perish, they will definitely become Buddhas, and reaching Buddhahood, it is then permanent. Just as the multitude of streams, reaching the sea, have nowhere else to go, so when defilements are exhausted and practice is complete, attaining Buddhahood is naturally permanent. Baoliang comments: The ocean is a vessel that receives streams; the Tathāgata’s lifespan is the culmination of all lives. Investigating and discerning its meaning, there are three senses in all: two senses are inferred profoundly, and one sense follows the text. First, clarifying that the lifespans of sentient beings are all the Tathāgata’s lifespan, and within the ocean there is nothing that surpasses the Buddha; second, although the lifespans of sentient beings are immeasurable, they transmigrate without stability, and only upon reaching Buddhahood do they abide; third, clarifying that during the days of the bodhisattva on the stage of practice, he bestows life upon sentient beings; with this as the cause, on the day of obtaining the fruit it cannot be brief. However, the sūtra says that sentient beings’ saṃsāra is like a silkworm spinning a cocoon, which is not taught by the sages. Yet now it says that bestowing life is the cause, which is indeed difficult to understand. Furthermore, it is said that sentient beings can be harmed, but those who practice the Way have no harmful intention, which is called bestowing life; this again is difficult to understand. The sage appears in the world precisely wishing to cause people to sever afflictions and extinguish saṃsāra. If following this meaning, it should be taking life; why then is it called bestowing life? Life is called being born, and it is born into true life, and true life is the dharmatākāya. Therefore, the sage causes sentient beings to cultivate the Way to reveal true, permanent life. The sage’s intention lies here; therefore, it is bestowing life.