大般涅槃經集解 9.72

9.72

案僧亮曰：果不常現，迹不可辨，乃因譬以釋之。此譬中有四分義：初譬佛在世，讀誦得旨，修成佛也。第二譬佛始滅，得佛遺法，不解深義，猶得人天也。第三譬己智慧，又無慈悲，欲求自度，不解究竟，不成佛果也。第四求常之心遂生耶見，見多者則失人天，少則不失也。長者，譬佛也。寶亮所釋與此同，唯合第四為第三耳；僧宗開第四譬為第五。

Sengliang comments: Because the fruit does not constantly manifest and the traces cannot be distinguished, he relies on a parable to explain it. In this parable there are four parts of meaning: first, it illustrates when the Buddha was in the world, one read, recited, obtained the purport, and cultivated to become a Buddha. Second, it illustrates when the Buddha had just entered extinction, one obtained the Buddha's bequeathed teachings, did not understand the deep meaning, yet still attained [rebirth among] humans and gods. Third, it illustrates using one's own wisdom without compassion, wishing to seek self-deliverance, failing to understand the ultimate, and not accomplishing the fruit of Buddhahood. Fourth, the mind seeking permanence ultimately produces wrong views; if one's views are many, one loses humans and gods, and if few, one does not lose them. 'The elder' illustrates the Buddha. Baoliang's explanation is the same as this, except he combines the fourth into the third; Sengzong opens the fourth parable into a fifth.