大般涅槃經集解 23.22

23.22

Sengliang comments: The physician is likened to the Buddha; the son is likened to the bodhisattva. The supreme wondrous art is likened to the permanence of the buddhadhātu. Nāgas and vipers are likened to the two grave sins. The medicine is likened to the sets of names, phrases, and syllables. The leather boots are likened to writing it with paper and ink. Touching the insects is likened to reading and reciting. The poison being dissolved for them is likened to generating the aspiration [for awakening]. Fayao comments: The skilled physician is likened to the text of the sūtra. The son is likened to the two characters 'eternal abiding' (changzhu). It seeks to clarify that merely hearing these two characters is already the eradication of evil, how much more so hearing the sūtra in full? Eradicating the four grave offences and the five heinous crimes is therefore likened to smearing leather boots: when touching toxic insects, the poison is immediately dissolved.