大般涅槃經集解 55.44

55.44

Sengliang comments: Regarding "how [the Tathāgata] receives a body": there are two kinds [of receiving a body], being autonomous and not autonomous; this is to know that the Tathāgata is autonomous. Regarding "for what reason he receives a body": this is to know that the Tathāgata receives it for the sake of sentient beings. Regarding "for whose sake he receives a body": among those [beings] there are equals and unequals; this explains that the Tathāgata treats sentient beings equally. Sengliang says: Regarding "how he receives this body": one may know the way of sympathetic resonance, yet fail to know the reason why it is so; it means that he receives a body out of a heart of great compassion.