大般涅槃經集解 6.3

6.3

Huilang's account records that Sengzong stated: "From the end of the previous chapter, where the Buddha radiated light from his mouth to hasten the offerings, through to the simile of the jewel, this still belongs to the approach of entreaty clarifying permanence; it was spoken for those of inferior faculties. It consists of six sections: first, radiating light to hasten the offerings; second, the earth quaking and the great assembly lamenting in sorrow; third, speaking five similes to remonstrate with and entreat the Buddha; fourth, the Buddha encouraging questions and refuting what they had attained; fifth, the bhikṣus praising the past teachings; and sixth, explaining the superior cultivation." The notes of Jingyi record that Sengzong stated: "The beginning of the 'Chapter on Lamentation' still belongs to the previous chapter, in which Cunda expressed the entreaty of the great assembly; it is the second approach of entreaty clarifying permanence. From 'Furthermore, bhikṣus, if you have doubts' onward is the third approach within the opening of the doctrine, which clarifies permanence by means of encouragement and refutation. It has four distinct parts: first, refuting the fruit; second, refuting the cause; third, presenting the simile of the precious jewel to establish why the past fruit was empty; and fourth, concluding by synthesizing the two teachings." Baoliang stated: "Broadly speaking, this chapter has seven sections. First, speaking verses and prose to express their own suffering and remonstrate with and entreat the Buddha. Second, the Buddha immediately encourages them to abandon what they had attained and cultivated in the past. Third, the bhikṣus again entreat the Buddha to remain in the world to teach us the method of cultivation. Fourth, the Buddha again encourages them merely to follow the Buddha's teaching and cultivate the three superior cultivations, whereby they will certainly attain the permanent fruit. Fifth, the bhikṣus again entreat, asking: if the Buddha's fruit is permanent, why does he not remain in the world and show us the superior cultivation? Sixth, he further encourages them, clarifying that passing into extinction today is because you have the illness of one-sided grasping: you simply must not maintain what you practiced in past days as ultimate truth. Once the three encouragements and three entreaties were concluded, the assembly for the first time harboured a doubt, saying: if the principle is indeed so, why did the Buddha, when first appearing in the world, not explain it to us earlier? Seventh, he synthesizes and harmonizes the ancient and the present." The notes of Daohui record: "Broadly dividing this chapter, there are four sections: first, the great assembly's sorrowful lament; second, the Buddha opening the doctrine of nirvāṇa; third, explaining the superior cultivation; and fourth, synthesis and harmonization." It also states: "Divided into nine sections: first, about to enter nirvāṇa, hence the earth quakes. Second, the great assembly speaks verses and similes to entreat the Buddha. Third, the Buddha speaks two verses to halt their sorrowful entreaties. Fourth, from 'if there are doubts', opening the beginnings of permanence and impermanence, giving rise to the assembly's doubts, encouraging them to ask, and then speaking of the three-dot nirvāṇa. Fifth, because the bhikṣus were not yet able to accept it, they turned back to praise the past teaching as correct. Sixth, the Buddha explains for them the dharma of the three superior cultivations. Seventh, the bhikṣus again entreat the Buddha to remain, and the Buddha halts their two entreaties by pointing to Kāśyapa as their future refuge. Eighth, returning to the jewel simile, he encourages them to abandon what was cultivated in the past and cultivate the present superior cultivation. Ninth, synthesizing and harmonizing the intention behind why it could not be spoken immediately in past days but can be spoken today. The latter six sections are interconnected." Zhixiu stated: "From here entering the 'Chapter on Longevity' up to the questions of the Youth Kāśyapa is the second part of the main discourse. The broad outline has six sections: first, manifesting the quaking of the earth to indicate that the Buddha will certainly depart; second, the assembly at that time speaks verses and five similes to entreat the Buddha to remain in the world; third, the Buddha presents various dharmas to encourage questions; fourth, explaining the superior cultivation to refute their graspings; fifth, speaking the simile of the physician to synthesize and harmonize the ancient and present; and the sixth section makes six turns again, presenting dharmas to offer encouragement." Fa'an stated: "This chapter is the second section of opening the doctrine, having three distinct parts: first, remonstrating and entreating, from the beginning of the chapter through to the i-character nirvāṇa; second, clinging to past teachings and entreating, from 'rightly speak of impermanence' through to the three cultivations; third, adducing the present teaching to entreat, from 'as the Buddha spoke of abandoning the four inversions' through to the end of the chapter. Within each of the three series there are two turns: from the beginning through to the five similes is the substance of the entreaty; next, from 'the Buddha addressed the bhikṣus' onward answers what was entreated. In the second entreaty, first from 'rightly speak' onward is clinging to past teachings to entreat: since we do not understand, we pray you remain in the world to explain it. Next, from 'the Buddha praised the bhikṣus' onward responds to what they entreated, saying that merely practicing the present teaching will allow one to leave behind the four inversions. In the third entreaty, first from 'abandoning the four inversions' through to following the Buddha into nirvāṇa, it means: if the Buddha is permanent, and permanence implies non-extinction, why not remain and guide us? Next, from 'I entrust the correct Dharma to Kāśyapa' onward responds to what they entreated." Mingjun notes: "This chapter is broadly divided into five sections. First, the great assembly sees the earth quake, knows it signifies extinction, and sorrowfully laments and speaks five similes to invite and entreat the Buddha. Second, the Buddha speaks two verses to halt their sorrowful lamentations. Third, presenting dharmas to encourage questions, through to the jewel simile. Fourth, when the bhikṣus at that time hear the jewel simile spoken, they begin to awaken to the principle and thereupon raise a question: why was it not spoken immediately in past days? Fifth, the Buddha uses the similes of the new and old physicians to synthesize and harmonize the ancient and present. In the first section, there are three subsections: first, the compiler of the sūtra recounts the event of the earth quaking; second, the great assembly speaks verses to state their case; third, using five similes to remonstrate and entreat. In the second section, there are two subsections: first, lodging words with vehemence, stating they should not be like ordinary people; second, using verses to preach the Dharma to halt their sorrowful feelings. In the third section, there are five turns: first, presenting dharmas to encourage questions; second, the bhikṣus cling to what was attained in the past, failing to understand the present intent; third, the Buddha speaks of superior cultivation, refuting what they grasped; fourth, the bhikṣus hear of the superior and hear of the refutation, realizing that their past was wrong and the Buddha's present is right, yet because they have not yet understood, they persist in entreating, saying the Buddha ought rightly to remain in the world to teach them to understand the superior cultivation, even using their lives to insist on the entreaty; fifth, the Buddha uses the jewel simile to enlighten their confusion. The fourth and fifth sections are not further subdivided."