大般涅槃經集解 60.14

60.14

Sengliang comments: The fifth approach discerns cessation and non-cessation. Since the nature of afflictions is cessation, wisdom cannot extinguish them; if their nature is not cessation, wisdom also cannot extinguish them. He first uses the five great elements as a metaphor; making others solid would also be like this. Baoliang comments: In the fifth approach, this is opened into three meanings to clarify that there is also no meaning of severance. First, the four great elements are used as an analogy: each abides in its own nature, so who makes them so? The next meaning states: if one says that just as salt is salty by nature and forces other things to become salty, wisdom forces afflictions to cease, this is also not so. The final meaning states: both afflictions and wisdom cease thought after thought, and to say that wisdom can sever them is also not so.