大般涅槃經集解 64.4

64.4

Sengliang comments: This is the third section, on controversies. Above it was said that possessing the four virtues leads to advancement, while lacking them leads to regression. But good friends do not surpass the Buddha, and the true Dharma does not surpass the Buddha's preaching. If later people were to generate disputes over what the Buddha preached, they would not reflect properly and therefore would not practice in accord with the Dharma. That the four virtues are not possessed is entirely due to the Buddha's preaching not being fixed, as if the Tathāgata's preaching did not accord with the capacity of beings; hence he asks the question. Sengzong says: Fifth, this extensively clarifies controversies. There are three turns: first, presenting controversies to reproach the Buddha; second, the Tathāgata's extensive explanation to dispel attachment; third, explaining the controversies. From here below is the first, listing twenty-one controversies to reproach the Buddha. Baoliang says: Wishing to explain the controversies, he raises an objection in anticipation, saying: Since the Buddha knows the differences between sharp and dull faculties among sentient beings across the three times, why did he not speak definitively, instead causing beings to dispute? Zhixiu says: In distinguishing controversies there are only two exchanges of question and answer: first Kāśyapa raises difficulties through controversies, and later the Buddha explains them.