大般涅槃經集解 8.54

8.54

Sengzong states: Below this is the third stage, which expands upon dissemination. The utility of the sūtra lies in both text and principle. In the concise questions above, the sūtra's title was established as Mahānirvāṇa. Furthermore, the seven wholesome dharmas praised the inclusion of both text and principle. Now, this 'Chapter on Letters' first expands upon the function of text. The text of the sūtra takes the fourteen sounds as the root of all sounds. As for why 'half and full' are mentioned: teachings have partial and complete forms because faculties have their sequence; the Tathāgata is well skilled in what is appropriate, and thus it says he 'well understands the full characters and half characters.' Baoliang states: The nine questions below expand upon the principle beneath the merit of letters. This is the twelfth question, first defining the letters, answered below in the 'Chapter on Letters.' Zhixiu states: The meaning of this thirteenth question is: if the name 'self' originally came from the Buddha, then upon whom do the remaining names depend?