大般涅槃經義記 1.135

1.135

下正為請。「為令世間得善果故」，意業方便，菩薩悲深，凡所施作無不為物，故今獻供，為世得善。善謂善因，果是樂果，純陀自獻，云何令世得善果乎？由獻成佛，化他同己，故令得之。「捨身」已下，身業方便。威儀有四：行、住、坐、臥。今捨坐儀，進詣佛所。「從座而起」，顯其捨相。「偏袒右肩」，示有所作。「右膝著地」，釋有三義：一右膝有力，跪能安人；二右膝有力，起止便易；二右多躁動，著地令安。故坐禪人右手右足皆令在下。「合掌向佛」，為專其心。「悲泣墮淚」，求佛哀憐。愍世長苦，傷己沈溺，并緣佛去，所以悲泣。「頂禮佛足」，顯己虔至。頂是己尊，足是佛卑，以尊接卑，顯敬之極。「而白佛」下，口言正請，先請受供。「如剎利下」，請佛說法。「我今所供雖復微」下重請受供。純陀因前大眾獻供，如來不受，故先請供。請供為福，求智依法，故次請法。前雖請供，懼畏如來同上不受，故復重請。前請供中，初先為他，「我等從今無主」已下第二自為。就為他中先請受供，後顯所為，文顯可知；就自為中，先彰所為，後請受供，文之左右。明所為中句別有八：初六無人、次一無法、後一結求。「從今無主」，無離惡處；言「無親」者，無集善處，對先有佛，故說從今；「無救、無護」，明無主失，現惡無救、當惡無護；「無歸、無趣」，明無親失，始無所歸，終無所趣。此六無人貧窮飢困，明無善法，欲從如來求將來食，結己所求，以從今後無主親等，故從如來求將來食。供佛期果，說之為求。當來佛果濟己虛乏，就喻名食。又是現在施食家果，從因名食。上明所為。「唯願」已下結請受供。唯是專義，專求受供故曰唯願。食竟取滅，名後涅槃。純陀今者非直獻供，亦欲請住，何故言中聽佛涅槃？事不並說，且乞受供，蒙受供已然後請住。又復純陀為佛將滅，最後獻供不得請住，若請佛住，不得為滅。

Below is the actual petition. 'In order that the world may attain good fruit' shows the expedient means of mental karma: a bodhisattva's compassion is profound, and all that they undertake is done for beings; therefore, he now makes an offering so that the world may attain good [fruit]. 'Good' refers to the good cause; 'fruit' refers to the pleasant fruit. If Cunda makes the offering himself, how does it cause the world to attain good fruit? Because by this offering [he will] accomplish buddhahood and transform others to be like himself, he causes them to attain it. From 'casting aside [his body]' onward shows the expedient means of bodily karma. There are four bodily deportments: walking, standing, sitting, and lying down. Here, casting aside the sitting posture, he advances toward the Buddha's presence. 'Arising from his seat' reveals the manifestation of casting it aside. 'Baring his right shoulder' indicates having something to perform. 'Placing his right knee on the ground' has three explanations: first, the right knee is strong, so kneeling can support a person stably; second, the right knee is strong, making rising and stopping convenient; third, the right is prone to restlessness, so placing it on the ground stabilizes it. Therefore, when meditating, a person keeps the right hand and right foot underneath. 'Joining his palms toward the Buddha' serves to focus his mind. 'Weeping and shedding tears' seeks the Buddha's pity. He grieves over the world's protracted suffering, mourns his own submersion [in saṃsāra], and because the Buddha is about to depart, he weeps. 'Bowing his head to the Buddha's feet' reveals his utmost devotion. The head is the highest part of oneself; the feet are the lowest part of the Buddha; touching the lowest with the highest displays the culmination of respect. From 'and addressed the Buddha' onward, the spoken words make the actual petition: first, requesting [the Buddha] to accept the offering; from 'just like a kṣatriya' onward, requesting the Buddha to preach the Dharma; from 'although what I offer now is slight' onward, requesting again that the offering be accepted. Cunda, seeing that the Tathāgata did not accept the previous offerings made by the great assembly, first requests [acceptance of] the offering. Requesting [acceptance of] the offering is for merit, while seeking wisdom relies upon the Dharma; hence he next requests the Dharma. Although he had previously requested [acceptance of] the offering, he feared that the Tathāgata, as before, would not accept it; therefore he requests it again. Within the former request for the offering: first, for others; from 'we, from now on, will have no master' onward, second, for himself. Within what is for others: first, requesting acceptance of the offering; next, revealing the purpose; the text is clear and understandable. Within what is for himself: first, revealing the purpose; next, requesting acceptance of the offering; this is the inverse of the text [before]. In clarifying the purpose, there are eight distinct clauses: the first six concern having no person, the next one concerns having no Dharma, and the last one concludes the request. 'From now on having no master' means having nowhere to leave evil; saying 'having no kin' means having nowhere to gather good; spoken in contrast to previously having the Buddha, it says 'from now on'; 'without rescue, without protection' clarifies the loss of having no master: no rescue from present evil, no protection from future evil; 'without refuge, without destination' clarifies the loss of having no kin: initially having no refuge, and ultimately having no destination. These six [clauses on] having no person, being poor, destitute, hungry, and distressed, clarify the absence of good dharmas. Wanting to seek future food from the Tathāgata concludes his request: because from now on they will have no master or kin, they seek future food from the Tathāgata. Offering to the Buddha while anticipating the fruit is termed 'seeking'. The future buddha fruit relieves one's own deficiency; following the metaphor, it is called 'food'. Furthermore, it is the fruit of the house of offering food in the present; from the cause it is called 'food'. The above clarifies the purpose. From 'I only wish' onward concludes the request for acceptance of the offering. 'Only' means single-mindedness; single-mindedly seeking acceptance of the offering, it is said 'I only wish'. Entering extinction after eating is called the subsequent nirvāṇa. At present, Cunda does not merely make an offering, but also wishes to request [the Buddha] to remain; why then does his speech allow the Buddha to enter nirvāṇa? Matters cannot be spoken of simultaneously; for now he begs for acceptance of the offering, and after receiving acceptance of the offering, he will then request him to remain. Furthermore, because the Buddha is about to enter extinction, Cunda makes the final offering and cannot yet request him to remain; if he requested the Buddha to remain, it could not be for extinction.