大般涅槃經義記 1.164

1.164

自下第二顯後喜意，推為請主。偈請之中，初之一偈，推為請主；第二一偈，正勸令請；第三一偈，彰請所為，為留佛住，身口益物；第四一偈，結勸令請。初中上半歎其人尊，以人尊故堪為導首，為眾啟請，所以歎之。解有兩義：一約純陀內心以釋，純陀之心為物如佛，是故雖復生在人趣，已超第六天道之上；二約純陀請德以解，佛初成時，初禪梵王請佛說法，純陀今者請德同彼，是故雖復生在人中，已超第六他化天上。「我及一切今故稽首」，推為請主。第二偈中，上之半偈舉佛滅事，下之半偈正勸令請。第三偈中，上之半偈為留佛住，身業益物，「演說」已下半偈之文為留佛住，口業益物。「無上甘露」是大乘法，為佛智者之所稱讚，願住演說。第四偈中，上半明其不請有損，解有二義：一現在悲苦身命不全、二流轉生死慧命不全。下之半偈結勸令請。此偈須記，「純陀」下還述此為請。

From here below is the second [part]: revealing the second meaning of joy, pushing him forward as the requester. In the request in verse: the first verse pushes him forward as the requester; the second verse directly urges him to make the request; the third verse reveals the purpose of the request, which is to detain the Buddha to abide so that his bodily and vocal [actions] benefit beings; the fourth verse concludes by urging him to make the request. In the first [verse], the first half praises his personal nobility; because his person is noble, he is fit to be the leader to make the request for the assembly, and therefore it praises him. The explanation has two meanings: first, explained in terms of Cunda's inner mind: Cunda's mind is for beings just like the Buddha's, and therefore, although born in the human destiny, he has already surpassed the sixth heaven above. Second, explained in terms of Cunda's virtue in requesting: when the Buddha first attained awakening, the Brahmā king of the first dhyāna requested the Buddha to preach the Dharma; Cunda now has the virtue of requesting equal to him, and therefore, although born among humans, he has already surpassed the Paranirmitavaśavartin Heaven above. "I and everyone now therefore bow our heads" pushes him forward as the requester. In the second verse, the first half raises the matter of the Buddha's extinction; the second half directly urges him to make the request. In the third verse, the first half is for detaining the Buddha to abide, bodily karma benefiting beings; the text of the second half from "expound" downward is for detaining the Buddha to abide, vocal karma benefiting beings. "Unsurpassed sweet dew (amṛta)" is the Mahāyāna Dharma, which is praised by the Buddha's wise ones; he wishes [the Buddha] to abide and expound it. In the fourth verse, the first half clarifies that not requesting brings harm, which is explained with two meanings: first, in the present there is sorrow and suffering, and the physical life is not preserved; second, wandering in saṃsāra, the wisdom-life is not preserved. The second half concludes by urging him to make the request. This verse should be remembered: below, under "Cunda," he reiterates this to make the request.