大般涅槃經義記 1.171

1.171

下明所離。「度人天死」，總明所離。「佛不染」下別明所離，於中有二：一以己檀行上求佛果，故得度於人天生死；二「一切煩惱摧破」已下，不將檀行求人天報，故得度於人天生死。前中，先明佛出生死，「生世難」下用己檀行迴以求之。明佛出中，「佛不染世」，離生死緣，緣謂煩惱；「善斷有種」，離生死因，因謂業行。非想是其三有之窮，名為有頂。佛斷其種下即亡言，度生死流、離生死果下以檀度。願求之中，初明生世為人至難，舉此為顯難得身中所起檀行，唯應求佛，不應求餘。彼云何難？如下文說，捨於人身還生人中，如爪上土。「值佛世」下明佛難逢，先法、後喻。舉此為顯難值佛邊，所成檀行，唯應求佛，不應求餘。我今奉食，願無上報，正願求佛，求前不染，乃至永渡生死流。佛名無上報，以求此報，故得度於人天生死。下明不求人天之中，一切惱結摧破不堅，破人天因，行檀求佛，故能破之。「我於此」下離人天果。我今此處不求天人，未得不求。謂今於此供佛所成檀行之處。不求未來人天之身；設使得之，心亦不樂，已得不受。

Below, what is escaped is explained. "Transcending the deaths of humans and devas" explains in general what is escaped. From "The Buddha is untainted" downward, what is escaped is explained specifically, within which there are two parts: first, by using one's own practice of giving to seek the fruit of buddhahood above, one therefore attains transcendence over the births and deaths of humans and devas; second, from "all afflictions are crushed and broken" downward, not using the practice of giving to seek the retributions of humans and devas, one therefore attains transcendence over the births and deaths of humans and devas. Within the former, it first explains that the Buddha transcends birth and death, and from "birth in the world is difficult" downward, it uses one's own practice of giving and dedicates it to seeking this. In explaining the Buddha's transcendence, "the Buddha is untainted by the world" means being free from the conditioning factors of birth and death, conditioning factors referring to afflictions; "well severing the seeds of existence" means being free from the causes of birth and death, causes referring to actions of karma. Neither-perception-nor-non-perception is the culmination of the three existences, termed the peak of existence. When the Buddha severs their seeds, words immediately cease below; crossing the stream of birth and death and being free from the fruits of birth and death are subsequently accomplished through the perfection of giving. Within the vow and aspiration, it first explains that being born in the world as a human being is extremely difficult; this is raised to make clear that within the practice of giving aroused in a body that is difficult to obtain, one ought only to seek the Buddha, and not seek anything else. How is that difficult? As the text below says, giving up a human body and being reborn again among humans is like dirt on a fingernail. From "meeting an era with a buddha" downward, it explains that a buddha is difficult to encounter, first through a doctrinal statement, then through an analogy. This is raised to make clear that regarding the practice of giving accomplished beside a buddha who is difficult to encounter, one ought only to seek the Buddha, and not seek anything else. In now offering food, I vow to attain the unsurpassed retribution—this is precisely the vow to seek the Buddha, seeking the aforesaid untaintedness, up to eternally crossing the stream of birth and death. The Buddha is called the unsurpassed retribution; because one seeks this retribution, one therefore attains transcendence over the births and deaths of humans and devas. Below, within explaining not seeking humans and devas, "all knots of affliction are crushed, broken, and unsolid" breaks the causes of humans and devas; practicing giving to seek the Buddha, one is therefore able to break them. From "I in this [place]" downward, one is free from the fruits of humans and devas. In this present place I do not seek devas or humans—not seeking what has not yet been attained. This means that in this present place where the practice of giving accomplished by making offerings to the Buddha is done, one does not seek future bodies of humans or devas; even if one were to obtain them, one's mind would not take joy in them, and having obtained them one would not accept them.