大般涅槃經義記 1.198

1.198

第三段中，初就生滅明佛不得為尊為勝，「如聚落」下就前流轉明佛不得為尊為勝。前中，「我聞諸天極長」，舉凡驗聖，亦得名為辨凡過聖。如四天王壽五百歲，乃至非想壽八萬劫，名為極長；云何世尊是天中天，不滿百年？準凡責聖，亦得名為彰聖劣凡。世尊既是天中之天，壽應無量，云何命短，不滿百年？不滿百故，不得名為天中之天、最尊最勝。下就流轉明非尊中，初先立喻，「如聚落主」，喻佛得為三千化主。「勢力自在，能制他」者，喻佛自在能調眾生。「其後貧賤人所輕」者，喻佛流轉，為人輕也。「為他使」者，反為他化。「所以」下釋，下合顯法。「世尊亦爾」，合聚落主勢力自在，能制伏他。「同於諸行」，合其福盡，「不得稱為天中之天」，合其貧賤，為人輕也。「何以」下釋，即是合上失勢力故。

In the third section, it first clarifies with respect to arising and ceasing that the Buddha cannot be considered the most honored and most supreme; below "just like the head of a village," it clarifies with respect to the aforementioned transmigration that the Buddha cannot be considered the most honored and most supreme. In the former, "I have heard that all devas [have lifespans that are] extremely long" adduces ordinary beings to test the noble one, which can also be called discerning that ordinary beings surpass the noble one. For instance, the lifespans of the Four Heavenly Kings are five hundred years, extending up to the lifespan of [the Heaven of] Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception being eighty thousand kalpas, which is called "extremely long"; why would the World-Honoured One be the God among gods, yet not reach a full hundred years? Measuring the noble one against ordinary beings can also be called revealing that the noble one is inferior to ordinary beings. Since the World-Honoured One is the God of gods, his lifespan should be limitless; why is his life short, not reaching a full hundred years? Because it does not reach a hundred, he cannot be called the God among gods, the most honored and most supreme. In the section below that clarifies with respect to transmigration that he is not the most honored, it first establishes a simile: "just like the head of a village" is a simile for the Buddha being able to be the Lord of transformation of the three-thousandfold [world]. "His power and influence are sovereign, able to control others" is a simile for the Buddha being sovereign and able to tame sentient beings. "Later, being poor and base, he is despised by people" is a simile for the Buddha transmigrating and being despised by people. "Being employed by others" means being transformed by others in turn. Below "for what reason," it explains; below, it applies [the simile] to reveal the Dharma. "The World-Honoured One is also like this" applies to the head of the village whose power and influence are sovereign, able to subdue others. "Identical to conditioned phenomena" applies to the exhaustion of his merit. "He cannot be proclaimed the God among gods" applies to his being poor and base, despised by people. Below "why," it explains, which applies to the loss of power and influence above.