大般涅槃經義記 1.201

1.201

上來明佛同於有為，非尊非勝，自下第二明是尊勝，必破有為，破離四魔有為生死，方得名為三界尊故。於中先喻、次合、後結。喻中有三：一佛破有為喻、二「如是力士王所愛」下世共尊敬喻、三「所以」下佛是無為喻。初中「如王有力士」者，眾生有其感聖之力，為佛隨從，故名為王。佛能摧破四魔強敵，名為力士。力當千者，當敵四魔，更無降者，魔不能伏，故稱當千，結佛力勝。第二段中，「如是力士」，牒佛如來。「王所愛念」，為世尊仰。「偏賜爵」等，別加敬養。第三段中，「所以得稱當千人者」，問前起後。「是人未必力敵千」者，簡前起後，未必專以破障之力，當敵千人。「種種伎能能勝千」者，具足種種無為功德，過千人也，故稱結之。

The preceding clarified that the Buddha being identical to the conditioned would be neither honored nor supreme; next, the second part clarifies that he is honored and supreme, and must shatter the conditioned; only by shattering and departing from the conditioned birth and death of the four māras can he be called the honored one of the three realms. Herein there is first a simile, next an application, and finally a conclusion. In the simile there are three parts: first, the simile of the Buddha shattering the conditioned; second, below "such a warrior is beloved of the king," the simile of being venerated together by the world; third, below "for what reason," the simile of the Buddha being unconditioned. In the first part, "just as a king has a warrior": sentient beings have the power to evoke the noble one and follow the Buddha, hence they are called the "king." The Buddha is able to crush the mighty enemy of the four māras, hence he is called the "warrior." "Whose strength matches a thousand" means that in matching and countering the four māras, there is no one who can subdue him, and the māras cannot overpower him; hence he is said to match a thousand, concluding that the Buddha's power is supreme. In the second section, "such a warrior" takes up the Buddha Tathāgata. "Is beloved of the king" means being revered by the world. "Singularly bestowed official rank," etc., means being specially respected and provided for. In the third section, "why is he able to be called one who matches a thousand men?" asks from the preceding to raise what follows. "This person does not necessarily have the physical strength to match a thousand" distinguishes the preceding to raise what follows; he does not necessarily match a thousand men solely by the strength of shattering obstacles. "With various skills, he is able to surpass a thousand" means that being fully endowed with various unconditioned virtues, he surpasses a thousand men; hence he is praised and concluded as such.