大般涅槃經義記 1.232

1.232

就明純陀辦供之中，句別有三：初言為生得度脫故，低頭飲淚，強抑哀情，若不供佛求度生死，徒悲無益，故須強抑，裁己哀情，便淚不墮，名為飲淚；二「白佛」下，領佛前勸，明己現在不能思量佛壽長短。於中先明當來能知，「我等今」下明現不知，此名如來應化示滅以為涅槃，真身當住為非涅槃。若我成佛堪為眾生作福田時，知佛化滅名知涅槃，知真常存名非涅槃。現在未知如來化滅，故言我等不能思量如來涅槃，亦不知佛真身常住名非涅槃；三「爾時」下，辭佛辦供。純陀獻供，須人教示，故與文殊相隨而去。

Regarding the clarification of Cunda's preparing the offering, there are three distinct phrases: first, it states that for the sake of living beings gaining liberation, he bowed his head and swallowed his tears, forcefully suppressing his sorrowful emotions—if one does not make offerings to the Buddha to seek liberation from birth and death, uselessly grieving brings no benefit; therefore he had to forcefully suppress and restrain his sorrowful emotions, so that his tears did not fall, which is called 'swallowing his tears.' Second, from 'addressed the Buddha' onward, he receives the Buddha's prior admonition, explaining that he presently cannot measure the length of the Buddha's lifespan. Within this, he first clarifies that he will be able to know in the future; from 'we now' onward, he clarifies that presently he does not know. This means that the Tathāgata's manifestation and transformation manifesting extinction is regarded as nirvāṇa, while the true body's future abiding is regarded as non-nirvāṇa. If, when I attain buddhahood and am able to act as a field of merit for living beings, I know the Buddha's transformed extinction, that is called knowing nirvāṇa; and if I know the true [body] as constantly abiding, that is called knowing non-nirvāṇa. Presently not yet knowing the Tathāgata's transformed extinction, he therefore says that we cannot measure the Tathāgata's nirvāṇa, nor do we know that the Buddha's true body constantly abides, which is called non-nirvāṇa. Third, from 'At that time' onward, he takes leave of the Buddha to prepare the offering. For Cunda to present the offering required someone to instruct and guide him; therefore he left accompanying Mañjuśrī.