大般涅槃經義記 1.241

1.241

第一請中，初喻，次合，「唯願」已下結請佛住。喻中，「如王」喻佛如來。「生育諸子」喻諸比丘，從佛化起故言生育。道機不邪，名貌端正，聖心慈憐，名常愛念。勸教三學名教，伎藝所習皆成名悉通利。此喻有始，下況無終。佛捨滅度，令諸比丘為其變易生死所切，名為將付魁膾令殺。下次合之，「我等今日為法王子」合前王子，「蒙佛教誨」合教伎藝，「已具正見」合悉通利，亦可合前形貌端正。此合有始，下合無終。「願莫放捨」，反合付殺；「如其放捨」，順合付殺。結請可知。

In the first entreaty, first is the metaphor, next the application, and from 'We only pray' onward concludes the entreaty for the Buddha to abide. In the metaphor, 'like a king' is a metaphor for the Buddha, the Tathāgata. 'Giving birth to many sons' is a metaphor for the bhikṣus; because they arise from the Buddha's transformation, he says 'giving birth.' The capacities for the Way not being perverse is called 'having handsome appearances'; the noble mind's compassionate pity is called 'always dearly loving them.' Exhorting and instructing them in the three trainings is called 'teaching'; what was practiced all being accomplished is called 'being completely proficient in all arts.' This metaphor represents having a beginning; below, it illustrates having no end. The Buddha abandoning them for extinction, causing the bhikṣus to be afflicted by the birth and death of change, is called handing them over to an executioner to be killed. Next is the application: 'We today are the sons of the Dharma King' applies to the princes above; 'receiving the Buddha's instruction' applies to teaching the arts; 'already endowed with right view' applies to being completely proficient, and can also apply to the handsome appearance above. This applies to having a beginning; below applies to having no end. 'May you not abandon us' inversely applies to handing over to be killed; 'if you abandon us' directly applies to handing over to be killed. The concluding entreaty is understandable.