大般涅槃經義記 1.38

1.38

「以佛神力」，明出聲人，亦得名為聲發所由，此是如來如意通力，非餘通等。通有幾種而言非餘？通有四種：一是幻通，轉變外事；二如意通，運變自身，大音普告；三法智通，通達諸法；四聖自在通，能於苦中生於樂想、於樂事中生於苦想、苦樂法中生不苦樂想，不隨緣變，名聖自在。今出大音，是其第二如意通矣。「出大音」下，正明出聲。出大音聲，是其總也。音謂言音，謂梵、漢等，音體是聲，下別顯之。大有三義：一寬遠故大、二普告故大、三說大事故名為大。「其聲遍滿乃至有頂」，是其初大。傍遍餘方，上極有頂，悲想是其三有之窮，故曰有頂。上明所至，餘略不辯，當知十方隨所至處，皆從阿鼻上至有頂，非獨此界。「隨類普告」，第二大也。梵中梵語、漢中漢言，名隨類音，此乃一音令人異解，非作多音，有緣齊悟，故曰普告。「今日」已下第三大也，於中有二：一告聖今滅，為令眾生戀聖故來；二舉疑勸問，欲使眾生為益故集。又，唱聖滅欲令眾生獻供請住，以攝功德；舉疑勸問，為使眾生雲集請法，以生智慧。前唱滅中言「今日」者，告示滅時。言「如來」等，告語滅人。「將欲涅槃」，告其滅事。人中，如來、應、正遍知是自利德，乘如實道來成正覺，故曰如來。應者是其應供之號，諸過永斷，證滅相應，故名為應；又應供養，亦名為應。正遍知者，理無偏邪，故名為正。於理窮照，稱曰遍知。自德無量，且舉此三。「憐愍」已下是利他德，初「憐愍」等顯利他相、「大覺世尊」舉利他號。利他相中，憐為慈憐、愍為悲愍，此二內心。覆者，覆令善法增長；護者防護，使其離惡，此二外相。「等視眾生」，顯前憐愍。等視正辯「如羅睺羅」，類以顯之。「為作歸」等，顯前覆護。作歸法說，屋等喻況。利他號中，「大覺」佛號。言「世尊」者是世尊號，化德無量，略舉此耳。「將欲涅槃」，是告滅事，垂滅曰將。下勸問中，「一切眾生有疑悉問」，彰己無偏，欲令齊問，舉一齊餘，故名一切。眾法成生，故曰眾生；又多死生，亦名眾生。有疑須決，故悉可問。「為最後問」，顯己定滅，欲令必問。何故此中無眾悲歎？乍聞唱滅，必未審定，悲惱相微，為是不說。又設有悲，悲相同後，故不別論。

“By the Buddha’s supernatural power” clarifies the person emitting the voice, which may also be termed the source from which the voice arose; this is the Tathāgata’s power of mastery at will, not the other supernatural knowledges and the like. How many kinds of supernatural knowledges are there that one speaks of it not being the others? There are four kinds of supernatural knowledges: first is illusory supernatural knowledge, which transforms external things; second is supernatural knowledge of mastery at will, which operates and transforms one’s own body to announce broadly with a great voice; third is supernatural knowledge of dharma-wisdom, which penetrates all dharmas; fourth is noble sovereign supernatural knowledge, which is able to give rise to the notion of pleasure amid suffering, the notion of suffering amid pleasurable things, and the notion of neither-suffering-nor-pleasure amid dharmas of suffering and pleasure, not transforming in accordance with conditions—this is called noble sovereignty. Emitting the great voice now is the second, that of mastery at will. From “emitted a great voice” downward directly clarifies the emission of the voice. Emitting a great voice is the general statement. “Voice” refers to spoken sounds, meaning Sanskrit, Chinese, and so forth; the substance of the voice is sound, which is specifically revealed below. “Great” has three meanings: first, great because it is broad and distant; second, great because it announces everywhere; third, named great because it speaks of a great matter. “Its sound filled everywhere up to the peak of existence” is the first greatness. Laterally it pervaded other directions, and vertically it reached the peak of existence; the perception of sorrow is the limit of the three existences, hence it is called the peak of existence. The above clarifies where it reached, leaving the rest unelaborated in brief; one should know that wherever it reached in the ten directions, it went from Avīci up to the peak of existence, not only in this realm. “Everywhere announcing according to category” is the second greatness. Sanskrit speech among Brahmā, Chinese words among Chinese—this is called the voice according to category. This means that a single voice causes people to have different understandings, not that multiple sounds are made; those with conditions awaken simultaneously, hence it is called “everywhere announcing.” From “Today” downward is the third greatness, within which there are two parts: first, announcing that the sage will enter extinction today, in order to cause sentient beings to yearn for the sage and thus come; second, raising doubts and encouraging questioning, desiring to cause sentient beings to gather for the sake of benefit. Furthermore, proclaiming the sage’s extinction is intended to cause sentient beings to present offerings and request him to remain, thereby gathering merit; raising doubts and encouraging questioning is to cause sentient beings to gather like clouds and request the Dharma, thereby generating wisdom. In the previous proclamation of extinction, the word “today” announces the time of extinction. The words “the Tathāgata,” etc., proclaim the person entering extinction. “Desires to enter nirvāṇa” announces the event of extinction. Among the names of the person, Tathāgata, Arhat, and Samyaksaṃbuddha are virtues of self-benefit: mounting the path of reality to come and attain correct awakening, he is called Tathāgata. “Arhat” (Worthy) is the title of one worthy of offerings: all faults being eternally severed, he corresponds to the realization of extinction, hence he is called Worthy; furthermore, being worthy of offerings, he is also called Worthy. “Samyaksaṃbuddha” (Correct and Universal Knower): because the principle is free from bias or deviation, it is called “correct”; regarding the principle, his illumination is exhaustive, which is termed “universal knower.” His own virtues are immeasurable; these three are temporarily cited. From “pity” downward are the virtues of benefiting others: first, “pity,” etc., reveals the aspects of benefiting others; “Great Awakened World-Honoured One” raises the titles of benefiting others. Among the aspects of benefiting others, “caring” is love and caring; “pity” is compassion and pity; these two are the inner mind. “Sheltering” means sheltering to cause wholesome dharmas to increase; “protecting” means guarding and protecting to cause them to leave evil; these two are external marks. “Viewing sentient beings equally” reveals the preceding caring and pity. Equal viewing is directly clarified by “like Rāhula,” revealing it by analogy. “Acting as a refuge,” etc., reveals the preceding sheltering and protecting. Acting as a refuge is the doctrinal explanation; a house, etc., are metaphors. Among the titles of benefiting others, “Great Awakened” is the title Buddha. The words “World-Honoured One” are the title World-Honoured One; his virtues of transformation are immeasurable, and these are merely cited in brief. “Desires to enter nirvāṇa” announces the event of extinction; being on the verge of extinction is called “desiring to.” In the subsequent encouragement of questioning, “All sentient beings who have doubts should ask them all” reveals his own impartiality, desiring to make them ask equally; citing one brings along the rest, hence it is called “all.” A multitude of factors forming a life is called “sentient being” (sattva); also, having many deaths and births is also called “sentient being.” Having doubts that must be resolved, therefore they may ask all of them. “To be the final question” reveals that his extinction is definite, desiring to make them be sure to ask. Why is there no lamentation in grief from the assembly here? Having only just heard the proclamation of extinction, they were certainly not yet certain, and the signs of grief and affliction were faint; for this reason it is not mentioned. Furthermore, even if there was grief, the signs of grief were the same as those below, so it is not discussed separately.