大般涅槃經義記 1.44

1.44

自下第五明諸大眾見動相催雲集佛所，於中有三：一明諸眾見動相催、二「時有無量大弟子」下明其舊眾覩相增悲、三「復有八十百千」已下明新眾雲集。初中有三，應上三相：初應地動相催詣佛、二「互相執」下應前光相而為傷歎、三「復作是言世間空」下應前聲相重為傷歎。初中有二：一共相抑止，且各裁抑，莫大愁苦，若不詣佛，徒悲無益，故相抑止，望留聖住，未敢專決，故言「且抑莫大愁苦」；二「當疾往」下，共相驅催，三相頻現，聖滅不賒，故須疾詣。「頭面禮」等，明催所為，為請佛住，禮敬身請，頭面己尊，佛足彼卑，以己至尊，禮接彼卑，顯敬慇至。「勸」下口請，請佛住世一劫及減。有人釋言：請住一劫為顯滿字，請減一劫為表半字。此何必爾？若此大眾已知滿字，便解佛常，何勞請住？蓋乃大眾自許之詞，多望一劫，脫若不遂，望滅一劫。

From here below, the fifth section explains that the great assemblies, seeing the sign of the quaking urging them, gathered like clouds at the Buddha's place. In this there are three parts: first, explaining that the assemblies, seeing the sign of the quaking, urged one another; second, from “At that time there were immeasurable great disciples” below, explaining that the old assembly, beholding the sign, experienced an increase in sorrow; third, from “There were further eighty hundred thousand” below, explaining the new assembly gathering like clouds. Within the first part there are three points, corresponding to the three signs above: first, corresponding to the earth-quaking, they urged one another to proceed to the Buddha; second, from “Holding each other” below, corresponding to the previous sign of light, they lamented; third, from “Again uttering these words: 'The world is empty'” below, corresponding to the previous sign of sound, they lamented once more. In the first point there are two aspects: first, mutually restraining one another, [saying,] “Let each briefly restrain themselves and not be in great grief, for if we do not go to the Buddha, our sorrow is in vain and of no benefit.” Thus they restrained one another, hoping to persuade the sage to remain, yet not daring to decide presumptuously; hence it says “Briefly restrain yourselves, do not be in great grief.” Second, from “We should swiftly go” below, they mutually urged one another on: since the three signs have appeared repeatedly, the sage's extinction is not far off, so they must swiftly proceed. “Bowing with heads and faces,” and so forth, clarifies the purpose of this urging: it is to entreat the Buddha to remain. Reverent bowing is a bodily entreaty: one's own head and face are one's highest parts, while the Buddha's feet are his lowest parts; touching his lowest parts with one's own highest part demonstrates the utmost sincerity of reverence. From “Exhorting” below is the vocal entreaty, entreating the Buddha to remain in the world for an eon or slightly less than an eon. Someone explains: Entreating him to remain for an eon expresses the complete letters; entreating him to remain for less than an eon symbolizes the half letters. Why must it be so? If this great assembly already understood the complete letters, they would understand that the Buddha is eternal; why would they trouble to entreat him to remain? These are merely words reflecting the assembly's personal hope: they mostly wished for an eon, but should that not be granted, they hoped for slightly less than an eon.