大般涅槃經義記 1.74

1.74

自下第三如來不受。言「知時」者，不受所以。知今非是受供之時，故曰知時。何者受時？受時有二：一許受時，〈純陀章〉中；二正受時，〈大眾問品〉。前許受時顯示佛常，後正受時顯涅槃常，今非彼時，所以不受。言「默然」者，明不受相。何故須默？如來大人，體道少欲，若受、不受，多皆默然。云何可別？現相令知。言「不受」者，正明不受。釋意有四：一欲令諸眾齊有獻奉，故此不受。若受此供，餘眾絕意，何敢更獻？二為使純陀獻供顯法，故此不受。若受此供，純陀何敢更生獻意？三欲令諸眾於施重心，故此不受，至後〈大眾問品〉之中方為受之；四於此處未對純陀顯佛常義，恐彼諸眾施無所趣，故此不受。下對純陀顯常已竟，〈眾問品〉中等為受之。今對此供不受既然，下餘眾中不受例爾。

From here below, the third [part] is that the Tathāgata does not accept. Saying "knowing the time" is the reason for not accepting. He knew that now was not the time to accept offerings, and therefore it is called "knowing the time". What is the time of acceptance? The times of acceptance are two: 1. the time of assenting to accept, in the "Chapter on Cunda"; 2. the time of directly accepting, in the "Chapter on the Inquiries of the Great Assembly". The former time of assenting to accept reveals that the Buddha is eternal; the latter time of directly accepting reveals that nirvāṇa is eternal. Now was not those times, which is why he did not accept. Saying "remained silent" clarifies the manner of not accepting. Why was silence necessary? The Tathāgata is a great man who embodies the Way and has few desires; whether accepting or not accepting, he is mostly silent. How could they distinguish it? He manifested signs to make them know. Saying "did not accept" directly clarifies the non-acceptance. There are four explanations of the intent: 1. desiring to let all assemblies equally make presentations, he therefore did not accept this. If he accepted this offering, the remaining assemblies would abandon their intentions; how would they dare present again? 2. in order to have Cunda present offerings to manifest the Dharma, he therefore did not accept this. If he accepted this offering, how would Cunda dare generate the intent to present again? 3. desiring to make the various assemblies have profound minds toward giving, he therefore did not accept this, and only later in the "Chapter on the Inquiries of the Great Assembly" did he accept them; 4. because at this juncture he had not yet revealed to Cunda the meaning of the Buddha's permanence, fearing that the various assemblies' giving would have nothing to orient toward, he therefore did not accept this. Below, once he has finished revealing permanence to Cunda, in the "Chapter on the Inquiries of the Assembly" he accepts them all equally. Now, since his non-acceptance of this offering was like this, the non-acceptance among the rest of the assemblies below follows the same precedent.