大般涅槃經義記 1.9

1.9

言涅槃者，有人釋言「非梵、非漢，直是佛語。」若論佛語，一切皆是，豈獨涅槃？故下文言「種種異論、文章、呪術，皆是佛說」，雖是佛說，不離方言，若離方言，佛則無說，云何而言非梵、非漢？有人復言「是天竺語，名總萬德，此方更無一名能翻，故存梵本，名曰涅槃。」涅槃之體實備萬德，涅槃一名非盡萬德，若使涅槃名含萬德，是則宣說萬德之時，不應隨德更立名字，欲說萬德，更立別名，明知非總。若言此方無名能翻，此義不然，如下文中如來隨類普告眾生：「今日如來將欲涅槃。」隨音異告，云何叵翻？今正相翻，名之為滅；隨義傍翻，名別多種，或云不生、或云不滅、或稱不燃、或言不織、或曰寂靜、或名無為、或云無相，如是非一。云何得知是滅非總？今此且以四義驗之：一就昔以求，如來昔於餘契經中每常宣說生死因果盡無之處以為涅槃，今日涅槃，名不異昔，何忽是總？二據終以驗，如來今於婆羅樹間，大音普告云：「今涅槃。」眾生聞已，咸皆悲惱，詣佛請住。若使涅槃名總萬德，是則宣唱萬德示人，眾生應喜，何故悲泣，詣佛請住？以斯准驗，明知非總。三准定方言，其外國人見人死滅，咸皆稱言某甲涅槃。世人死滅，何德可總？四取文為證，如下文中佛歎純陀能知如來，云同眾生方便涅槃，世間眾生何曾有彼萬德涅槃可以示同？蓋乃如來同世盡滅，名示涅槃。又，《法華》中日月燈佛說《法華》竟，於夜後分入般涅槃，下偈頌云「佛此夜滅度，如薪盡火滅」，明知涅槃是滅非總。

As for the word 'nirvāṇa,' someone has explained: 'It is neither Sanskrit nor Chinese, but simply the words of the Buddha.' If one speaks of the Buddha's words, all are such; how could it be nirvāṇa alone? Hence the text below states: 'The various divergent treatises, compositions, and incantations are all spoken by the Buddha.' Although they are spoken by the Buddha, they are not separate from regional dialects; if separated from regional dialects, the Buddha would have no speech—how can one say it is neither Sanskrit nor Chinese? Someone also says: 'It is the language of India; the name encompasses the ten thousand virtues, and in this land there is no single term that can translate it, so the Sanskrit original is retained and it is called nirvāṇa.' The essence of nirvāṇa is indeed fully endowed with the ten thousand virtues, but the single name 'nirvāṇa' does not exhaust the ten thousand virtues. If the name 'nirvāṇa' were to contain the ten thousand virtues, then when proclaiming the ten thousand virtues, one should not establish further names according to each virtue; since one establishes separate names when wishing to speak of the ten thousand virtues, we clearly know it is not all-encompassing. If it is said that in this land there is no word that can translate it, this principle is not so. As in the text below, where the Tathāgata broadly announces to sentient beings according to their kinds: 'Today the Tathāgata wishes to enter nirvāṇa.' Since he announces this differently according to different sounds, how could it be untranslatable? Now, properly translating it according to its sense, it is called 'extinction.' When translated laterally according to its meanings, its names are distinct and manifold: some say 'unborn,' some say 'unceasing,' some call it 'unburning,' some say 'unwoven,' some call it 'tranquil,' some name it 'unconditioned,' and some call it 'markless'; such are more than one. How is it known that it means extinction and is not all-encompassing? Now we may examine this briefly with four points: First, seeking it in terms of the past: in other sūtras in the past, the Tathāgata always proclaimed the place where the causes and fruits of birth and death are completely exhausted as nirvāṇa; the nirvāṇa of today does not differ in name from the past, so why should it suddenly be all-encompassing? Second, verifying it based on the end: now, between the śāla trees, the Tathāgata broadly proclaims with a great voice, 'Now I enter nirvāṇa.' When sentient beings heard this, they all grieved and were distressed, and went to the Buddha to entreat him to remain. If the name 'nirvāṇa' encompassed the ten thousand virtues, then proclaiming the ten thousand virtues and displaying them to people, sentient beings ought to have rejoiced; why would they weep in grief and go to the Buddha to entreat him to remain? Judging by this, we clearly know it is not all-encompassing. Third, determining it by regional dialect: when foreigners see a person die, they all say that so-and-so has entered nirvāṇa. When worldly people die, what virtue could be encompassed? Fourth, taking the text as proof: as in the text below, the Buddha praises Cunda for being able to know the Tathāgata, saying that he accords with sentient beings in the nirvāṇa of expedient means; how could worldly sentient beings ever have that nirvāṇa of ten thousand virtues with which he could display concordance? It is simply that the Tathāgata conforms with the worldly cessation of life, which is termed 'manifesting nirvāṇa.' Furthermore, in the Lotus Sūtra, when the Buddha Sun Moon Lamp finished preaching the Lotus Sūtra, he entered parinirvāṇa in the latter part of the night, and the verses below state: 'Tonight the Buddha enters extinction, / Like fire extinguished when firewood is spent.' From this we clearly know that nirvāṇa means extinction and is not all-encompassing.