大般涅槃經義記 2.108

2.108

第三段中迦葉先難「若佛是常，何不住世一劫、半劫」。下佛答之，先呵、後釋。釋中有二：初舉劣顯勝，明佛實常，先舉其劣。「如是五通尚得」已下牒劣顯勝，「以是」下結；二「如來此身是變化」下彰滅是應，先明是應，「為度」已下顯己化意。上來三番合為第二問答廣辯。下勸修學，初先勸知，次勸修行，後勸宣說，文中可知。上來第一明佛體常，自下第二寄對辯異，顯其不同。於中初明不同凡夫；「涅槃義者即是諸佛之法性」下，不同二乘；「汝今不應思量如來何處住」下不同菩薩。前中，迦葉先問起發，後佛答之。問中有二：一問佛差別、二「如佛言」下難使無別。於中先舉邪正，二「常若言」已下就之設難，先難如來同其世常，「何以故」下釋彼世常同於佛常。佛答有三：一明邪異正、二「是故如來出世」已下辯正異邪、三「以是義」下結勸修學。

In the third section, Kāśyapa first raises the objection: "If the Buddha is eternal, why does he not abide in the world for an eon or half an eon?" Below, the Buddha answers him, first scolding and then explaining. In the explanation there are two parts: First, he adduces the inferior to reveal the superior, clarifying that the Buddha is truly eternal, first adducing the inferior. "Those with the five spiritual penetrations still obtain..." onwards adduces the inferior to reveal the superior; "for this reason..." onwards concludes. Second, "This body of the Tathāgata is a transformation..." onwards clarifies that extinction is a manifestation; he first clarifies that it is a manifestation, and "in order to cross over..." onwards reveals the intent of his transformation. The three rounds above together constitute the second extensive clarification via questions and answers. Below, he urges study and practice: first urging knowledge, next urging practice, and finally urging proclamation, as can be known from the text. The above was the first [part], clarifying that the Buddha's essence is eternal; below is the second [part], drawing upon comparisons to distinguish differences and reveal how they are not the same. Within this, it first clarifies how he is not the same as ordinary beings; "The meaning of nirvāṇa is the dharma-nature of all buddhas..." onwards clarifies how he is not the same as the two vehicles; "You should not now ponder where the Tathāgata dwells..." onwards clarifies how he is not the same as bodhisattvas. In the former, Kāśyapa first initiates the inquiry, and afterwards the Buddha answers him. In the question there are two parts: first, asking about the Buddha's difference; second, "As the Buddha said..." onwards raises an objection so that there is no difference. Within this, he first presents the heterodox and the orthodox; second, "If eternity is said to be..." onwards posits an objection based on it: first objecting that the Tathāgata is the same as worldly eternity, and "why is this?" onwards explains that that worldly eternity is the same as the Buddha's eternity. The Buddha's answer has three parts: first, clarifying that the heterodox differs from the orthodox; second, "Therefore, after the Tathāgata appears in the world..." onwards distinguishes how the orthodox differs from the heterodox; third, "By this meaning..." onwards concludes by urging study and practice.