大般涅槃經義記 2.62

2.62

第四聖為會通喻中，初呵不應；「如虫食」下廣顯不應，先喻、次合。「王言云何不解」已下，問答重顯。然此文中以喻況喻用之顯法，虫喻舊醫，遠況外道；推求治方名為食木，遠況外道推求五陰；有成字者近況舊醫說乳為藥，名當好乳名為成字，遠喻外道說我為治，偶當真我；此虫不知是字非字，喻彼舊醫不能自知是藥非藥，遠況外道不能自知是理非理；智人見之，終不唱言是虫解字，亦不驚怪，喻世智者口不宣唱舊醫解藥，心亦不怪，遠喻智者口不宣唱外道解我，心亦不怪。

In the fourth [section], the parable of the sage reconciling and harmonizing: first, he rebukes [the king] for what is improper; from 'like a worm eating [wood]' downward, he broadly shows what is improper, first by parable, next by applying it. From 'The king said: How is it that [the worm] does not understand?' downward reiterates and clarifies through question and answer. In this passage, parables are used to illustrate parables in order to reveal the Dharma: the worm illustrates the former physician, and from afar illustrates the non-Buddhists; seeking a prescription for treatment is termed 'eating wood,' and from afar illustrates the non-Buddhists investigating the five aggregates; that letters are formed closely illustrates the former physician declaring milk to be a medicine, which accidentally hits upon good milk and is called 'forming letters,' and from afar illustrates the non-Buddhists declaring the self to be the remedy, accidentally hitting upon the true self; that this worm does not know whether it is a letter or not a letter illustrates that the former physician cannot know himself whether it is medicine or not medicine, and from afar illustrates that the non-Buddhists cannot know themselves whether it is principle or not principle; that a wise person seeing it would never declare that this worm understands letters, nor would be amazed or astonished, illustrates that the worldly wise do not proclaim with their mouths that the former physician understands medicine, nor are they astonished in their hearts, and from afar illustrates that the wise do not proclaim with their mouths that the non-Buddhists understand the self, nor are they astonished in their hearts.