大般涅槃經義記 2.94

2.94

初言「眾生大依止」者，是其讚問，讚嘆如來能為物依。迦葉欲難，將奪先與，故先讚嘆，是故雖讚而名為問。迦葉是中何不即難？釋言：不得。下舉善星難佛無慈、無大方便，非物依止，難辭極廣；若此為難，言則繁多，不成偈義，故讚便罷。兩足妙藥亦是讚問，讚佛所說能為妙藥。迦葉欲難，將奪先與，故先讚嘆，是故雖嘆而名為問。迦葉此中何不即難？此亦不得。下舉二十一對諍論，難佛所說非是妙藥；若此為難，難辭繁廣，不成偈頌，故嘆便罷。

First, the words "great reliance of sentient beings" are a praising question, praising the Tathāgata for being able to serve as a reliance for beings. Kāśyapa wishes to raise an objection, and intending to take away, he first grants; thus he first praises, and therefore, though a praise, it is named a question. Why does Kāśyapa not raise the objection immediately here? The explanation says: he cannot. Below he brings up Sunakkhatta objecting that the Buddha lacks compassion and lacks great expedient means, and is not a reliance for beings, which is an extremely broad objection. If he were to make this objection [now], the words would be too numerous and would not form the meaning of a verse; thus he pauses after the praise. "Wondrous medicine of two-legged beings" is also a praising question, praising what the Buddha expounds as being able to serve as a wondrous medicine. Kāśyapa wishes to raise an objection, and intending to take away, he first grants; thus he first praises, and therefore, though a praise, it is named a question. Why does Kāśyapa not raise the objection immediately here? Here too, he cannot. Below he brings up twenty-one pairs of disputations, objecting that what the Buddha expounds is not a wondrous medicine; if he were to make this objection, the phrasing of the objection would be numerous and broad and would not form a verse; thus he pauses after the praise.