大般涅槃經義記 3.100

3.100

第三存昔非今之中，偏就持犯存昔徵今。老少道俗略而不說。於中兩句：前一弘經，明持戒人不合敬犯。「如佛言曰持戒比丘亦有所犯」，舉佛舊言，佛昔宣說敬犯得罪，故言亦犯。「何故如來作如是說」以昔徵今。敬犯得罪，何故今說有知法者一切供養，恭敬禮拜，不簡持犯？下一受經，明犯戒人唯合治罰，不合供養。「世尊亦於經中說言聽治破戒」舉佛舊言，「如是所說其義未了」以昔徵今，破戒之人理合治故，今時所說，有知法者一切供養，不簡持犯，其義未了。

In the third [part], upholding the past and rejecting the present, he specifically upholds the past and interrogates the present regarding holding precepts and violating them. Age and monastic versus lay are omitted and not discussed. Within this there are two statements: the first concerns propagating the sūtra, explaining that one who holds the precepts should not revere a violator. 'As the Buddha said, a precept-holding monk also commits infractions' cites the Buddha's former words: the Buddha formerly taught that revering a violator incurs an offense, hence he says 'also commits an infraction.' 'Why did the Tathāgata make such a statement?' interrogates the present using the past: since revering a violator incurs an offense, why does he now say that if someone knows the Dharma, all should make offerings, revere, and pay homage, without distinguishing between holding precepts and violating them? The second statement concerns receiving the sūtra, explaining that a precept-violating person should only be punished and should not receive offerings. 'The World-Honoured One also said in the sūtra that one is permitted to punish those who break precepts' cites the Buddha's former words; 'the meaning of what is thus said is not yet clear' interrogates the present using the past: because a precept-breaker should in principle be punished, what is said at present—that if someone knows the Dharma, all should make offerings, without distinguishing between holding precepts and violating them—is not yet clear in meaning.