大般涅槃經義記 3.103

3.103

第二段中，初明四人實持非犯，理合供養。「是故我昔覆相說」下明其四人實長非幼，故合供養；是道非俗，初中兼辨，更不別論。前中初言「如我上說」指前總會，如佛前說像正二時四依弘化，故合供養。

In the second section, he first explains that the four persons actually uphold precepts and do not violate them, and in principle properly receive offerings. From 'Therefore, I formerly spoke in an obscured manner' downward explains that the four persons are actually elders and not youth, and therefore properly receive offerings; that they are monastic and not lay is already addressed in the first part and is not discussed separately. In the former part, 'As I said above' at the beginning points back to the general reconciliation above: as the Buddha said before, during the periods of the semblance and true [teachings], the four refuges propagate and transform, and therefore properly receive offerings.