大般涅槃經義記 4.125

4.125

下約星喻明佛化滅，喻事有三：一是晝星不現之喻、二陰闇日月不現之喻、三是彗星夜現之喻。於中初喻正答上問，後二舉之助以顯法。晝星一喻，喻佛滅後二乘不見，先喻、後合。二乘倒想如彼日光映障如來，不能得見。陰闇彗喻佛滅後凡夫不見，陰闇之喻正明滅時凡夫不見，先喻、後合。彗星之喻明辟支佛出現世時凡生滅想，聞辟支佛出無佛世故生滅想，於中先喻，次約顯法，「而如來」下明實不滅。

Below, it explains the Buddha's manifestation of extinction with reference to the metaphor of the stars, where there are three metaphorical situations: first, the metaphor of daytime stars not appearing; second, the metaphor of the sun and moon not appearing in overcast darkness; and third, the metaphor of a comet appearing at night. Among them, the first metaphor directly answers the preceding question, while the latter two are adduced to assist in revealing the Dharma. The single metaphor of daytime stars illustrates that after the Buddha's extinction, the two vehicles do not see [him]; it first gives the metaphor and then the application. The inverted thoughts of the two vehicles are like that sunlight, which outshines and obscures the Tathāgata so that they cannot see him. The metaphors of overcast darkness and the comet illustrate that after the Buddha's extinction, ordinary beings do not see [him]; the metaphor of overcast darkness directly explains that at the time of extinction, ordinary beings do not see [him], first giving the metaphor and then the application. The metaphor of the comet explains that when a pratyekabuddha appears in the world, ordinary beings give rise to the thought of extinction; hearing that a pratyekabuddha appears in an age without a buddha, they therefore give rise to the thought of extinction. Herein it first gives the metaphor, next applies it to reveal the Dharma, and from "Yet the Tathāgata..." onward explains that in reality he does not become extinct.