大般涅槃經義記 4.168

4.168

喻中，「如醫」喻《涅槃經》。「聞他人子」舉其所益，名佛如來以為他人，佛所化眾名他人子，以法對人義說為聞。「非人所持」須益所以，三罪嬰纏名非人持。「尋以藥」下喻經能益，於中三句：一明教益、二「卿若遲」下明其理益、三「若彼」下雙明理教二種利益。就初句中，「尋以妙藥」對治行法，「并遣使者」是其教法，從理發教，傳其對治行法授人義云遣使。攝化之儀具彰在詮義稱「勅使」，起教專為傳法授人，故言「卿持此藥與彼」。彼人聞法，罪障消除，故言「若遇諸惡鬼神，以藥力故悉當遠去」。第二句中，「卿若遲晚」教益不速，「吾自往」者理顯物心，有機必攝，故言「終不令彼枉死」。第三句中，「若彼見使」牒上初句，「及吾威德」牒第二句，「苦除得樂」彰其利益。次合顯法，「涅槃如是」合上良醫，「若比丘等」合他人子，「有能受持如是經典乃至為作菩提因緣」超合見使及吾威德苦除身樂。「若犯四禁乃至毒持」却合向前非人所持，法從喻稱，故說四重及五逆罪以為邪鬼。「聞是經典，諸惡皆滅」合以妙藥并遣一使，乃至終不使彼枉死。「如是醫」下舉喻以帖。

In the simile, "like a physician" is a simile for the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. "Hears that another person's child" brings up those who are benefited: the Buddha, the Tathāgata, is called "another person," and the assembly transformed by the Buddha is called "another person's child"; matching the Dharma to the person is figuratively called "hearing." "Possessed by a non-human" is the reason benefit is needed: being entwined in the three transgressions is called being "possessed by a non-human." From "he immediately took medicine" below is a simile for the sūtra's ability to benefit, containing three phrases: first, it explains the benefit of the teaching; second, from "if you are slow" below, it explains the benefit of the principle; third, from "if he" below, it jointly explains the two kinds of benefit, of both principle and teaching. In the first phrase, "immediately with wonderful medicine" is the practice of antidotes, and "and sent a messenger" is the teaching. Arising teaching from principle and transmitting the practice of antidotes to confer it on people is figuratively called "sending a messenger." The manner of gathering in and transforming is fully manifested in the text, figuratively called "commanding a messenger"; the teaching is generated solely to transmit the Dharma and confer it on people, hence it says "take this medicine and give it to him." When that person hears the Dharma, sins and obstacles are eradicated; hence it says "if he encounters evil ghosts and spirits, by the power of the medicine they will all go far away." In the second phrase, "if you are slow and late" means the benefit of the teaching is not swift; "I myself will go" means the principle is revealed in the minds of beings, and wherever there is capacity it will surely gather them in, hence it says "I will ultimately not allow him to die untimely." In the third phrase, "if he sees the messenger" repeats the first phrase above; "and my majestic virtue" repeats the second phrase; "suffering is removed and he obtains joy" reveals the benefit. Next, applying it to reveal the Dharma: "the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] is likewise" matches the skilled physician above; "if a monk or the like" matches another person's child; "there are those who can accept and uphold such a scripture [...] up to serving as a cause and condition for bodhi" leap-matches seeing the messenger, my majestic virtue, and the physical joy of suffering being removed. "If one commits the four grave prohibitions [...] up to being possessed by poison" matches back to being possessed by a non-human earlier; the Dharma is named after the simile, hence the four gravest and five heinous sins are spoken of as evil ghosts. "Hearing this scripture, all evils are extinguished" matches taking the wonderful medicine and sending a messenger, up to ultimately not allowing him to die untimely. From "such a physician" below, it cites the simile to apply it.