大般涅槃經義記 4.181

4.181

前中有二：一明如來得涅槃船能渡眾生、二「如有船」下明其化益本末次第。前中先喻，「船」喻涅槃。「從此至彼」喻從生死到大菩提，「從彼至此」喻從菩提還至生死。次合顯法，「如來如是」合乘船人，「乘大涅槃」正合前船，「周旋往返」合此至彼、合彼至此。「在在」已下辨明化益，「以是」下結。

In the former there are two parts: first, explaining that the Tathāgata attains the boat of nirvāṇa and can ferry beings across; second, from "like a boat" below, explaining the order of root and branch in his transformative benefit. In the former, it first gives the simile: "boat" is a simile for nirvāṇa; "from this [shore] to that [shore]" is a simile for going from birth and death to great bodhi; "from that [shore] to this [shore]" is a simile for returning from bodhi to birth and death. Next, applying it to reveal the Dharma: "the Tathāgata is likewise" matches the person riding the boat; "riding the great nirvāṇa" directly matches the boat before; "circling and shuttling back and forth" matches from this to that and from that to this. From "in every place" below, it explains the transformative benefit; from "for this reason" below, it concludes.