大般涅槃經義記 4.197

4.197

上明法興，下彰衰廢，於中有三：一明眾生不敬故廢、二「如來正法將滅」已下明諸眾生不學故廢、三「牧牛女」下明諸眾生加情故廢。初中先喻，「波羅奢等值旱不生」喻此經廢，「水陸所生皆悉枯」等喻餘經癈。次合顯法，「涅槃如是」合波羅等，「不敬」合旱，「無威」合後不生華實，水陸生等略而不合。「何以故」下釋前不敬，以不知故。「者何」已下釋前不知，以薄福故。

Above, the flourishing of the Dharma was clarified; below, its decline and obsolescence is shown, within which there are three parts: first, clarifying that sentient beings do not revere it, hence it falls into disuse; second, from "The Tathāgata's true Dharma is about to perish..." downward, clarifying that sentient beings do not study it, hence it falls into disuse; third, from "The cowherd woman..." downward, clarifying that sentient beings add their own subjective feelings, hence it falls into disuse. In the first part, first the simile: "The palāśa and so forth encountering drought and not growing" is a simile for this sūtra falling into disuse; "Those growing in water and on land all wither away..." and so forth is a simile for other sūtras falling into disuse. Next comes the matching to reveal the Dharma: "The nirvāṇa is like this" matches the palāśa and so forth; "lack of reverence" matches the drought; "lack of majesty" matches later not bearing flowers and fruit; those growing in water and land are omitted and not matched. From "Why is this?" downward explains the preceding lack of reverence: it is because of not knowing. From "What is the reason?" downward explains the preceding not knowing: it is because of meager merit.