大般涅槃經義記 4.224

4.224

第二段中，初先立喻。「金鑛」喻於三乘之人，「陶鍊滓穢，消融成金」喻除妄染而得成佛，成佛可重名「直無量」。次合顯法，「聲聞、緣覺、菩薩亦爾」合前金鑛，「皆得成就，同一佛性」合融成金，「何以故」下合鍊滓穢。先問起發，何故同一？「除煩惱故」釋同所以，「如彼金」下舉喻以帖，「是以」下結，終成不殊，故始性一。

In the second part, the analogy is first established. "Gold ore" is an analogy for the persons of the three vehicles; "smelting away the dross and impurities, melting it down to form gold" is an analogy for eliminating delusive defilements and thereby becoming a buddha, and becoming a buddha is worthy of veneration, called "of immeasurable value." Next, the application reveals the dharma: "Śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas are also like this" applies to the earlier gold ore; "all attain perfection, having the same single buddha-nature" applies to melting down to form gold; from "why is this?" below applies to smelting the dross and impurities. First a question is raised to initiate: why are they identical? "Because they eliminate afflictions" explains the reason for their being identical; from "like that gold" below an analogy is raised to match; from "therefore" below concludes: since in the end what is perfected is not distinct, the nature at the outset is one.