大般涅槃經義記 4.243

4.243

一切大眾所問品者，上來廣明菩提之因，下次明其涅槃之因，因諸大眾請以論之，就斯以顯，故云〈大眾所問品〉也。於此品中，文別有三：第一如來現相起發、二「時天人阿修羅」下明諸大眾傷嘆為由、三「爾時世尊為慰喻」下對之顯法。

Regarding the "Chapter on the Questions of the Entire Assembly": the preceding sections extensively clarified the cause of bodhi, while the following sections clarify the cause of nirvāṇa. Because it is discussed in response to the requests of the entire assembly and revealed by relying on them, it is called the "Chapter on the Questions of the Entire Assembly". In this chapter, the text is divided into three parts: first, the Tathāgata manifests signs to initiate [the teaching]; second, from "At that time, gods, humans, and asuras" onward, it clarifies the grief and lamentation of the great assembly as the occasion; third, from "Then the World-Honoured One, to comfort and console" onward, he reveals the Dharma in response to them.