大般涅槃經義記 4.81

4.81

初中有四：一迦葉略問云何如來說字根本。二如來略答，於中初明半字為本，名悉曇章以為初半，「持諸」已下顯其本相，「持諸記」等明持世法，「持諸陰」等持出世法，以持此等故名為本。持義云何？如下文說如地、如山、如雲、如眼、如母等也。「凡夫人」下寄學顯本，學是半字，知法非法，故說為本。是法猶前諸記論等，凡夫知法必依於字，故偏說之。三迦葉重問字義云何。四如來廣辨，於中有二：一別解字義、二「吸氣」下總辨字相。

In the first part, there are four points: First, Kāśyapa briefly asks how the Tathāgata speaks of the root of letters. Second, the Tathāgata briefly replies, wherein he first explains that the half letters are the root, taking the Siddhaṃ chart as the initial half; from "sustaining all..." downward reveals its fundamental characteristic: "sustaining all records," etc., clarifies sustaining worldly dharmas; "sustaining all aggregates," etc., sustains supramundane dharmas; because it sustains these, it is called the root. What does 'sustaining' mean? As the text below says, like the earth, like a mountain, like a cloud, like an eye, like a mother, and so forth. From "Ordinary people..." downward, learning is invoked to reveal the root: learning these half letters, one knows what is dharma and what is non-dharma, and therefore it is called the root. This dharma is like the earlier records and treatises; since ordinary people's knowledge of dharma must rely on letters, it is specifically spoken of. Third, Kāśyapa asks again what the meaning of letters is. Fourth, the Tathāgata broadly explains it, wherein there are two parts: first, explaining the meanings of the letters individually; second, from "inhaling breath..." downward, generally explaining the characteristics of the letters.