大般涅槃經義記 6.224

6.224

下次對上第三句難明迦葉佛雖有此經，以不說故，得言其滅。於中有二：第一正明迦葉佛時無四所為，有經不說，是故言滅；二「今世」下舉今顯昔。前中，初言「迦葉佛時眾生貪薄」翻前第一明穀不貴，以貪薄故不畜人種不淨之物，「智慧滋多乃至如象」翻前第四明財易得，以有信慧持法不忘故非難得。「智慧滋多」明有解也。「調柔易化，有大威德」明有信也。「總持不忘，如大象王」明有念也。念持多法，故如象王多有勝持。「世界清淨」翻前第二彰彼佛時無賊侵國，無惡比丘宣說邪法，壞亂四眾，所以清淨。「一切悉知如來終不畢竟涅槃」翻前第三明無惡王，不須贖命。「雖有是典，不須演說」翻前出用。

Next, in response to the dilemma in the third clause above, he clarifies that although Kāśyapa Buddha had this sūtra, because he did not preach it, it may be said to be extinguished. Within this, there are two parts: first, directly clarifying that at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there were not the four reasons [for preaching it], so although he had the sūtra, he did not preach it, and for this reason it is said to be extinguished; second, from "The present world" below, adducing the present to reveal the past. Within the former, first saying that "at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, sentient beings were slight in greed" reverses the first [item] above to clarify that grain was not expensive: because their greed was slight, they did not store up impure things of human varieties; "wisdom was abundant, even up to like an elephant" reverses the fourth [item] above to clarify that wealth was easy to obtain: because they possessed faith and wisdom, and upheld the Dharma without forgetting, it was not difficult to obtain. "Wisdom was abundant" clarifies that they had understanding. "Gentle, compliant, and easy to transform, possessing great majesty and virtue" clarifies that they had faith. "Holding in retention without forgetting, like a great elephant king" clarifies that they had mindfulness. Mindfully upholding many dharmas, they were thus like an elephant king having much superior retention. "The world was pure" reverses the second [item] above to demonstrate that at that buddha's time there were no bandits invading the country, and no wicked monks preaching heterodox teachings to confound and disrupt the four assemblies; hence it was pure. "All knew that the Tathāgata does not, in the end, enter ultimate nirvāṇa" reverses the third [item] above to clarify that there was no wicked king and no need to ransom one's life. "Although having this scripture, there was no need to expound it" reverses the bringing forth for use above.