大般涅槃經義記 6.244

6.244

第三分中，光安王心，後示歸處。安王心中，先以理開，後勸莫愁。以理開中，兩義開解：第一以其王法開解，先王若是修解脫人殺之有罪，為王治國，殺之無過；二以先王宿業開解，先王宿世自有罪業，故殺無罪。

In the third part, he first pacifies the king's mind, and afterwards indicates a refuge. In pacifying the king's mind, he first comforts him by means of principle, and afterwards urges him not to worry. In comforting him by means of principle, he comforts him with two meanings: first, comforting him by means of royal law—if the former king was a person cultivating liberation, killing him incurs guilt, but since he was a king governing the state, killing him is without fault; second, comforting him by means of the former king's past karma—the former king inherently possessed sinful karma from past lives, hence killing him is without guilt.