大般涅槃經義記 7.361

7.361

初句難中，「若煩惱斷是涅槃者，是義不然」牒以總非，「何以」下釋，先自徵責，「如來往」等舉佛昔言徵以顯非，「如來昔日斷煩惱竟而言未入」明斷非是。

In the objection of the first sentence: "If the severance of defilements is nirvāṇa, this meaning is not so" takes it up to reject it generally. From "Why is this?" onward, it explains: first inquiring and reproaching on its own, "The Tathāgata in the past..." and so forth cites the Buddha's past words, questioning to reveal the error: "The Tathāgata in past days had completely severed the defilements, yet said he had not entered [nirvāṇa]" clarifies that severance is not it.