大般涅槃經義記 8.240

8.240

次答後難，辯明涅槃無因生故得名為常。於中有三：一正明涅槃是果無因；二「是因非果名佛性」下舉彼佛性是因非果，對顯涅槃是果無因；三「因有二」下簡彼菩提異於涅槃。是中宣說性淨之果以為涅槃、方便之果說為菩提，是故涅槃不從因生，菩提得為生因所生。前中復三：一明涅槃是果非因、二明涅槃無因是果、三「以是義」下總以結之。就初段中，「是果非因謂大涅槃」總以標舉。涅槃為彼了因所顯故名為果，而不生他是以非因。又不同彼佛性唯因，故曰非因；雖言非因，宗顯是果。「何以」下釋，先問、後解，但解是果。句別有六：初之一句對劣顯果。涅槃一切果德中上故云「上果」，是上果故名為果矣。次有兩句對因顯果，謂「沙門果、婆羅門果」。沙門名息，八聖道分能息煩惱故名沙門，涅槃由彼顯了而得名沙門果。婆羅門者，此名淨行。三十七品能治煩惱故云淨行，涅槃為彼顯了而得名婆羅門果。後之三句對障顯果。「斷生死」者，斷除分段、變易生死，方始證得，故名為果。「破煩惱」者，破五住結方始證得，故名為果。「為諸煩惱所呵責」者，體違惑染，故名為果。一切煩惱違反涅槃故名呵責。言「煩惱者，名為過過」顯前呵責。煩惱體是過患之法而呵涅槃，與彼涅槃而為過失，故名過過。

Next, he answers the latter challenge, explaining that because nirvāṇa is not produced from a cause, it is called permanent. Therein, there are three parts: first, directly explaining that nirvāṇa is a fruit without a cause; second, from "being a cause and not a fruit is called buddha-nature" onward, adducing that buddha-nature is a cause and not a fruit, in contrast to which it reveals that nirvāṇa is a fruit without a cause; third, from "causes are of two kinds" onward, distinguishing bodhi from nirvāṇa. Herein, it proclaims the fruit of naturally pure [nirvāṇa] as nirvāṇa, and the fruit of expedient means as bodhi; therefore, nirvāṇa is not produced from a cause, while bodhi can be produced by a generative cause. In the first part, there are again three points: first, explaining that nirvāṇa is a fruit and not a cause; second, explaining that nirvāṇa is a fruit without a cause; third, from "by this meaning" onward, summarizing and concluding it. In the first section, "being a fruit and not a cause refers to great nirvāṇa" generally introduces it. Because nirvāṇa is revealed by a revelatory cause, it is called a fruit; yet it does not produce other things, and is therefore not a cause. Moreover, it is unlike buddha-nature, which is solely a cause, hence it is said to be "not a cause"; although it says "not a cause," the primary purport is to reveal that it is a fruit. From "why" onward is the explanation: first a question, then the explanation, which only explains that it is a fruit. There are six distinct clauses: the first clause reveals the fruit in contrast to the inferior: nirvāṇa is superior among all fruit-virtues, hence it is called the "supreme fruit"; being the supreme fruit, it is therefore called a fruit. Next, there are two clauses revealing the fruit in contrast to the cause—namely, "the fruit of a śramaṇa and the fruit of a brāhmaṇa." Śramaṇa means cessation: the eightfold noble path can bring afflictions to cessation, hence it is called śramaṇa; because nirvāṇa is revealed and attained through that, it is called the fruit of a śramaṇa. Brāhmaṇa is translated here as "pure conduct": the thirty-seven factors [of awakening] can remedy afflictions, hence they are called pure conduct; because nirvāṇa is revealed and attained through that, it is called the fruit of a brāhmaṇa. The final three clauses reveal the fruit in contrast to obstacles. "Severing birth-and-death" means that only after severing delimited and transformative birth-and-death is it first realized and attained, hence it is called a fruit. "Breaking afflictions" means that only after breaking the five entrenchments is it first realized and attained, hence it is called a fruit. "Being rebuked by all afflictions" means that its substance opposes defilement, hence it is called a fruit. All afflictions oppose nirvāṇa, hence this is called "rebuking." The statement "afflictions are called fault of faults" clarifies the aforementioned rebuking: the substance of afflictions is a phenomenon of faults, yet it rebukes nirvāṇa, thereby serving as a fault to that nirvāṇa, hence it is called "fault of faults."