大般涅槃經義記 8.308

8.308

下別釋之。初先廣前眾生不思，「有二因」下廣前業果不可思議。「眾生佛性為悉共有為各各」下，廣前佛性不可思議。「十六國」下，廣前佛境不可思議。初中有三：一就前際明諸眾生常不可思、二「斷常」下約就後際明諸眾生常不可思、三「是故」下結。初中，「眾生煩惱覆障故名常」者，以如來藏依持力故煩惱不斷，常為彼覆故名為常。第二段中，初明眾生斷却先際常有煩惱，故名無常。「所受樂」下，明證後隥涅槃常法，故得名常。前中，初言「斷常煩惱故名無常」以理正辯。「若言」已下破他定常，常不可斷，「何故修習八聖道分為斷眾苦？眾苦若斷即名無常」翻邪顯正。證常可知。第三結中，「是故我言眾生惱覆不見佛性不得涅槃」順結初段、反結後段。云何結初？順明眾生從本已來常為惱覆，故不見性、不得涅槃。云何結後？反明眾生煩惱覆故，不見佛性、不得涅槃，即顯斷故能見佛性、得大涅槃，故名為常。

Below, he explains them individually. First, he extensively explains the previous inconceivability of sentient beings. "There are two causes..." and below extensively explains the previous inconceivability of karma and fruit. "Is the buddha-nature of sentient beings completely shared in common, or possessed individually?..." and below extensively explains the previous inconceivability of buddha-nature. "The sixteen great nations..." and below extensively explains the previous inconceivability of the buddha-realm. In the first, there are three parts: first, explaining that sentient beings are permanently inconceivable with respect to the past limit; second, from "severing permanence" and below, explaining that sentient beings are permanently inconceivable with respect to the future limit; third, from "therefore" and below, the conclusion. In the first part, "sentient beings are covered and obstructed by afflictions, hence called permanent" means that through the supporting power of the tathāgatagarbha, afflictions are uninterrupted; being constantly covered by them, they are therefore called "permanent". In the second section, first he explains that sentient beings sever the afflictions that were constantly present in the past limit, hence they are called "impermanent". "The bliss experienced..." and below explains realizing the permanent dharma of nirvāṇa at the subsequent stage, so they can be called "permanent". In the former, first stating "severing permanent afflictions, hence called impermanent" rectifies the explanation according to principle. "If one says..." and below refutes the other's fixed permanence, [arguing that] what is permanent cannot be severed: "Why cultivate the eightfold noble path to sever all sufferings? If all sufferings are severed, then it is called impermanent"—overturning heterodoxy to reveal the correct. The realization of permanence is clear. In the third part, the conclusion: "Therefore I say that sentient beings, covered by afflictions, do not see buddha-nature and do not attain nirvāṇa" directly concludes the first section and inversely concludes the latter section. How does it conclude the first? It directly explains that sentient beings have from the beginning always been covered by afflictions, and therefore do not see the nature and do not attain nirvāṇa. How does it conclude the latter? It inversely shows that because sentient beings are covered by afflictions, they do not see buddha-nature and do not attain nirvāṇa; this makes evident that because they sever them, they are able to see buddha-nature and attain Mahāparinirvāṇa; hence it is called "permanent".