大般涅槃經義記 9.110

9.110

自下第二破眾生中定有佛性，明諸眾生當得名有，非謂身中已有果體。文中有二：一明佛性時至則現；二「一切生不退性」下，明諸眾生定得名有。前中先喻，下約顯法。法喻如何？如彼四大堅濕煗等無心相異而體各別，法性自爾。喻明佛性無心欲出，時至則現，法性自爾。喻中四大，舉其喻事。次辨喻相。造色功齊名「力均等」。力雖均等，體性各異，故有堅濕煗動之別。所造各異，故有赤白黃黑之殊。下總釋之。「而是四大亦無業」者，無有心業欲相別異。「異法界故不相似」者，四大不同名異法界，故令堅等各不相似。「佛性亦爾」合前四大。「異法界故時至現」者，合異法界各不相似。佛性異彼兔角之無，是故眾生修道時至即便顯現。又復妄法修至則滅，佛性異彼修至則現，名異法界。

From here below is the second part, refuting that there is definitely a buddha-nature within sentient beings, clarifying that sentient beings are said to have it in the sense that they will attain it in the future, not meaning that they already possess the entity of the fruit within their bodies. Within the text there are two: first, clarifying that when the time arrives, the buddha-nature manifests; second, from "all beings have an irreversible nature" downward, clarifying that sentient beings are said to have it in the sense of definite attainment. Within the former, first there is an analogy, and below it clarifies the doctrine in reference to it. What are the doctrine and analogy? Just as the four great elements—hardness, wetness, warmth, and so on—are unintentionally different from each other and their substances are individually distinct, the dharma-nature is naturally so. The analogy clarifies that the buddha-nature has no mind desiring to emerge, yet when the time arrives it manifests; the dharma-nature is naturally so. In the analogy, "the four great elements" raises the subject of the analogy. Next, the characteristics of the analogy are distinguished. That their capacities to create form are equal is called "their powers being equal." Although their powers are equal, their substances and natures are individually different, so there are the distinctions of hardness, wetness, warmth, and movement. Because what they create is individually different, there are the distinctions of red, white, yellow, and black. Below, it explains them as a whole. "Yet these four great elements also have no karmic action" means they have no intentional karma desiring to be distinct from one another. "Because of distinct dharmadhātus they are not similar" means that the four great elements being different is called distinct dharmadhātus, and therefore makes hardness and so forth each dissimilar. "The buddha-nature is also like this" applies to the four great elements mentioned earlier. "Because of a distinct dharmadhātu, when the time arrives it manifests" applies to the distinct dharmadhātus each being dissimilar. The buddha-nature is distinct from the non-existence of a rabbit's horns; therefore, when the time for sentient beings to cultivate the path arrives, it immediately manifests. Furthermore, deluded dharmas are extinguished when cultivation reaches its culmination, whereas the buddha-nature is distinct from them in that it manifests when cultivation reaches its culmination; this is called a distinct dharmadhātu.