大般涅槃經義記 9.133

9.133

如來先與，下正徵奪。為彰如來慈悲行化，故舉善星惡人為難。就此文中難意有二：一難佛無慈，翻前第一；二難無方便，翻上第二。文要有三：一舉佛記善星比丘是一闡提地獄劫住，彰佛無慈；二「不可治」下，舉佛宣說善星叵治，明無方便；三「若不能救善星」已下，雙結前二。句別有七：「善星是佛菩薩時子」是第一句，明其形近。此應是佛黨弟庶兒，故說為子。「出家之後誦持讀誦十二部經，壞欲界結獲得四禪」是第二句，彰其行親。「云何記說是一闡提地獄劫住」是第三句，責佛記說，成佛無慈。「不可治人」是第四句，責佛如來攝化不行，不能行化故言叵治。「何故不先為其說法」是第五句，責佛如來授化不善。「若不能救云何得名有大慈悲」是第六句，結佛無慈。「云何得名有大方便」是第七句，結無方便。下佛別答，宜審記知。

The Tathāgata having first granted [praise], below he directly refutes and takes it away. To reveal the Tathāgata's compassionate practice of conversion, he cites the evil person Sunakṣatra to challenge him. In this text, the intent of the challenge has two aspects: first, challenging that the Buddha lacks benevolence, which reverses the first [point] above; second, challenging that he lacks expedient means, which reverses the second [point] above. The text essentially has three parts: first, citing the Buddha's prediction that the monk Sunakṣatra is an icchantika who will dwell in hell for a kalpa, to reveal that the Buddha lacks benevolence; second, from "incurable" onward, citing the Buddha's declaration that Sunakṣatra is incurable, to show that he lacks expedient means; third, from "If he cannot save Sunakṣatra" onward, jointly concluding the previous two. The phrases specifically are seven: "Sunakṣatra was the Buddha's son when he was a bodhisattva" is the first phrase, explaining his physical closeness. This must have been the son of a concubine or cousin of the Buddha's clan, hence spoken of as a son. "After going forth, he chanted and recited the twelve divisions of the canon, destroyed the fetters of the desire realm, and attained the four dhyānas" is the second phrase, showing his closeness in practice. "Why did you predict and say that he is an icchantika who will dwell in hell for a kalpa?" is the third phrase, censuring the Buddha's prediction as establishing that the Buddha lacks benevolence. "An incurable person" is the fourth phrase, censuring the Tathāgata's conversion as not being carried out, for being unable to carry out conversion, he therefore says he is incurable. "For what reason did you not first speak the Dharma for him?" is the fifth phrase, censuring the Tathāgata's teaching and converting as not being skillful. "If you cannot save him, how can you be called one who possesses great benevolence and compassion?" is the sixth phrase, concluding that the Buddha lacks benevolence. "How can you be called one who possesses great expedient means?" is the seventh phrase, concluding that he lacks expedient means. Below, the Buddha answers individually; this should be carefully noted.