大般涅槃經義記 9.239

9.239

自下第三約就鹽喻破定有無。初先略破，「若言」已下因救廣破。就初略中，先舉鹽喻，下就破執。「若非醎物先有醎性，世人何故更求鹽耶」破他先有。下彰先無，於中先明醎非先有，「以餘緣故而得醎也」明非自有。

From here below, third, the text refutes definite existence and nonexistence with reference to the salt analogy. First, it briefly refutes [them]; from "if it is said" onwards, it refutes [them] in detail in response to the defense. In the first, brief part, it first presents the salt analogy, and below refutes the attachment based on it: "If things that are not salty did not previously have the nature of saltiness, why do people in the world still seek salt?" refutes the other's [claim of] prior existence. Below, it reveals prior nonexistence, wherein it first clarifies that saltiness does not exist previously: "It is through other conditions that it attains saltiness" clarifies that it does not exist of itself.