大般涅槃經義記 1.60

1.60

From here below is the third part, gathering like clouds at the Buddha's place, in which the purpose of gathering is first clarified: to benefit sentient beings. There are five distinct phrases: the single phrase 'wishing to bring benefit and peace and happiness to sentient beings' is general, and the middle three are specific. 'Accomplishing the Mahāyāna's supreme practice of emptiness' is the Dharma-transformation of the Mahāyāna: the Mahāyāna is free from marks, hence it is called the practice of emptiness. 'Revealing the Tathāgata's esoteric teaching of expedient means' is the Dharma-transformation of the Hīnayāna: without the Hīnayāna, it was provisionally applied, hence it is called expedient means; provisional words concealing the real is called the esoteric teaching. 'In order not to interrupt the various discourses on the Dharma' is the worldly Dharma-transformation: worldly practices are varied and uneven, hence called various. It may also be that these three together accomplish the Mahāyāna: accomplishing the Mahāyāna's supreme practice of emptiness causes them to enter realization. From 'revealing' onward causes them to enter the āgama: revealing the esoteric teaching causes them to recognize past provisionality, to abandon it and not follow it; 'not interrupting the discourse on the Dharma' causes them to cultivate present reality. What does this mean? Because the bhikṣus gathered and went to the Buddha's place, the Buddha taught them to cultivate and learn the Mahāyāna's practice of emptiness, and others hearing it entered together, thereby causing others to accomplish it. Because they went to the Buddha, the Buddha dismantled the Hīnayāna before them, manifesting that the past was provisional and explaining that the past concealed the real, which is called 'revealing the Tathāgata's esoteric teaching of expedient means'. Because they went to the Buddha, the Buddha taught the cultivation and practice of the Mahāyāna practices, which is called 'in order not to interrupt the various discourses on the Dharma'. The single phrase 'for the taming of sentient beings' is the general conclusion. The above five phrases clarify the purpose of the gathering. 'Quickly arriving at the Buddha's place' directly clarifies gathering like clouds. 'Bowing their heads to the Buddha' and so forth means having arrived, they paid their respects.