大般涅槃經義記 2.11

2.11

The above revoked past falsehood and exhorted cultivation of the present truth; from here below is the second [section], which expounds the three aspects of nirvāṇa in terms of the truth. The text has three divisions: (1) promising to settle sentient beings and cause them to abide in the secret treasury; (2) from "I also..." downward, he promises to abide [there] himself; (3) from "What is..." downward, reveals the characteristics of the secret treasury in which they abide. In the first, "shall cause all sentient beings" refers to ordinary sentient beings; "and my sons" refers to bodhisattvas being called sons, because the virtues of bodhisattvas are capable of continuing the lineage, hence they are called sons; "the fourfold assembly" refers to the śrāvaka assembly, divided into male and female, at home and left home, hence there are four assemblies. Directing them all together to realize Mahāparinirvāṇa is called settling them in the secret treasury. Mahāparinirvāṇa was concealed and not spoken of in the past, hence it is called secret. Because it was covered by the provisional teachings, it is further called treasury; hence the text below says: "Because it was not spoken of in the eleven divisions [of scriptures], it is called a treasury." Moreover, because it encompasses all virtues within it, it is also called a treasury. In the second section, "I also shall abide in this and enter nirvāṇa" promises that he himself will abide; already abiding in common with others, he therefore says "also." In reality, he has long abided in it; in contrast to now ceasing his transformative activity and just entering it, he says "shall." Ceasing transformation and returning to the true is called entering nirvāṇa. In the third section, "What is the secret treasury?" cites the question to initiate [the discourse]; below he explains it in response. One should first explain the three aspects of nirvāṇa and then explain the text; the meaning is as in the separate chapter. In the text, the metaphor comes first. In the metaphor, it first says "just like the letter *i*," generally citing the metaphor; this cites the letter *i* in the Indic script. Below, it explains the characteristics of the metaphor. The text has four clauses, not in strict order. If arranged correctly, it should say: if the three dots are placed side by side, they do not form an *i*; vertically, they also do not form it; if the three dots are separate, they also cannot form it; only like the three eyes on the face of Maheśvara do they form an *i*. According to the application, it should be so. But in the present text, it first cites vertical and side by side, next cites Maheśvara's three eyes forming the *i*, and then clarifies their separateness. Saying "like the three eyes on the face of Maheśvara" establishes a metaphor to elucidate the metaphor. In the application, it first says "I also am like this," matching the initial letter *i*. These words are incomplete; if complete, it should say "The secret treasury attained by me is also like this." Below, it matches them individually. First, it matches non-formation: "The dharma of liberation is also not nirvāṇa, up to wisdom also is not nirvāṇa" matches the above where vertical or side by side cannot form an *i*; "the three dharmas being separate from each other is also not nirvāṇa" matches the above text where the three dots being separate also does not form it. This formation and non-formation are discussed fully in a separate chapter; here we briefly explain it with three meanings: (1) Distinguishing them in terms of the contrast between the true and the responsive: the responsive and transformational three aspects, being impermanent and subject to arising and ceasing, do not constitute nirvāṇa; because they do not constitute it, they must now be extinguished. The three aspects of true virtue only then constitute nirvāṇa; because they truly constitute it, he now enters into them. (2) Distinguishing them in terms of the naturally pure and expedient means: the three aspects of expedient means are subsumed under the gate of bodhi and do not constitute nirvāṇa; the three aspects of natural purity only then constitute nirvāṇa, because this sūtra specifically clarifies the fruit of natural purity as nirvāṇa. (3) Distinguishing them in terms of the general and specific of natural purity: distinguished separately, they do not constitute it; taken together as a whole, they do constitute it, just as those three dots separately do not form an *i*, but taken together as a whole they do form it. From "I now abide in such three..." downward matches that, like the three eyes of Maheśvara, it only then forms an *i*. This is abiding in the three true and eternal aspects, or it can also be abiding in the three naturally pure aspects, hence constituting nirvāṇa. Although what he abides in is eternal, for the sake of transforming sentient beings he extinguishes the manifestation and returns to it; therefore it is said that for the sake of sentient beings it is called entering nirvāṇa, which refers to entering the nirvāṇa of transformation and extinction. Hence the great assembly below, hearing it, weeps sorrowfully. "Like the mundane letter *i*" adduces the metaphor to apply it, roughly distinguishing according to the dharmas.