大般涅槃經義記 2.2

2.2

The mournful requests of the monks above served as the occasion; below is the second [section], in which the Tathāgata preaches for them, and the text has two distinct parts: first, in response to the grief of the aforementioned assembly, he restrains their mournful feelings; second, from "Furthermore, bhikṣus..." onward, in response to the requests of the aforementioned assembly, he directly proclaims the Dharma for them. Because the sorrow and grief of the assembly would obstruct and confuse their reception of the Dharma, he first restrains it. Therein, he first stops their outward signs of grief, and from "spoke verses for them" onward he opens and unties their minds. In the former, the Tathāgata first exhorts them to cease their grief, and thereafter it explains that the great assembly, hearing the exhortation, ceased their grief. In the Tathāgata's exhortation, "You bhikṣus must not be like ordinary beings, the devas, and so forth" admonishes and exhorts them to stop grieving. The bhikṣus have eliminated craving, and therefore should not be like ordinary beings; and precisely because the bhikṣus were those for whom this was done, he specifically admonished them. Although this text says it addresses the bhikṣus, the intention encompasses the great assembly, which is why below the great assembly, hearing the teaching, ceased their grief. From "You should be vigorously diligent, and reverently cultivate good mindfulness" onward explains that the bhikṣus, hearing the teaching, ceased their grief. First is the statement in terms of Dharma; from "like a person" onward is the simile. Although the outward signs are restrained, the grief within is hard to stop; therefore, like someone burying a child, they stop their weeping and wailing. Below he opens their minds; therein are two verses: the former verse uses principle to exhort them to abandon grief and suffering, and the latter verse relies on the good to exhort them to give rise to joy. In the former, opening their minds so that they should not be sorrowful and anguished directly exhorts them to stop grieving. "Such is the nature of all buddhas; therefore, you should remain silent" uses principle to open and untie their minds.