大般涅槃經義記 2.35

2.35

The above took the monks' sorrowful plea as the cause. From here below, the fourth section, the Tathāgata expounds the true meaning of the four dharmas to answer the above request. In accordance with the three requests above, he answers them successively from last to first: first, in response to the third statement of self-praise, he further expounds the Dharma of superior cultivation; second, from 'The monks said to the Buddha: as the Buddha said, if one departs from the four inversions, then one can know permanence, bliss, self...' downward, in response to the second statement above requesting him to remain, he clarifies that he will not remain; third, from 'You should know that the impermanence, suffering, and so forth cultivated before are not real...' downward, in response to the first request above praising the past, he instructs them to distinguish and select.