大般涅槃經義記 3.15

3.15

Below, based on the previous meaning, it manifests that the three refuges are distinct and not one. Within citing the teaching below to prove their distinction, it first adduces a past teaching; "therefore the three refuges cannot be one" concludes the establishment of their distinct meaning. In the former part, it first tells Prajāpatī that making offerings to the Saṅgha is itself making offerings to the three refuges. Prajāpatī was the Buddha's maternal aunt; seven days after his birth, his mother passed away, and Prajāpatī nursed and raised him. When the Buddha later went forth, Prajāpatī longed for him with affectionate remembrance and personally wove a fine cloth of gold thread with her own hands, intending to offer it to the Buddha when he returned to the palace. When the Buddha later returned to the kingdom, Prajāpatī offered it, and the Buddha said to her at the time: "Giving out of affection brings no great merit; you should make offerings to the Saṅgha. If you make offerings to the Saṅgha, that is making offerings to the three refuges." Thus it is adduced now. Prajāpatī then asked, and subsequently the Buddha explained it for her: because the three meanings are distinct, therefore they are not one. Earlier, the meaning of unity was distinguished; next, the meaning of difference was distinguished. From here, the third part concludes and praises both unity and difference to show their profundity: "The Tathāgata sometimes speaks of the one as three" repeats the later section above where the buddha-nature and so forth are one, and in terms of this proclaims the distinction of the three refuges; "speaks of the three as one" repeats the earlier section above where, in terms of the three refuges, the unity of the buddha-nature, nirvāṇa, and so forth is proclaimed. "Such a meaning is the Buddha's realm" and so forth praises it to show its profundity.