大般涅槃經義記 3.26

3.26

In the second section, the text also has four points: 1. the Tathāgata sets up the analogy; 2. he questions Kāśyapa in turn; 3. Kāśyapa answers correctly; 4. the Tathāgata praises him. In the first, "an evil person" is an analogy for the Buddha's nirmāṇakāya; speaking of marks encroaching on the real is therefore called "an evil person"; desiring to use various analogies to display the saṃbhogakāya, the analogy's marks approaching the real is called "harming"; the real being the basis of transformation is called "mother"; transformation existing in the three realms of existence is called "dwelling in the wild fields"; being amidst various marks is called "beneath a tree/thicket." The reward Buddha, through the power of his great vow of compassion, provides for transformation without interruption, which is called "the mother sending food"; the nirmāṇakāya Tathāgata internally perceiving the true virtue is called "having seen"; then giving rise to the intention to speak is called "giving rise to an evil mind"; fully possessing the four unobstructed knowledges is called "whetting the knife beforehand"; the saṃbhogakāya Tathāgata clearly perceiving the intention to transform is called "the mother having known"; complying with transformation and following marks is called "entering the thicket"; responding with sharp eloquence and broadly speaking of the true virtue according to the analogy's marks is called "chopping around the thicket"; expressing the sacred mind of transformation is called "having chopped, rejoiced"; having conceptualized and spoken is called "giving rise to the thought of killing"; the true substance being free from marks is called "coming out from the thicket"; resting securely in the limit of reality is called "reaching home." The counter-question can be understood. In Kāśyapa's reply, he first analyzes the characteristics of the analogy, and later applies it to reveal the Dharma. In the analogy, first saying, "It cannot be spoken of definitively; if one says it exists, the mother's body should be destroyed; if the body is not destroyed, how can one say it exists?" clarifies that there is no sin, revealing the establishment of non-analogy. From "If one says it does not exist..." downward clarifies that there is sin, showing that it serves as an analogy. From "Due to these conditions..." downward applies the analogy to reveal the Dharma, specifically applying to the latter clause to clarify the existence of the analogy, while the former is omitted and not discussed. The Buddha's praise can be understood.