大般涅槃經義記 3.45

3.45

Within the initial testing, there are two questions and answers: the former question and answer directly instructs testing and verifying; the latter question and answer points out the persons who are instructed. In the first question, 'Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: I now do not rely on these four kinds of persons' generally clarifies not relying. From 'Why...' below, it explains, first asking and then resolving, clarifying that there are various māras who deceitfully impersonate the four persons, hence they cannot be relied upon. Herein there are three parts: first, adducing the Buddha's past words to clarify that Māra can disrupt the correct; second, from 'Māra and others still...' below, using the past to analogize the present, clarifying that the four persons have impostors; third, from 'sitting, lying...' below, revealing the marks of imposture and demonstrating his own non-reliance. In the first part, for what reason did the Tathāgata instruct Ghoṣila to subjugate Māra? In the past, the Tathāgata once expounded the four noble truths for Ghoṣila, and he awakened to the first fruit. After the Tathāgata departed, Māra came to confuse and disrupt, transforming into the body of a buddha, and addressed the elder: 'The Dharma I expounded to you earlier was not exhaustive; apart from the four truths, there is still another truth of the spiritual self.' The elder investigated and found no such principle at all, so he went to request [instruction from] the Buddha. The Buddha then instructed him: 'If Māra acts as a buddha, you should examine and check, and having recognized him, subjugate him.' The second part can be understood. In the third section, 'sitting, lying, space,' and so forth clarify the deceitful appearance of his physical forms; from 'For this reason...' below, it demonstrates his own non-reliance; 'perhaps having something expounded' clarifies the deceitful appearance of his speech; from 'cannot receive and follow...' below, it demonstrates his own non-reliance—not being able to receive and follow, one does not accept the Dharma expounded by the four persons; 'nor having respectful mindfulness and relying [on them]' means not relying on the four persons as heads and masters.