大般涅槃經義記 4.206

4.206

In the first part, there are four items: 1. Admonishing them to study this sūtra, rebuking women, and seeking [to become] male. 2. From "Why?" onward, explaining that because this sūtra contains the marks of a man, it therefore admonishes cultivation and study so as to seek a male body. That is to say, buddha-nature is the original essence of the Buddha's dharmakāya; once one realizes it, one then becomes the foremost, most valorous, unsurpassed great hero; therefore one must cultivate and study to seek a male body. 3. From "If a person..." onward, discerning the marks of male and female. Broadly speaking, there are three distinctions: first, distinguishing by form, where the physical marks can be known; second, distinguishing by mind, where being firm and resolute is male, and being soft and weak is female; third, distinguishing by understanding, where understanding the real is male because it is straight and upright, and not understanding is female because it is crooked and perverse. Now relying on the latter discussion, the text has four clauses: first, clarifying that if a man does not know buddha-nature, he lacks the marks of a male, first discerning and then explaining; second, clarifying that if a man does not know buddha-nature, the Buddha calls him a female, and the term "female" is used of him; third, clarifying that if a woman can know buddha-nature, the Buddha says that person has the marks of a man; fourth, clarifying that if a woman can know buddha-nature, the Buddha calls her a male, and the term "male" is used of her. These four clauses together form the third part. 4. From "This Mahāyāna..." onward, praising the sūtra and admonishing them to study it, first praising and then admonishing. The above four sections together form the first part; the remaining four can be understood.