大般涅槃經義記 4.21

4.21

From here on, the third part addresses the errors of the two vehicles' biased views, clarifying the three aspects of mark and reality. Truly, because the two vehicles grasp at marks and are confused about reality, the Buddha teaches them by discerning reality with regard to marks. The text has five distinct sections: the first three reveal reality with regard to defiled marks; the latter two reveal reality with regard to pure marks. Among these five turns, by standard there should be three elements: 1. citing the Buddha's past teaching; 2. clarifying that foolish persons grasp at marks and are confused about reality; 3. clarifying that wise persons understand marks and know reality. However, in the present text the phrasing is sometimes implicit and sometimes explicit, or sometimes complete and sometimes incomplete. In the first turn, there are only two lines, omitting the third. "If one speaks of suffering" is the first line, citing the Buddha's past words: in the past, within the Hīnayāna Dharma, the Buddha taught that the body is entirely suffering. "Foolish persons then say that the body is impermanent, entirely suffering, etc." is the second line: here the śrāvakas are named foolish persons, or called ordinary persons; because they do not know reality, they are called foolish persons; because their minds do not accord with correctness, they are not called noble ones, but are described as ordinary persons. Saying the body is impermanent is the reason for suffering; hence they say it is entirely suffering. Directly grasping it as suffering clarifies their grasping at marks. "Furthermore, they are unable to know that the body has the nature of bliss" shows their confusion about reality. One should adduce the wise person, but since this can be understood by reversing the previous, it is omitted and not adduced.