大般涅槃經義記 4.54

4.54

In the first section, it first explains that it is difficult to see, and from 'if kṣatriyas' downward, it explains that bodhisattvas see the nature relying on the sūtra. Within explaining that it is difficult to see, there are four distinct clauses: first, briefly analogising that it is difficult to see, namely that cows—sentient beings of meager merit—do not see the rich, fertile grass of the Snowy Mountains; second, from 'buddha-nature' downward is the correlation; third, from 'like the great ocean' downward extensively analogises that it is difficult to see, in which the simile of the ocean analogises the false containing the true, while the simile of the Snowy Mountains analogises the true containing the false; fourth, from 'sentient beings' downward is the correlation, within which it first correlates the simile to explain existence; from 'namely' downward, it brings out its existent substance—fearing that people of the world might cling to dharmas as identical to the simile, it therefore states that buddha-nature is not a conditioned dharma; from 'only because' downward, it explains the reason why sentient beings do not see it; this then explains the meaning of its being difficult to see.