大般涅槃經義記 8.34

8.34

Regarding citing the prior passage, there are both the metaphor and its application. Here it first cites the metaphor: 'When the Tathāgata first opened the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, he stated that there are three kinds,' which sets it forth as a general topic. Since the Tathāgata previously stated in the 'Chapter on Manifesting Illness' that there are three types of persons, this refers to that as the time of the initial opening, and among the practices and training taught, that was the beginning. Below, it cites them individually. 'All sentient beings are also like this' and so forth cites the prior passage applying the metaphor: 'Sentient beings are like this' is the general application; the rest are individual applications, first applying it to the intermediate person, next to the inferior person, and lastly to the superior person. Why is the order different from that previously stated? Placing the superior at the end was done in order to construct an objection based on it; hence it is not the same as before.