大般涅槃經義記 8.340

8.340

In the second, Siṃhanāda builds upon his words to raise another objection: "If having no beginning or end is nirvāṇa, the dharmas of birth-and-death also have no beginning or end; why can they not be called nirvāṇa?" Below, the Buddha answers him: "These dharmas of birth-and-death all have causes and fruits, therefore they are not nirvāṇa." The explanation below beginning with "Why?": because the essence of nirvāṇa has neither cause nor fruit. In the third, Siṃhanāda builds upon his words to raise another objection: "Now, nirvāṇa also has cause and fruit," totally overturning the Buddha's words. Next, he objects specifically: first, he cites a past verse to object to and refute "causelessness"; following the verse, the prose cites the Buddha's past words to object to and refute "fruitlessness." "I shall now explain the fruit of the śramaṇa's path" cites the Buddha's brief indication. From "Speaking of śramaṇa..." downward cites the Buddha's explanatory phrasing: śramaṇa refers to the three trainings, path refers to the eightfold noble path, and fruit refers to nirvāṇa. From "World-Honoured One" downward, he draws on this to formulate his difficulty; from "How can you say..." downward, he interrogates the holy words as a whole. Below, the Buddha answers him. "The cause of nirvāṇa is what is called buddha-nature" resolves the past verse; "the nature of buddha-nature does not give birth to nirvāṇa, therefore it is said to be causeless" resolves the present statement. "Being able to destroy afflictions is called the great fruit" resolves the past statement; "not being produced from the Path, it is said not to be a fruit" resolves the present statement. "Therefore it has neither cause nor fruit" concludes both according to the present [teaching].