大般涅槃經疏 12.19

12.19

「復次善男子如優鉢羅」下，是品第三，答上云何處濁世不污如蓮華，滅報障之問。文為兩：初舉華喻正答、次舉風喻助答，此釋報障。云何說華生淤泥耶？蓋由煩惱能成於報，如華生泥相緣由故。明於煩惱，正意在報，可尋。

From "Furthermore, good man, just as the utpala" downward is the third part of the chapter, answering the question above, "How residing in a defiled world is one unstained, like a lotus?", which is extinguishing the obstacle of retribution. The text has two parts: first, adducing the analogy of the flower to answer directly; next, adducing the analogy of the wind to assist the answer; this explains the obstacle of retribution. Why does it say that the flower grows in muddy silt? It is because afflictions are able to bring about retribution, just as the flower growing in the mud is conditioned by it. In clarifying afflictions, the primary intent lies in retribution, which can be examined.