大般涅槃經疏 18.22

18.22

「善男子」下，即大段第二歎經文，為二：初盡此卷歎經生善，後兩卷歎能滅惡。初生善，文為三：一正歎經、二歎弘經人、三歎興衰。此三次第者，良由五行能顯於道，復有亡身弘道之人，人弘故興、不弘故衰。初正歎經，又二：初如來歎、次迦葉領。初佛歎中云十二部經所不及者，二解：一云小乘十二部；二云大十二部，亦不及涅槃，大乘方等當機故勝。又涅槃之中有十二部，十二部中未必有涅槃，是故勝也。今明圓經勝於歷別十二。「迦葉白佛」下，是第二領解。

From "Good sons" onwards is the second major section, praising the text of the sūtra, divided into two: first, exhausting the rest of this fascicle to praise the sūtra as generating goodness; later, two fascicles praising its ability to eradicate evil. In the first part on generating goodness, the text has three sections: first, directly praising the sūtra; second, praising the person who propagates the sūtra; third, praising flourishing and decline. As for the order of these three: it is truly because the five practices can reveal the Way, and there are further people who sacrifice their lives to propagate the Way; because people propagate it, it flourishes, and because they do not propagate it, it declines. The first part, directly praising the sūtra, is also two: first, the Tathāgata praises it; second, Kāśyapa confirms it. In the first part where the Buddha praises it, it states that it is not reached by the twelve divisions of scriptures; on this there are two explanations: One says the twelve divisions of the Hīnayāna; the second says the great twelve divisions are also not equal to the Nirvāṇa, for the Mahāyāna Vaipulya sūtras are superior because they correspond to the capacity. Furthermore, within the Nirvāṇa there are twelve divisions, but within the twelve divisions there is not necessarily the Nirvāṇa; therefore it is superior. Now we explain that the perfect sūtra is superior to the sequentially distinct twelve divisions. From "Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha" onwards is the second part, understanding and confirming.