大般涅槃經疏 18.26

18.26

次「迦葉復白」下，明迦葉佛法，亦有問答。初問又二：先領旨、次問。初文者，《賢劫經》云「迦葉佛法住世二十年。」今言七日。答：七日之時，與佛在無異；七日之後，佛法訛替不如在時。二十年者，明住久近。「迦葉如來」下，第二問，又二：先難定有不、次雙難。佛答為二：先汎明有滅不滅、次正答所問。初汎答中又二：先許、次正汎答。初中云文殊乃解者，指本有今無偈，欲明滅是不滅、不滅而滅。次汎答中，文相可見。次「善男子汝向所問」下，第二正答所問。於中又四：一明先佛有經、二明不須演說、三今佛對辨、四法實不滅。此初明先佛有經。次「善男子迦葉佛時」下，二明不須演說。「今世眾生」下，三今佛對辨。「寧說蚊嘴」下，四明法實不滅。

Next, from "Kāśyapa further addressed [the Buddha]" onwards clarifies Kāśyapa Buddha's Buddha-Dharma, also having a question and answer. The initial question is again two: first, receiving the import; second, questioning. As for the first passage, the *Bhadrakalpika Sūtra* states: "Kāśyapa Buddha's Dharma remained in the world for twenty years." Now it says seven days. The answer is: during the seven days, it was no different from when the Buddha was present; after seven days, the Buddha-Dharma became corrupted and altered, not like when he was present. The twenty years clarifies the duration of its abiding. From "Kāśyapa Tathāgata" onwards is the second question, also with two: first, challenging whether it definitely existed or not; second, a twofold challenge. The Buddha's reply has two parts: first, broadly explaining that there is extinction and non-extinction; second, directly answering what was asked. Within the initial broad answer, there are again two: first, granting it; second, the direct broad answer. In the first, where it says that only Mañjuśrī understands, it points to the verse "originally existing, now non-existing," intending to explain that extinction is non-extinction, and what does not become extinct becomes extinct. In the subsequent broad answer, the textual phrasing can be seen. Next, from "Good son, as to what you just asked" onwards is the second part, directly answering what was asked. Within it there are further four: first, clarifying that the previous buddha had scriptures; second, clarifying that there was no need to expound them; third, the present Buddha making a contrastive differentiation; fourth, that the Dharma is truly not extinct. This is the first, clarifying that the previous buddha had scriptures. Next, from "Good son, at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha" onwards is the second, clarifying that there was no need to expound them. From "Sentient beings of the present age" onwards is the third, the present Buddha making a contrastive differentiation. From "Rather say a mosquito's proboscis" onwards is the fourth, clarifying that the Dharma is truly not extinct.