大般涅槃經疏 31.26

31.26

「迦葉白佛云何」下，品中第二歎經，分文為三：一正就教歎、二就行歎、三就佛歎。初正歎教。能生中道佛性遂使闡提還生善根，是故歎教。依教而行，此行希有，是故歎行。佛是教主，是故歎佛。此即歎三寶也。初教中，文有二番問答。初問意者，云何梵行之緣？此非正問梵行之體。佛答一切法是，此乃通答，一切諸法皆能生行。此文意在涅槃滿教含一切法，後義自現。第二番問答正是歎經。問意者，經能生行，云何通言一切法是？佛答二：先歎、後答。答中意者，只此涅槃是一切法。又二：先廣舉二十五譬、後「善男子」下結指涅槃歎此經也。第二十五中云割習氣者，輕品同斷。今斷最輕無明，以習氣為言。若三藏通教，皆先斷正、後斷習，正是界內正習。若依別教，先斷界內正習、次斷界外正、次斷界外習。依圓教，界內外正習一時同斷。今文云斷習者，即是歎圓教同斷之意，非方便也。

From "Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: How..." onward is the second [section] within the chapter, praising the sūtra. The text is divided into three: first, directly praising [it] in terms of the teaching; second, praising [it] in terms of practice; third, praising [it] in terms of the Buddha. First, directly praising the teaching. Because it can give rise to the middle-way buddhadhātu and thereby cause icchantikas to regenerate roots of goodness, the teaching is therefore praised. Because practicing in reliance on the teaching is a practice that is exceedingly rare, practice is therefore praised. Because the Buddha is the lord of the teaching, the Buddha is therefore praised. This, then, is praising the Three Jewels. In the first [part], on the teaching, the text has two rounds of question and answer. The gist of the first question is: what are the conditions for the pure conduct (brahmacarya)? This is not directly asking about the essence of the pure conduct. The Buddha answered that all dharmas are; this is an inclusive answer, indicating that all dharmas can engender practice. The intention of this text is that the complete teaching of the Nirvāṇa [Sūtra] encompasses all dharmas; the subsequent meaning will become apparent on its own. The second round of question and answer directly praises the sūtra. The gist of the question is: if it is the sūtra that can give rise to practice, why say universally that all dharmas are [its conditions]? The Buddha gave two answers: first praising [the question], and then answering. The gist within the answer is that this nirvāṇa itself is all dharmas. This again has two parts: first, broadly presenting twenty-five similes; second, from "O good son" onward, concluding by pointing to nirvāṇa and praising this sūtra. The mention of "severing traces of habit (vāsanā)" in the twenty-fifth [simile] means that the light grades are severed together. Here, severing the subtlest [grade of] ignorance is spoken of as "traces of habit." In both the Tripiṭaka and Shared Teachings, the manifest defilements are severed first, and the traces of habit are severed later; these manifest defilements and habits belong to the realm of desire and form. According to the Distinct Teaching, first the manifest defilements and habits within the three realms are severed, next the manifest defilements beyond the realms are severed, and next the habits beyond the realms are severed. According to the Perfect Teaching, the manifest defilements and habits both within and beyond the realms are simultaneously severed at once. The text here speaking of "severing traces of habit" is precisely in praise of the meaning of simultaneous severance in the Perfect Teaching, not an expedient means.