大般涅槃經疏 4.14

4.14

次、請，中二：先二行為眾為一切（云云）、次一行要請。要之以命者，佛不在世不蒙甘露法身，慧命將不全也。次、騰請，為二：初長行，經家所敘；次偈，是純陀請詞。初長行中云卒喪者，略耳，具足應言喪主親師（云云）。前奉聲光，大眾奔躄流血灑地，故今言卒喪。蒙施常命色力安辯，該統法界，許主師親，故言忽然還活。時眾大喜，於前純陀慶悅，於後復是一讓。次、偈中十八行半為兩：初十一行半騰眾歎、次七行騰眾請。初文中略騰三歎，初騰歎願、中先騰六難、後「猶如」下作譬結。初云獲已利，騰歎善利難。人身善處難，蠲除等是善利所離。金寶聚者騰佛世難，不懼者所離也。優曇華者騰生信難；投鍼鋒者騰最後供難；「佛不染世法」去，騰聞法難；「我今所奉食」去，騰歎德也。因供發願，願無上果不願諸有。「如伊蘭出栴檀」去，因於微少，充足大眾。又因食顯不食非食非不食，道香德風開發一切悉非常非無常。「我今得現報」去，騰歎利，如文。從「一切諸世間」去，正騰眾請，為三：初兩偈騰悲苦意、次三偈騰請住益意、後兩偈結二意。文云世間無調御者，無主親師，生大苦惱。次文「如來在僧中」去，總明三寶益。如須彌山，別明師益。山若映水，水同山色；師若說法，如法奉行，故是師益。「佛智能善斷」半行是智度益，「雲起清涼」是善權益，此兩明親益。「如來善能除」去是主益。煩惱之賊寇亂行人，佛日照除撥亂反正，故是主益。三、結者，若失三益增戀悲慟，結上苦惱意也。若得三益信心增長，結上請住意也。

Next, the request has two parts: first, two lines for the sake of the assembly and for the sake of everyone (and so forth); next, one line urgently makes the request. Urging him with life: if the Buddha is not in the world and one does not receive the ambrosia of the Dharma body, the wisdom-life will not be preserved. Next, conveying the request has two parts: first the prose, narrated by the compiler of the sūtra; next the verses, which are Cunda's words of request. In the first prose section, saying "suddenly perished" is brief; fully stated, it should say perished from master, parent, and teacher (and so forth). Previously, upon encountering the sound and light, the great assembly rushed, stumbled, and blood splattered the ground; therefore it now says "suddenly perished." Receiving the bestowal of eternal life, complexion, strength, ease, and eloquence, which subsumes the dharmadhātu, and granting them master, teacher, and parent, it therefore says "suddenly came back to life." At that time the assembly was overjoyed; before this, Cunda rejoiced, and afterward this is again a deferral. Next, the eighteen and a half lines of verse have two parts: first, eleven and a half lines convey the assembly's praise; next, seven lines convey the assembly's request. In the first text, it briefly conveys three praises: first it conveys the praise of the vow; in the middle it first conveys the six difficulties; and later, from "Just as..." downward, it concludes with a simile. First, saying "having obtained his own benefit" conveys the praise of the difficulty of good benefit. The difficulty of the human body and good realm, "removing" and so forth, are what are separated from through good benefit. The "heap of gold and jewels" conveys the difficulty of the Buddha's era, and "without fear" is what is separated from. The "udumbara flower" conveys the difficulty of generating faith; "throwing onto the needle's tip" conveys the difficulty of the final offering; from "The Buddha is not defiled by worldly dharmas" onward conveys the difficulty of hearing the Dharma; from "The food I now offer" onward conveys the praise of virtue. Because of the offering he makes a vow, wishing for the unsurpassed fruit and not wishing for realms of existence. From "Like sandalwood emerging from the eraṇḍa" onward: relying on the meager, it satisfies the great assembly. Furthermore, through food it reveals non-eating, neither eating nor non-eating; the fragrance of the Way and the wind of virtue unfold all phenomena as neither eternal nor impermanent. From "I now attain the present retribution" onward conveys the praise of benefit, as in the text. From "All the worlds..." onward directly conveys the assembly's request, divided into three: the first two verses convey the sense of grief and suffering; the next three verses convey the sense of the benefits of requesting him to abide; the last two verses conclude both senses. The text says that the world has no tamer, lacking master, parent, and teacher, generating great affliction. In the next text, from "The Tathāgata is among the Saṅgha" onward generally clarifies the benefit of the Three Jewels. "Like Mount Sumeru" specifically clarifies the benefit of the teacher: if the mountain is reflected in the water, the water takes on the color of the mountain; if the teacher preaches the Dharma, it is practiced in accordance with the Dharma; hence it is the benefit of the teacher. The half-line "The Buddha's wisdom can skillfully sever" is the benefit of the perfection of wisdom; "Clouds arise with cool refreshment" is the benefit of skillful means: these two clarify the benefit of the parent. From "The Tathāgata can skillfully eliminate" onward is the benefit of the master. The thieves of affliction disturb the practitioner; the sun of the Buddha shines and eliminates them, putting an end to disorder and returning to rectitude; hence it is the benefit of the master. Third, the conclusion: if one loses the three benefits, longing and grief increase—this concludes the sense of suffering above; if one obtains the three benefits, faith increases—this concludes the sense of requesting him to abide above.