大般涅槃經疏 4.17

4.17

四、重請者，或云非重請，佛不重答故。或言兩向望前為重請，望後為論端。於中為三：初領旨、次謙謝、三正請。領旨從以難遮請生，六難由佛，誠如聖言。謙謝從佛境界生。諸佛境界浩無涯底，豈是蚊蚋能知邊表？分知非究竟知，知是謙也。謝者從於用生，蒙佛受供成最後檀。慳結漏斷等，於文殊蒙佛受供，成彼岸智均大菩薩，故舉龍象喻於智斷。又舉幼年自況，以初具戒況於先達。拔淵泉之下處雲霄之上者，蓋佛菩薩之恩，是故須謝，謝無常用。三、正請。常住之用能生物善，大眾苦至，如來未然，是故重請。有法、譬、合。初法如文。次譬中言變吐者，有二解：一云譬大眾戀慕饑渴，願如來住，終無變吐。故文云「我今欲令如來久住」，故知為眾生作譬。二云為佛作譬，物思物機亦如饑渴，願佛住世亦無變吐。故合譬云「唯願世尊亦復如是」，故知為佛作譬。夫聖言巧密，不可偏取（云云）。

Fourth, the repeated request: some say it is not a repeated request because the Buddha did not answer again. Or it is said that looking both ways, looking back it is a repeated request, and looking forward it is the beginning of the discussion. Within this there are three parts: first, receiving the instruction; next, modesty and gratitude; third, the formal request. Receiving the instruction arises from refusing the request by means of the difficulties: the six difficulties depend on the Buddha, truly as the holy word says. Modesty and gratitude arise from the realm of the Buddha. The realm of all buddhas is vast, without boundary or bottom; how could a mosquito or gnat know its limits? Knowing a portion is not ultimate knowing: knowing this is modesty. Gratitude arises from the functions: receiving the Buddha's acceptance of the offering accomplishes the final dāna. The defilements of stinginess being severed, he is equal to Mañjuśrī in receiving the Buddha's acceptance of the offering; his wisdom of the other shore being accomplished, he is equal to a great bodhisattva; hence he adduces dragons and elephants as metaphors for wisdom and severing. Moreover, he uses his youth to describe himself, using having just received full ordination to contrast with those who have long attained. Pulling him from beneath the abyss to place him above the clouds is entirely the grace of the Buddha and bodhisattvas; therefore he must express gratitude, expressing gratitude for the function of impermanence. Third, the formal request: the function of eternal abiding can give birth to the good of sentient beings; the great assembly has met with suffering, yet the Tathāgata has not yet affirmed it, and therefore he repeats the request. There are the teaching, the metaphor, and the application. First, the teaching is as in the text. Next, regarding "vomiting" in the metaphor, there are two explanations: one says it is a metaphor for the longing, hunger, and thirst of the great assembly, wishing for the Tathāgata to stay, which will never be vomited up. Hence the text says, "I now wish to cause the Tathāgata to abide long"; thus we know it is a metaphor made for sentient beings. The second says it is a metaphor made for the Buddha: the reflection on sentient beings and the capacities of sentient beings are also like hunger and thirst; wishing the Buddha to abide in the world is also never vomited up. Hence the application of the metaphor says, "We only pray the World-Honoured One will also be like this"; thus we know it is a metaphor made for the Buddha. Now, the holy words are skillful and subtle, and must not be taken one-sidedly (and so forth).