大般涅槃經疏 7.7

7.7

從「爾時佛告一切大眾」下，第二通勸大眾問。佛既普等，若得問人，普皆利益。又對於偏勸，故普勸也。先偏後普，明偏普不定，顯非偏非普。問：比丘寡德，殷勤三勸。菩薩不爾，何俟二三勸耶？答：佛如師子，殺象及兔皆盡其力，終無厚薄，故皆三勸。若爾，菩薩亦應無疑而有辭讓。答：比丘皆無，菩薩皆有。以有問故，故知有疑。是故菩薩則可付囑，以慈心故，故能益他。又例作無而意異，菩薩久解，是故無疑。自謙是退義，稱佛菩薩乃是推功。問：何故約命言不可量，約辯言不可盡，若戒若歸而勸問耶？答：多有所關，略舉四意：一、如來是大富施主，隨其所求而給與之。若問命，即開長壽、金剛身身密等義。若問辯，即開般若四相口密等義。若問歸戒，即開善業。首楞嚴能建大義，百句解脫意密等義，乃至開邪正四倒、四諦、如來性、文字月鳥等義，涅槃施得顯也。二、如來施主方便無量，若問命即開天行，若問辯即開梵行，若問歸戒即開聖行、嬰兒行，歸戒所防即開病行。五行若立，十德自顯，涅槃行明。三、如來施主正法寶城莊嚴無量，如來能問無可問處，如來能答無能問人。百金妙寶初求付託得能問人，問命即常莊嚴，問辯即樂莊嚴，問戒即淨莊嚴，問歸即我莊嚴。能問能答具二莊嚴，雙樹涅槃其義得顯。四、如來施主慈悲無量，憫念邪僻哀憐不善，若能問歸即用常辯攝耶，若能問戒即用常命攝惡，涅槃之用得顯。為此義故，舉此三種以為問端。問：問端通後，亦通前不？答：問命即是常修，問辯即是樂修，問歸戒即是我修。又問命即常法身德，問辯即樂般若德，問歸戒即淨我解脫德。又問命即常命常色常力，問辯即常語，問歸戒即常安。又文云「能如是問，則大利益一切眾生。」即通前通後。問端該廣，籠括若此（云云）。

From 'At that time the Buddha addressed the entire assembly' onwards is the second part, generally encouraging the assembly to ask. Since the Buddha is universal and equal, if he obtains someone to ask questions, all will be universally benefited. Moreover, in contrast to the specific encouragement, it is a universal encouragement. First specific and then universal shows that specific and universal are indeterminate, revealing what is neither specific nor universal. Question: The monks have few virtues, yet he earnestly encouraged them three times. The bodhisattvas are not like this, so why wait for two or three encouragements? Answer: The Buddha is like a lion: whether killing an elephant or a hare, he exerts all his strength; there is ultimately no partiality, hence he encourages [both] three times. If so, should not the bodhisattvas also lack doubts and have declined? Answer: The monks lack both, while the bodhisattvas have both. Because they have questions, one knows they have doubts. Therefore, the bodhisattvas can be entrusted; because of their compassionate minds, they can benefit others. Furthermore, they are alike in displaying lack, but their intention is different: the bodhisattvas have long understood, so they are without doubts. Modesty regarding oneself is the meaning of declining; praising the Buddha and bodhisattvas is attributing capability [to them]. Question: Why encourage questions regarding lifespan as immeasurable, regarding eloquence as inexhaustible, and regarding precepts or taking refuge? Answer: This concerns many things; four intentions are briefly raised: 1. The Tathāgata is a great, wealthy donor who gives in accordance with what is sought. If they ask about lifespan, this opens up the meanings of long life, the vajra-body, the secret of the body, and so forth. If they ask about eloquence, this opens up the meanings of prajñā, the four characteristics, the secret of speech, and so forth. If they ask about refuge and precepts, this opens up good karma; the śūraṅgama's ability to establish great meanings, the secret of mind in the hundred lines of liberation, and so forth; down to opening up the meanings of the false and correct four inversions, the four truths, the tathāgata-nature, the letters, the moon, the bird, and so forth—the gifts of nirvāṇa are thus revealed. 2. The donor Tathāgata has immeasurable expedient means: if they ask about lifespan, this opens up celestial practice; if they ask about eloquence, this opens up brahma practice; if they ask about refuge and precepts, this opens up noble practice and infant practice; that which refuge and precepts guard against opens up practice regarding illness. When the five practices are established, the ten virtues are naturally manifested, and the practice of nirvāṇa becomes clear. 3. The donor Tathāgata's jeweled city of the true Dharma has immeasurable adornments: when the Tathāgata can ask, there is nowhere to be asked; when the Tathāgata can answer, there is no person able to ask. When the wondrous treasure of a hundred pieces of gold first seeks entrustment, one obtains a person able to ask: asking about lifespan is the adornment of permanence; asking about eloquence is the adornment of bliss; asking about precepts is the adornment of purity; asking about refuge is the adornment of self. When the ability to ask and the ability to answer possess these two adornments, the meaning of the Twin Trees nirvāṇa is revealed. 4. The donor Tathāgata has immeasurable compassion, pitying the devious and grieving for the unvirtuous: if one can ask about refuge, one uses permanent eloquence to gather the devious; if one can ask about precepts, one uses permanent life to gather the evil; the function of nirvāṇa is thus revealed. For this meaning, he raised these three kinds as the starting points for inquiry. Question: Do the starting points for inquiry connect to what follows, and do they also connect to what precedes? Answer: Asking about lifespan is the cultivation of permanence; asking about eloquence is the cultivation of bliss; asking about refuge and precepts is the cultivation of self. Furthermore, asking about lifespan is the virtue of the permanent dharmakāya; asking about eloquence is the virtue of blissful prajñā; asking about refuge and precepts is the virtue of pure and self liberation. Furthermore, asking about lifespan is permanent lifespan, permanent form, and permanent strength; asking about eloquence is permanent speech; asking about refuge and precepts is permanent ease. Furthermore, the text states: 'Being able to ask in this way will bring great benefit to all sentient beings.' Thus it connects both to what precedes and to what follows. The starting points for inquiry are broad and all-encompassing like this (and so forth).