大般涅槃經疏 8.8

8.8

就世性問，為二：初唱世出世兩章門、次難。難又二：初難兩教無異、次難兩理無異。次佛答中皆作異答。初答教者，先佛說常教，外道盜常教。盜不盜異，云何不異？次理異者，佛理微妙是故不現，外道理偽是故不現。微妙與偽，云何不異？答此為四：一先佛被盜、次後佛認歸、三結正、四勸修。初先佛章，有開有合。初開譬中言長者者，先佛也。群牛，說教也。色種種，逗機異也。同共一群，詮理等也。付放牧人，弘經者也。令逐水草，隨機化益也。唯為醍醐，期常住也。不求乳酪，不期人天二乘無常。𤛓以自食，弘經人自益也。長者命終，先佛去世也。賊掠群牛，佛教被盜也。無有婦女，無慈心也。𤛓以自食，有得之利也。相謂言去，欽慕深理也。我等無器，非根性也。設使得乳，無安置處。設能持戒，非常住基。唯有皮囊，天人感報。設能持戒，成諸有業。不知鑽搖，無定慧方便。漿譬人天善，初酪譬似道，後醍醐譬真道。加之以水，譬起我人知見等也。一切皆失，起見墮惡，人天善失。「凡夫亦爾」去，合又二：先略、次廣。凡夫善者盜佛餘法，餘是像末之世，盜竊得起，正法時不得起也。入涅槃後，合長者命終。雖復得是，合不知鑽搖。為解脫者，合加之以水。有少梵行，合[殼/牛]已自食，實不知因。少梵行生梵天者，合無婦女。雖修行生天，實不知因於佛法。從「是故如來出世之後」去，二明今佛認歸。又三：法、譬、合。初法，如文。次譬中云輪王，今佛也。群賊退散者，驅逐外道。遍六大城牛無損命，認常樂等。具足還歸付放牧者，付弘經人。即得醍醐者，自他俱契法性常住。三從「法輪王」去，合今佛出世。凡夫不能，合驅外道。令諸菩薩去，合放牧人。三「如來是常不變」去，結正是非，可解。四從「迦葉當知」下勸修。又二：初勸修、次簡修。初又二：先勸迦葉、次通勸（云云）。次簡修者，簡昔顯今。若修二字作滅相者，昔教灰斷法性也。若修二字常住者，是今教法性。

Regarding the question on the worldly nature, it has two parts: first, stating the two general headings of the worldly and the supramundane; next, presenting the objections. The objections also have two parts: first, objecting that the two teachings would not differ; next, objecting that the two principles would not differ. Next, in the Buddha's replies, he answers each by establishing their difference. First, replying regarding the teaching: past Buddhas taught the teaching of permanence, and non-Buddhists stole this teaching of permanence. Stealing and not stealing are different, so how could they not differ? Next, regarding the difference in principle: the Buddha's principle is subtle and wondrous, and therefore does not appear [to mundane sight]; the non-Buddhists' principle is false, and therefore does not appear. How could the subtle and wondrous and the false not differ? The reply to this has four parts: 1. the past Buddhas being stolen from; 2. the subsequent Buddha claiming and returning it; 3. concluding what is correct; 4. exhorting cultivation. First, the section on the past Buddhas has an opening [of the metaphor] and a joining [to the doctrine]. First, in opening the metaphor, the 'elder' refers to the past Buddhas. The 'herd of cows' refers to the spoken teachings. The 'various colors' refer to the difference in adapting to faculties. 'Belonging to a single herd' refers to the equality of the principle expressed. 'Entrusting to cowherds' refers to those who propagate the sūtra. 'Causing them to seek water and pasture' refers to conferring benefit through conversion in accordance with capacities. 'Solely for the sake of ghee' refers to aiming for permanence. 'Not seeking milk or curd' refers to not aiming for the impermanence of humans, gods, or the two vehicles. 'Milking for their own consumption' refers to the propagators benefiting themselves. 'The elder passing away' refers to the past Buddhas departing the world. 'Thieves plundering the herd of cows' refers to the Buddhist teachings being stolen. 'Having no women' refers to having no compassionate mind. 'Milking for their own consumption' refers to gaining the benefit of attainment. 'Saying to one another, etc.' refers to longing for the profound principle. 'We have no vessels' refers to lacking the capacity. 'Even if we obtain milk, there is nowhere to store it': even if they can keep the precepts, they lack the foundation for permanence. 'There are only leather bags': karmic retribution as gods and humans; even if they can keep the precepts, it only constitutes the karma of mundane existences. 'Not knowing how to churn' refers to lacking the expedient means of concentration and wisdom. The 'thin whey' illustrates the good of gods and humans; the initial 'curd' illustrates the counterfeit path; the later 'ghee' illustrates the true path. 'Adding water to it' illustrates giving rise to views of self and personhood, and so forth. 'All is lost': giving rise to views and falling into evil, the good of gods and humans is lost. From 'Ordinary beings are also like this' onward, the joining also has two parts: first brief, then expanded. 'Good ordinary beings' steal the remaining Dharma of the Buddha; 'remaining' refers to the semblance and final eras, when theft can arise, whereas during the correct Dharma era it could not arise. 'After entering nirvāṇa' corresponds to the elder passing away. 'Although they obtain this' corresponds to not knowing how to churn. 'For the sake of liberation' corresponds to adding water. 'Having a little pure conduct' corresponds to milking for their own consumption, truly not knowing the cause. 'Those who with little pure conduct are born in the Brahmā heaven' corresponds to having no women. Although they practice and are born in heaven, they truly do not know that the cause lies in the Buddha-Dharma. From 'Therefore, after the Tathāgata appears in the world' onward is the second part, explaining that the present Buddha claims and returns it. This also has three parts: doctrine, metaphor, and joining. First, the doctrine is as in the text. Next, in the metaphor, the 'wheel-turning king' is the present Buddha. 'The gang of thieves retreats and scatters' refers to driving away the non-Buddhists. 'Throughout the six great cities, the cows do not lose their lives' refers to claiming permanence, bliss, and so forth. 'Returning them intact to the cowherds' refers to entrusting them to those who propagate the sūtra. 'Immediately obtaining ghee' refers to both oneself and others according with the permanence of dharmatā. Third, from 'The Dharma wheel-turning king' onward, joins it to the present Buddha appearing in the world. 'Ordinary beings are unable' corresponds to driving away the non-Buddhists. 'Causing all bodhisattvas, etc.' corresponds to the cowherds. Third, from 'The Tathāgata is permanent and unchanging' onward, concludes what is right and wrong, which is easily understood. Fourth, from 'Kāśyapa, you should know' downward, exhorts cultivation. This also has two parts: first, exhorting cultivation; next, discerning cultivation. The first also has two parts: first, exhorting Kāśyapa; next, exhorting generally, etc. Next, discerning cultivation means setting aside the past to reveal the present. If one cultivates the two words [of nirvāṇa] as a mark of extinction, that is the past teaching's dharmatā of ash and severance. If one cultivates the two words as permanent, that is the present teaching's dharmatā.