大般涅槃經疏 1.30

1.30

'Accompanied by' means together with. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa explains 'together' by means of the seven uniformities: one place, one time, one precept, one mind, one view, one path, and one liberation. The monks shared these seven uniformities with the Buddha, hence it says 'the Buddha was accompanied by'. If explained according to the Tripiṭaka teaching: the sixteen-foot Buddha and the monks shared the same place in Kuśinagara, the same time of nirvāṇa, the same moral precepts of discipline, the same mind of meditative concentration, the same view of taintlessness, the same path of nirvāṇa, and the same liberation with residue—all seven being identical with the Buddha, hence it says 'together'. If explained according to the Shared Teaching, five are identical and two differ. How so? The wisdom that understands phenomena realizes emptiness directly in form, not emptiness through the annihilation of form; this view differs from the Mahāyāna path, and does not differ from the narrow path; the paths are not the same, so one should know that two differ. If explained according to the Distinct Teaching, the seven items such as the time and place of the Buddha of the exalted and distinctive body cannot be seen by the previous two [kinds of] monks; just as lighting a candle for a blind man, of what benefit is it to one without eyes? Precepts, mind, view, path, and liberation are to the previous two [kinds of] monks like playing music for a deaf man; of what benefit is it to one without ears? This Buddha is not together with the previous two [kinds of] monks. The monks in this [teaching] are not even together with the previous Buddha, how much less with [these] monks? If explained according to the Perfect Teaching, the Buddha's seven uniformities are all the Buddha's realm; they are shared only with the bodhisattvas of the Perfect Teaching, and shared with those who abide in the śūraṅgama[-samādhi] and manifest the appearance of monks; they are not even shared with the previous three buddhas, how much less with [ordinary] monks? When it now speaks of 'together', it is because all are great provisional manifestations and their definitive revelation has already been completed.