大般涅槃經疏 26.14

26.14

From the passage beginning with "Siṃhanāda said: 'Why does the Tathāgata...'" onward, it secondly explains the conditions of the time, also in two parts: first, the time of the second month; next, the time of the fifteenth day. As for the first, the time of the second month, there is a question and an answer. The answer comprises two parts: first, citing an analogy to clarify the matter; next, matching the simile to clarify the principle. In the first text: if relying on the Xia calendar, it is the second month; if relying on the Zhou calendar, it is the fourth month. When sentient beings are joyful, they all hold to permanence, so this breaks attachment and enables awakening to the Path. It is also said that regarding "among the six seasons," there are two explanations. Hexi says: in foreign lands, two months make one season, and a year has six seasons; thus the three seasons of spring, summer, and winter each have an earlier and later part. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa states: "If spoken of by twos, it completes the six seasons; if spoken of by threes, a year has four seasons." Here it precisely takes them by twos to complete the six seasons. Zhaoti says: taking the two seasons of spring and winter, each having the first, middle, and last month, it therefore speaks of six seasons; the text brings up the first month of winter to contrast with warm spring, and so forth. From "Speaking of the second month..." onward, the second part matches the simile to clarify the principle. The two Dharmakāyas are the real and responsive bodies. Hexi says: the permanent body and the impermanent body both illuminate the world. The fruit analogizes the four fruits. One explanation says: these are the four fruits of the Hīnayāna, because the Great can encompass the Small. A second explanation says: these are the four virtues. From "Siṃhanāda said..." onward, the second part clarifies the time of the day, likewise first with a question and next an answer. Regarding the question: the Dīrgha Āgama states that he left home on the eighth day and entered nirvāṇa on the eighth day; here it says the fifteenth day, which is perhaps because the responsive perceptions [of beings] differ, and it also reflects the sovereignty of the Tathāgata's physical secret. Next, the Buddha's reply has two parts: first, with respect to the fundamental; next, with respect to the traces. First, regarding the fundamental: wanting to clarify that the wondrous fundamental is perfectly consummate, he therefore uses the fifteenth day as an analogy. From "Just as on the fifteenth day..." onward, it addresses the traces.