大般涅槃經疏 4.14

4.14

Next, the request has two parts: first, two lines for the sake of the assembly and for the sake of everyone (and so forth); next, one line urgently makes the request. Urging him with life: if the Buddha is not in the world and one does not receive the ambrosia of the Dharma body, the wisdom-life will not be preserved. Next, conveying the request has two parts: first the prose, narrated by the compiler of the sūtra; next the verses, which are Cunda's words of request. In the first prose section, saying "suddenly perished" is brief; fully stated, it should say perished from master, parent, and teacher (and so forth). Previously, upon encountering the sound and light, the great assembly rushed, stumbled, and blood splattered the ground; therefore it now says "suddenly perished." Receiving the bestowal of eternal life, complexion, strength, ease, and eloquence, which subsumes the dharmadhātu, and granting them master, teacher, and parent, it therefore says "suddenly came back to life." At that time the assembly was overjoyed; before this, Cunda rejoiced, and afterward this is again a deferral. Next, the eighteen and a half lines of verse have two parts: first, eleven and a half lines convey the assembly's praise; next, seven lines convey the assembly's request. In the first text, it briefly conveys three praises: first it conveys the praise of the vow; in the middle it first conveys the six difficulties; and later, from "Just as..." downward, it concludes with a simile. First, saying "having obtained his own benefit" conveys the praise of the difficulty of good benefit. The difficulty of the human body and good realm, "removing" and so forth, are what are separated from through good benefit. The "heap of gold and jewels" conveys the difficulty of the Buddha's era, and "without fear" is what is separated from. The "udumbara flower" conveys the difficulty of generating faith; "throwing onto the needle's tip" conveys the difficulty of the final offering; from "The Buddha is not defiled by worldly dharmas" onward conveys the difficulty of hearing the Dharma; from "The food I now offer" onward conveys the praise of virtue. Because of the offering he makes a vow, wishing for the unsurpassed fruit and not wishing for realms of existence. From "Like sandalwood emerging from the eraṇḍa" onward: relying on the meager, it satisfies the great assembly. Furthermore, through food it reveals non-eating, neither eating nor non-eating; the fragrance of the Way and the wind of virtue unfold all phenomena as neither eternal nor impermanent. From "I now attain the present retribution" onward conveys the praise of benefit, as in the text. From "All the worlds..." onward directly conveys the assembly's request, divided into three: the first two verses convey the sense of grief and suffering; the next three verses convey the sense of the benefits of requesting him to abide; the last two verses conclude both senses. The text says that the world has no tamer, lacking master, parent, and teacher, generating great affliction. In the next text, from "The Tathāgata is among the Saṅgha" onward generally clarifies the benefit of the Three Jewels. "Like Mount Sumeru" specifically clarifies the benefit of the teacher: if the mountain is reflected in the water, the water takes on the color of the mountain; if the teacher preaches the Dharma, it is practiced in accordance with the Dharma; hence it is the benefit of the teacher. The half-line "The Buddha's wisdom can skillfully sever" is the benefit of the perfection of wisdom; "Clouds arise with cool refreshment" is the benefit of skillful means: these two clarify the benefit of the parent. From "The Tathāgata can skillfully eliminate" onward is the benefit of the master. The thieves of affliction disturb the practitioner; the sun of the Buddha shines and eliminates them, putting an end to disorder and returning to rectitude; hence it is the benefit of the master. Third, the conclusion: if one loses the three benefits, longing and grief increase—this concludes the sense of suffering above; if one obtains the three benefits, faith increases—this concludes the sense of requesting him to abide above.