大般涅槃經疏 4.8

4.8

Third, from "The bodhisattva at that time destroyed the four māras" onward, answers the second objection regarding having the noble title vs. lacking the noble title. Cunda bases himself on the days when the Tripiṭaka bodhisattva was a householder, possessing the marks of a cakravartin and being a deva among humans. From his renunciation until the time he received the meal, he had not yet attained the Way; being even inferior to being born in the heavens, how could he obtain the noble title? He was neither a deva born in heaven, nor could he be a deva born in the pure heavens. Since he lacked this title, Cunda said he was still a sentient being. The Buddha now does not answer based on the Tripiṭaka, but on the lotus pedestal viewed by those of greater capacity. The bodhisattva on the lotus pedestal had already destroyed the four māras. Thus the Commentary [on the Great Prajñāpāramitā] states: "Attaining the bodhisattva path, one destroys the kleśamāra; attaining the dharmatākāya, one destroys the skandhamāra and the mṛtyumāra; attaining the unshakeable samādhi, one destroys the devaputramāra." The present sūtra is also like this: entering the vajra-concentration is the vajra body, which destroys the devaputramāra, and this is being born in heaven. Attaining sambodhi is the dharmakāya, which destroys the kleśaskandha. Attaining the vision of the buddhadhātu is the permanent body, which destroys the mṛtyumāra. How could such merits not be being born in heaven, the pure heavens, the deva among devas? Now entering nirvāṇa, he also destroys the māra of the four inversions such as impermanence; because there are no four inversions, he destroys the kleśamāra; when there are no afflictions, skandhas, or death, there is no devamāra. Since in both the initial attainment and the final extinction he destroys the four māras, in both he is not a sentient being, and in both he obtains the noble title as the deva among devas, they are equal without distinction.