大般涅槃經疏 6.16

6.16

Fourth, from "At that time the great king..." onward is the sentient beings receiving transformation. This also has four parts: 1. receiving the teaching and transmitting the transformation; 2. other people not accepting; 3. speaking again for them; 4. finally having faith and accepting. In the first text, they first have faith and accept it themselves, and later further transmit the transformation. That is, people of superior faculties, having attained understanding themselves, transmit the transformation to those of middling and lower faculties, causing all to awaken. Next, from "When the people of the country heard it..." onward, those of middling and lower faculties do not accept. Third, from "The king said..." onward, he transmits the transformation once more. Fourth, from "At that time the great king..." onward, those of superior, middling, and lower faculties awaken simultaneously. Next, from "You monks..." onward applies the allegory. Originally above, there were two medicines and two illnesses; now in this application, it only applies the two medicines and does not apply the two illnesses. The reason for this is: originally there was doubt about whether the sūtra teachings expounded or did not expound—if the past was incorrect, there was no need to speak it; if the present is correct, why not speak it earlier? Now, this meaning is used to eliminate doubt: because of heterodox permanence, it could not be spoken earlier; now permanence again refutes the disease of heterodox permanence, so [the Buddha] could only speak of the past emptiness and impermanence. Now directly applying the two medicines allows the doctrinal approach to be understood, so it does not speak of the illnesses again. In the text, it first applies the medicine of impermanence, and later applies the medicine of true permanence. In the allegory above, it first explained initial conformity, and later explained eventual divergence. Here it also applies them specifically: this first applies the initial conformity. Now saying that the Tathāgata is the great medicine king directly corresponds to the earlier "there was a wise physician versed in eight arts." Appearing in the world corresponds to "coming from a distant land." Next, from "Subduing all..." onward applies the eventual divergence. First, it applies the gradual divergence, which corresponds to jointly entering to see the king and speaking of various medical methods, other arts, ruling the country, and treating illnesses. Next, from "Wishing to subdue the heterodox paths..." onward applies the sudden divergence. That is, the intention of this teaching of non-self and impermanence corresponds to previously compounding the medicines, called the five flavors of bitter, pungent, salty, and so on. Next, from "Monks, you should know..." onward applies the intention of this teaching. It first concludes the error of the heterodox paths, and later concludes that the present teaching is correct: in order to tame sentient beings and knowing the proper time, it was necessary to expound this non-existence. Third, regarding the single sentence "Such non-self": there are two interpretations. One says this phrase points forward; the other says this still belongs to the preceding, having causes and conditions, applying the earlier teaching of true permanence. Applying what follows also has three parts: first, directly expounding; second, distinguishing the error of the heterodox paths; third, expounding the correctness of the Tathāgata.