大般涅槃經疏 8.6

8.6

From 'addressed the Buddha' downwards is the second part, where the Buddha answers regarding the fruit of long life. The text has two parts: first, explaining that the Buddha-jewel is permanent; second, explaining that the Three Jewels are permanent. Regarding the first, there are two parts: first, a brief question and answer; next, a doctrinal discussion. The initial question is as in the text (and so forth). Next, the Buddha answers, citing four similes: first, all life-spans entering permanent life-span, permanent life-span being foremost; second, permanent life-span giving rise to all life-spans, permanent life-span being foremost; third, permanent life-span being neither permanent nor impermanent, permanent life-span being foremost; fourth, permanent life-span being able both to emerge and enter, permanent life-span being foremost. It is also the rivers of the life-span of birth and death entering the river of nirvāṇa, the river of nirvāṇa producing the rivers of birth and death, neither birth and death nor nirvāṇa, yet both birth and death and nirvāṇa (and so forth). Regarding the first text, an older commentary explains: the eight rivers represent the four modes of birth, each having cause and effect. Alternatively, the four modes of birth make four, and humans, gods, earth, and space make eight. We now say that within humans, gods, earth, and space, each has birth skandha, intermediate skandha, longevity, and life-span; these are the eight rivers. If we discuss their entering and emerging: all longevity and life-span possessed by all birth skandhas and intermediate skandhas, whether long or short, will all become the life-span of the Buddha's fruit stage, just as the eight rivers must flow into the sea. All life-spans enter the permanent life-span: this is the meaning of entering. Next, speaking of emerging: taking the permanent life-span of the great nirvāṇa river as the root, it can give rise to the long and short life-spans of humans, gods, earth, and space, just as Lake Anavatapta flows out into four rivers. The Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā says, 'Through prajñā, kṣatriyas, brāhmaṇas, and so forth are produced'; the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa says, 'From the unstaying root, all dharmas are established': this is the meaning of emerging. Third, neither emerging nor entering: if emerging and entering were fixed, how could they emerge and enter? Therefore it is neither emerging nor entering, praised by citing space. Fourth, being able both to emerge and enter is praised by citing clarified butter (and so forth).