大般涅槃經疏 9.14

9.14

From 'At that time there was a good son' onward is the second round of hypothetical questions asking why the Tathāgata did not teach beforehand. The text has two parts: first asking why he did not teach beforehand; next asking whether he intended to let them fall into ruin, which can be seen in the text. The Buddha's reply has two parts: first answering the criticism about falling into ruin; afterward answering the intention behind not speaking beforehand. Within this, there is an analogy and an application. In the initial analogy, the analogy of a wheel-turning king is made, which also has three meanings: first, speaking of the ten virtues illustrates the abrupt teaching; next, those who practice evil gradually abandoning it illustrates the gradual teaching; third, practicing the dharma of a sage king, namely renouncing the throne and going forth from the household, illustrates converging the gradual back to the abrupt. The application text is also like this. Within it are two parts: first, the direct application; next, bringing up the wheel-treasure to clarify the intention of opening and converging. Although there was an initial teaching, it applies to the abrupt meaning. Because it must depend on the bhikṣus, it applies to the gradual meaning; only then seeing the Tathāgata's Dharmakāya applies to the meaning of converging into the abrupt. Next, bringing up the wheel-treasure to illustrate that the Three Jewels are inconceivable clarifies that the Tathāgata's abrupt and gradual, opening and converging, whether speaking beforehand or not speaking, cannot be calculated or measured by sentient beings, and therefore are inconceivable.