涅槃經遊意 1.229

1.229

今明涅槃未曾本，亦不曾始。為破本故始，道始亦為洗，故云本到則顯。道非本始，非本始，並是方便也。

Now it is clarified: nirvāṇa has never been original, nor has it ever been newly acquired. It is spoken of as newly acquired to shatter 'original', and spoken of as newly acquired also to cleanse it; hence it is said that when one arrives at the root, it becomes manifest. Saying it is neither original nor newly acquired—both are skillful means.