注維摩詰經 4.42

4.42

肇曰：本性常滅，今復何滅也？生曰：既得菩提至於滅度，於滅度中又無滅度也，故復極就其終以驗之焉。滅度非慧，事止於滅，故不得如菩提釋也。然終既至滅，始滅驗矣。始若果滅，終豈滅哉？終苟不滅，眾生亦此滅矣。唯驗終以悟始者知其然耳。舉佛明之者，佛既親得滅度，又為悟之極，必可以定之也。且佛終日滅度眾生，然知眾生即涅槃相不復更滅，是盡為滅而不滅也。

[Seng]zhao says: Their original nature is constantly extinct; what further extinction could there be now? [Dao]sheng says: Having attained bodhi, one reaches extinction; yet within extinction there is again no extinction. Hence he further presses to the very end to verify it. Extinction is not wisdom; the matter stops at extinction, so it cannot be explained like bodhi. Yet since the end reaches extinction, the initial extinction is verified. If the beginning were truly extinct, how could the end cease? If the end is not extinct, sentient beings also share this extinction. Only one who verifies the end to awaken to the beginning knows that this is so. He cites the Buddha to clarify it because the Buddha has personally attained extinction and is also the culmination of awakening, so he can certainly determine it. Furthermore, the Buddha delivers sentient beings to extinction all day long, yet he knows that sentient beings are themselves the mark of nirvāṇa and do not cease again; this is being entirely extinct without being extinct.