金光明最勝王經疏 1.14

1.14

Question: If nirvāṇa is also the sūtra's theme, why does it re-elucidate the three bodies below the chapter 'Span of Life', explain the causes of bodhi from 'Most Purified Bhūmi' downward, and in the chapter 'Entrustment' the World-Honoured One himself mentions the direct cause of bodhi, yet why are the cause and fruit of nirvāṇa not re-elucidated? Answer: The two causes are not distinct, so they are stated together. It is only with regard to the fruit that the causes are distinguished into generative and revelatory; since the causal essence is the same, they are not stated separately. As for the fruit not being restated, it is because the essence of the dharmakāya is itself nirvāṇa; hence the chapter 'Span of Life' states: 'The Tathāgata's dharmakāya, its essence is true reality, and is called nirvāṇa.' It also states: 'Emptiness is itself the true dharmakāya', and hence is called nirvāṇa.