大方廣圓覺修多羅了義經略疏 1.178

1.178

大者當體得名，常遍為義。當體者，不同法相宗揀小之大，大外有小可揀，猶是分限，豈為至大？今以圓覺體無邊涯，絕諸分量，強名大也。常遍者，常則竪通三世，遍則橫該十方。竪者，過去無始、未來無終，無有一法先之，唯此先於諸法，故名大也。故《涅槃經》云：「所言大者，名之為常。」橫者，十方窮之無有涯畔。《涅槃》又云：「所言大者，其性廣博，猶如虛空。」

"Great" receives its name directly from the essence, taking permanence and pervasiveness as its meaning. "Directly from the essence" differs from the Dharma-characteristic school's [concept of] great that excludes the small; when there is a small outside the great to be excluded, it still has limits and bounds—how could it be the ultimate great? Here, because the essence of perfect enlightenment has no boundary and transcends all measurement, it is tentatively called "Great." As for "permanence and pervasiveness," permanence vertically penetrates the three times, while pervasiveness horizontally encompasses the ten directions. Vertically, it is without beginning in the past and without end in the future; no dharma precedes it, and it alone precedes all dharmas, hence it is called "Great." Thus the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* states: "That which is called great is named permanent." Horizontally, seeking it through the ten directions, it has no border or shore. The *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* also states: "That which is called great has a nature that is vast and broad, just like empty space."