俱舍論記 24.57

24.57

「然天帝釋至佛亦不遮」者，會釋經文。然天帝釋五衰相現來歸世尊，佛為說法得預流果。雖復得果，然作是言：「曾聞有天名色究竟，願我命終後退落人中為佛弟子。若不獲得阿羅漢果，當生彼天。」毘婆沙師作如是釋：彼天帝釋雖得預流，由不能了對法相故作斯謬說。若謬說者，佛何不遮？為令帝釋一時喜故，佛亦不遮。故《正理》六十五釋云「我後者，三十三天自在異熟最後邊際。言退落者，謂於後時若不獲得阿羅漢果。當生彼者，謂願當生色究竟天，勿生欲界。以天帝釋緣五死相極生憂苦，來歸世尊，死相纔除便作是說，為令喜故。又觀遮彼無多益故，佛不遮止。」

Regarding [the text from] “However, Śakra, Lord of the Devas [...]” to “[...] the Buddha also did not forbid it,” this reconciles the sūtra text. However, when the five signs of decay appeared on Śakra, Lord of the Devas, he came to take refuge in the World-Honoured One, and when the Buddha preached the Dharma for him, he attained the fruit of stream-entry. Although he attained the fruit, he made this statement: “I have heard that there is a heaven named Akaniṣṭha. May I, after my life ends, fall down among humans as a disciple of the Buddha; and if I do not attain the fruit of arhatship, may I be reborn in that heaven.” The masters of the Vibhāṣā explain this as follows: Although that Śakra, Lord of the Devas, attained stream-entry, because he could not understand the characteristics of Abhidharma, he made this erroneous statement. If it was an erroneous statement, why did the Buddha not forbid it? In order to make Śakra happy for the moment, the Buddha also did not forbid it. Thus *Nyāyānusāra* fascicle 65 explains: “‘After me’ refers to the final limit of the autonomous vipāka in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. ‘Fall down’ means: if at a later time I do not attain the fruit of arhatship. ‘May I be reborn in that [heaven]’ means: wishing to be reborn in the Akaniṣṭha heaven, not to be reborn in the desire realm. Because Śakra, Lord of the Devas, due to the five signs of death, gave rise to extreme grief and suffering, he came to take refuge in the World-Honoured One; just as the signs of death were removed, he made this statement. It was to make him happy, and furthermore, seeing that forbidding him would bring no great benefit, the Buddha did not forbid it.”