華嚴經旨歸 1.30

1.30

Question: "If it is constantly and eternally expounded over these many kalpas, why does the Tathāgata enter nirvāṇa?" Answer: "The Buddha who expounds this sūtra fundamentally does not enter nirvāṇa; in the 'Chapter on the Dharmadhātu', the sandalwood pagoda is opened and one sees that none of the Buddhas of the three periods of time enter nirvāṇa. Furthermore, because this initial time already encompasses many kalpas, the manifestation of entering nirvāṇa is also within this, because nirvāṇa within the deportments of gathering and transforming [beings] is also expounding the Dharma and gathering sentient beings, not different from attaining enlightenment and expounding the Dharma; therefore, the expounding of Dharma has no time of cessation at all. Furthermore, Rocana Buddha is constantly in Padmagarbha, eternally expounding the Dharma, never entering nirvāṇa, as he is eternally abiding."