法苑珠林 12.19

12.19

如涅槃經云。如來何故二月涅槃。善男子。二月名春陽之月。萬物生長。是時眾生多生常想。為破眾生如是常心。說一切法悉是無常。唯說如來常住不變。於六時中孟冬枯悴眾不愛樂。陽春和液人所貪愛。為破眾生世間樂故。演說常樂我淨亦爾。為破世間我淨故。說如來真實我淨。初生出家成道轉妙法輪。皆以八日。何故涅槃獨十五日。佛言。善男子。如十五日月無虧盈。諸佛如來亦復如是。入大涅槃無有虧盈。以是義故。以十五日入般涅槃。又長阿含經云。時有香姓婆羅門。問阿闍世王曰。何等時佛生。何等時成道。何等時滅度。闍王答曰。沸星出時生。沸星出時出家。沸星出時成道。沸星出時滅度。

As the Nirvāṇa Sūtra says: Why did the Tathāgata enter nirvāṇa in the second month? "Good son, the second month is called the month of spring warmth, when the myriad things sprout and grow. At this time, sentient beings mostly generate the notion of permanence. In order to destroy such minds of permanence in sentient beings, he explained that all dharmas are impermanent, stating only that the Tathāgata is eternally abiding and unchanging. Among the six seasons, the beginning of winter is withered and gaunt, which beings do not love; the bright spring is mild and nourishing, which people covet and cherish. In order to destroy sentient beings' worldly pleasure, expounding permanence, bliss, self, and purity is likewise so. In order to destroy worldly self and purity, he spoke of the Tathāgata's true self and purity. His birth, renunciation of the household, attainment of the Way, and turning of the wondrous wheel of Dharma all occurred on the eighth day. Why did his nirvāṇa alone take place on the fifteenth day?" The Buddha said: "Good son, just as on the fifteenth day the moon has no waxing or waning, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas are also like this: in entering the Great Nirvāṇa, there is neither waning nor waxing. For this reason, he entered parinirvāṇa on the fifteenth day." Furthermore, the Dīrgha-āgama says: At that time, a brāhmaṇa of the Sugandha (Xiang) clan asked King Ajātaśatru, saying: "At what time was the Buddha born? At what time did he attain the Way? At what time did he enter extinction?" King Ajātaśatru replied, saying: "He was born when the Puṣya asterism appeared. He went forth when the Puṣya asterism appeared. He attained the Way when the Puṣya asterism appeared. He entered extinction when the Puṣya asterism appeared."