大般涅槃經義記卷第一(之上)
Great Parinirvana Sutra: Explanation, First Fascicle(Part One)
隋淨影寺沙門釋慧遠述
Commentary by Master Huiyuan, Monk of Jingying Temple, Sui Dynasty
聖教萬差，要唯有二，謂聲聞藏及菩薩藏，教聲聞法名聲聞藏、教菩薩法名菩薩藏。
The teachings of the sacred scriptures vary widely, but their essential forms are only two: the Collection of the Hearers and the Collection of the Bodhisattvas. The Dharma that instructs Hearers is called the Collection of the Hearers, and the Dharma that instructs Bodhisattvas is called the Collection of the Bodhisattvas.
聲聞藏中所教有二：一聲聞聲聞、二緣覺聲聞。聲聞聲聞者，是人先來求聲聞道，常樂觀察四真諦法，成聲聞性，於最後身值佛，為說四真諦法而得悟道，本聲聞性，今復聞聲而得悟道，是故名曰聲聞聲聞，如經中說「求聲聞者為說四諦」。據此為言，緣覺聲聞者，是人本來求緣覺道，常樂觀察十二緣法，於最後身值佛，為說十二緣法而得悟道，本緣覺性，於最後身聞聲悟道，是故名為緣覺聲聞，如經中說「為求緣覺者說十二緣法」。就斯為論，是二雖殊，同求小法，藉教、處等，是故對斯二人所說為聲聞藏。
The teachings collected in the Śrāvaka Piṭaka cover two types: 1) "Śrāvaka-Śrāvaka" and 2) "Pratyekabuddha-Śrāvaka."
**Śrāvaka-Śrāvaka** refers to someone who originally sought the path of a listener (Śrāvaka). They always delight in contemplating the Four Noble Truths and cultivate the nature of a listener. In their final life, they encounter a Buddha who teaches them the Four Noble Truths, and through listening, they awaken. Because their original nature is that of a listener and they awaken by hearing the teaching, they are called "Śrāvaka-Śrāvaka." As the scriptures say: "For those seeking the path of a listener, teach the Four Noble Truths." This is the basis for this category.
**Pratyekabuddha-Śrāvaka** refers to someone who originally sought the path of a solitary realizer (Pratyekabuddha). They always delight in contemplating the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. In their final life, they encounter a Buddha who teaches them the Twelve Links, and through listening, they awaken. Because their original nature is that of a solitary realizer, but in their final life they awaken through hearing the teaching, they are called "Pratyekabuddha-Śrāvaka." As the scriptures say: "For those seeking the path of a solitary realizer, teach the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination." This is the basis for this category.
Although these two are different in nature, they both seek the lesser teachings (Hīnayāna). They rely on the same teachings, conditions, and other factors. Therefore, what is spoken to these two types of people is collected as the Śrāvaka Piṭaka.
菩薩藏中所教之人亦有二種：一漸、二頓。言漸入者，是人過去曾習大法，中間學小，後還入大，大從小入，謂之為漸，故經說言「除先修習學小乘者，我今亦令入是法中」，此是漸入。言頓悟者，有諸眾生久習大乘相應善根，今始見佛則能入大，大不由小，目之為頓，故經說言「或有眾生，世世已來常受我化，始見我身、聞我所說則皆信受，入如來慧」，此是頓悟。漸入菩薩始小終大、頓悟之人一往入深，頓、漸雖殊，以其當時受大處一，是故對斯二人所說為菩薩藏。
Those who are taught within the Bodhisattva Collection also fall into two categories: gradual and sudden.
The gradual practitioners are those who previously studied the Great Dharma, later turned to the Small Vehicle, and then eventually returned to the Great Vehicle. Because they enter the Great through the Small, this is called "gradual." As the sutra says, "Except for those who previously practiced the Small Vehicle, I now also allow them to enter this Dharma." This is the gradual path.
The sudden awakeners are beings who have long cultivated good roots aligned with the Great Vehicle. Now, upon seeing the Buddha for the first time, they are able to enter the Great directly, without passing through the Small. This is called "sudden." As the sutra says, "There are beings who, for lifetimes, have been transformed by me. When they first see my form and hear my teaching, they immediately accept it with faith and enter the Tathagata's wisdom." This is sudden awakening.
Although gradual bodhisattvas begin with the Small and end with the Great, while sudden awakeners penetrate directly into the profound, they are alike in that at the moment of receiving the Great Dharma, they are equal. Therefore, what is taught to these two types of people is called the Bodhisattva Collection.
聖教雖眾，不出此二，故龍樹云：「佛滅度後，迦葉、阿難於王舍城結集三藏為聲聞藏，文殊、阿難於鐵圍山集摩訶衍經為菩薩藏。」《地持》亦云「佛為聲聞菩薩行出苦道，說修多羅。」結集經者，集為二藏，以說聲聞所行為聲聞藏、說菩薩所行為菩薩藏。彼論復云「十二部中，唯方廣部是菩薩藏，餘十一部是聲聞藏。」此經亦云「唯方廣部菩薩所持，餘十一部二乘所持。」菩薩所持猶菩薩藏，二乘所持猶聲聞藏，故知聖說無出此二。此二亦名大乘、小乘，半、滿教等，名雖改變，其義不殊。今此經者，二藏之中菩薩藏收，漸教眾生長養法門，故下文言「先教半字，後教滿字」。已知教之分齊。
次釋其名。今言大涅槃者，乃是標經別部名也。經名不同，乃有多種，或有當法、或復就人、或時隨事、或從喻況、或就人法、或從法喻、或隨事法，其例非一。今此經者從法為名，法謂諸佛大涅槃果，故始舉之。此名不足，若依梵本，名為摩訶般涅槃那。摩訶名大，歎勝之詞。涅槃有三，謂聲聞、緣覺及佛所得。簡別前二不加，是故言大，體實絕待，寄對顯之。
大義有六：一常故名大，故下文言「大名為常」；二勝故名大，如世勝人名為大人，故下文言「是人若能安住正法，名人中勝」，勝故名大，涅槃如是；三廣故名大，故下文言「大名廣博」，體窮法界，名性廣博；四多故名大，故下文言「譬如大藏，多諸珍異」，涅槃如是，多有種種妙法珍寶，故名為大；五高故名大，故下文言「譬如大山，人不能上，故名大山」，涅槃如是，凡夫二乘乃至十住不能到故，名之為大；六深故名大，如海淵深，名為大海，故下文言「大者名為不可思議，淵深難測，名不可思」。大體不同，略有三種：一者體大，謂性淨涅槃，體窮真性，義充法界；二者相大，謂方便涅槃，過無不盡，德無不備；三者用大，謂應化涅槃，妙用曠周，巧化無盡。故下文言「大般涅槃能建大義」，義猶用也，具斯三義，是故言大。
所言般者，此翻名入。入義有三：一就實以論，息妄歸真，從因趣果，名之為入；二據化辨入，示滅有因，現亡身智，趣入無為；三就真應相對說入，息化歸真。今此所論，備具三義。
言涅槃者，有人釋言「非梵、非漢，直是佛語。」若論佛語，一切皆是，豈獨涅槃？故下文言「種種異論、文章、呪術，皆是佛說」，雖是佛說，不離方言，若離方言，佛則無說，云何而言非梵、非漢？有人復言「是天竺語，名總萬德，此方更無一名能翻，故存梵本，名曰涅槃。」涅槃之體實備萬德，涅槃一名非盡萬德，若使涅槃名含萬德，是則宣說萬德之時，不應隨德更立名字，欲說萬德，更立別名，明知非總。若言此方無名能翻，此義不然，如下文中如來隨類普告眾生：「今日如來將欲涅槃。」隨音異告，云何叵翻？今正相翻，名之為滅；隨義傍翻，名別多種，或云不生、或云不滅、或稱不燃、或言不織、或曰寂靜、或名無為、或云無相，如是非一。云何得知是滅非總？今此且以四義驗之：一就昔以求，如來昔於餘契經中每常宣說生死因果盡無之處以為涅槃，今日涅槃，名不異昔，何忽是總？二據終以驗，如來今於婆羅樹間，大音普告云：「今涅槃。」眾生聞已，咸皆悲惱，詣佛請住。若使涅槃名總萬德，是則宣唱萬德示人，眾生應喜，何故悲泣，詣佛請住？以斯准驗，明知非總。三准定方言，其外國人見人死滅，咸皆稱言某甲涅槃。世人死滅，何德可總？四取文為證，如下文中佛歎純陀能知如來，云同眾生方便涅槃，世間眾生何曾有彼萬德涅槃可以示同？蓋乃如來同世盡滅，名示涅槃。又，《法華》中日月燈佛說《法華》竟，於夜後分入般涅槃，下偈頌云「佛此夜滅度，如薪盡火滅」，明知涅槃是滅非總。
問曰：若言涅槃名滅，下文說言「諸結火滅，名為滅度，離覺觀故，名曰涅槃」，是則涅槃與滅義異，云何而言涅槃名滅？釋言：外國滅有多名，所謂涅槃、毘尼及與彌留陀等，以名多故，隨其異義各施異名，故滅覺觀說為涅槃，諸結火滅更作異稱，此翻名滅。此方名少，涅槃、毘尼、彌留陀等同翻名滅，其猶外國菩提、末伽，此俱名道。何者是滅？滅有四義：一是事滅，滅生死因，盡生死果。二是德滅，捨修安寂，故名為滅。又佛真德離相、離性，亦名為滅。言離相者，如淨醍醐，體雖是有，而無青、黃、赤、白等相，亦如一切眾生心識，體雖是有，而無大、小、長、短等相。涅槃亦爾，體雖是有，而無一相、無何等相，如下文說「謂無色、聲、香、味、觸相，無生、住、滅、男、女等相，乃至無有自相可取。」言離性者，大涅槃中諸德同體，共相集成，無有一德別守自性，如就諸德宣說常義，離諸德外無別有一常性可得，諸義齊然，故下文言「又非別異，故成涅槃」。三是應滅，隨化世間，示滅有因，現亡身智。四是理滅，如經中說「一苦滅諦，一切眾生畢竟寂滅，即涅槃相」，如是等也。理滅有二：一是相空，妄想諸法，空無自實；二是真空，如來藏中恒沙佛法，離相、離性。言離相者，如馬鳴說：「謂非有相、非無相、非非有相、非非無相、非有無俱相、非自相、非他相、非非自相、非非他相、非自他俱相，如是一切妄心分別，悉不相應，唯證境界。」言離性者，是諸佛法同一體性，互相集成，不離、不脫、不斷、不異，以同體故，無有一法別守自性。滅義雖眾，要唯此四。此四滅中，理滅為本，由見相空成前事滅、由見真空成前德滅、依德起用便有應滅。若以分相，說前三滅以為涅槃；攝相論之，四滅俱是。
問曰：此經具明諸義，何故偏言大涅槃乎？涅槃為宗，故偏言耳，亦可諸義不可備彰，且舉涅槃。那者名息，今略不舉。息有三義：一息生死有為因果，趣入無為，名之為息；二息修契實，名之為息，故下文言「若能斷除三十七品所行之事，是名涅槃」；三息化歸真，名之為息。此舉所詮。
經為能詮，外國正音名修多羅，此翻名線，以能貫穿一切法相，如線貫華，是故就喻說之為線。而言經者，線能貫華，經能持緯，其用相似，故復名經。若依俗訓，經者常也，教之一法，經古歷今，恒有曰常。