分別功德論 1.16

1.16

阿難復思惟：「此三藏義與三脫相應。何者？契經妙慧理與空合，毘尼制惡玄齊無相，大法正見迹同無願。」故曰三藏三脫冥迹玄會。阿難復思惟：「契經大本，義分四段。何者？文義混雜，宜當以事理相從、大小相次。第一增一，次名曰中，第三名長，第四名曰雜。以一為本，次至十，一二三隨事增上，故曰增一。中者，不大不小不長不短，事處中適，故曰中也。長者，說久遠事歷劫不絕本末源由，事經七佛、聖王七寶，故曰長也。雜者，諸經斷結，難誦難憶，事多雜碎憙令人忘，故曰雜也。」

Ānanda again thought: "The meanings of these three baskets correspond to the three liberations. How so? The wonderful wisdom of the sūtras accords in principle with emptiness; the vinaya's restraining of evil subtly aligns with signlessness; the right view of the great Dharma traces the same path as wishlessness." Therefore it is said that the three baskets and the three liberations obscurely trace and profoundly unite. Ānanda again thought: "The great root of the sūtras is divided in meaning into four sections. How so? The texts and meanings are mixed together; it is appropriate that matters and principles follow one another, and large and small be arranged in order. The first is Ekottarika; next is Madhyama; the third is Dīrgha; the fourth is Saṃyukta. Taking one as the base and proceeding up to ten, one, two, three increasing according to the matters; hence it is called Ekottarika. 'Madhyama' means neither large nor small, neither long nor short, the matters being moderate and fitting; hence it is called Madhyama. 'Dīrgha' speaks of ancient matters continuing through kalpas without end, their origins and development, extending through the seven Buddhas and the seven treasures of a cakravartin; hence it is called Dīrgha. 'Saṃyukta' consists of the various sūtras severing fetters, difficult to recite and difficult to remember, the matters being mostly diverse and fragmented, easily causing people to forget; hence it is called Saṃyukta."