分別功德論 1.2

1.2

建初偈所說曰迦葉思惟正法本者，謂思惟經法言教甚多。何以知之？迦葉即以比較明其多少。較法從十驢始，云十驢力不如一凡駱駝力，十凡駱駝力不如一凡象力，十凡象不如一細腳象力，十細腳象不如一盜食象力，十盜食象不如一蓮華象力，十蓮華象不如一青蓮華象力，十青蓮華象不如一紅蓮華象力，十紅蓮華象不如一白蓮華象力，十白蓮華象不如一雪山象力，十雪山象不如一香象力。從驢至香象為一分，如是八萬四千香象，以較皮表裏，書經滿如是數香象比載。阿難所聞所知事，粗可都較知大數；欲一一演其文字者，畢壽不能暢也。

Where the introductory verse says that Kāśyapa reflected on the source of the true Dharma, it means that he reflected on the tremendous quantity of the teachings of the scriptures and Dharma. How is this known? Kāśyapa then used a comparison to clarify its quantity. The method of comparison begins with ten donkeys: it says that the strength of ten donkeys is not equal to the strength of one ordinary camel; the strength of ten ordinary camels is not equal to the strength of one ordinary elephant; ten ordinary elephants are not equal to the strength of one slender-legged elephant; ten slender-legged elephants are not equal to the strength of one food-stealing elephant; ten food-stealing elephants are not equal to the strength of one lotus elephant; ten lotus elephants are not equal to the strength of one blue-lotus elephant; ten blue-lotus elephants are not equal to the strength of one red-lotus elephant; ten red-lotus elephants are not equal to the strength of one white-lotus elephant; ten white-lotus elephants are not equal to the strength of one Snow Mountain elephant; ten Snow Mountain elephants are not equal to the strength of one fragrant elephant (gandhahastin). From the donkey to the fragrant elephant constitutes one stage. In this manner, eighty-four thousand fragrant elephants, comparing the outer skin and inner flesh, would carry scriptures written out to fill the load carried by that number of fragrant elephants. The matters heard and known by Ānanda can roughly be compared to know the great number; if one wished to expound their words one by one, throughout an entire lifetime one could not exhaust them.