分別功德論 1.2

1.2

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.