大方便佛報恩經 6.26

6.26

答曰：「佛善巧方便，於一句法中演無量法，能以無量法為一句義。佛粗示其端緒，阿難盡已得知，速利強持力故。八萬法者，又云：『如樹，根莖枝葉名為一樹，佛為眾生始終說法，名為一藏。』如是八萬；又云：『佛一坐說法，名為一藏。』如是八萬；又云：『十六字為半偈，三十二字為一偈。』如是八萬；又云：『長短偈四十二字為一偈。』如是八萬；又云：『如半月說戒為一藏。』如是八萬；又云：『佛自說，六萬六千偈為一藏。』如是八萬；又云：『佛說：「塵勞有八萬，法藥亦八萬。」名八萬法藏。』」

Answer: "The Buddha was skillful in means: within a single phrase of Dharma he expounded immeasurable dharmas, and he was able to take immeasurable dharmas as the meaning of a single phrase. The Buddha roughly showed its beginnings, and Ānanda already came to know it completely, because of the power of his swift, sharp, and strong retention. As for the eighty thousand dharmas, it is also said: 'Just as roots, trunk, branches, and leaves are called one tree, the Buddha's teaching the Dharma from beginning to end for sentient beings is called one repository.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'The Buddha's teaching of the Dharma in a single sitting is called one repository.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'Sixteen syllables make half a gāthā, and thirty-two syllables make a gāthā.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'A long or short gāthā of forty-two syllables is one gāthā.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'Like reciting the precepts every half-month being one repository.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'The Buddha himself said that sixty-six thousand gāthās make one repository.' Thus there are eighty thousand. It is also said: 'The Buddha said: "Defilements number eighty thousand, and the Dharma medicines also number eighty thousand." Hence they are called eighty thousand Dharma repositories.'"