大方便佛報恩經 6.28

6.28

答曰：「以勝故；佛獨制故。如契經中，諸弟子說法；有時如釋提桓因，自說布施第一。何以故？我以施故，得為天王，所願如意，佛言如是。有時佛化作化佛，化佛說法；律則不爾，一切佛說，是故以佛在初。又如契經隨處隨決；律則不爾。若屋中有事，不得即結，必當出外；若白衣邊有事，必在眾結；若聚落有事，亦在眾結；若於五眾邊有事，必在比丘、比丘尼邊結，是故以佛在初。毘耶離者，或有國以王為名，或以地為稱，或以城為號。此國以龍為目；迦蘭陀聚落者，以鳥名之。又云：『聚落主名須提那者，父母求請神祇得，故名求得。』富貴者，富有二種：一眾生類，二非眾生。非眾生者，多有金銀七寶、倉庫財帛、田疇舍宅；眾生類者，奴婢僕使、象馬牛羊、村落封邑，故名富也。貴者，或為封主，或有美德，人所宗敬，故言貴也。自歸三寶，受三歸法。」

Answer: "Because it is supreme; and because the Buddha alone enacted it. For example, in the Sūtras, disciples taught the Dharma; sometimes, like Śakra Devānām Indra, one himself taught that giving is foremost. Why? 'Because of giving, I was able to become a king of devas and have my wishes fulfilled as I desired'—and the Buddha confirmed it as such. Sometimes the Buddha manifested an apparitional Buddha, and the apparitional Buddha taught the Dharma. The Vinaya is not like this: it was all taught by the Buddha, and therefore it places the Buddha at the beginning. Furthermore, in the Sūtras, matters were resolved anywhere; the Vinaya is not like this. If an issue occurred inside a house, it could not be settled immediately there, but had to be done outside. If an issue arose concerning laypeople, it had to be settled in the Saṅgha. If an issue arose in a village, it was also settled in the Saṅgha. If an issue arose concerning the five assemblies, it had to be settled in the presence of the bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs. Therefore it places the Buddha at the beginning. As for Vaiśālī: some countries are named after a king, some are named after the land, and some are designated by a city. This country is designated after a nāga. The Kalanda village is named after a bird. It is also said: 'The village chief was named Sudinna because his parents petitioned spirits and deities and obtained him; hence he was called "Sought and Obtained."' Regarding 'wealthy and noble': wealth is of two kinds: first, living beings; second, non-living beings. Non-living beings means having abundant gold, silver, the seven jewels, storehouses of wealth and silks, and fields and houses. Living beings means male and female slaves, servants, elephants, horses, cattle, and sheep, as well as villages and fiefdoms; hence it is called 'wealthy.' 'Noble' means either being the lord of a fief, or possessing fine virtue and being revered by people; hence it is called 'noble.' Taking refuge in the Triratna and receiving the rules of the three refuges."