金剛般若疏 2.2

2.2

"Together with a great assembly of bhikṣus": this is the sixth [item], clarifying the assembly who heard [the teaching] together. Question: For what reason are six items necessarily required? Answer: When the six items are complete, the meaning is fully satisfied. Why is this? "Thus" is the Dharma heard; "I have heard" is the person able to hear; "at one time" is the time the sūtra was spoken; "the Buddha" is the lord who proclaimed the teaching; "the Jetavana" is the place where the teaching was spoken; and now [these] are the assembly who heard [it] together, and also the persons for whom the teaching was intended. Furthermore, these can also be those who attest to the sūtra, and can also be those who listen to the sūtra. If we consider them as Śākyamuni's fellow practitioners and good friends from past lives, they are mostly those who attest to the sūtra—attesting that what the Tathāgata spoke is trustworthy, and attesting that what Ānanda heard contains no deviation; while if they are those who listen to the sūtra, they are mostly [practitioners of] actual practice. Question: The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says that at the beginning of bodhisattva sūtras there are śrāvaka assemblies and bodhisattva assemblies, while at the beginning of śrāvaka sūtras there are only śrāvakas and no bodhisattva assemblies. If so, now this is a Mahāyāna sūtra; why does it have a śrāvaka assembly and no bodhisattva assembly? Answer: Fully examining the Mahāyāna sūtras, there are four different categories: First, at the beginning of a Mahāyāna sūtra there is only a bodhisattva assembly and no śrāvaka assembly, as in the seven locations and eight assemblies of the Avataṃsaka. Second, at the beginning of a Mahāyāna sūtra there is only a śrāvaka assembly and no bodhisattva assembly, which is this very sūtra. Third, at the beginning of a Mahāyāna sūtra both the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna assemblies are present, as in the Nirvāṇa and the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra. Fourth, at the beginning of a Mahāyāna sūtra neither assembly is present, as in such sūtras as the Suvarṇaprabhāsa and the Śrīmālādevī. Question: For what reason does this Mahāyāna sūtra have only a śrāvaka assembly? Answer: In truth, both assemblies are present in this sūtra. How is this known? Because the propagation section below extensively lists the assembly. The reason only the śrāvaka assembly is listed here is to show that this prajñā is an essential and concise gate. Furthermore, the fourfold assembly ought to be present, but here only the bhikṣus are listed: first, because when Śākyamuni appeared in the world, bhikṣus were the very first to enter the path; second, because both their mind and form are superior—their form is superior to those in secular life, and their mind is superior to bhikṣuṇīs; therefore, they are listed exclusively. Furthermore, these bhikṣus are the Tathāgata's inner retinue; they dwell together with the Buddha and are constantly at the Buddha's side, whereas the other three assemblies are not so. In addition, the assembly of bhikṣus can receive the correct Dharma and preach the correct Dharma to assist the Buddha in spreading transformation; therefore, they are listed exclusively. As for why bodhisattvas are not listed: because bodhisattvas are guest-arrivals, they are not listed; because śrāvakas are the old assembly, they are listed exclusively. Furthermore, it reveals that in the teaching, the deportment of the śrāvakas surpasses that of the bodhisattvas; bodhisattvas have no fixed form, transforming [beings] by going contrary to the conventional. Moreover, now the direct intent is to break the crooked and erroneous views of śrāvakas and lead them to faithfully accept prajñā; therefore, they are listed exclusively. Bodhisattvas are not like this, which is why they are not listed. As for "a great assembly of bhikṣus," in foreign languages it would be called mahā-bhikṣu-saṃgha. Mahā means "great," "superior," or "numerous." "Great" means possessing great precepts, great virtue, and great renown. "Numerous" means the number reaching 1,250 persons. "Superior" means being the most superior among all assemblies, and being able to surpass the ninety-six kinds of non-Buddhists in debate. Bhikṣu is called "mendicant" (beggar-scholar): begging food from laypersons to support the body, and begging the Dharma from the Buddhas to train the spirit. As for "saṃgha," the Futian jing (Field of Merit Sūtra) says: All who possess five pure virtues are called fields of merit: first, resolving to leave secular life and embracing the path; second, disfiguring their handsome appearance to accord with Dharma robes; third, severing dear relations forever with no partiality; fourth, casting aside body and life to amass wholesome dharmas; fifth, aspiring to seek the Mahāyāna to liberate others. As for the 1,250 persons: when the Buddha first attained the path, he first liberated the five persons; next, he liberated Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and [then along with] Mahākāśyapa obtained five hundred persons; next, he liberated the two brothers Nadī-Kāśyapa and Gayā-Kāśyapa, who each had 250 disciples, together making one thousand persons. Next, he liberated Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, further obtaining 250 persons, making a total of 1,255 persons. Here, merely stating the round number and taking those of renown, it speaks precisely of 1,250.