金剛般若經贊述 1.74

1.74

Asaṅga's treatise states that there are six reasons why Subhūti asked: First, to sever doubts, meaning that sentient beings, having possessed ignorance in their persons from beginningless time, are deluded and obscured by afflictions and give rise to doubts, doubting the four truths or the three jewels and being unable to generate faith; when the question is posed, all these doubts are completely severed. Second, to give rise to faith and understanding, meaning that although having faith, they do not know with regard to what to give rise to faith and understanding in the scriptures and Dharmas; therefore he asks the question to cause them to give rise to faith and understanding in prajñā. Third, to enter the profound, meaning that although having generated faith and understanding in prajñā, they have not yet been able to advance in understanding the profound meaning; therefore he asks the question to cause them to understand the profound meaning. Fourth, for the sake of non-retrogression, meaning that although having attained understanding of the profound, when encountering conditions such as gnats, mosquitoes, disputes, or weariness, they might regress at times; once the question is posed, there is never any retrogression. Fifth, to give rise to joy, meaning that sentient beings, long planted in saṃsāra, constantly harbor immeasurable, manifold worries and sufferings; once the question is posed, worries and sufferings are forever eliminated, and thus they give rise to joy. Sixth, for the true Dharma to abide long, meaning that if such prajñā were not spoken, the true Dharmas might quickly disappear and be obscured with no one to uphold them; once the question is posed, it will cause the true Dharma to abide long forever.