仁王般若經疏 1.13

1.13

Within the introductory chapter, there are two parts: first, clarifying the preface attesting to faith; second, clarifying the preface initiating the teaching. Although the various masters have many different explanations regarding these two prefaces, I now encompass them with four pairs, leaving no meaning unexhausted: first, attesting to faith versus initiating the teaching; second, general preface versus specific preface; third, Tathāgata preface versus Ānanda preface; fourth, pre-sūtra preface versus post-sūtra preface. Ānanda personally receiving the spoken purport is called the preface attesting to faith; initiating the main sūtra is called the preface initiating the teaching. Being shared in common by all sūtras is called the general preface; initiating the teaching differently in each case is called the specific preface. Spoken by the Buddha's own mouth is called the Tathāgata preface; Ānanda attesting to faith is called the Ānanda preface. What was spoken by the Buddha is called the pre-sūtra preface; what was compiled later by Ānanda to attest to faith is called the post-sūtra preface. Although the various masters have engaged in all kinds of forced interpretations, cumbersome and inaccurate, I now set them aside without discussion, and for now rely on the single pair of pre-sūtra and post-sūtra to explain the two prefaces. The two prefaces then constitute two distinct parts: from the beginning up to "the great assembly sat solemnly together" is called the post-sūtra preface. When the Buddha was in the world, this preface did not yet exist; when the Buddha was about to enter nirvāṇa, he instructed Ānanda, saying: "After my demise, when you compile the treasury of the Dharma, you should set down such matters as these." Therefore it is called the preface after the Buddha's demise. Second, from "At that time, the One of Ten Epithets" downward clarifies the preface at the time of preaching the sūtra. When preaching the sūtra, the teaching was initiated by means of events; therefore it is called the preface at the time of preaching the sūtra. Now I first clarify the preface after the Buddha's demise. If one relies on the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, it directly interprets the text continuously without distinguishing the number of sub-sections; later masters also had no fixed opinion, proposing either five or six. Now, relying on the Jin'gangxian lun, I distinguish six phrases: first, "Thus" indicates the mark of faith; second, "have I heard" clarifies Ānanda receiving the instruction, attesting and narrating rather than composing; third, "At one time" clarifies the season and moment of hearing the sūtra; fourth clarifies the Buddha as the master of conversion; fifth clarifies the dwelling place, clarifying that preaching and listening have a location; sixth distinguishes those who heard together, verifying that it is not false. However, these six matters cannot be attributed exclusively to Ānanda.