仁王經疏 1.40

1.40

釋曰：第四說經處也。國名摩竭提，或云摩竭陀，亦言嘿偈陀，又作摩伽陀，皆梵音訛轉也。正言摩竭陀，此云善勝國，或云無惱害國。一云：摩伽，星名，此云不惡，陀者處也，名為不惡處國，亦名星處國。依《法華論》如王舍城勝餘城，耆闍崛山勝餘山，以佛在勝處說故，顯此法門勝也。今先解城、後解其山。真諦云：律毘婆沙自有三釋。一云：婆藪王子初共人民造舍，即為鬼神壞之，唯留王舍。如是至七，太子教言：「但更造舍，悉題王舍。」於是遂得不毀，因此立名為王舍城。二云：輪王出世相承住此，故名王舍。三云：四天王共修羅鑽乳海，得為甘露，於此山中起舍，七日守之然後乃分之，因此立名為王舍城。依《智度論》亦有三釋。一云：摩伽陀王初生一子，一頭兩面四臂。後大成人，有大力勢，治閻浮提之天下，取諸國王一萬八千，置此五山中住，因此立名為王舍城。一云：摩伽王先所住城中失火，一燒一作，如是至七。國人疲役，王即更求住處。見此五山周匝如城，即作宮殿於中止住，故名王舍城。一云：往昔世時此國有王名曰廣車，出遊畋獵，遇見五山周匝峻固種種嚴妙，即捨本城於此中住。以王先於此住，故名王舍城也。具說如彼。《善見論》云「此城最大，縱廣三百由旬，有八億萬戶、八萬聚落。」若廣分別，如《西域傳》。耆闍崛山者，音訛略也，正言姞栗陀羅矩吒山，唐云鷲峯，又云鷲臺。此山既栖鷲鳥，其形又類高臺，故以名鳥。舊云鷲頭，或云鷲嶺，或云靈鷲者，皆一義也。依《智度論》，釋有二義。一云：山頭似鷲，故云鷲頭。一云：鷲居山頂，故名鷲頭。謂王舍城南屍陀林中多諸死人，諸鷲常來食之，還在山頭，時人遂名鷲頭山也。又別記云：靈者，仙靈也。此鳥有靈，知人死活。人欲死時，導類彼家。待其送林，則飛下食。而以能懸知，故號靈鷲也。又真諦《七事記》云「律毘婆沙說：釋迦本行菩薩道時，為化物故，受鷲鳥身。其父母老而眼失明，為報恩故，求食供養。王舍城中有一長者入山見之，因問供養有何功德？鷲鳥如法為說。長者大喜言：『汝是山中善神。從今以去，盡我餘年，當供養汝。』一切諸鳥因此皆得供養。鷲語諸鳥言：『汝等當報施主恩。』諸鳥不得其意，日日盜他財物遣餉長者。諸人失物，向王陳訴。王問長者，長者依事奉答。王聞驚物遂入山，是鷲為說法。王大歡喜，後送供養。此山因靈鳥所居，故名靈鷲山也。」

Explanation: The fourth [part] is the place where the sūtra was spoken. The country is named Mojieti, or said to be Mojietuo, or called Meijietuo, or written Mogatuo—all of these are phonetic corruptions of the Sanskrit. The correct pronunciation is Magadha, translated here as the Country of Excellent Victory, or the Country of Non-Harm. Another explanation says: *Maga* is the name of a constellation, translated here as "not evil"; *dha* means "place"; it is named the Country of the Place of Not-Evil, and also named the Country of the Place of the Constellation. According to the *Saddharmapuṇḍarīkopadeśa*, just as the city of Rājagṛha surpasses other cities, and Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa surpasses other mountains, because the Buddha spoke in a superior place, it reveals that this Dharma gate is superior. Now we first explain the city, and then explain its mountain. Paramārtha said: The Vinaya-vibhāṣā itself has three explanations. The first says: Prince Vasu at first built houses together with the people, but ghosts and spirits immediately destroyed them, leaving only the king's house. This occurred up to seven times, until the crown prince instructed them, saying: "Just build houses again, and inscribe all of them as 'the king's house'." Thereupon they were able to avoid destruction, and because of this it was given the name "the city of the King's House" (Rājagṛha). The second says: Wheel-turning kings appeared in the world and successively dwelt here; therefore it is named "the King's House". The third says: The Four Heavenly Kings together with the asuras churned the ocean of milk and obtained amṛta; they built a house on this mountain and guarded it for seven days, after which they divided it; because of this it was given the name "the city of the King's House". According to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, there are also three explanations. The first says: The King of Magadha at first gave birth to a son who had one head, two faces, and four arms. Later, when he grew up, he possessed great strength, ruled over the world of Jambudvīpa, captured eighteen thousand kings from various countries, and placed them to dwell within these five mountains; because of this it was given the name "the city of the King's House". Another explanation says: The city where the King of Magadha previously dwelt caught fire; each time it burned, it was rebuilt, up to seven times. The people of the state were exhausted by forced labour, so the king sought another dwelling place. Seeing that these five mountains encircled [the area] like a city wall, he built a palace and dwelt within them; therefore it is named "the city of the King's House". Another explanation says: In the distant past, this country had a king named Kuśa (Guangche). He went out hunting and happened to see five mountains encircling [the area] steeply and firmly, adorned and wondrous in various ways; he immediately abandoned his original city to dwell within them. Because a king previously dwelt here, it is named "the city of the King's House". The complete account is as found there. The *Samantapāsādikā* states: "This city is the greatest, three hundred yojanas in extent, with eighty billion households and eighty thousand villages." For a detailed explanation, see the *Xiyu ji*. As for Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, this is a corrupted and abbreviated sound; correctly spoken it is Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa, translated into the Tang language as Vulture Peak, or as Vulture Terrace. Since this mountain was inhabited by vultures, and its shape also resembles a high terrace, it was named after the bird. Formerly it was called Vulture Head, or Vulture Ridge, or Divine Vulture—these are all of one meaning. According to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, there are two explanations. The first says: The mountain head resembles a vulture, hence it is called Vulture Head. Another says: Vultures dwell on the mountain peak, hence it is named Vulture Head. That is to say, there were many corpses in the śītavana south of the city of Rājagṛha, and vultures constantly came to eat them and returned to the mountain top; people of the time thereupon called it Mount Vulture Head. Another record states: "Divine" means numinous like a seer. This bird has a numinous power and knows whether people will live or die. When a person is about to die, it leads its flock to that house; waiting until [the corpse] is sent to the forest, it flies down to feed. Because it can know in advance, it is called the Divine Vulture. Furthermore, Paramārtha's *Qishi ji* states: "The Vinaya-vibhāṣā says: In the past, when Śākyamuni practiced the bodhisattva path, in order to transform beings, he took on the body of a vulture. His parents were old and blind; in order to repay their kindness, he sought food to provide for them. An elder in the city of Rājagṛha entered the mountain and saw this, and consequently asked what merit there was in such support. The vulture explained it to him according to the Dharma. The elder was overjoyed and said: 'You are a good spirit of the mountain. From now on, for the rest of my years, I will provide for you.' All the birds, because of this, were able to receive provisions. The vulture said to the birds: 'You must repay the benefactor's kindness.' The birds did not understand his intent, and day after day stole other people's wealth and possessions to send as gifts to the elder. When people lost their belongings, they laid complaints before the king. The king questioned the elder, and the elder replied according to the facts. When the king heard this, he was astonished, and subsequently entered the mountain, where this vulture preached the Dharma to him. The king was greatly delighted and later sent offerings. Because this mountain was where the divine bird dwelt, it was named Mount Divine Vulture (Gṛdhrakūṭa)."