仁王經疏 3.11

3.11

Exposition: Second, the audience at the lecture assembly. There are three: first, the one hundred monks; second, the four great assemblies of one hundred [each]; third, the seven assemblies of one hundred [each]. Regarding the 'one hundred monks,' some say: before each and every seat there are one hundred monks. If that were so, there would be ten thousand people, and if the crowd were not full, the exposition of the Dharma could not proceed. Now, when it says 'one hundred,' it means that before each seat there is one monk who inspects and supervises the assembly of disciples; therefore it says 'one hundred.' Regarding the 'four great assemblies,' they are monks (bhikṣus), nuns (bhikṣuṇīs), laymen (upāsakas), and laywomen (upāsikās). Some say that novitiate monks (śrāmaṇeras), novitiate nuns (śrāmaṇerikās), and probationers (śikṣamāṇās) are excluded. Now it is said: they are subsumed within the assemblies of monks and nuns. Regarding the 'seven assemblies,' the three assemblies of novitiates and so forth are added onto the previous four assemblies. The seven assemblies are the transient assembly of visitors.