仁王護國般若波羅蜜多經疏 1.67

1.67

Explanation: This clarifies the assembly who heard [the teaching] together. There are five purposes for their coming: First, to attest to credibility, assisting in establishing that Ānanda's having heard it together [with them] is trustworthy. Second, to manifest virtue, just as being surrounded by heavenly beings such as Śakra and Brahmā manifests that the Buddha, the King of the Dharma, is surrounded by the noble ones. Third, to make requests, as King Prasenajit raises inquiries amidst the great assembly. Fourth, to be the suitable recipients, causing the assembly of that time to progressively cultivate the fourteen gates of kṣānti within the Mahāyāna up to unexcelled awakening. Fifth, to list and gather [the audience], because if there are no superior companions pure faith is not generated; thus they attract and gather those of the present and future to share in faith and study. The Buddhabhūmi-śāstra states: "Listing the bodhisattvas fulfills the role of assisting retinue; listing the gods, dragons, and so forth fulfills the role of attending retinue." It is due to these five reasons that they came. The word "with" (yu) means "including," "together with," "jointly," and "along with"—the meaning of being together with the Buddha. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, fascicle three, explains it with seven meanings: namely, being together with the World-Honoured One in one place, at one time, with one mind, with one precept, with one view, on one path, and in the identical liberation; hence it is called "with." Next, regarding the word "great" (da), there are three explanations. First, Paramārtha's notes explain "great" with three meanings: first, great in number, as one speaks of a "great army"; second, great in measure, as one speaks of a "great mountain"; third, great in supremacy, as one speaks of a "great king." The monks are also like this, because the assembly is not single, because their virtues are difficult to fathom, and because their cultivation of the path to bodhi is lofty and unexcelled. Second, the Buddhabhūmi-śāstra explains "great" with four meanings: first, being śrāvakas of sharp faculties and pāramitā disposition; second, having attained the fruit of the non-learner; third, being of indeterminate disposition who turned their minds toward the Mahāyāna; fourth, the assembly being numerous. Third, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa explains "great" with five meanings: being supreme among all assemblies; having severed all hindrances; being revered by kings and the like; their number being extremely large; and being able to refute the treatises of the ninety-six kinds of non-Buddhists. Taking the preceding three texts together, there are eight meanings in total: first, great in number, because there are eighteen hundred; second, great in fame, because their renown spreads far; third, great in rank, because they are arhats; fourth, great in detachment, because their obstacles have been severed; fifth, great in virtue, because their disposition is of the merit and wisdom of the pāramitās; sixth, great in recognition, because they are recognized by great people; seventh, great in destination, because they advance toward the great fruit; eighth, great in rivaling [opponents], because they can refute all treatises of non-Buddhists. Possessing these various meanings, they are therefore called "great." Regarding "monk" (biqiu), the Sanskrit is bhikṣu; biqiu is a phonetic corruption. Because it possesses five meanings, it is not translated: first, "frightener of Māra," because when they first leave the household life the palace of Māra quakes; second, "mendicant," because having left the household life they sustain themselves by begging for food; third, "pure precepts," because gradually entering the monastic ranks they uphold pure precepts; fourth, "pure livelihood," because having received the precepts, the three actions they produce are not associated with greed, and they do not live by improper livelihoods based on greed; fifth, "destroyer of evil," because they gradually suppress and sever all afflictions. Paramārtha's notes state: In the stage of the cause they are called "frighteners of Māra," "mendicants," and "destroyers of evil"; when reaching the stage of the fruit, the cause of "frightening Māra" transforms into being called "slayers of the foe"; the cause of "mendicant" transforms into being called "worthy of offerings"; and the cause of "destroying evil" transforms into being called "non-arising." Next, regarding "assembly" (zhong), the Sanskrit is saṃgha, translated here as "harmonious union." Being harmonious in both principle and phenomena, it is therefore called an "assembly." Four or more persons can be called an assembly of monks. "Eighteen hundred persons" clarifies the number of the assembly. That this differs in amount from the older sūtra is because the Sanskrit texts listed different numbers across versions. Furthermore, the beginning of the Mahāprajñāpāramitā Sūtra lists the assembly as "together with twelve hundred and fifty persons"; this sūtra and that one share the same location but differ in time. According to this listing of the assembly, it is sufficient to show that this sūtra came after the Great Sūtra, as will be clearly understood in due course. The word "together" (ju) means at the identical time and in the identical place.