法華經義記 1.79

1.79

「摩訶波闍」，出家聲聞眾中有二，此下是第二列尼眾，亦證同聞也。又言尼眾亦有二種：初有名聞，後是有小名聞。第一言「摩訶波闍波提比丘尼」，詺為有名聞眾。何以知之？備二義故。一、在家為論，即是佛姨母，為如來所尊。二、就法義，蓋是女人中出家先首，為大眾知識，故在先而列。第二言「耶輸陀羅比丘尼」，此詺為小名聞眾。何以知之？亦有二意：一者、在俗時不為如來所尊，二者、法中往取，此人出家復晚，不盡遠近知聞，形前尼眾呼為小名聞也。各有三義，今就有名聞眾中有三義者，第一、言摩訶波闍波提，此是出其名也。摩訶言大也。波闍波提言愛道，謂大愛道也。第二、言比丘尼，此即談其人類，明其出家女人類也。「與眷屬六千人俱」，此是第三，敘其眷屬少多也。

"Mahāprajā[patī]": within the assembly of monastic voice-hearers there are two groups; from here begins the second, listing the assembly of nuns, who also bear witness to having heard alike. Furthermore, it is said that the assembly of nuns also comprises two kinds: first, those of great renown, and subsequently, those of lesser renown. The first mention of "the nun Mahāprajāpatī" is designated as the assembly of renown. How is this known? Because she possesses two points: First, in terms of worldly relations, she was the Buddha's maternal aunt and revered by the Tathāgata. Second, in terms of the Dharma, she was the foremost among women to leave home, and was known to the great assembly; hence she is listed first. The second mention of "the nun Yaśodharā" is designated as the assembly of lesser renown. How is this known? It also has two senses: first, when in secular life, she was not revered by the Tathāgata; second, regarding her place within the Dharma, this person went forth comparatively late and was not known far and wide; in contrast to the previous nun, she is called 'of lesser renown'. Each has three points. Now within the assembly of renown there are three points: First, stating "Mahāprajāpatī" sets forth her name: "mahā" means great, and "prajāpatī" means love of the path, signifying 'Great Love of the Path'. Second, stating "bhikṣuṇī" refers to her category of being, clarifying that she belonged to the category of women who have left home. "Together with her retinue of six thousand" is the third point, describing the size of her retinue.