妙法蓮華經文句 1.74

1.74

釋同聞眾為三：初聲聞、次菩薩、後雜眾，諸經多爾。舊云有事、有義。事者，逐形迹親疎，聲聞形出俗網，迹近如來，證經為親，故前列也；天人形乖服異，迹非侍奉，證經為疎，故後列也；菩薩形不檢節、迹無定處，既不同俗，復異於僧，處季孟之間，故居中仲也。有義者，聲聞欣涅槃，天人著生死，各有所偏，菩薩不欣、不著，居中求宗，故在兩間。《釋論》意亦爾，此一解似兩釋，事解似因緣，義解似約教（云云）。

Explaining the assembly of fellow listeners has three parts: first the śrāvakas, next the bodhisattvas, and finally the diverse assembly; most sūtras are like this. Formerly it was said that there are concrete matters and doctrinal meanings. As for concrete matters, they follow the closeness or distance of external forms and traces: The forms of śrāvakas transcend the worldly snare, and their traces are close to the Tathāgata, so they bear witness to the sūtra as close associates; hence they are listed first. Devas and humans have divergent forms and different attire, and their traces are not those of attendants, so they bear witness to the sūtra as distant; hence they are listed last. Bodhisattvas are not restrained in form and have no fixed dwelling in their traces; being neither like the worldly nor different from the saṅgha, they stand between the senior and junior, and hence they occupy the middle. As for doctrinal meanings, śrāvakas delight in nirvāṇa, devas and humans are attached to saṃsāra, each having a bias; bodhisattvas neither delight [in nirvāṇa] nor are attached [to saṃsāra], abiding in the middle to seek the essential principle, and hence they stand between the two. The intention of the *Commentary* (*Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*) is also like this. This single explanation resembles two expositions: the explanation of concrete matters resembles causal conditions, and the explanation of doctrinal meanings resembles the teachings (and so forth).