法華義疏 1.250

1.250

羅睺羅實是第二夫人兒，瞿夷是其大母，餘經舉其大母，今經舉所生母，故不相違。瞿夷此云明女，《大智度論》云「瞿毘陀是寶玉女故不孕子，瞿毘陀謂瞿夷」，即其證也。又經云「佛有三子，一善星，二優婆摩那，三羅睺羅」，即三夫人所生。而復瞿夷不生子者，取前大母所養為名也。《注經》云「諸尼之中舉姨妻二人者，豈唯標親以兼疎，乃因名以託旨」。《淨名經》云「智度菩薩母，方便以為父，法喜以為妻」，欲明虛己修度則從生之義顯，滅累體法則伉儷之業成，尋言求意，可不觸像而置心哉！

Rāhula was actually the son of the second consort, and Gopī was his senior mother. The other sūtras mention his senior mother, while the present sūtra mentions the mother who gave birth to him; hence they do not contradict each other. Gopī is translated here as "Luminous Woman" (Míngnǚ). The *Dazhidu lun* says: "Gopikā is a precious jewel-like maiden and therefore does not conceive children; Gopikā refers to Gopī"—this is the proof. Furthermore, a sūtra says: "The Buddha had three sons: the first was Sunakkhatta, the second was Upamāna, and the third was Rāhula," who were born respectively of the three consorts. And as for Gopī not bearing a son, the name is taken from her rearing him as the senior mother mentioned above. The *Zhu jing* says: "Among the nuns, why are the aunt and wife singled out? It is not merely to indicate the close to include the distant, but to use the names to convey the intended meaning." The *Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Sūtra* says: "Prajñāpāramitā is the mother of the bodhisattva, expedient means is the father, and the joy of the Dharma is the wife." It seeks to illuminate that when one empties oneself to practice liberation, the meaning of being born from them becomes manifest; when one extinguishes burdens and embodies the Dharma, the undertaking of being a spouse is accomplished. Tracing the words to seek the meaning, how could one fail to fix one's mind upon encountering these images!