[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [法華義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721) › 1.369 # 法華義疏 1.369 法華義疏 1.369 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.369](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1.369) 「有八龍王」下，第二、次列龍眾。然龍是畜生劣於餘道，次天列者凡有四義：一、其力最大，故五不思議中龍為其一也。二、《正法念經》云「惡龍助修羅、善龍助天」，今是善龍，故次天列也。《婆沙》云「天將阿修羅鬪時，前令龍與之鬪」，故知龍助天。三、調適陰陽於人有恩，故次天列之。四、護持千佛經藏，次天列也。外書《說文》云：「龍是有鱗虫中之長，能小能大能幽能明，春則昇天冬則入淵」。《廣雅》云「有鱗者為蛟龍，有翼者為飛龍，有角者為虬龍，無角者為螭龍」。佛法中明有四生龍：一者、卵生金翅鳥能食卵生龍。二者、胎生金翅鳥能食胎、卵二龍。三者、濕生金翅鳥能食三龍。四者化生金翅鳥具能食四生龍也。 > Below “there were eight dragon kings \[nāgarājas\]”: second, it next lists the dragon assemblies. Although dragons are beasts and inferior to the other destinies, there are generally four reasons for listing them next to the devas: First, their strength is the greatest, so among the five incomprehensibles, dragons are one of them. Second, the Saddharmasmṛtyupasthāna Sūtra says: “Evil dragons assist the asuras, and good dragons assist the devas.” These here are good dragons, hence they are listed next to the devas. The Vibhāṣā says: “When the devas are about to fight the asuras, they first send dragons to fight them.” Thus we know dragons assist the devas. Third, they harmonize yin and yang and bestow kindness upon humans, so they are listed next to the devas. Fourth, they protect and uphold the sūtra-piṭaka of the thousand buddhas, hence they are listed next to the devas. The non-Buddhist book Shuowen says: “The dragon is the chief among scaly creatures; it can become small or large, dark or bright; in spring it ascends to the heavens, and in winter it enters the deep abyss.” The Guangya says: “Those with scales are jiaolong; those with wings are feilong; those with horns are qiulong; those without horns are chilong.” The Buddhadharma explains that there are four kinds of dragons according to birth: First, an egg-born garuḍa can eat egg-born dragons. Second, a womb-born garuḍa can eat both womb-born and egg-born dragons. Third, a moisture-born garuḍa can eat the three kinds of dragons. Fourth, a transformationally-born garuḍa can eat all dragons of the four modes of birth. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.368](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1.368) - [Next: 1.370](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1.370) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721~en-mt.1.369) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1.369](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1721.1.369) · Pramāṇa