妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.3

2.3

贊曰：第五聖德難思眾。文有三：一標類舉數，二歎德，三列名。此初也。梵云菩提薩埵摩訶薩埵，略云菩薩摩訶薩。菩薩修行略有二門：一自利，大智為首；二利他，大悲為先。菩提，覺義，智所求果；薩埵，有情義，悲所度生。依弘誓語故名菩薩。以二為境名為菩薩，有財釋也。又覺是所求果，有情是自身，求三菩提之有情者，故名菩薩。或菩提是所求果，薩埵者勇猛義，不憚處、時求大菩提，有志有能，故名菩薩。二皆依主。又菩提即般若，薩埵謂方便，如是二法能利能樂一切有情，故名菩薩，亦菩提亦薩埵。或及初解皆持業釋。摩訶，大也。薩埵，如前。今此菩薩位居八地已上，為簡前小及二乘位，故言摩訶薩。無著《般若論》云：「諸菩薩有七種大故，此大眾生名摩訶薩埵，如菩薩地說。」下大乘章中別當具列。

The Commentary says: Fifth is the assembly whose holy virtues are inconceivable. The text has three parts: first, identifying the class and stating the number; second, praising their virtues; third, listing their names. This is the first part. In Sanskrit it is *bodhisattva mahāsattva*, abbreviated as *bodhisattva mahāsattva*. In the practice of a bodhisattva there are, in brief, two approaches: first, self-benefit, with great wisdom as foremost; second, benefiting others, with great compassion as primary. *Bodhi* means awakening, which is the fruit sought through wisdom; *sattva* means sentient being, the beings delivered through compassion. They are called bodhisattvas on account of their vast vows. Because they take both as their sphere of engagement, they are called bodhisattvas—this is an exegesis by possessive compound (bahuvrīhi). Furthermore, awakening is the fruit sought and sentient being is one's own person: a sentient being who seeks sambodhi is therefore called a bodhisattva. Or, *bodhi* is the fruit sought, while *sattva* means valor: undaunted by place or time, they seek great bodhi, possessing the resolve and the capability; hence they are called bodhisattvas. Both are dependent determinative compounds (tatpuruṣa). Furthermore, *bodhi* is prajñā and *sattva* means expedient means; these two dharmas are able to benefit and bring joy to all sentient beings, so they are called bodhisattvas, being both bodhi and sattva. Either this or the first explanation is an appositional compound (karmadhāraya). *Mahā* means great. *Sattva* is as explained above. These bodhisattvas are at or above the eighth stage; to distinguish them from the preceding lesser vehicle and the stages of the two vehicles, the text says *mahāsattvas*. Asanga's *Treatise on Prajñā* says: "Because bodhisattvas have seven kinds of greatness, these great beings are called *mahāsattvas*, as explained in the *Bodhisattvabhūmi*." They will be set out fully below in the section on the Mahāyāna.