妙法蓮華經玄贊 1.78

1.78

Fourth, clarifying the sequence: the initial assembly is divided into four: 1. the assembly of śrāvakas; 2. the assembly of bodhisattvas; 3. the assembly of the eight classes; 4. the assembly of kings. Or, inner protectors and outer protectors form the sequence: among inner protectors, śrāvakas and bodhisattvas form the sequence; among śrāvakas, monks and nuns form the sequence; among monks, those with renown and those without renown form the sequence; among nuns, the revered ones and the retinue form the sequence. Among outer protectors, the eight classes and human kings form the sequence. Among the eight classes, devas and non-devas form the sequence; among devas, terrestrial dwellers and aerial dwellers form the sequence; among terrestrial dwellers, rulers and ministers form the sequence; among aerial dwellers, non-dhyāna-masters and dhyāna-masters form the sequence. As for the sequence of the later assemblies: the assembly that attests the Dharma, the assembly that opens the stūpa, the assembly of the vastly extensive benefits of the sūtra, the assembly of boundless upholders of the Dharma, the assembly practicing the Dharma from other regions, and the assembly exhorting upholding from other regions. As to why among the initial assembly the śrāvakas are placed first and the bodhisattvas after: although the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* explains this, four explanations are now offered: First, their external appearances differ: the śrāvakas are renunciants whose appearance is identical to that of the buddhas, whereas the bodhisattvas are not so. Second, their places are near and far: the śrāvakas are close to the Buddha, while the bodhisattvas are distant. Third, their precept-virtues differ: the śrāvakas are renunciants upholding the renunciant precepts, whereas the bodhisattvas are not so, since they manifest rebirth in accordance with different categories of beings. Fourth, to cause the bodhisattvas to abandon pride toward the śrāvakas. However, the *Avataṃsaka-sūtra*, the *Rāmaka-sūtra*, the *Juluwang jing*, the *Hexiu jing*, and the *Da wuzhuo jing* list the bodhisattvas first and the śrāvakas after, clarifying precedence according to the greatness or smallness of their virtue.