妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.108

2.108

Eulogy: Here, the world of sentient beings has four parts: first, the four assemblies; second, the eight classes; third, the two kings; and finally concluding with their rejoicing. The Sanskrit terms upāsaka and upāsikā: upa means near, and [the suffix] denotes service; -ka is masculine and -kā is feminine. Because men and women who have perfected the precepts can draw near to and serve the assemblies of monks and nuns, they are called "men of near service" and "women of near service." Ancient renderings as upāsaka and upāsikā meaning "pure-faith men" and "pure-faith women" are corrupt. "Yaksha" (yecha) means courageous and valiant; they fly and soar in the sky, encompassing the varieties of rākṣasas that walk upon the earth. Rākṣasa means violent and evil, or terrible; those are corrupt sounds, while the correct Sanskrit is yakṣa and rākṣasa. The Sanskrit mahoraga means "great belly," the category of large pythons and field dragons that crawl on their bellies; "mahouluojia" is corrupt. The rest are as explained before.