妙法蓮華經玄贊 2.66

2.66

The commentary says: This is the assembly of human kings. Because the Buddha resided in this royal city to expound the Dharma, he alone is cited. In Sanskrit it is vaidehīputra. Formerly rendered 'Son of Contemplation', now vai is explained as meaning 'superior', and dehī means 'body', which is the name of eastern Videha. That Videha is pronounced in the masculine gender, whereas this Vaidehī is pronounced in the feminine gender. This is the name of a mountain and also the name of the deity in that mountain; having prayed to that deity and obtained a child, he was named after it; 'Weitihi' is an error. In Sanskrit it is ajātaśatru, which means here 'Unborn Enmity'; 'Ajase' is an error, for enmity was already forged before he was born; he is also named 'Broken Finger'. Because he committed heinous deeds, even after he repented upon hearing the Hīnayāna sūtras, he still fell into the Ball-Bouncing Hell, and later attained the fruit of a pratyekabuddha. The Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra says: 'If King Ajātaśatru had not met Jīvaka, on the seventh day of next month he would have fallen into hell; but after hearing the Mahāyāna sūtras and repenting, he did not fall into hell.' Another sūtra says that after repenting he attained compliant receptivity. Designated by his mother's name, he is therefore called King Ajātaśatru, son of Vaidehī. As in the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra and others, the matter is recounted in full.