大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 84.53

84.53

疏「如智論及音義說」者，《音義》略說，已如上引。《智論》多說緣起，即引四《阿含》等經。然其列名，或從德行勝劣、或從出家先後。如《法華》，阿若憍陳如在初等故。《報恩經》說「初度五人，次度耶舍門徒五十人，次度優樓頻螺門徒五百，次度伽耶門徒三百，次度那提門徒二百，次度身子門徒一百，次度目連門徒一百，今舉大數成一千二百五十人。」若《十二遊經》兼出其年，云「佛成道第一年度五人，第二年度三迦葉，第五年度身子目連。」則爾後更多。故《法華》初有萬二千羅漢，後二千學無學等。今此但舉五百，以從勝劣列之，即《法華》第三周第一。與記者，體德大同故，故成佛名號等亦皆同也。望今本門，即皆大菩薩，故偏舉之。

Regarding the Commentary's phrase 'as explained in the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra and Yinyi': the brief explanation in the Yinyi has already been cited above. The Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra mostly explains the background origins, citing sūtras such as the four Āgamas. However, the ordering of names is either by superior or inferior virtues, or by the sequence of going forth. For example, in the Lotus Sūtra, Ājñāta-Kauṇḍinya is at the beginning, and so forth. The Bao'en jing states: 'First he converted five men; next he converted Yaśas's fifty disciples; next he converted Uruvilvā[-kāśyapa]'s five hundred disciples; next he converted Gayā[-kāśyapa]'s three hundred disciples; next he converted Nadī[-kāśyapa]'s two hundred disciples; next he converted Śāriputra's one hundred disciples; next he converted Maudgalyāyana's one hundred disciples; now, stating the large total, they comprise one thousand two hundred and fifty men.' The Shi'er you jing also provides their years, stating: 'In the first year after the Buddha attained awakening he converted five men; in the second year he converted the three Kāśyapas; in the fifth year he converted Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana.' Thereafter they were even more numerous. Thus at the beginning of the Lotus Sūtra there are twelve thousand arhats, and later two thousand trainees and non-trainees, and so forth. Here, only five hundred are listed according to superiority and inferiority, which corresponds to the first group in the third cycle of the Lotus Sūtra. Those who received prophecies shared largely the same essence and virtues, which is why their names upon attaining Buddhahood were also identical. Looking from the standpoint of our fundamental teaching here, they are all great bodhisattvas, and so they are singled out.