大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 84.53

84.53

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.