無量壽經連義述文贊 1.24

1.24

經曰「示現算計」至「貫練群籍」者，述云：此第四、伎備解寬也。算計者數，文者即詩，書藝者禮樂，射者射術，御者即御車，是謂六藝。六藝久達遂，且示學，故云示現。綜，子送反，習也，陸法言《切韻》云「機縷也」，音並同也，非此中義。道術者即神仙之方。世俗異典名為群籍。仙道祕術無不溫習，故云廣綜。貫者通也，練者委也。世俗異教亦皆通委，故云貫練。即彼經中菩薩年始七歲，備吉祥之儀。諸天人八部、一切釋種，隨輸檀王而將菩薩詣於學堂。時有博士毘奢蜜多，見菩薩來，威生大慚懼，迷悶躃地，知足天子名曰妙身，扶之令起。王還本宮，菩薩手執天書栴檀之簡，塗以天香摩尼明璣以為嚴飾，以問師云：「有六十五書，欲以何書而相教乎？」時毘奢蜜多聞所未聞，喜去高心，以嘆菩薩世間無二。十千童子與菩薩俱居學堂，時日唱字母，演出無量法門之聲，令三萬二千童男三萬二千童女皆發無上正等覺心，故示現入於學堂也。

The sūtra says: from "[he] manifested reckoning and calculation" to "completely mastered all treatises." In exposition: This is the fourth [section], on his complete arts and broad understanding. "Reckoning and calculation" refers to numbers; "letters" refers to poetry; "calligraphy and the arts" refers to rites and music; "archery" refers to archery skills; "charioteering" refers to driving chariots—these are called the six arts. Although he had long mastered the six arts, he temporarily manifested learning them; hence it says "manifested." Zong [in 綜, zi song fan] means to study. In Lu Fayen's Qieyun it says "loom threads"; the sound is the same, but it is not the meaning here. "Daoist arts" refers to the recipes of divine immortals. The varied secular texts are named "all treatises." He reviewed and practiced every secret art of the immortal way without exception; hence it says "broadly integrated." Guan means to penetrate; lian means to be thoroughly versed. He also thoroughly penetrated the various secular teachings; hence it says "completely mastered." That is to say, in that sūtra, when the Bodhisattva was seven years old, he was equipped with auspicious decorum. The devas, humans, eight classes [of beings], and all the Śākyas accompanied King Śuddhodana and took the Bodhisattva to the schoolroom. At that time there was a master named Viśvāmitra. Seeing the Bodhisattva arrive, in his awe he felt great shame and dread, grew dizzy, and fell to the ground. A devaputra of the Tuṣita Heaven named Manobhirāma helped him rise. When the king returned to his palace, the Bodhisattva held in his hand tablets of celestial writing and sandalwood, anointed with celestial incense and adorned with clear mani beads, and asked the teacher: "There are sixty-four scripts; which script do you wish to teach me?" Viśvāmitra then heard what he had never heard before; rejoicing, he abandoned his pride and praised the Bodhisattva as peerless in the world. Ten thousand boys dwelled together with the Bodhisattva in the schoolroom. At that time, as each letter of the syllabary was sounded day by day, it proclaimed the sound of immeasurable Dharma gates, causing thirty-two thousand boys and thirty-two thousand girls to all generate the aspiration for unexcelled, correct, and equal enlightenment; hence he manifested entering the schoolroom.