[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [無量壽經連義述文贊](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748) › 2.28 # 無量壽經連義述文贊 2.28 無量壽經連義述文贊 2.28 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2.28) 經曰「於一切萬物」至「為重擔」者，述云：此後、成化德也。由成智斷，遍於萬物，若變若化皆任意故，名為自在。庶者凡庶，類者品類，即眾生之總名。故有經本云「眾生類」也。宿無道根、現無信樂，不知感聖，故云不請。於是尚接引，況亦有請者，故云不請友。即經云「不待時義」也。群生者，即《勝鬘》中四種眾生，所謂無聞非法及求三乘者。有說：於四群中，初非法人，無感聖善，故云不請。非也。後三乘種，未必皆有感佛善故。初無聞人亦應有感，聖世善故。《華嚴》、《瑜伽》皆有此四，而後三種通定不定，初之一種無性有情，故人天善根應成就。菩薩荷此四群生為自重擔而成就，故云荷負。作不請友，皆該四群也。 > On the passage in the sūtra from "toward all myriad things" to "as a heavy burden": The commentary states: This subsequent \[part\] accomplishes the virtue of transforming \[others\]. Through accomplishing wisdom and eradication, they are sovereign over all things, transforming or manifesting at will; hence they are called "masterful." "The multitude" means the common crowd; "kinds" means categories—it is a general name for sentient beings. Therefore, some sūtra recensions say "classes of sentient beings." Lacking roots of the path from the past and lacking faith and joy in the present, they do not know how to respond to the noble ones; hence they are called "unsolicited." Since \[bodhisattvas\] still guide even these, how much more so those who do make requests! Hence they are called "friends without being asked." This is what the sūtra calls "not waiting for the \[right\] time." "The host of beings" refers to the four kinds of sentient beings in the Śrīmālādevī-sūtra, namely those who have not heard the Dharma, those with wrong Dharma, and those who seek the three vehicles. Some say: Among the four hosts, the first—those with wrong Dharma—lack the goodness to respond to the noble ones, hence they are called unsolicited. This is incorrect. The latter three vehicle lineages do not necessarily all have the goodness to respond to the Buddha. The first group of those who have not heard should also have the worldly goodness that responds to the noble ones. The Avataṃsaka and Yogācārabhūmi both have these four, and the latter three kinds are both determinate and indeterminate; the first kind consists of sentient beings without nature, whose human and heavenly roots of goodness should thus be brought to completion. The bodhisattva shoulders these four hosts of beings as a heavy burden of their own and brings them to completion; hence it says "shouldering." Being a friend without being asked encompasses all four hosts. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2.27) - [Next: 2.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2.29) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748~en-mt.2.28) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1748.2.28) · Pramāṇa