無量壽經連義述文贊 1.24

1.24

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.