觀無量壽經義疏 1.3.4

1.3.4

From here below, the second [part] explains that his consort secretly offered food to the king to sustain his body. Herein, it first explains that the consort offered food, and afterwards the king ate it. In the former part, it first says: 'The chief consort of the kingdom, named Vaidehī'—this introduces and identifies the person. She was King Ajātaśatru's birth mother. 'Respectfully revered the great king' explains her mental reverence. Because she offered food out of reverence, it is mentioned. 'Bathed, cleansed', and so forth, indicates that her body offered the food. The king's eating of it can be understood. From here below, the third [part] explains the noble one preaching for [the king] to moisturize his mind. Herein, first it explains Bimbisāra's supplication. From 'At that time Maudgalyāyana' below, the noble one arrives to preach for him. In the supplication, it first says: 'Having finished rinsing his mouth'—this sums up what precedes to introduce what follows. 'Joined his palms and paid homage from afar' is making a supplication to the Buddha through physical action: wishing to have the Tathāgata grant his compassion and bestow the Dharma, he therefore paid physical homage. From 'and spoke these words' below, he orally petitioned Maudgalyāyana. Saying: 'Great Maudgalyāyana is my close friend' means wishing that you will come. 'May you arouse compassion and bestow the eight precepts upon me' begs for your compassion in bestowing them. In [the section on] the noble one preaching for him, first it explains Maudgalyāyana responding to the preceding oral supplication by conferring the eight precepts on him. 'Flew like a falcon swiftly to the king's place', matching the preceding 'my close friend', is arriving by physical action. 'Daily conferring the eight precepts upon the king in this manner', matching the preceding request for precepts, is conferring them through spoken words. What are the eight precepts? Not killing, not stealing, not engaging in sexual misconduct, not lying, not drinking alcohol, not singing, dancing, or acting, nor going to see or hear them, not wearing perfume-scented clothes or other bodily adornments, not using high and wide beds, and not eating past midday: these are the eight. These are actually nine; how can they be called eight? If according to the Abhidharma, not wearing perfume-scented clothes and not using high beds both arise from ornamentation and are combined into one; therefore they are called eight. If according to the *Tattvasiddhi* and the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*, the first eight are the precepts (śīla) and the last one is the fast (upavāsa). When the fast and precepts are mentioned together, it is called the eight-precept fast. The meaning of the eight-precept fast is explained at length as in a separate chapter; it should be fully discussed there. These eight are the renunciation rules kept by householders; hence [Maudgalyāyana] was made to confer them. Below it explains that the Tathāgata responded to his physical supplication by dispatching a person to preach for him. Why he did not go in person is explained as above. Why did he specifically dispatch Pūrṇa to preach? Because among all disciples Pūrṇa was supreme in preaching the Dharma and skillful in opening people's minds, he specifically dispatched him. Below, the fourth [part] explains that Bimbisāra did not die for many days because of the food and hearing the Dharma. The details are evident and can be understood. From here below, the second [part] explains that because his consort was imprisoned by her son, the Buddha went to gather and convert her. Herein there are four: first, explaining that the consort was imprisoned by her son; second, from 'At that time Vaidehī was imprisoned' below, supplicating the Buddha because of her imprisonment; third, from 'Before she had raised her head' below, the Buddha and disciples arriving because of the supplication; fourth, from 'At that time Vaidehī saw the World-Honoured One' below, lamenting in distress upon seeing [him]. In the first [section] there are three: first, explaining that King Ajātaśatru wished to harm his mother; second, from 'At that time there were ministers' below, the ministers advising him and his refusal to listen; third, from 'He ordered the palace eunuchs' below, the mother being imprisoned out of lingering anger. In the first there are three sentences: first, Ajātaśatru asked the gatekeeper whether the king was still alive; second, the gatekeeper answered in full detail with the facts; third, upon hearing it, the king became furious and immediately wished to harm his mother. Therein, it first says: 'Having heard these words', which explains the cause of the anger. 'Angered at his mother' and so forth indicates rebuking his mother with spoken words. He called his father a bandit and his mother an accomplice, and afterwards rebuked the śramaṇas as wicked people; the words are evident and can be understood. From 'Immediately seized a sword' below, he intended bodily harm. This concludes the first segment. In the second [segment], where the ministers advise him and he does not listen, the phrasing has four parts: first, the ministers advise him and he does not listen; second, the king is startled and terrified upon seeing this; third, Jīvaka advises him again; fourth, upon hearing this, the king releases his mother. In the first segment, it first lists the people who offered advice. From 'Paid homage to the king' below, it explains the manner of their advice. From 'At that time the two great ministers, having spoken these words' below, they abandoned him and withdrew after advising. The persons advising can be understood. In the manner of advising, paying homage was physical advice, and speaking and so forth was oral advice. Therein, first it reveals that the past differed from the present: from the beginning of the eon onward there have been countless evil kings, but none who harmed their mothers. From 'Now the king' below, it explains that the present differs from the past: if he were now to harm his mother, it would stain the kṣatriya lineage. From 'We ministers cannot bear' below, it explains their own aversion. 'We ministers cannot bear to hear' is being unable to bear it in their minds. Killing a mother is seen with one's eyes; how can it be called hearing? It means they could not bear to hear people in the world report it. 'It is not fitting to remain here' means their bodies would not stay. Above, the advice concludes; below explains their departure. 'Having spoken these words' concludes what precedes to introduce what follows. 'Hand on sword, stepped backward and retreated' directly explains their departure. Having turned against the king, the ministers feared the king would harm them and used their swords for self-defence; therefore, they held them and stepped backward to retreat. The above is the ministers' advice. From here below, second: the king is startled and terrified upon seeing this. King Ajātaśatru was startled and fearful, terrified within his mind. Because he saw the two ministers retreat with their hands on their swords, he feared they had a different plan, and therefore was startled and terrified. 'Said to Jīvaka' and so forth is asking with spoken words. Fearing that they had turned against him and become close to his father the king, he therefore now asked whether they were against him. From 'Jīvaka said' below is the third segment: Jīvaka's renewed advice. 'Beware of harming your mother' is the word of advice. From 'The king, hearing this' below is the fourth segment: releasing his mother due to the advice. 'Hearing these words' means hearing the preceding words of renewed advice from Jīvaka. 'Repented and sought rescue' means repenting his previous fault. That is, repenting the previous fault of wishing to harm her, he begged those two ministers not to kill him; hence it says 'sought rescue'. 'Immediately cast aside his sword and stopped without harming his mother' ceased the subsequent fault; it halted the act of killing. The above four segments are combined into the second part: the ministers advising and his refusal to listen. From 'He ordered' below is the third segment, explaining Ajātaśatru imprisoning his mother out of lingering anger. His lingering anger had not yet ceased, and fearing that his mother might again offer food to the king, he therefore ordered her locked away. From Ajātaśatru asking the gatekeeper up to this point is the first [part], explaining Vaidehī being imprisoned by her son. From here below, second: supplicating the Buddha because of the imprisonment. That is, supplicating the Tathāgata to dispatch disciples to meet with her. Herein there are three: first, paying homage prior to supplicating; second, from 'spoke these words' below, uttering words of direct supplication; third, from 'Having spoken these words, weeping sorrowfully' below, paying homage again after supplicating. In the former, it first says: 'Having been imprisoned', which sums up what precedes to introduce what follows. 'Sorrowful and haggard' explains the vexation of her mind.