觀無量壽佛經疏妙宗鈔 3.3.4

3.3.4

Fifth, from "Devadatta" down, clarifying the evil friend committing treason. Devadatta himself accomplished three unpardonable offenses, and further taught Ajātaśatru to accomplish the murder of his father and to prepare the harm of his mother. Because of practicing himself and teaching others the five unpardonable sins, he sank alive into Avīci. Second, from "Bimbisāra" down, the past causes of father and son. Because the slain sage gave rise to an evil thought, he immediately came to become his son, already harboring the enmity of harming his father within the womb. Second, from "like this" down, concluding on provisional manifestations. Devadatta, Ajātaśatru, Bimbisāra, and Vaidehī were all great provisional manifestations, displaying defiance and displaying obedience to benefit sentient beings. Second, the queen offers food. Third, the sage preaches the Dharma for him, in two: first, explaining Maudgalyāyana conferring the precepts, in two: first, explaining his swift arrival. Because he served a pratyekabuddha in a past life, he now obtained spiritual penetrations and swiftly arrived at the king's place. Second, from "conferring the eight" down, explaining the marks of the precepts. First, separating fragrant clothes and ascending high beds to make eight precepts, fasting is outside the eight. Next, combining fragrant clothes and high beds into seven, with not eating past noon as the eighth, then fasting is within the eight. The Dharma has no increase or decrease; the numbers merely have expansion and contraction; all are called the eightfold feast precepts. Second, from "Pūrṇa" down, explaining Pūrṇa preaching the Dharma. Fourth, from "Bimbisāra" down, Dharma-food prolongs life. Second, from "next, harming" down, clarifying the desire to harm the mother, in two: first, dividing into sections; second, from "first, Ajā[taśatru]" down, explaining in sequence, in four: first, imprisoned by her son, in three: first, desiring to harm the mother, in three: first, the king asks whether he is still alive; second, from "the gatekeeper" down, answering with facts; third, the king hears and becomes furious, in two: first, parsing the sūtra text; second, from "should kill" down, resolving difficulties. Second, from "at the beginning of the kalpa" down, the two ministers remonstrate, in three: first, explaining the words of admonition; second, from "with hand" down, explaining the marks of admonition; third, from "frightened" down, clarifying compliance with the admonition. Third, from "ordering to say" down, ordering her imprisonment. Second, from "Vaidehī" down, requesting the Buddha due to imprisonment, in two: first, dividing into sections; second, from "Vaidehī" down, explaining in sequence, in two: first, requesting persons. One was the gate teacher, one was the Buddha's attendant; having previously constantly given instructions, she specifically requested these two. Being in the deep palace, she therefore requested both, not daring to favor just one. Desiring to convey her intent to request the Buddha to proclaim the causes for rebirth in the Pure Land—this was her intent in requesting these persons.