阿彌陀經疏 1.96

1.96

經曰：「阿難陀」者，《智度論》云：如來得道夜生，朝有天人空中告白淨王曰：「悉達太子昨夜明星出時成一切智。」王聞歡喜。又，王第三弟斛飯王復是其日來啟王：「昨夜生一男。」王曰：「貴弟生男，我心歡喜。今日大吉，爾所生子應字阿難。」此云歡喜，又以其人世世修忍辱故生身端正，父母歡喜，因以為字。《觀佛三昧經》云：佛告阿難：「汝名歡喜，此則依名定實。」《增一》云：阿難有四希有，令人歡喜：一者、默然至大眾之中見者皆喜；二者、正有所說聞者亦喜；三者、至四眾皆生歡喜興敬仰心視無厭足；四者、正有所說聞者無厭故心生歡喜。《大論》云：其人昔作長者，因施誦經沙彌食，遂發大願言：「小師成佛，願我為多聞弟子。」故今如來所有法藏悉能受持。

The sūtra says: "Ānanda": The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: He was born on the night the Tathāgata attained the path. In the morning, a deva in the sky announced to King Śuddhodana: "Prince Siddhārtha attained all-knowledge last night when the morning star appeared." Hearing this, the king was joyful. Furthermore, the king's third younger brother, King Droṇodana, also came on that very day to inform the king: "Last night a son was born [to me]." The king said: "My noble brother has had a son born to him, and my heart is joyful. Today is greatly auspicious; the son born to you should be given the personal name Ānanda." This is translated as "Joy". Furthermore, because this man cultivated patience life after life, his physical body was well-proportioned, bringing joy to his parents; hence it was taken as his personal name. The Sūtra on the Samādhi of Contemplating the Buddha says: The Buddha told Ānanda, "Your name is Joy; this is establishing the reality based on the name." The Ekottarika-āgama says: Ānanda had four rare qualities that brought joy to others: first, when he approached the great assembly in silence, all who saw him were pleased; second, whenever he had something to preach, those who heard him were also pleased; third, when he went among the fourfold assembly, all gave rise to joy, aroused reverent respect, and gazed upon him insatiably; fourth, whenever he had something to preach, the hearers never grew weary of it and so felt joy in their hearts. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says: In the past this man was an elder, and because he offered food to a novice reciting sūtras, he made a great vow, saying: "When this young master becomes a Buddha, may I be his disciple of great learning." Therefore he is now able to receive and retain all the dharma treasuries of the Tathāgata.