大般涅槃經集解 2.99

2.99

案僧宗曰：此在家菩薩也。優婆塞者，此言清信士。論文有釋，謂為善宿，皆以義翻彼名耳。此下列眾有四階：第一從此訖十恒河沙，以眾漸多而供稍勝為次第也；第二從廿恒沙訖九十恒沙，供不必勝，但以眾漸多為次第也；第三從千恒沙，以多少不定亂來為次第也；第四變林以下，眾不必多，但以供勝為次第也。明駿案：此中列十五事。一舉數；二稱位；三以戒為行本，故先歎戒也；四列名；五次歎定，謂深觀對治門也；六歎慧，謂亦欲樂聞無上大乘等也；七舉四弘，以歎外化；八舉莊嚴淨戒結歎也；九敘遇光憂悲；十敘設供；十一敘因辨供時，又發弘誓；十二敘念佛受供已必入涅槃；十三敘來佛所事；十四敘佛默然不受；十五敘不果願故憂悲也。

Sengzong comments: These are householder bodhisattvas. 'Upāsaka' here means a man of pure faith. The treatises explain it as 'dwelling well', both translating the name by its meaning. From here below, the listing of the assembly has four levels: first, from this up to ten Ganges sands, ordered by the assemblies becoming gradually larger and the offerings slightly superior; second, from twenty Ganges sands up to ninety Ganges sands, the offerings not necessarily superior, but ordered merely by the assemblies becoming gradually larger; third, from one thousand Ganges sands, ordered by their arriving in disorder without fixed quantity; fourth, from the transformation of the grove downward, the assembly not necessarily large, but ordered by the superiority of the offerings. Mingjun notes: Here fifteen items are listed: first, citing the number; second, stating the status; third, taking morality as the basis of practice, hence first praising morality; fourth, listing names; fifth, next praising concentration, meaning deep contemplation of the counteractive approaches; sixth, praising wisdom, meaning desiring and delighting to hear the unsurpassed Mahāyāna, etc.; seventh, citing the four great vows to praise external conversion; eighth, citing the adornment of pure precepts as concluding praise; ninth, recounting grief and sorrow upon encountering the light; tenth, recounting the preparation of offerings; eleventh, recounting that when preparing the offerings they made great vows again; twelfth, recounting their mindfulness that once the Buddha accepted the offerings he would certainly enter nirvāṇa; thirteenth, recounting their coming to the Buddha's presence; fourteenth, recounting that the Buddha remained silent and did not accept; fifteenth, recounting their grief and sorrow because their wish was unfulfilled.