大般涅槃經集解 59.48

59.48

案僧亮曰：法由人弘，故問弘法之人也。寶亮曰：眾生根性不同，若應以千人為緣，少一人則不悟，要須數足。今略數人，若廣列者其事亦難，具可頓顯也。

Sengliang comments: "The Dharma is propagated by people, which is why he asks about the persons who propagate the Dharma." Baoliang comments: "Sentient beings' capacities differ; if one ought to have a thousand people as conditions, then lacking even one person they will not awaken, and the number must be complete. Here a few persons are briefly counted; if extensively listed, the matter would also be difficult, but all can be revealed at once."