大般涅槃經義記 1.25

1.25

「一時」已下，義雖兩兼，對前一向證信序故，今偏就其發起以釋。於中初先就佛明處，「與大」已下就佛明眾，時則兼通。前中有三：一明化時、二明化主、三明化處。言一時者，為化時也。釋此時中，先敘異說，次辨過非，後顯正義。言異說者，昔來相傳：言佛說時、阿難聞時更無先後，簡去傳謬，成上我聞，故云一時。異說如是，辯過云何？先以事徵，後以文證。言事徵者，阿難是佛得道夜生，佛成道已，過六七日即便說經。若依大乘，過二七日佛便說經，阿難爾時猶在懷抱，身不預會，度二十年方始出家，三十年後方為侍者，自斯已前所說諸經多不親聞，雖不親聞，而所集經皆云一時，判知一時非簡傳之詞。又小乘中不得說言阿難是權，何由得言說聽一時？以斯推驗，定知人語，不可輒依。

From 'at one time' downward, although the meaning encompasses both, in contrast to the previous preface of verification of faith, it is now explained solely in terms of initiation. Therein, first the place is clarified in relation to the Buddha; from 'together with the great' downward, the assembly is clarified in relation to the Buddha; the time applies to both. Within the former there are three: first, clarifying the time of transformation; second, clarifying the lord of transformation; third, clarifying the place of transformation. As for 'at one time', it is the time of transformation. In explaining this time, first the differing theories are recounted, next the faults are analyzed, and finally the correct meaning is revealed. As for the differing theories, it was traditionally transmitted in the past that the time of the Buddha's preaching and the time of Ānanda's hearing had no before and after; this excludes transmission errors and establishes the 'have I heard' above, hence it is called 'at one time'. Such are the differing theories. What is the analysis of their faults? First, it is examined through facts; next, it is verified through text. As for examining it through facts: Ānanda was born on the night the Buddha attained the Way. After the Buddha attained the Way, past six [periods of] seven days, he immediately preached sūtras. If relying on the Mahāyāna, past two [periods of] seven days the Buddha immediately preached sūtras. Ānanda at that time was still an infant in arms and did not personally participate in the assembly. Only after twenty years did he first leave the household, and only after thirty years did he become the attendant. Most of the sūtras preached before this were not heard by him in person. Although he did not hear them in person, the sūtras he collected all say 'at one time'; thus we know with certainty that 'at one time' is not a term distinguishing transmission [from direct hearing]. Furthermore, in the Hīnayāna, one cannot say that Ānanda was an expedient manifestation; by what means could one say that preaching and listening occurred at one time? Deductively testing by this, we know for certain that this is merely human opinion and cannot be lightly relied upon.