大般涅槃經義記 1.33

1.33

第二別就徒眾分別，開合不定，或分為二，唯新與舊。離合為三：一列舊眾、二列新眾、三「爾時娑羅吉祥」已下總結新舊。文別有五：一明舊眾；二「聲光」已下，明其新眾覩相增悲，相催詣佛；三「時有無量大弟子」下，明前舊眾覩相增悲；四「復有八十百千」已下，明新眾雲集；五「吉祥」已下，總結眾集。若隨眾別有四十八，新、舊比丘、兼尼為三，始從一恒乃至十恒通前十三，「二十恒」下乃至「林白」有二十四，通前合為三十七眾，林白已後梵眾新集，并有十方菩薩新來，通前合為四十八也。若分欲天、色無色天、并分四方無量無數無邊身，眾即無限。舊傳五十四眾之言，一向非是，此第二門就眾分別。

Second, discriminating specifically with respect to the assembly of disciples: divisions and combinations vary. Some divide it into two, merely the new and the old. Disjoining and combining them makes three: first, listing the old assembly; second, listing the new assembly; third, the overall conclusion summarizing both new and old from “At that time, the śāla [trees] were auspicious” downward. As for the textual passages, there are five: first, explaining the old assembly; second, from “voice and light” downward, explaining that the new assembly, beholding the marks, increased in grief and urged one another to go to the Buddha; third, from “At that time there were immeasurable great disciples” downward, explaining that the aforementioned old assembly, beholding the marks, increased in grief; fourth, from “Furthermore, there were eighty hundred thousand” downward, explaining that the new assemblies gathered like clouds; fifth, from “auspicious” downward, an overall conclusion of the assembly's gathering. If following the specific assemblies, there are forty-eight: the new and old bhikṣus, together with the bhikṣuṇīs, make three; starting from one Ganges [sands] up to ten Ganges, together with the preceding, makes thirteen; from “twenty Ganges” downward up to “the forest turned white,” there are twenty-four, which together with the preceding combine to make thirty-seven assemblies; after the forest turned white, the newly gathered assemblies of Brahmā gods and the newly arrived bodhisattvas from the ten directions together with the preceding combine to make forty-eight. If one divides the desire heavens, the form and formless heavens, and further divides the immeasurable, countless, and boundless bodies of the four directions, the assemblies are then limitless. The traditional claim of fifty-four assemblies is utterly incorrect. This is the second section, discriminating with respect to the assembly.