大般涅槃經義記 1.53

1.53

文中初先隨數多少，漸增以列，「二十恒河大香象」下，亂列諸眾。前漸增中，初列道眾，「四恒」已下明常流眾。道眾德尊，數少故先；常流行卑，數多故後。道法眾中，先列出家，後列在家。以出家者形尊數少，是故先列；在家形卑，數多故後。

In the text, they are first listed in progressively increasing order according to their numbers; from “twenty Ganges sands of great fragrant elephants” below, the various assemblies are listed without fixed order. In the previous progressively increasing section, it first lists the assemblies of the Way; from “four Ganges sands” below, it explains the assemblies of the ordinary worldly stream. The assembly of the Way has noble virtue and is fewer in number, so it comes first; the ordinary stream has lowly conduct and is greater in number, so it comes later. Within the assembly of the Dharma of the Way, monastics are listed first, followed by householders. Because monastics have noble forms and are fewer in number, they are listed first; householders have lowly forms and are greater in number, so they come later.