[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [維摩義記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776) › 4.40 # 維摩義記 4.40 維摩義記 4.40 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.40) 問曰：前坐大小通告，今此何故偏命聲聞？解有四義：一、前者念坐通為大小，故前等告。今此念食，偏為菩薩，恐彼聲聞不敢取食，故偏告之。第二、床坐大小通須，故所通告。食中聲聞別有乞法，於此所取無心欲食，故偏告之。第三義者，前所取坐至極高大，通此人量，須教菩薩變身如坐，須教聲聞禮佛而坐，為是通告。今所取食至少不多，聲聞心局畏少不足，無心欲食，為是次告。菩薩意廣，知少竟多，不慮不食，是故不告。第四義者，向前取坐不簡大小，故前通告。今此取食，云言此樂小法者得弘大道，彼佛與食意亦如之，良以聲聞正是所為，故今偏告，欲使共食，知飯無盡，發心願求。義意如是。 > Question: Previously with the seats he addressed both the great and the small alike; why does he now address only the śrāvakas? Explanation: there are four meanings. First, previously the thought of seats was addressed equally to both great and small, so he previously addressed them equally. Now, this thought of food was specifically for the bodhisattvas; fearing that those śrāvakas would not dare to take and eat it, he therefore specifically addressed them. Second, both the great and the small universally required bed-seats, so he universally addressed them. Regarding food, the śrāvakas have their distinct rules for begging; toward this which had been fetched they had no intention of eating, so he specifically addressed them. In the third meaning: the seats fetched earlier were supremely lofty and vast, and to accommodate this human measure, he had to instruct the bodhisattvas to transform their bodies to match the seats and instruct the śrāvakas to pay homage to the Buddha and sit down; therefore he universally addressed them. The food fetched now was extremely little and not much; the śrāvakas' minds were narrow and feared that being so little it would not be enough, having no intention of eating, and therefore he then addressed them. The bodhisattvas' minds were broad; they knew that a little would ultimately become much and had no worry about not eating, which is why he did not address them. In the fourth meaning: previously, in fetching the seats, there was no discrimination between great and small, so he previously addressed them universally. Now in fetching this food, it was said that "those who delight in a lesser Dharma may expand the Great Path," and that Buddha's intention in giving the food was likewise; truly, because the śrāvakas were precisely the target, he therefore now specifically addressed them, wishing to make them eat together, know the inexhaustibility of the rice, and arouse the aspiration and resolve. The intended meaning is like this. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.39](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.39) - [Next: 4.41](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.41) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776~en-mt.4.40) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.40](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1776.4.40) · Pramāṇa