[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) › [維摩經略疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778) › 4.21 # 維摩經略疏 4.21 維摩經略疏 4.21 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4.21) 九、料簡問疾前後。問：如來何不先遣菩薩？答：菩薩若各述不堪，聲聞望崖則失五百法門。若先命聲聞，聲聞各述，則五百法門皆印成經。次遣菩薩，即得具述昔說法門。 > Ninth, evaluating the sequence of inquiring after the illness. Question: Why did the Tathāgata not first send the bodhisattvas? Answer: If the bodhisattvas each stated they were not up to the task, the śrāvakas looking at the cliff would lose the five hundred dharmic approaches. If he first commissioned the śrāvakas and the śrāvakas each recounted \[their past encounters\], then the five hundred dharmic approaches were all sealed as scripture. Next, sending the bodhisattvas, they could then fully recount the dharmic approaches previously taught. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4.20) - [Next: 4.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4.22) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778~en-mt.4.21) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1778.4.21) · Pramāṇa