維摩經略疏垂裕記 5.56

5.56

二、遣問，二：初、分科。二、隨釋，二：初、命十弟子，十：初、命身子，二：初、佛命，二：初、略釋。「左面侍者」者，「左」字誤，應云「右」面。西土君父師皆東向，則左北右南，北是陰方，陰靜表定。神通因定而發，故目連居左。南是陽方，陽動表慧，故身子居右。《大論》云「目連是佛左面弟子，身子是佛右面弟子。」若爾，身子應居目連之下，何名上首耶？答：以西方尚右，故右面為尊。亦猶此方偏將軍處左、上將軍處右也。或曰：吉事尚左，凶事尚右。上將軍主兵謀專殺，故以喪禮處之，豈得類彼耶？答：二土之禮，有冥符者、有相反者。其退坐一面，從座而起，則類此方侍坐於師，更端請益請業皆起，此冥符也。若乃此以肉袒謝過、彼以肉袒興敬，此方吉事尚左、彼方尚右，此其反也。何足疑乎？今身子居乎右面，如世上將，任用既重，故先命之。

Second, sending to inquire, in two parts: first, dividing the sections. Second, following with the explanation, in two parts: first, commanding the ten disciples, which has ten parts: first, commanding Śāriputra, in two parts: first, the Buddha commands, in two parts: first, brief explanation. Regarding "the attendant on the left side": the character "left" is an error; it should be the "right" side. In the Western land, sovereigns, fathers, and teachers all face east, so the left is north and the right is south. North is the yin direction; yin's stillness represents samādhi. Spiritual powers arise due to samādhi, so Maudgalyāyana sits on the left. South is the yang direction; yang's movement represents wisdom, so Śāriputra sits on the right. The Dàzhìdù lùn says: "Maudgalyāyana is the Buddha's disciple on the left side; Śāriputra is the Buddha's disciple on the right side." If so, Śāriputra should be below Maudgalyāyana; why is he called the head [disciple]? Answer: Because the Western regions esteem the right, the right side is the position of honour. It is also like how in this land the lieutenant general occupies the left and the supreme general occupies the right. Some might say: Auspicious affairs esteem the left, while inauspicious affairs esteem the right. The supreme general governs military strategies and specializes in killing, so he is treated according to funeral rites; how could that be compared to this? Answer: In the rituals of the two lands, some secretly match, while others are opposite. Retiring to sit to one side, or rising from one's seat, resembles sitting in attendance beside a teacher in this land, where standing up occurs whenever raising a new topic to ask for further instruction or study; these secretly match. If it is baring the shoulder to apologize for a fault here, versus baring the shoulder to show reverence there; or auspicious affairs esteeming the left here, versus esteeming the right there; these are opposites. What reason is there to doubt? Now Śāriputra resides on the right side, like a worldly supreme general; his appointment being important, he is therefore commanded first.