[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) › [淨名玄論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780) › 2.9 # 淨名玄論 2.9 淨名玄論 2.9 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2.9) 天竺經題在後，而初皆云悉曇。悉曇云成就，亦云吉法。而迴後置初，道安名之也。問：眾經何故首題名字？答：欲令因名知法、因法起行，得解脫果。又根欲不同、說教非一，若不別立名題，則諸部不分；為令眾部各分，故別立名題。又諸佛說法有略有廣，廣謂一部之文，略即一經之題。攝廣為略，為受持故；開略為廣，為解義故。又攝廣為略，為利根人若聞經名即解其義，如龍樹等入於海宮，但看經題具鑒文理。開略為廣，為鈍根人皆聞名未悟、尋文乃解。是以眾經首題名字。 > In India, the title of a sūtra is placed at the end, and the beginning always says 'siddham'. 'Siddham' means accomplishment, and also auspicious dharma. But shifting it from the end to the beginning was done by Dao'an when he titled them. Question: Why do all sūtras have titles at the head? Answer: It is to cause one to know the Dharma through the name, and to give rise to practice through the Dharma, thereby attaining the fruit of liberation. Furthermore, faculties and inclinations differ, and the expounded teachings are varied; if titles were not separately established, the various divisions would not be distinguished; in order to distinguish each of the various divisions, titles are separately established. Moreover, the dharmas expounded by all buddhas have the abridged and the extensive: the extensive refers to the text of the entire work, while the abridged is the title of a single sūtra. Gathering the extensive into the abridged is for the sake of upholding; unfolding the abridged into the extensive is for the sake of understanding the meaning. Furthermore, gathering the extensive into the abridged is for those of sharp faculties: if they hear the name of the sūtra, they immediately understand its meaning, just as when Nāgārjuna and others entered the ocean palace, merely looking at the sūtras' titles, they completely comprehended the text and principle. Unfolding the abridged into the extensive is for those of dull faculties: upon hearing the title they do not yet awaken, and only upon examining the text do they understand. For this reason, all sūtras have titles at their heads. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2.8) - [Next: 2.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2.10) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780~en-mt.2.9) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [維摩經義疏](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1781.1.13) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1780.2.9) · Pramāṇa