說無垢稱經疏 1.35

1.35

贊曰：自下第二眾圓滿也。初總略以四門分別：一彰來意、二顯權實、三定多少、四眾次第。來意有五：一、證經可信。拂彼三疑：一疑慶喜自談、二疑從他聞說、三疑非佛所演。今舉時眾證法無疑，令生信故。《智度論》云「說時方人，令生信也。」二、顯德尊高。佛德尊高，大眾奔會。佛居于四眾，映蔽群生，若帝釋臨天、梵王處定。故經下云「譬如大寶妙高山王處於大海，巍然逈出。佛踞師子勝藏之座，顯耀威光蔽于大眾，亦復如是。」三、彰後發揚。鶖子生疑，大千變淨。妙祥道備，佛遣對揚。二聖為發起之先，八部為隨信之後。四、當機獲益。八部四眾有發無上之心，菩薩聲聞成剋菩提之意。隨緣語道，著在經文，如上已陳，故不繁引。五、輔翼瞻仰，軌範引攝。《佛地論》云「菩薩聲聞，輔冀圓滿。八部四眾，眷屬圓滿。皆由慈悲廣起、安忍普資，咸使有靈，誰不奔挹。諸眾集，為引餘生發心。」經既具陳，復勸令時發意。夫來佛所，略有二緣：一為瞻仰、二為聞法。機熟者，會道於當時；未熟者，發心於即日。顯權實者，准《佛地經》淨土中說聲聞八部，並是諸佛菩薩化作，莊嚴道場，引攝眾生令發妙意。《無量壽經》云「其水鳥等，皆佛化作。」准此經中，一切菩薩生此土者，亦隱勝德，起堅固悲，隨類生攝。故知佛居穢土，聲聞為實、菩薩為權；佛居淨方，聲聞為權、菩薩為實。准處淨穢，其義可知。餘眾實權，理難准定。准有方丈天女、取食菩薩，經文稱化，餘類難知。定多少者，凡聖而論有二：菩薩聲聞為聖，餘眾為凡。或初後眾：本在菴園，為初眾；無垢稱之所持來至園，為後眾。部類而論有三：一大聖眾、二八部眾、三四部眾。前後一切菩薩聲聞，為大聖眾。一切有威德凡類，為八部眾。釋梵護世等，入八部中天，故不別說。若在人趣，入道居俗，有戒行之流名四部眾。或為四眾，第三此方諸天眾，餘三如前。前後合有九眾。初有七眾：一聲聞眾；二菩薩眾；三他方梵王眾；四他方帝釋眾；五威靈八部眾；六此方諸天眾，下經八部眾下，列釋梵護世等故，舊經無之；七戒行四部眾。後有二眾：一無垢稱眾。〈菩薩行品〉中，掌持至佛所。〈香臺品〉中，妙香國有九百萬菩薩與飯俱來，入維摩詰舍。又為長者主月蓋從八萬四千人，來入維摩詰舍。此皆後與無垢稱俱來，入無垢稱眾。二妙喜世界眾，即阿閦佛國。無垢稱在佛所，以神通力掌持至此。別而為論，有十九：一聲聞、二菩薩、三他方梵王、四他方帝釋、五餘天、六龍、七藥叉、八犍達縛、九阿素落、十揭露荼、十一緊捺落、十二莫呼落伽、十三此方梵釋眾、十四苾芻、十五苾芻尼、十六部波素迦、十七鄔波斯迦、十八無垢稱眾、十九不動佛眾。於中有四門眾異：一三界，無無色。《仁王》具有，此經無之。機宜未熟，於法無緣故。二五趣，無地獄。《陀羅尼經》具有，此經無之。修大乘心必容豫之所，地獄無暇，故此不來。明呪威神，本為拔苦，故說陀羅尼有地獄眾。三君臣，無二王。《法花》具有，此經無之。輪王小王，二俱不列。四三乘，無獨覺。《仁王》具有，此經無之。獨覺多出無佛之世，時無機熟，所以不舉。眾次第者，《佛地論》有釋。今有四義：一形相不同、二坐有近遠、三戒行有異隨類化生、四令諸菩薩於聲聞眾捨憍慢故。此乃聲聞菩薩次第；餘眾次第，隨應當知。初列眾中，有四圓滿：一行圓滿、二數圓滿、三功德圓滿、四威儀圓滿。行圓滿中有四：一聲聞，修小乘行，苾芻為名。二菩薩，修大乘行，以菩薩為目。三諸菩薩，常隨類化，身相不定，故名菩薩。四聲聞形定，說為苾芻。數圓滿者，「聲聞八千、菩薩三萬二千」等。功德圓滿者，「皆為一切眾聖所識」等。攝別合有四十一句是。威儀圓滿者，「爾時世尊，無量百千諸來大眾」等是。此四圓滿，菩薩具足。聲聞有三：一行滿，名苾芻故。二數滿，八千人等。三威儀滿，同前菩薩。今顯菩薩具內外修，故偏顯德。聲聞不爾，略不歎德，不同餘經。他方梵王及天帝釋，具二圓滿：一數、二威儀。不以行為名，不歎其德故。苾芻等四眾亦二：一行、二威儀，不歎其德、不標數故。餘八部眾，唯有其一，謂威儀滿，不以行為名、不歎其德、不列其數故。眾成就中，文復有二：初列大眾、後辨威儀。列眾有二：一聖、二凡。菩薩聲聞為聖，八部四眾為凡。或為三：一大聖眾、二八部眾、三四部眾。或為六，如前說。聖眾為二：一聲聞、二菩薩，此初也。佛共兼會，名之為與。大有五義：一名稱大，大眾大人所知識故。二位次大，皆住聖果，非凡位故。三功德大，或諸漏盡，證智斷故。四修行大，求大菩提，修廣業故。五徒眾大，八千人故。梵云苾芻，此有五義：一怖魔，創心出家，四魔怖故。二乞士，以乞自活，濟自他故。三淨命，離五邪命，明正三業故。四淨戒，住戒威德，曾不缺故。五破惡，修道獲果，斷煩惱故。僧伽名眾，證理法事二俱和故。學無學數，合有八千。與佛同處，復名俱也。

Commentary: The following is the second [section], on the perfection of the assembly. First, generally and briefly, it is distinguished into four aspects: 1. revealing the purpose of their arrival; 2. clarifying provisional and real [identities]; 3. determining their quantity; 4. the sequence of the assembly.

The purpose of their arrival has five [points]:
First, to testify to the credibility of the sūtra. This sweeps away those three doubts: 1. doubting that Ānanda spoke it himself; 2. doubting that it was heard and spoken from someone else; 3. doubting that it was not preached by the Buddha. Now, by adducing the assembly of the time to testify to the Dharma without doubt, it engenders faith. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* says: "Explaining the time, place, and persons engenders faith."
Second, to manifest the exalted height of [the Buddha's] virtue. Because the Buddha's virtue is exalted and high, the great assembly rushes to gather. The Buddha abides among the fourfold assembly, outshining all living beings, like Śakra gazing over the heavens or Brahmā dwelling in meditative absorption. Thus the sūtra below says: "Just as the King of Mountains, the great jewel Mount Meru, stands in the great ocean, towering and loftily outstanding, so too when the Buddha sits upon the lion throne of supreme storehouse, his radiant majesty outshines the great assembly."
Third, to manifest subsequent revelation and propagation. Śāriputra gave rise to doubt, and the trichiliocosm was transformed into purity. Mañjuśrī's path was complete, and the Buddha dispatched him to converse and debate. The two sages serve as the vanguard of instigation; the eight classes [of beings] follow in faith thereafter.
Fourth, those who encounter the opportunity obtain benefit. Among the eight classes and four assemblies, some gave rise to the aspiration for the unexcelled [enlightenment]; bodhisattvas and śrāvakas accomplished their resolve to attain bodhi. Speaking of the path according with conditions is recorded in the text of the sūtra, and as it has been set forth above, it is not cited at length.
Fifth, assisting and gazing in reverence, providing a model to guide and gather beings. The *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* says: "Bodhisattvas and śrāvakas constitute the perfection of assistants. The eight classes and four assemblies constitute the perfection of retinue. Because [the Buddha's] great compassion broadly arises and his patient endurance universally sustains, all endowed with consciousness—who among them would not rush to pay homage? The gathering of the assemblies serves to guide the remaining living beings to generate the aspiration [for enlightenment]." Since the sūtra has fully set this forth, it further exhorts them to generate the resolve at that time. Now, coming to the Buddha's abode has roughly two conditions: first, to gaze in reverence; second, to hear the Dharma. Those whose capacities are ripe realize the Path at that very moment; those not yet ripe generate the aspiration on that very day.

Regarding the clarification of provisional and real [identities]: according to the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra*, the śrāvakas and eight classes spoken of in the pure land are all transformed by Buddhas and bodhisattvas to adorn the place of enlightenment and guide living beings to give rise to the sublime intention. The *Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra* says: "Its waterbirds and so forth are all transformed by the Buddha." According to this sūtra, all the bodhisattvas born in this land also conceal their supreme virtues, give rise to firm compassion, and are born in accordance with the classes [of beings] to gather them. Therefore we know that when the Buddha dwells in an impure land, śrāvakas are real and bodhisattvas are provisional; when the Buddha dwells in a pure land, śrāvakas are provisional and bodhisattvas are real. By conforming to whether the place is pure or impure, its meaning can be known. Whether the other assemblies are real or provisional is logically difficult to determine with certainty. According to the text, the goddess of the ten-foot room and the bodhisattvas who fetch the food are called transformations by the sūtra text, but the other classes are difficult to know.

Regarding the determination of their quantity: discussing them in terms of ordinary beings and sages, there are two: bodhisattvas and śrāvakas are sages, while the other assemblies are ordinary beings. Or, [distinguished by] the initial and subsequent assemblies: those originally in the Āmrapālī-vana are the initial assembly; those whom Vimalakīrti carried to the garden are the subsequent assembly. Discussing them in terms of their categories, there are three: 1. the great assembly of sages; 2. the assembly of the eight classes; 3. the fourfold assembly. All the bodhisattvas and śrāvakas before and after constitute the great assembly of sages. All ordinary beings possessing majesty and virtue constitute the assembly of the eight classes. Śakra, Brahmā, the World Guardians, and so forth are included within the gods among the eight classes, so they are not mentioned separately. Those who are in the human realm, having entered the path or dwelling in lay life, and who possess moral practice, are named the fourfold assembly. Or they constitute four assemblies: the third being the assembly of the gods of this realm, and the remaining three as before. Together, before and after, there are nine assemblies. Initially there are seven assemblies: 1. the śrāvaka assembly; 2. the bodhisattva assembly; 3. the Brahmā king assembly from other realms; 4. the Śakra assembly from other realms; 5. the majestic eight classes assembly; 6. the assembly of the gods of this realm—because the sūtra below, under the eight classes, lists Śakra, Brahmā, the World Guardians, and so forth, which was absent in the old sūtra; 7. the fourfold assembly of moral practice. Afterwards there are two assemblies: 1. Vimalakīrti's assembly. In the "Chapter on the Bodhisattva Practice," he held them in his palm and brought them to the Buddha's abode. In the "Chapter on the Fragrant Platform," nine million bodhisattvas from the Land of Sublime Fragrance came together with the food and entered Vimalakīrti's house; furthermore, Candrachatra, the leader of the householders, came into Vimalakīrti's house accompanied by eighty-four thousand people. These all subsequently came along with Vimalakīrti and joined Vimalakīrti's assembly. 2. The assembly of the Abhirati world, that is, the realm of the Buddha Akṣobhya. Vimalakīrti, while at the Buddha's abode, used his supernatural power to hold them in his palm and bring them to this place. When discussed individually, there are nineteen: 1. śrāvakas; 2. bodhisattvas; 3. Brahmā kings from other realms; 4. Śakras from other realms; 5. other gods; 6. nāgas; 7. yakṣas; 8. gandharvas; 9. asuras; 10. garuḍas; 11. kiṃnaras; 12. mahoragas; 13. the Brahmā and Śakra assembly of this realm; 14. bhikṣus; 15. bhikṣuṇīs; 16. upāsakas; 17. upāsikās; 18. Vimalakīrti's assembly; 19. the assembly of Akṣobhya Buddha.

Among them, there are differences in the assemblies according to four categories: First, of the three realms, the formless realm is absent. The *Humane King Sūtra* has them completely, but this sūtra lacks them, because their capacities are not yet ripe and they lack the condition for the Dharma. Second, of the five destinies, the hells are absent. The *Dhāraṇī-sūtra* has them completely, but this sūtra lacks them. Cultivating the Mahāyāna mind necessarily requires an unhurried place; in the hells there is no leisure, so they do not come here. The majesty of dhāraṇī mantras fundamentally serves to eradicate suffering, hence when the dhāraṇī was preached there was an assembly from the hells. Third, of rulers and ministers, the two types of kings are absent. The *Lotus Sūtra* has them completely, but this sūtra lacks them; wheel-turning kings and petty kings are both unlisted. Fourth, of the three vehicles, the pratyekabuddhas are absent. The *Humane King Sūtra* has them completely, but this sūtra lacks them. Pratyekabuddhas mostly appear in an age without a Buddha; at this time there are none whose capacities are ripe, which is why they are not brought forward.

Regarding the sequence of the assembly: the *Buddhabhūmi-sūtra-śāstra* provides an explanation. Now there are four reasons: 1. their forms and appearances differ; 2. their seating is near or far; 3. their moral practices differ as they are transformatively born according with various classes; 4. to make the bodhisattvas abandon arrogance toward the śrāvaka assembly. This pertains to the sequence of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas; the sequence of the other assemblies should be understood accordingly.

In the initial listing of the assembly, there are four perfections: 1. perfection of practice; 2. perfection of number; 3. perfection of virtue; 4. perfection of deportment. Within the perfection of practice there are four [points]: 1. The śrāvakas cultivate the practices of the Hīnayāna, and are named bhikṣus. 2. The bodhisattvas cultivate the practices of the Mahāyāna, and are designated as bodhisattvas. 3. The bodhisattvas constantly manifest transformations according with various classes and their physical marks are not fixed, hence they are named bodhisattvas. 4. The śrāvakas have fixed forms, and are described as bhikṣus. Regarding the perfection of number: "eight thousand śrāvakas, thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas," and so forth. Regarding the perfection of virtue: "all were recognized by all the holy ones," and so forth; gathering the individual [qualities] together, there are forty-one phrases of this kind. Regarding the perfection of deportment: "At that time the Bhagavat, amidst the measureless hundreds of thousands of the various assemblies that had gathered," and so forth. These four perfections are fully possessed by the bodhisattvas. The śrāvakas possess three: 1. perfection of practice, because they are called bhikṣus; 2. perfection of number, eight thousand people, etc.; 3. perfection of deportment, identical to the bodhisattvas above. Now, to show that the bodhisattvas are endowed with both internal and external cultivation, their virtues are uniquely highlighted. The śrāvakas are not like this; their virtues are omitted and not praised, unlike in other sūtras. The Brahmā kings and Śakra from other realms possess two perfections: 1. number, and 2. deportment; for they are not named by practice and their virtues are not praised. The four assemblies of bhikṣus and so forth also possess two: 1. practice, and 2. deportment; for their virtues are not praised and their numbers are not marked. The remaining eight classes possess only one, namely perfection of deportment; for they are not named by practice, their virtues are not praised, and their numbers are not listed.

Within the fulfillment of the assembly, the text again has two [parts]: first, listing the great assembly; second, distinguishing their deportment. Listing the assembly has two [parts]: 1. the sages; 2. the ordinary beings. Bodhisattvas and śrāvakas are sages; the eight classes and four assemblies are ordinary beings. Or there are three: 1. the great assembly of sages; 2. the assembly of the eight classes; 3. the fourfold assembly. Or there are six, as explained before. The assembly of sages has two: 1. śrāvakas; 2. bodhisattvas; this is the first. The Buddha together gathering with them is named "with."

"Great" (*mahā-*) has five meanings: 1. Great in fame, because they are known and recognized by the great assembly and great persons. 2. Great in rank, because they all dwell in the fruit of sages and not in the rank of ordinary beings. 3. Great in virtue, because their outflows are exhausted and they have realized knowledge and abandonment. 4. Great in cultivation, because they seek great bodhi and cultivate vast deeds. 5. Great in following, because there are eight thousand people.

In Sanskrit they are called *bhikṣu*, which has five meanings: 1. Terrifier of Māra, because upon first generating the resolve to renounce the household life, the four Māras are terrified. 2. Beggar, because they sustain their livelihood by begging, saving both themselves and others. 3. Pure livelihood, because they are free from the five types of wrong livelihood and keep their three karmas pure and correct. 4. Pure morality, because they abide in the majesty and virtue of the precepts, never violating them. 5. Destroyer of evil, because by cultivating the Path they obtain the fruit and sever the afflictions.

*Saṃgha* is called "assembly" (*saṃgha*), because both the realization of principle and the formal acts of the Dharma are harmonious. The number of those in training and beyond training together amounts to eight thousand. Dwelling in the same place as the Buddha, it is again called "together with."