說無垢稱經疏 1.35

1.35

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."