佛說盂蘭盆經疏 2.64

2.64

The first two phrases praise the time in terms of the persons as a general heading; the last two phrases praise the persons through their deportment as a general conclusion. In between, persons and teachings form five pairs, though the text is not in strict order: as for places, there is the pair of mountain retreats and beneath trees; as for realization, the pair of the four fruits and the six supernormal powers; as for practice, the pair of self-benefit and benefiting others; as for learning, the pair of precepts and concentration; as for persons, the pair of the great and small [vehicles], also called the pair of provisional and real. Taken together, they do not go beyond persons and teachings, namely the pair of the three trainings and the three vehicles. From the beginning up to the four fruits is dhyāna-concentration. Next, from "whether beneath" down to "freely... instruct and transform" is wisdom. The three phrases from "all with one..." downward are pure precepts. The three vehicles are śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and the great beings of the ten grounds. "All with one mind" is mental harmony, meaning that when receiving offerings they all generate a mind of shame and earnest respect, a mind of compassion, repaying kindness, and rescuing. Though persons differ in status as ordinary or holy, and in virtue as superior or inferior, the mind they generate is uniform and without difference; hence it says "one." "Receive the rice in the pātra": rice within the alms-bowl. In Sanskrit it is called pātra, which here is translated as "vessel of appropriate measure"; the character he (和) is an error. Today we simply say bo (鉢), which is an abbreviation. The "basin" in the sūtra title is just this bowl. At the time of translation, following popular usage, the title called it a basin; since both a basin and a bowl are vessels, the Tripiṭaka Master, in explaining the title, translated it as "rescue vessel." This single sūtra phrase directly explains the venerable ones of pravāraṇā receiving the Ullambana offering.