佛說盂蘭盆經疏 2.8

2.8

When the Buddha was about to enter extinction, Ānanda inquired about four matters, and the Buddha commanded that these words be placed [at the beginning]. The Buddha answered each of the four matters inquired about, namely: 1. Rely on the four stations of mindfulness; 2. Take the precepts as teacher; 3. Practice silent expulsion toward monks of bad character; 4. At the beginning of all sūtras, say: 'Thus have I heard: at one time the Buddha was at such-and-such place together with such-and-such number of people from such-and-such place.'

Sūtras mostly possess the six kinds of fulfillments; even if the text is omitted or abbreviated, the meaning is necessarily complete with them: namely, 1. Faith; 2. Hearing; 3. Time; 4. Host; 5. Place; 6. Assembly. If the six conditions are not complete, the teaching will not arise. Because they must be complete in all six, they are called 'fulfillments.' The present sūtra lacks the listing of the assembly. Furthermore, that hearing-fulfillment comes first, differing from other sūtras, is in each case due to the intention of the translator. That is, some say 'a dharma such as this, I heard from the Buddha,' and some say 'I heard such a dharma from the Buddha's presence'; these are all expressions pointing to the dharma. Not saying 'I' is intended to show that all holy ones realize the principle of non-self. When other sūtras have it, Ānanda is referring to the provisional self of the five aggregates, which is not the self conceived by emotional attachment, so there is also no fault.

'Heard' means the ear faculty giving rise to consciousness to listen to that external sound. Next, saying 'thus' is the fulfillment of faith. For one who has faith says 'this matter is thus,' while one without faith says 'this matter is not thus.' Therefore Master Sengzhao says: 'It is an expression of faithful compliance.'

'At one time' means the meeting of teacher and disciple when preaching and listening are culminated; it is collectively called 'one time,' to distinguish it from other times. This means that when the Tathāgata expounds a sūtra, the times are immeasurable and cannot be separately enumerated; a single word briefly encompasses them, so it merely says 'one.' Because the divisions of time in various regions are of unfixed length, it simply says 'at one time.' However, as for why sūtras do not specify a fixed time but do specify a fixed place: some explanations invite objections, so they are not adopted here. Now, examining the intention: places did not exceed the dwelling places where he traveled and transformed throughout the sixteen states and had their fixed count, so they were easy to mark and point out. As for time, years, months, spring, autumn, cold, heat, day, night, *yin*, *mao*, and momentary instants change rapidly and accumulate in immeasurable numbers that cannot be spoken of or recorded, so they are difficult to mark and point out.

'Buddha' is the Sanskrit *buddha*, rendered here as 'awakened one,' meaning one who has awakened to the nature and characteristics of the true and the false. Awakening has three meanings: 1. Self-awakening to the emptiness of the self, distinguishing from ordinary beings; 2. Awakening others to the emptiness of dharmas, distinguishing from the two vehicles; 3. Awakening fulfilled and both [self and dharmas] empty, matching original awakening, termed ultimate awakening or termed great awakening and marvelous awakening, distinguishing from bodhisattvas.

'In Śrāvastī,' and so forth, is the fulfillment of place. The notes of Paramārtha state: 'There are two kinds of dwelling places: 1. The objective-realm place, which refers to transforming the worldly stream; 2. The reliance place, which refers to presiding over the assembly of renunciants. The first is Śrāvastī; the second is the Jeta Grove.' The *Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra* says: 'Citing Śrāvastī is to let those far away know; citing the Jeta Grove is to let those nearby know.' Śrāvastī is translated here as 'hearing things,' meaning that it was replete with the goods of wealth and treasures, and people of broad learning and liberation, being heard of far away in various countries. Tripiṭaka Master Yijing's translation of the *Vajracchedikā* calls it 'the Great City of Renown.'

'The Jeta Grove,' and so forth, refers to the trees donated by Prince Jeta and the park purchased by Elder Anāthapiṇḍada. Jeta is translated here as 'victorious in battle'; he was the crown prince of King Prasenajit. At the time of his birth, the king was victorious in battle against a foreign country, so he was named after it. 'Anāthapiṇḍada' (Provider for the Destitute) is an official's title; his original name was Sudatta, which is translated here as 'good giver,' meaning that providing for the destitute is itself good giving. Moreover, because he constantly practiced giving, he was called Good Giver; the local people praised him with the title Provider for the Destitute. However, the park was purchased by Sudatta, and the trees were donated by Jeta; the park was general and the trees particular, so the park should properly have been indicated first, but now, by the propriety of distinguishing the noble and the base, the trees come first and the park after.

In Western countries, a monastery is called a *saṅghārāma*, which is translated here as 'community park.' When Buddhism flowed east and first arrived in China, [the monks] stayed in the Court of State Ceremonial (Honglusi) to host foreign monks; once the monks gradually increased, they were placed separately in other lodges, retaining their original designation, all being called *si* (monasteries). As for purchasing the park and donating the trees, the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* explains: Elder Sudatta sought a wife for his son and went to Rājagṛha. Because of seeing the Buddha, he gave rise to the aspiration and invited him to enter Śrāvastī to preach the dharma. The Buddha instructed Śāriputra to return with him to first select a dwelling place. Having selected Prince Jeta's park, the Elder asked to purchase it; the Prince joked: 'Cover it sideways with yellow gold; when it is filled, I will sell it.' The Elder then wished to deliver it. The Prince said: 'Those were words spoken in jest.' Together they asked an arbitrator to judge it, and he judged that they must abide by the former words. The Elder transported the gold and spread it sideways, with only one corner short. Seeing that he did not begrudge wealth and treasures, the Prince knew the Buddha was extraordinary, and thereupon donated the remaining land to establish the gatehouse, and donated the trees in the park to provide shade. The two together completed the monastery and invited the Buddha to dwell there; hence it says 'the Jeta Grove,' and so forth.

Lacking the fulfillment of the assembly is merely an omission of the text, as in the *Anityatā-sūtra* and others. However, having that time, there must have been the retinue of followers; therefore the end of the sūtra says: 'The disciples of the four assemblies rejoiced and practiced accordingly.'