首楞嚴義疏注經 1.44

1.44

標類也。與者，并、兼、共、及也。佛與阿難及大比丘等，證非虛謬。梵云摩訶，此具三義：謂大、多、勝也。器量尊重，為天王、大人之所恭敬，故云大；遍知內外經書，故言多；勝出九十五種外道，故言勝。比丘，名含三義：乞士、怖魔、破惡。謂出家者，上於諸佛求法以內資，令慧命增長；下於檀越離邪正命乞食以外資，令色身無損，故云乞士。又出家者，最初發出家心或菩提心，或至成道，皆令魔怖失人眾，故名為怖魔。又能破斷身口七支九十八使業煩惱，故稱為破惡。四人已上乃至無量，能作說恣羯磨法，故名為眾矣。

This designates the class. "Together with" (yu 與) means alongside, combined, together, and and. The Buddha together with Ānanda, the great bhikṣus, and others certifies that it is not false or erroneous. In Sanskrit it is mahā, which possesses three meanings: great, many, and superior. Their capacity and dignity being revered, respected by deva kings and great men, they are therefore called "great"; comprehensively knowing internal and external scriptures, they are therefore called "many"; surpassing ninety-five kinds of non-Buddhists, they are therefore called "superior". "Bhikṣu" contains three meanings in its name: beggar, frightener of Māra, and breaker of evil. That is, as renunciants, above they seek the Dharma from the Buddhas to nourish themselves internally and make their life of wisdom increase; below they beg for food from donors free of wrong livelihood to nourish themselves externally and keep their physical body uninjured, hence they are called "beggars". Furthermore, when renunciants first generate the mind of renunciation or the bodhi mind, or up to attaining the Way, they all cause Māra to be terrified of losing his human host, hence they are named "frighteners of Māra". Furthermore, they can break and sever the seven physical and verbal branches and the ninety-eight dormant karmic afflictions, hence they are called "breakers of evil". Four persons or more up to immeasurable numbers, able to perform the karmavācanā of pratimokṣa recitation and pravāraṇā, they are therefore called "saṅgha" (assembly).