佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經教跡義記 1.50

1.50

述曰：次當第六眾成就也。亦有三種：一、顯聲聞眾；二、顯菩薩眾；三、顯諸天眾。且第一聲聞眾者，即與大苾芻眾千二百五十人俱是。今者先顯聲聞，後彰菩薩。言與者，以自兼彼，故言為與。言大者，為拔群超眾，故言為大，又言大者，梵云摩訶，摩訶此言大也，具三藏義：一、大；二、多；三、勝。言大者，非小聲聞，為天王、人王、大人所供養。又八義故名大：一者數大，千二百等；二者名大，名稱遠聞；三者德大，大阿羅漢故；四者離大，大障礙斷故；五者性大，功德智慧波羅蜜多種性故；六者識大故、大人所識故；七者趣大，迴向大菩提故；八者歒大，能破外道故。言多也，言勝者，具八義中，言苾芻者，有其三義：一、怖魔；二、乞士；三、破惡。言怖魔者，為出家之時，上動魔宮、下利群品，以魔怖故，故名怖魔。言乞士者，為離四邪命，故言乞士。言四邪命者：一下口食，為合和湯藥種植菓實，所得利養已自供身，名為下口食。二仰口食，為仰星宿占相吉凶，所得利養以自供身，名為仰口食。三方口食，為諂曲、兩口、巧說多端、為國使命，以得利養自供身，名方口食。四維口食者，誦呪禁龍縛鳥，名維口食。離此四種邪求活命，故名乞士。言破惡者，撝智慧劍殺煩惱賊，故名破惡。具斯三義，故名比丘。言比丘，言慕道，處處常持寶錫，依僧肅肅，如護明珠，乞食巡門，侵寒暑而□利物；披灰攘服，履霜雪以度眾生。皆能降伏魔軍、摧折外道，所以果名殺賊，因號怖魔。應供聲震十方，度人名流三界，解脫床而同坐，涅槃山以齊登，拯四趣而絕胞胎，背五燒而歸寂滅。具斯三義，故厥號比丘。言千二百五十人者，律及《因果經》說：「佛初成道度憍陳如、摩訶男、婆提、婆敷、阿濕卑等五人，次度優樓頻螺迦葉眾五百人，次度伽耶迦葉、那提迦葉二眾各二百五十人，次度舍利弗、目乾連二眾各一百人，次度耶舍長者子等二百五十人，總合有一千二百五十人。舉大數故唯爾所。」問：「何不標餘，但舉此等？」答曰：「名德高遠、常隨佛故，皆先外道捨邪歸正故。《毘婆沙論》云：『四義故說：一、以皆是婆羅門種，淨行出家故；二、以皆是上上，善來得戒故；三、以皆是大阿羅漢故；四、以皆是五師大門徒故。』又準《賢劫定意經》說：『釋迦初會說經，一千二百五十人比丘皆得道證。』經中且標初會所度，故無餘也。」

Commentary: Next is the sixth, the fulfillment of the assembly. It also has three types: first, revealing the śrāvaka assembly; second, revealing the bodhisattva assembly; third, revealing the assembly of devas. As for the first, the śrāvaka assembly, it is [indicated by] "together with a great bhikṣu assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty persons." Now, the śrāvakas are revealed first, and the bodhisattvas are manifested later. The word "with" means to include others alongside oneself, hence it says "with". The word "great" means that they stand out from the crowd and surpass the multitude, hence they are called "great". Furthermore, regarding "great", in Sanskrit it is *mahā*; *mahā* here means "great" and possesses the three meanings of the Tripiṭaka: first, great; second, many; third, superior. As for "great", they are not petty śrāvakas; they are worshipped by deva kings, human kings, and great persons. Furthermore, because of eight meanings they are called "great": first, greatness of number, being one thousand two hundred, and so forth; second, greatness of renown, their fame being heard far and wide; third, greatness of virtue, because they are great arhats; fourth, greatness of abandonment, because the great obstacles have been severed; fifth, greatness of nature, because they belong to the lineage of virtues, wisdom, and pāramitās; sixth, greatness of recognition, because they are recognized by great persons; seventh, greatness of destination, because they dedicate [themselves] toward great bodhi; eighth, greatness over adversaries, because they are able to defeat non-Buddhists. As for "many" and "superior", they are contained within these eight meanings. Regarding "bhikṣu", it has three meanings: first, terrifying Māra; second, mendicant; third, destroyer of evil. Regarding "terrifying Māra", when one leaves the household life, the palaces of Māra above are shaken, and the many beings below are benefited; because Māra is terrified, it is called "terrifying Māra". Regarding "mendicant", because they abandon the four improper livelihoods, they are called "mendicants". As for the four improper livelihoods: first, livelihood with downward-turned mouth, compounding broths and medicines, and planting fruits, using the profit and sustenance obtained to maintain oneself—this is called livelihood with downward-turned mouth. Second, livelihood with upward-turned mouth, looking up at the constellations and divining good and bad fortunes, using the profit and sustenance obtained to maintain oneself—this is called livelihood with upward-turned mouth. Third, livelihood with outward-turned mouth, flattering, being double-tongued, speaking craftily in various ways, serving as a state envoy, using the profit and sustenance obtained to maintain oneself—this is called livelihood with outward-turned mouth. Fourth, livelihood with corner-turned mouth, chanting spells, subduing dragons, and binding birds—this is called livelihood with corner-turned mouth. Leaving behind these four improper ways of seeking a livelihood, one is therefore called a "mendicant". Regarding "destroyer of evil", wielding the sword of wisdom to slay the bandits of afflictions, one is therefore called a "destroyer of evil". Endowed with these three meanings, one is called a bhikṣu. As for bhikṣus, yearning for the Path, everywhere they constantly carry precious pewter staffs; relying on the Saṅgha with solemn dignity, they are like those guarding bright pearls; begging for food from door to door, braving the cold and heat to benefit beings; clad in ash-colored robes, treading frost and snow to deliver sentient beings. They can all subdue the armies of Māra and crush non-Buddhists; hence their result is named "slaying bandits", and their cause is designated "terrifying Māra". Their worthiness of offerings resonates throughout the ten directions, their fame in delivering people flows across the three realms; they sit together on the seat of liberation and scale the mountain of nirvāṇa in unison; they rescue the four destinies, severing womb rebirth, and turn their backs on the five burnings to return to quiescent extinction. Endowed with these three meanings, they are therefore termed bhikṣus. Regarding "one thousand two hundred and fifty persons", the Vinaya and the *Sūtra of Cause and Effect* state: "When the Buddha first attained awakening, he delivered the five persons: Kauṇḍinya, Mahānāman, Bhadrika, Bāṣpa, and Aśvajit. Next, he delivered the five hundred members of Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa's assembly. Next, he delivered the two assemblies of Gayā-Kāśyapa and Nadī-Kāśyapa, two hundred and fifty persons each. Next, he delivered the two assemblies of Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, one hundred persons each. Next, he delivered the elder's son Yaśas and others, two hundred and fifty persons. In all, there were one thousand two hundred and fifty persons. He mentioned only this many to present the round number." Question: "Why are others not listed, but only these mentioned?" Answer: "Because their fame and virtues were lofty and far-reaching, and they constantly followed the Buddha; they all formerly were non-Buddhists who abandoned the heterodox to return to the correct. The *Vibhāṣā-śāstra* says: 'They are mentioned for four reasons: first, because they were all of brāhmaṇa lineage, practicing pure conduct and leaving the household life; second, because they were all superior, receiving the precepts through the 'ehi-bhikṣu' formula; third, because they were all great arhats; fourth, because they were all chief disciples of the five teachers.' Furthermore, according to the *Bhadrakalpika-samādhi-sūtra*, it says: 'At Śākyamuni's first assembly for expounding the sūtras, one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus all attained the realization of the Path.' The sūtra only designates those delivered at the first assembly, hence none others are included."