四分律行事鈔資持記 1.263

1.263

In the specific enumeration: the specific positions are easy to understand, so they are abbreviated and not explained. This chapter on gathering the Saṅgha relies for the moment on the great assembly. As for the first, the four-person Saṅgha: The Commentary states, "Although the Saṅgha has four [categories], its essence and marks are divided into two. The first one is the essence, for without four it is not called a Saṅgha. The latter [three] are differentiated according to affairs; hence there are three distinctions." In the text it only mentions poṣadha and sīmā-bandha; yet in reality, among the one hundred and thirty-four karmans, except for the above five kinds, all the rest are performed by four persons. In the five-person [Saṅgha], it first shows its own school. In ordination in the borderlands there are two acts: instruction with jñapti summoning, the precept master confronting and questioning; and the jñapti for harmonious concord at pavāraṇā. Only these three jñaptis are used by five persons. If one considers the essence of the Saṅgha, four persons are able to accomplish it; but because the circumstances of the affair depend on one another, it is not accomplished without five. Therefore, one is added outside the four to make a five-person Saṅgha; the borderland ordination jñapticaturthī karmavācanā is still subsumed under four persons. Next, from "if" onward, it draws upon other schools. In our own school, accepting deśanā is also limited to four persons; here, following the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya, it is added into the five. That text says: "Karmans of five assemblies are pavāraṇā, borderland ordination, and all naiḥsargika [pāyattikas]." As for the ten-person [Saṅgha]: The Commentary states, "In the Central Region there are many monks; if ordained as before, arrogance would arise; hence the previous five are doubled to make a ten-person Saṅgha." As for the twenty-person [Saṅgha]: The two chapters are adjacent to the grave [offenses], and the disposition of those confessing offenses is frivolous; hence the Central Region ordination [quorum] is doubled to make a twenty-person Saṅgha. In accordance with the Commentary, it asks: "If borderland ordination is exempted for five, by analogy should not absolution from offenses also be exempted for ten?" Answer: "Ordination gives rise to good, so exempting it is beneficial; absolution from offenses extinguishes evil, so exempting it would increase fault. The rest is fully explained there."