四分律行事鈔資持記 2.526

2.526

In the next section, determining the standard: first, the text indicates the measurement of the Buddha. The text appears in the Vinayadvāviṃśatividyā-śāstra, and the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya Vibhāṣā is also the same. From here downward the feet and inches are determined; the first two sentences generally explain the discrepancies. The commentary says: "The Yuan Wei pacified the disorder, but writings and records had been burned and eliminated, leaving nothing to rely upon; hence standards were established according to secular practice"—this is it. From "However…" downward, it explains that the Zhou standard is reliable. The "laws and almanac" (lǜlì) refers to the secular mathematical calendrics of yin and yang, which determined the degrees, segments, and fractions of stellar movements without error. Ji was the surname of the Zhou, and Zhou was the name of the state. From "Therefore the Sui…" downward, two dynasties are cited as proof. Emperor Yang was the second ruler of the Sui. Conforming to antiquity refers to the Ji Zhou. The Tang dynasty refers to Shenyao receiving the abdication of the Sui and changing the state's name to Tang. "Governing the universe" means reigning over all under heaven. "Using both" means the Zhou and Tang standards were used concurrently, as is still the case today. However, the Tang foot merely added two inches to the Zhou foot; hence it is said that it does not violate antiquity. The Tang Statutes refers to the administrative code of the Tang dynasty, compiled by Wei Zheng in twenty fascicles. For the Zhou, ten inches made a foot, five catties made a balance-scale (chèng), and three pints and three tenths made a peck. With the foot increased by two inches, the peck and balance-scale were proportionally doubled. From "According to…" downward, it indicates what is adopted. The "treatises" are the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya Vibhāṣā and the Vinayadvāviṃśatividyā-śāstra. "This realm" refers to Jambudvīpa. A person of eight feet can span one foot; since the Buddha's body was double, it is clearly known to be two feet. This only now reveals that the translation of the Mahīśāsaka-vinaya is free of error, and hence it is adopted here. The character shuài (率) is pronounced lǜ in the Precept Commentary; shuài is like suàn (calculating).