[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819) › 1.54 # 無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.54 無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.54 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1.54) 問曰：有論師汎解眾生名義，以其輪轉三有受眾多生死故名眾生。今名佛菩薩為眾生，是義云何？答曰：經言「一法有無量名，一名有無量義。」如以受眾多生死故名為眾生者，此是小乘家釋三界中眾生名義，非大乘家眾生名義也。大乘家所言眾生者，如《不增不減經》言「言眾生者，即是不生不滅義。何以故？若有生，生已復生，有無窮過故、有不生而生過故，是故無生。若有生，可有滅；既無生，何得有滅？是故無生無滅是眾生義」。如經中言「五受陰通達空無所有，是苦義。」斯其類也。 > Question: Some treatise masters broadly explain the meaning of the name "sentient being" (sattva) as being called "sentient being" because they transmigrate through the three realms of existence and undergo many births and deaths. Now why are Buddhas and bodhisattvas called "sentient beings"? What is the meaning of this? > Answer: A sūtra says: "A single phenomenon has immeasurable names, and a single name has immeasurable meanings." If one is called a "sentient being" because of undergoing many births and deaths, this is the Hīnayāna masters' explanation of the meaning of sentient beings in the three realms, not the Mahāyāna masters' meaning of sentient beings. What Mahāyāna masters call "sentient beings" is as stated in the Anūnatvāpūrṇatva-nirdeśa: "What is called a 'sentient being' is precisely the meaning of neither arising nor ceasing. Why is this? If there were arising, then having arisen it would arise again, incurring the fault of infinite regress, as well as the fault of arising without being born; therefore there is no arising. If there were arising, there could be ceasing; since there is no arising, how could there be ceasing? Therefore, neither arising nor ceasing is the meaning of 'sentient being'." Just as when a sūtra says: "Penetrating the five appropriated aggregates as empty and nonexistent is the meaning of suffering." It is of this kind. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.53](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1.53) - [Next: 1.55](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1.55) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819~en-mt.1.54) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1819.1.54) · Pramāṇa