無量壽經優婆提舍願生偈註 1.4

1.4

The Sanskrit word upadeśa has no exact counterpart here for translation. If one were to give an approximate term, it could be called a treatise (śāstra). The reason there is no exact term to translate it is that originally there was no Buddha here. Just as writings in this land are called classics (jing) in reference to Confucius, while the compositions of other people are all called masters (zi), and the categories of dynastic histories and annals each have their separate formats. However, among the twelve divisions of scriptures taught by the Buddha, there is the discourse-sūtra named upadeśa. If disciples of the Buddha explain the Buddha's scriptural teachings in accord with the Buddha's meaning, the Buddha also allows it to be named upadeśa, because it conforms to the characteristics of the Buddha Dharma. The word "treatise" used here merely means discussion and argument; how could it be an exact translation of that term? Furthermore, it is like a woman who is called "mother" by her child and "younger sister" by her elder brother; such matters each differ according to context. If one merely uses the general term "woman" to speak loosely of mother and sister, though one does not lose the general nature of womanhood, how could it convey the sense of superiority and inferiority? The term "treatise" spoken of here is just like this. Therefore, we still retain the Sanskrit sound, saying upadeśa.