俱舍論記 1.11

1.11

就歸敬序中，初兩句明佛三德，第三句指德歸敬。就前兩句中，初之「諸」字明德所成人，「一切」已下明人所成德。依人辨德，故人先、德後。初說「諸」言顯無朋黨，以德召人。諸有三德我即歸敬，以諸外道各謂自師是一切智，若偏歸敬釋迦牟尼，恐彼生謗，故置「諸」言息其異論。或恐佛化根淺有情，權作彼師引人正法，故置「諸」言。此之「諸」字，起自西方母兒論師，凡欲歸敬皆置「諸」言。論主將為當理，故亦言「諸」。就人所成德中，上句六字明自利德，下一句明利他德。所以先明自利、後明利他者，若不自利，何能利他？經言菩薩為利他者，據意樂說。

Regarding the introductory refuge and veneration: the first two lines explain the Buddha's three virtues, while the third line designates the virtues and pays homage. Within the first two lines, the initial word 'whoever' (zhū) clarifies the person constituted by virtue; from 'all kinds' onward, it clarifies the virtues constituted by the person. Because virtues are determined on the basis of the person, the person comes first and the virtues follow. Stating the word 'whoever' at the outset demonstrates an absence of partisanship, summoning the person by means of virtue: 'Whoever possesses these three virtues, in them I take refuge and pay homage.' Because the various non-Buddhists each claim their own teacher is omniscient, if one were exclusively to take refuge in and pay homage to Śākyamuni, one fears they might generate slander; therefore, the word 'whoever' is placed there to quiet their discordant views. Or perhaps, fearing that the Buddha converts sentient beings of shallow capacity by provisionally assuming the role of their teachers to lead them into the true Dharma, the word 'whoever' is placed there. This word 'whoever' originated in the West from the treatise master Mātrceta; whenever he wished to take refuge and pay homage, he always placed the word 'whoever'. The treatise master considered this to be reasonable, and therefore also said 'whoever'. Within the virtues constituted by the person, the upper six characters explain the virtue of self-benefit, while the lower single line explains the virtue of benefiting others. Why is self-benefit explained first, and benefiting others explained later? If one does not benefit oneself, how could one benefit others? When the sūtras say that bodhisattvas act for the sake of benefiting others, this is stated with respect to their aspiration.