瑜伽論記 20.210

20.210

由五相故，思擇大乘經起因緣說：謂為於說者生恭敬故，起第一說者，諸經中說世尊住在某方某林說處之言。為攝眾生故，起第二說者，即諸經中引同聞眾與大苾芻眾千二百五十人俱菩薩三萬二千人等言。為於正法生尊重故，起第三說者，即經中說解脫月等請說經人，不請而說聞法之徒不生難遭之想，為生尊重待請而說。為敘事故，起第四說者，即諸經中佛為時眾略標章也。為欲宣說真實義故，及多所說作故，起第五說者，即諸經中廣說之言。

By means of five aspects, one considers and discerns the explanation of the causes and conditions for the arising of Mahāyāna sūtras: To arouse reverence toward the speaker, the first explanation arises—namely, the words in the various sūtras stating that the World-Honoured One was staying in a certain region and a certain forest, which is the location of the teaching. To gather living beings, the second explanation arises—namely, the statements in the various sūtras citing the assembly that heard the teaching together, 'with a great assembly of bhikṣus of 1,250 people, together with thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas', and so forth. To arouse esteem for the true Dharma, the third explanation arises—namely, the mention in the sūtras of Vimukticandra and others who requested the teaching of the sūtra; if it were taught without request, those who hear the Dharma would not conceive of it as difficult to encounter, so to arouse esteem, [the Buddha] waited for a request before teaching. To narrate the matter, the fourth explanation arises—namely, the Buddha's brief indication of the topics for the assembly of the time in the various sūtras. To proclaim the real meaning and to accomplish great deeds, the fifth explanation arises—namely, the detailed explanations in the various sūtras.