起信論疏筆削記 17.33

17.33

一中，論　一念至無餘世界者，若準《華嚴》說，初地菩薩能至百佛世界，二地千佛世界，乃至十地不可說不可說阿僧祇世界，此蓋隨其分位勝劣不同。今此文中意在通論十地，故以無餘之言而通貫之也。疏　請法者，於彼彼世界彼彼眾中，勵己率先，為眾導首，請佛說法。請意者，新譯論云：唯為眾生而作利益，非求聽受美妙言辭。夫請說法，誠在所顯修行義意，令其眾會如聞攝取，思而行之，兼冀展轉遐益眾生，豈在徒聽言辭而已耶？則如《圓覺》十二菩薩各伸請問，皆言願為此會及為末世等。

Under the first, the Śāstra states: "In a single thought reaching all worlds without remainder": if based on the Avataṃsaka-sūtra, a bodhisattva of the first ground can reach a hundred Buddha-worlds, the second ground a thousand Buddha-worlds, up to the tenth ground's ineffable-ineffable asaṃkhyeya worlds; these differ in superiority and inferiority according to their respective stages. Now, the intention in this text is to discuss the ten grounds in general, hence the phrase "without remainder" is used to run through them all. The commentary states: "Requesting the Dharma": in those various worlds and among those various assemblies, they exert themselves to take the lead, acting as the leaders of the assembly, requesting the Buddha to preach the Dharma. The intention of requesting: the new translation of the Śāstra says: "Only to benefit sentient beings, not seeking to hear and receive pleasant words." Indeed, requesting the preaching of the Dharma truly lies in manifesting the meaning of practice, causing the assembled gathering to receive it as heard, reflect upon it, and practice it, and also hoping to benefit sentient beings broadly and successively—how could it be merely to listen in vain to words? Thus it is like the twelve bodhisattvas in the Yuanjue jing, who each put forward requests, all saying, "I pray, for the sake of this assembly and for the future age," and so forth.