四教義 7.3

7.3

第一翻譯。所言菩薩摩訶薩者，是天竺語，若具依彼語，應云菩提薩埵摩訶薩埵，但諸師翻譯不同，今不具述。而《智度論》翻云：「菩提名佛道，薩埵名成眾生，摩訶言大。此人用諸佛大道成眾生也。」又有師翻云：「菩提名道，薩埵名心，摩訶名大，道是以為道心大道心。」而諸經論多云菩薩摩訶薩者，什師以天竺語繁，兩句八字標名，故除三字留五字，合為一句，名菩薩摩訶薩也。但三乘菩提通名為道，而菩薩獨受大名者，以其緣四諦起慈悲四弘誓願，上求佛果下化眾生，此心矌大，故別受摩訶薩埵之稱也。

First, translation. As for the term 'bodhisattva mahāsattva', this is the language of India; if rendered fully according to that language, it should be called 'bodhisattva mahāsattva'. However, the translations of various masters differ, and will not be fully recounted now. But the *Dà zhìdù lùn* translates it as: ''Bodhi' means the Buddha path; 'sattva' means perfecting sentient beings; 'mahā' means great. This person uses the great path of all buddhas to perfect sentient beings.' There is also a master who translates it as: ''Bodhi' means path; 'sattva' means mind; 'mahā' means great; therefore it is the path-mind, the great path-mind.' As for the sūtras and treatises mostly saying 'bodhisattva mahāsattva', Master [Kumāra]jīva, finding the Indian words cumbersome, took the eight characters of the two phrases as the title, so he removed three characters, retained five characters, and combined them into a single phrase, calling it 'bodhisattva mahāsattva'. But while the bodhi of the three vehicles is commonly called 'the path', the bodhisattva alone receives the title 'great', because in dependence on the four truths he gives rise to the four universal vows of loving-kindness and compassion, seeking the Buddha fruition above and transforming sentient beings below; this mind is expansive and great, and therefore distinctively receives the designation 'mahāsattva'.