法苑珠林 12.31

12.31

又依涅槃經。大聖說法既有三乘。傳法人還有三名。一名阿難陀。此云歡喜。謂持小乘法藏。二名阿難陀跋陀。此云歡喜賢。謂持中乘法藏。三名阿難陀娑伽羅。此云歡喜海。謂持大乘法藏。三名雖異據體唯一。故維摩經云。舍利弗問天女曰。汝於三乘當何志求。天曰。若以小乘法化。我作聲聞。若以中乘法化。我作緣覺。若以大乘法化。我作菩薩。故知阿難通持大小乘人。此三人中。前二人者有親聞傳聞。故下結集中阿難昇座。依智度論說偈云。

Furthermore, according to the *Nirvāṇa-sūtra*, since the Great Sage preached the Dharma in three vehicles, the persons transmitting the Dharma also had three names: The first was named Ānanda, which here means 'Joy', referring to the one who maintained the Hīnayāna Dharma-piṭaka. The second was named Ānandabhadra, which here means 'Joyous Worthy', referring to the one who maintained the Middle Vehicle Dharma-piṭaka. The third was named Ānandasāgara, which here means 'Ocean of Joy', referring to the one who maintained the Mahāyāna Dharma-piṭaka. Although the three names are distinct, their substance is only one. Thus the *Vimalakīrti-sūtra* says: Śāriputra asked the goddess, 'In which of the three vehicles do you resolve to seek?' The goddess said, 'If converting through the Hīnayāna Dharma, I become a śrāvaka. If converting through the Middle Vehicle Dharma, I become a pratyekabuddha. If converting through the Mahāyāna Dharma, I become a bodhisattva.' Therefore we know that Ānanda was one who comprehensively maintained both the Mahāyāna and the Hīnayāna. Among these three persons, the former two had personal hearing and hearsay. Therefore, in the compilation below, when Ānanda ascended the seat, according to the *Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra*, he spoke in verse: