法苑珠林 12.68

12.68

爾時迦葉重問曰。我過去諸佛修多羅中。一一分部說。汝常至佛邊當有教勅。阿難答曰。我受世尊教。末世眾生煩惱垢重不能解我教法。不得部類出之。汝當分別說也。或十章五章。隨意而安置。令鈍根者易解我法。

Then Kāśyapa questioned him again, saying, "In the sūtras of all the past Buddhas, they are expounded section by section according to division. You were constantly by the Buddha's side and must have received instructions [on this]." Ānanda replied, "I received the World-Honoured One's instruction: 'Sentient beings of the final age have heavy defilements and impurities, and cannot understand my teachings; they must not be brought forth divided into categories. You must expound them with differentiation, or arrange them at will into ten chapters or five chapters, so that those of dull faculties may easily understand my teachings.'"