釋氏要覽 3.293

3.293

毘奈耶云。由作淨業故。名淨人。若防護住處。名守園民。或云。使人。今京寺呼家人。緣起者。十誦律云。瓶沙王見大迦葉自蹋泥修屋。王於後捕得五百賊人。王問。汝能供給比丘。當赦汝𠇮皆願。王遂遣往祇園。充淨人謂為僧作淨。免僧有過故名淨人。又梵云。吃栗多。唐言賤人（今見童行自稱淨人。蓋不知端也）。

The Vinaya says: "Because they perform pure deeds, they are called pure men (kappiya-kāraka). If they guard and protect the dwelling place, they are called park-keepers (ārāmika). Or they are called attendants. In the capital's monasteries nowadays, they are called servants. As for the origin: the Ten-Recitation Vinaya says that King Bimbisāra saw Mahākāśyapa personally treading mud to repair a room. Later, the king captured five hundred thieves. The king asked: 'Can you provide for the monks? If so, I shall pardon you.' They all wished to do so. The king then sent them to the Jetavana to serve as pure men. That is, they perform pure tasks for the Saṃgha, freeing the Saṃgha from transgressions; hence they are called pure men. Furthermore, in Sanskrit they are called kṛta, which in the Tang language means base person (nowadays one sees postulants calling themselves pure men, which is because they do not know the origin)."