金剛般若經依天親菩薩論贊略釋秦本義記卷上 1.7

1.7

Sūtra: "Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was staying in Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove at Śrāvastī, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhikṣus."

According to Master Dao'an, sūtras, regardless of size, are uniformly divided into three sections: namely, the introductory section, the main section, and the propagation section. Here, this sūtra is also judged to have three sections. The first is called the introductory section. From "At that time the Venerable Subhūti" down to "one should view it thus" is the main section. From "When the Buddha had expounded this sūtra" down to "they had faith in it, accepted it, and practiced it" is the propagation section.

Within the initial introductory section, it is subdivided into two: the first is called the section establishing credibility; subsequent to "At that time the Bhagavat," it is named the narrative preface. In the preceding section establishing credibility, according to Tripiṭaka Master Paramārtha's Commentary on the Prajñā, it is divided into seven matters:
1. "Thus" indicates the Dharma heard. Ānanda said that the sūtras expounded by the Buddha are as they are (tathā) regarding all dharmas, hence it is called "as"; because these words regarding all dharmas accord with reality and are not erroneous, it is called "thus."
2. "I" identifies the person capable of hearing. The transmission disciple, the monk Ānanda, a nominal person composed of the five aggregates, is referred to as "I."
3. "Heard" means personally receiving the spoken words. That is to say, the ear faculty gives rise to consciousness to listen and receive, which is called "heard."
4. "At one time" clarifies that the Dharma heard appropriately matched the opportune time. That is to say, the speaker and the listeners assembled together, neither earlier nor later, which is called "at one time."
5. "The Buddha" demonstrates the master capable of expounding. In Sanskrit it is Buddha; here it is translated as Awakened One. Possessing real and conventional wisdom, and fully perfected in self-awakening and awakening others, he is therefore called the Buddha.
6. "Staying in the country of Śrāvastī," and so forth, reveals that the preaching had a place. The dwelling where he wandered and transformed is termed "staying." Śrāvastī is translated here as "hearing things." The "Jeta Grove" refers to the trees donated by Prince Jeta; it is translated here as "conqueror in battle," who was the crown prince of King Prasenajit. "Anāthapiṇḍada's Park" was the park purchased by Elder Sudatta; it is translated here as "good giver." That person had benevolence within and wealth without; he relieved the impoverished and pitied the lonely, so his countrymen praised him with the title Anāthapiṇḍada ("giver to the unprotected"). Sudatta laid out gold to buy the park, and Jeta donated the trees to jointly establish the monastery; therefore, the names of both persons are cited together here to determine the designation of the saṅghārāma. Hence it is said: "Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍada's Park."
7. "Together with a great assembly of bhikṣus," and so forth, clarifies that he did not hear it alone. "Together with" means in company with; "great" means supreme. These bhikṣus were all great arhats, superior to the trainees mentioned earlier, hence called "great." The word "bhikṣu" is translated here as "mendicant," because they lead a pure livelihood. "Assembly" refers to a harmonious community of four or more persons. "Twelve hundred and fifty persons together": the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa says that Uruvilvā Kāśyapa along with five hundred disciples, Gayā Kāśyapa and Nadī Kāśyapa along with two hundred and fifty disciples each, and Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana along with two hundred and fifty disciples in total, were mostly manifested śrāvakas who constantly followed the Buddha. Therefore, they are often enumerated separately in sūtras. "Together" conveys the meaning of being in the same place at the same time: that is, when Ānanda, or the Tathāgata, was in Anāthapiṇḍada's Park together with the bhikṣus and the fourfold assembly.