金剛般若經依天親菩薩論贊略釋秦本義記卷上 1.8

1.8

Sūtra: At that time, when mealtime arrived, the Bhagavat put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the great city of Śrāvastī to beg for food. In that city, having begged from door to door in sequence, he returned to his original place. / Below, this clarifies the third [section], the launching preface. The meanings of 'launching' are diverse, as detailed in the various sūtras. Yet because this sūtra especially illuminates wisdom, it employs moral discipline and concentration as the launch. The text of the launching preface is divided into three parts: first, displaying transformation through moral discipline to show that samādhi has a cause; and later, displaying containment through concentration to show that wisdom is the result. This text is the first [part]. Within the text, there are seven phrases. First, 'At that time, the Bhagavat' clarifies the master of conversion. The *Satyasiddhi-śāstra* states that possessing all the preceding nine epithets is why he is called 'Bhagavat'. Second, 'when mealtime arrived' clarifies the morning of conversion. In the yin and mao periods, what is prepared is not yet ready; by the si and wu periods, the meal is already over; thus, going begging during the chen period is called 'mealtime'. Third, 'put on his robe, took his bowl' clarifies the deportment of conversion. As for 'putting on his robe', when entering royal palaces and settlements, it is the saṃghāṭī and so forth. It is also called the robe for subduing non-Buddhists. 'Took his bowl' means holding the stone bowl presented by the Four Heavenly Kings beneath the bodhi tree. By the Buddha's spiritual power, these four bowls were pressed into one, called the 'vessel commensurate with capacity'. The Bhagavat put on his robe in order to refute naked ascetics; he held his bowl in order to refute receiving food with cupped hands. Fourth, 'entered the great city of Śrāvastī' clarifies the place of conversion. According to the *Records of the Western Regions*, the park is five or six li south of the city; now going from outside to inside is called 'entered'. The *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa* states that this city measures twelve yojanas in extent and has nine hundred million households, which is why it is called 'great'. Fifth, 'to beg for food' clarifies the deed of conversion. According to the *Strīvivarta-vyākaraṇa-sūtra*, the Tathāgata's nirmāṇakāya is entirely a mass of vajra, lacking the two receptacles of raw and cooked. That he now manifests begging for food is because there are abundant benefits, generating merit in that field of merit. For instance, Mahākāśyapa abandoned the rich and went to the poor, benefiting the poor without benefiting the rich; Subhūti abandoned the poor and went to the rich, benefiting the rich without benefiting the poor. Because the Buddha benefits [all] equally, he begged in sequence. Seventh, 'returned to his original place' clarifies the conclusion of the conversion. There are two places for the Tathāgata to eat: first, accepting invitations in the houses of white-robed laypeople; second, not accepting [invitations], but begging for food, and returning to his dwelling when the meal is finished. Now, going back to Jetavana corresponds in sense to the second. In summary, because he knew contentment, he did not beg beyond measure; because he knew the proper time, he returned to his original place.