金剛般若經疏 1.17

1.17

經。與大比丘千二百五十人俱　演曰。第六同聞眾成就。唯魏周本流通分中有菩薩摩訶薩。餘四本經並唯四眾八部。初不列者欲令聲聞大乘中生疑者除彼疑故。又解不定種姓菩薩生定□故。又復聲聞形同如來常隨於佛。是故偏列流通分中。列菩薩者。欲顯迴心畢竟趣大佛種不斷。其不列者自是文略諸經列眾四句不同。一唯小非大如此經等。二唯大非小如華嚴等。三大小俱列法華經等。四二俱不列如勝鬘金光明等。此等不同。或隨廣略。或對所為。或實有□理非一例。智度論云。聲聞菩薩藏中准列聲聞。菩薩藏中小大兼列者。隨多分大能兼小。小不兼大。作如是說理實不定。華嚴經等不列小故。即此大乘唯列小故。釋來意有五。一為證信助成阿難聞同可信。二為顯德如帝釋梵王諸天圍繞顯佛諸王諸聖圍繞。三為啟請善現在眾起請問故。四為當根令彼聲聞迴趣大故。五為引攝□□□□若淨位不生引攝現常令同位學所。言與者兼并共及之義智論七義。謂與世尊一處一時一心一□一□一道同一解脫故名為共。次言大有三說不同。一者真諦記釋有三義。一數大如言大軍。二者量大如言大。三者勝大如言大王。比丘亦爾。眾非一故。即是數大德難測故。則當量大修善菩提道高極元上即是。勝大二者。佛地論四義釋大。一者利根波羅蜜多種姓聲聞故。二者無學乘故。三不定種姓迴心向大故。四眾數多故。三者智度論五義。一切眾中最為上故。諸障斷故。□等敬故。數甚多故。能破九十六種外道論故。雖有三說。今者詳之總有八義。一數大千二百等故。二名大名稱遠聞故。三位大大阿難羅漢故。四離大大障礙斷故。五德大功德智慧波羅蜜多種性故。六識大大人所識故。七趣大迴向大菩提故。八敵大能破外道故。梵云苾芻。訛云比丘。由具五義所以不譯。一曰怖魔初出家時魔宮動故。二云乞士故出家已食自濟故。三名淨持戒漸入僧應持戒故。四云淨命既受得戒。所起三業以無貪發不依於貪邪活命故。五曰破惡漸依□□□煩惱故。眾者僧也。理事二和得眾名也。三人已上得名僧故。千二百五十人者。律及因果經等說。佛初成道度憍陳如等五人。次度優樓頻螺迦葉眾五百人。次伽耶迦葉那提迦葉二眾各二百五十人。次度舍利弗目乾連二眾各一百人。次度耶舍長者子等五十人。總有一千二百五十五人。今舉大數故唯爾所。問。何不標餘但舉此等耶。答。名德高故。當隨佛故。皆先外道捨耶歸政故。毘尼婆沙四義故說。一以皆是婆羅門種淨行出家故。二以皆是上上善來得戒故。三以皆是大阿羅漢故。四以皆是五師大門徒故。又准賢劫定意經說。釋迦初會求說經千二百五十比丘皆得道證經中且標初會所度故無餘也。俱者同時一處義。若爾對前與字應重言失。答。以此兼彼為與。將彼就此為俱。又將此對彼名之為與。彼自同時名之為俱。問。此等聲聞為權為實。答。准智論攝論寶性論。此等聲聞皆是應化。常隨如來影嚮正法。

Sūtra: Together with a great assembly of 1,250 monks. Exposition: The sixth is the fulfillment of the assembly of co-listeners. Only in the circulation sections of the Wei and Zhou translations are there bodhisattva-mahāsattvas; the other four versions of the sūtra have only the four assemblies and the eight classes [of beings]. That they are not listed at the beginning is because [the Buddha] wished to dispel the doubts of those śrāvakas who harbored doubts regarding the Mahāyāna. Another explanation is to cause bodhisattvas of indeterminate lineage to give rise to determinate [aspiration]. Moreover, the physical appearance of the śrāvakas resembles that of the Tathāgata, and they constantly accompany the Buddha; therefore, they are listed specifically. In the circulation section, bodhisattvas are listed because [the Buddha] wished to manifest their turning around of mind to ultimately proceed toward the Great [Vehicle], so that the Buddha-lineage is not cut off. Their omission [earlier] is simply an abbreviation of the text. The listing of assemblies in various sūtras falls into four differing categories: first, only the Small and not the Great, as in this sūtra and others; second, only the Great and not the Small, as in the Avataṃsaka Sūtra and others; third, both Great and Small are listed, as in the Lotus Sūtra and others; fourth, neither is listed, as in the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra, the Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra, and others. These differences are either due to being extensive or abbreviated, or in response to those being addressed, or because there is an actual [hidden intent]; the principle is not uniform. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa states: 'In the Śrāvakapiṭaka, only śrāvakas are listed; in the Bodhisattvapiṭaka, both Small and Great are listed.' This is stated in terms of the majority, where the Great can include the Small, but the Small cannot include the Great; in principle, it is not fixed, for the Avataṃsaka Sūtra and others do not list the Small, and this very Mahāyāna sūtra lists only the Small. There are five intentions behind their presence: first, to bear witness to credibility, aiding Ānanda by making his hearing consistent and credible; second, to manifest virtue, as Indra, Brahmā, and the various devas surround [the Buddha] to show that he is surrounded by kings of the Buddha and all āryas; third, for the sake of requesting, as Subhūti was present in the assembly to rise and make requests; fourth, for the primary audience, to cause those śrāvakas to turn around and proceed to the Great; fifth, to attract and gather […] if those in the pure stages do not arise, to attract and gather those presently manifest to study together in the same stage. The word 'with' has the meaning of including, uniting, being together, and reaching. The Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa gives seven meanings: namely, being together with the World-Honoured One in one place, at one time, with one mind, […], […], one path, and sharing the same liberation; hence it is called 'together'. Next, regarding 'great', there are three different explanations: First, Paramārtha's notes explain three meanings: first, great in number, as one speaks of a great army; second, great in measure, as one speaks of [greatness]; third, great in supremacy, as one speaks of a great king. The monks are also like this: because the assembly is not singular, this is greatness in number; because their virtues are difficult to fathom, this corresponds to greatness in measure; because they cultivate the path of supreme enlightenment, high and unsurpassed, this is greatness in supremacy. Second, the Buddhabhūmyupadeśa explains 'great' through four meanings: first, because they are śrāvakas of sharp faculties and the pāramitā lineage; second, because they belong to the vehicle of the non-learners; third, because they are of indeterminate lineage and turn their minds toward the Great; fourth, because the number of the assembly is large. Third, the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa gives five meanings: because they are the most supreme among all assemblies; because all hindrances are severed; because they are revered by [gods] and others; because their number is very large; and because they are able to refute the doctrines of the ninety-six kinds of heterodox paths. Although there are three explanations, examining them now, there are eight meanings in total: first, greatness in number, being 1,250 and so forth; second, greatness in renown, their fame being heard from afar; third, greatness in status, being great arhats like Mahā-Ānanda; fourth, greatness in detachment, their great obstacles having been severed; fifth, greatness in virtue, their virtue, wisdom, and pāramitā lineage; sixth, greatness in recognition, being known by great beings; seventh, greatness in orientation, dedicating themselves toward great bodhi; eighth, greatness in confronting adversaries, being able to refute heterodox paths. In Sanskrit they are called bhikṣu, which is erroneously called biqiu; because it possesses five meanings, it is not translated: first, 'terrifying Māra', because when they first leave the household, the palaces of Māra tremble; second, 'beggar', because having left the household, they sustain themselves through food [from begging]; third, 'pure observance of precepts', because gradually entering the Saṅgha, they should observe the precepts; fourth, 'pure livelihood', because having received the precepts, their three karmic actions arise from non-greed and do not rely on greed for a wrong livelihood; fifth, 'destroying evil', because gradually relying on […] [they destroy] defilements. 'Assembly' is the saṅgha; through the harmony of principle and affairs, it obtains the name 'assembly'; three or more individuals obtain the designation of saṅgha. As for '1,250 persons', the Vinaya and the Sūtra of Cause and Effect state: when the Buddha first attained enlightenment, he delivered the five persons including Kaundinya; next, he delivered Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa's assembly of five hundred persons; next, the two assemblies of Gayā-Kāśyapa and Nadī-Kāśyapa, each numbering two hundred and fifty persons; next, he delivered the two assemblies of Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, each numbering one hundred persons; next, he delivered the fifty persons including the elder's son Yaśas. In total, there were 1,255 persons. Now, mentioning the round number, there are only this many. Question: Why are others not designated, but only these mentioned? Answer: Because their renown and virtue were high; because they constantly followed the Buddha; and because, formerly being heterodox practitioners, they abandoned the wrong and returned to the correct. The Vinaya-vibhāṣā states four reasons: first, because they were all of the brahmin caste and left the household in pure conduct; second, because they all obtained the precepts through the supreme 'Come, bhikṣu' (ehi-bhikṣu); third, because they were all great arhats; fourth, because they were the great disciples of the five masters. Moreover, according to the Bhadrakalpika-samādhi Sūtra, in Śākyamuni's first gathering to preach the sūtras, the 1,250 monks all attained the realization of the Way; the sūtra momentarily indicates those delivered in the first gathering, hence there are no others. 'Together' has the meaning of being at the same time and in one place. If so, compared with the preceding word 'with', would this not be a flaw of repetition? Answer: Taking this to include that is 'with'; bringing that to join this is 'together'. Furthermore, placing this against that is called 'with'; being simultaneously together of themselves is called 'together'. Question: Are these śrāvakas provisional or real? Answer: According to the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, the Mahāyānasaṃgraha, and the Ratnagotravibhāga, these śrāvakas are all transformationally manifested, constantly following the Tathāgata as shadows and echoes to protect the true Dharma.