淨名經集解關中疏 1.16

1.16

“Together with a great assembly of eight thousand bhikṣus”: Below, the sixth part lists the assembly that heard the sūtra together, testifying that it was not mistakenly transmitted by oneself. The assembly has three divisions. First it lists the śrāvakas: because their appearance and minds are both superior, their testimony inspiring faith is the most intimate, and thus they are listed first. Next it lists the bodhisattvas: their minds are the same [as the Buddha's] but their appearance is different, so their testimony inspiring faith is slightly more distant, and thus they are listed next. Afterwards it lists the devas and nāgas: both their appearance and minds are divergent, so their testimony inspiring faith is the most distant, and thus they are listed last. First, listing the bhikṣus: “Together with” means in company with. “Great” refers to the ultimate fruition. “Bhikṣu” is the name for the person. “Assembly” means harmony. Zhao says: “In Qin, ‘bhikṣu’ is alternatively named ‘pure beggar for food,’ or ‘destroyer of afflictions,’ or ‘one able to keep the precepts,’ or ‘one able to frighten Māra.’ In India, a single term encompasses these four meanings. Because Qin has no single term to translate it, its translated meanings are preserved.”