[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [分別功德論](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507) › 1.3 # 分別功德論 1.3 分別功德論 1.3 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1.3) 思惟經法甚為浩大，云何當使流布天下，千載眾生得蒙法澤耶？深思至理，誰能撰法？唯有阿難乃能集耳。迦葉即時鳴揵槌集眾。于時尋有八萬四千諸羅漢等承命來集，此等無漏皆是俱解脫人。所以召此諸賢聖者，以其盡能入滅盡定故也。諸有入滅盡定者，能使眾生現世得福、濟其苦厄。大千世界諸無著等其數難算，除諸三道，各各一倍。今但錄利根俱解脫，能以滅盡定度脫眾生，是故稱為福田。何以明之？昔日天帝釋福盡命終，時五瑞應至，心即恐懼欲求救護。正欲至佛所求救，念佛恩寬緩，懼不解命急。念舍利弗、目連等，亦恐不能濟命。唯有大迦葉，以滅盡定力尋濟危急，即往迦葉所。時迦葉適欲至貧家福度。諦念正欲現天身，懼恐不受我施。便於中路現作草屋，羸病在中。迦葉從乞，病人即申手施食。迦葉以鉢受之，變成甘露。還現天身於虛空中。迦葉曰：「何以妄語誑我耶？」天答曰：「不妄語，我至誠施。我是天帝，五瑞至命欲終，故來求願。願濟我命。」迦葉即默然可之。天至佛所聽法，須臾便睡，睡即覺。佛語天帝：「汝向已死。今已還活，不復命終。」還復本身。此即是迦葉滅盡定力之所感也。迦葉所以用滅盡定力最勝者，以迦葉本是辟支佛故也。夫辟支佛法，不說法教化，專以神足感動三昧變現。大迦葉雖復羅漢取證，本識猶存。向所錄八萬四千眾，德能所感功齊迦葉。 > He reflected that the scripture and Dharma were exceedingly vast: how could they be caused to circulate through the world so that living beings for a thousand generations might receive the moistening of the Dharma? Reflecting deeply on the ultimate principle, who could compile the Dharma? Only Ānanda could assemble it. Kāśyapa immediately struck the gaṇḍī to assemble the congregation. At that time, eighty-four thousand arhats soon obeyed the summons and came to assemble; all these anāsrava \[beings\] were ubhayatobhāgavimuktas. The reason he summoned these worthy and noble ones was that they were all able to enter the nirodhasamāpatti. Those who enter the nirodhasamāpatti are able to cause living beings to obtain merit in the present life and rescue them from their suffering and distress. The number of such unattached ones in the great chiliocosm is difficult to calculate; excluding those of the three paths, each is doubled. Now he only recorded those with sharp faculties who were ubhayatobhāgavimuktas, who through the nirodhasamāpatti could deliver living beings; for this reason they are called fields of merit. How is this made clear? Formerly, when the merit of Śakra Devānām Indra was exhausted and his life was coming to an end, the five omens of death were due to arrive; his mind was immediately terrified and he wished to seek protection. Just as he wished to go to the Buddha's place to seek help, he thought that the Buddha's grace is broad and unhurried, and he feared it would not resolve the emergency of his life. He thought of Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and the others, but also feared they could not save his life. Only Mahākāśyapa, through the power of the nirodhasamāpatti, could swiftly rescue him in critical danger; so he immediately went to Kāśyapa's dwelling. At that time Kāśyapa was just about to go to a poor household to save them by bestowing merit. \[Śakra\] carefully considered that if he were to manifest his divine body, he feared \[Kāśyapa\] would not accept his offering. Thereupon midway on the road he manifested a grass hut, lying within it emaciated and sick. Kāśyapa begged from him, and the sick person immediately extended his hands to bestow food. Kāśyapa received it in his bowl, and it transformed into amṛta. He returned to manifesting his divine body in the sky. Kāśyapa said: "Why have you spoken falsely and deceived me?" The deva replied: "I did not speak falsely; I gave with utmost sincerity. I am the heavenly lord. As the five omens have arrived and my life is about to end, I have therefore come to seek a wish. I wish that you would rescue my life." Kāśyapa then silently assented. The deva went to the Buddha's place to listen to the Dharma, and in a moment fell asleep; upon sleeping, he immediately awoke. The Buddha said to the heavenly lord: "A moment ago you had already died. Now you have already come back to life, and your life will no longer end." He returned to his original body. This was brought about by the power of Kāśyapa's nirodhasamāpatti. The reason Kāśyapa was supreme in employing the power of the nirodhasamāpatti was that Kāśyapa was originally a pratyekabuddha. As for the way of a pratyekabuddha, they do not preach the Dharma to convert others, but solely use ṛddhi to move others and samādhi to manifest transformations. Although Mahākāśyapa had attained realization as an arhat, his original consciousness still remained. The assembly of eighty-four thousand recorded above had powers of response and merit equal to Kāśyapa. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1.2) - [Next: 1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1.4) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507~en-mt.1.3) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.1507.1.3) · Pramāṇa