分別功德論 4.44

4.44

所以稱優波離持律第一者，昔佛還本國受父王請，所從比丘雖復心精，無表容貌。時王欲勸釋種豪族子弟出家為比丘侍從世尊，即宣令諸釋：「其有兄弟二人者，皆當一人出家為道。若不從令者當重罰之。」時有一釋種子名曰面王，釋中最長，次應先下髮。時佛命優波離為其剃頭，重告曰：「此諸釋種憍樂體軟，汝好徐徐輕手與剃。」優波離即輕手。復太輕不著，時優波離復反刀刃以脊用之。佛言：「不可。」復用刀腹，亦曰：「不可。」即以刀從頂上剃，泯然除盡。五百釋子皆悉如是。佛命優波離曰：「善來比丘。」即成沙門。佛即授戒，得阿羅漢。次授五百釋子戒。優波離為上座。以手摩五百人頭，為弟子受戒訖，次當禮優波離。諸釋先素憍豪，不能下屈，加復是己之子弟，各言：「此是我家僕，何緣禮之？」佛言：「不爾。法無貴賤，先達為兄、後者為弟。」俛仰不已，制意為禮。即時天地大動，諸天於上讚曰：「善哉善哉！今日諸釋降伏貢高，此意難勝故地為動耳。」當五百釋為道時，亦有九萬九千人出家為道。優波離自從佛受戒已來，未曾犯如毫釐，以是因緣故稱第一。但以是更有餘事耶？祇園精舍北有一比丘，得病經六年不差。時優波離往問比丘：「何所患苦？若所須者便道。」曰：「我所須者不可說。」又問曰：「汝欲須何物？若此無者，當從四方求之。若世間無者，上天求之。」曰：「我所須者舍衛城中有，以違佛教故不可說耳。」曰：「但說無苦。」曰：「我唯思酒耳。得五升酒者病便愈。」優波離曰：「且住。我為汝問佛。」還即問佛：「比丘病，須酒為藥。不審可得飲不？」世尊曰：「我所制法，除病者。」優波離即還索酒與，病即愈。重與說法，得羅漢道。佛讚優波離：「汝乃問如來此事，使病比丘得蒙除差，又使得道。此比丘若不得度者，後當墮三塗作識無有出期。汝乃為將來比丘說禁法，使知輕重得濟危厄。汝真能持律，以律藏付汝，勿令漏失。此藏諸藏之中最在其內，不可示沙彌及以白衣。」以是緣故復稱為第一也。

The reason why Upāli is proclaimed foremost in upholding the Vinaya is that long ago, when the Buddha returned to his native land at the invitation of his father, the king, the monks who followed him, though pure in mind, did not have distinguished appearances. At that time, the king wished to encourage the sons of the noble Śākya clan to go forth as monks to attend upon the World-Honoured One, so he issued an order to the Śākyas: 'Wherever there are two brothers, one must go forth to practice the Path. Anyone who does not follow this order will be severely punished.' At that time, there was a Śākya prince named King of the Face, the eldest among the Śākyas, who was the next in line to have his hair shaved. The Buddha instructed Upāli to shave his head, admonishing him: 'These Śākya nobles are proud and pampered, and their bodies are tender. Shave him very gently and with a light touch.' Upāli applied a light touch, but it was too light and did not cut. Upāli then reversed the blade and used the back of the razor. The Buddha said: 'That will not do.' He then used the flat of the razor, and the Buddha again said: 'That will not do.' He then shaved directly from the crown with the blade, cleanly removing it all. The five hundred Śākyas were all shaved in this way. The Buddha called to Upāli, saying: 'Come, monk!' and he immediately became a śramaṇa. The Buddha then conferred the precepts upon him, and he attained arhatship. Next, the precepts were conferred upon the five hundred Śākyas, with Upāli as the senior monk. Placing his hand upon the heads of the five hundred men, he conferred the precepts upon the disciples. When this was complete, it was their turn to bow to Upāli. The Śākyas, being proud and noble by nature, could not bring themselves to humble themselves, especially since he had been their servant. They all said: 'This is a servant of our household; for what reason should we bow to him?' The Buddha said: 'It is not so. In the Dharma, there is no high or low noble status; he who attains first is the elder brother, and he who attains later is the younger brother.' After much hesitation, they controlled their minds and bowed. At that moment, heaven and earth shook violently, and the gods above praised, saying: 'Excellent, excellent! Today the Śākyas have subdued their arrogance. Because this state of mind is difficult to conquer, the earth shook.' When the five hundred Śākyas took up the Path, 99,000 other people also went forth to practice the Path. From the time Upāli received the precepts from the Buddha, he never violated them even by a hair's breadth; for this reason he is proclaimed foremost. Was it only for this, or were there other matters? North of the Jetavana monastery, there was a monk who had been sick for six years without recovering. Upāli went to ask the monk: 'What is your affliction? If you need anything, just say so.' He replied: 'What I need cannot be spoken.' Upāli asked again: 'What do you need? If it is not here, I will seek it from the four directions. If it is not in the world, I will seek it in the heavens.' He said: 'What I need is available in Śrāvastī, but because it violates the Buddha’s teaching, it cannot be spoken.' Upāli said: 'Just tell me; there is no harm.' He said: 'I only crave alcohol. If I obtain five pints of alcohol, my illness will be cured.' Upāli said: 'Wait a moment. I will ask the Buddha for you.' He returned and asked the Buddha: 'A monk is ill and needs alcohol as medicine. May he drink it or not?' The World-Honoured One said: 'Among the rules I have laid down, an exception is made for the sick.' Upāli returned, sought the alcohol, and gave it to him, and his illness was immediately cured. Upāli preached the Dharma to him again, and he attained the path of an arhat. The Buddha praised Upāli: 'You indeed questioned the Tathāgata on this matter, enabling the sick monk to find relief and cure, and also enabling him to attain the Path. If this monk had not been liberated, he would later have fallen into the three bad destinies as a consciousness with no time of release. You have explained the prohibitive precepts for future monks, letting them know what is minor and what is grave, so that they may be rescued from peril. You are truly able to uphold the Vinaya; I entrust the Vinayapiṭaka to you, do not let it be lost or diminished. This basket is the most esoteric among all the baskets; it must not be shown to novices or laypeople.' For this reason, he is also proclaimed foremost.