分別功德論 1.3

1.3

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.