分別功德論 4
English (machine translation) 4
- Language
- English
4.1
Name of the translator lost; appended to the Later Han catalog
4.2
The reason why the Tathāgata spoke at length of each being foremost among the four assemblies was because in the future, in the final age of the declining Dharma, there might be non-Buddhist brahmacārins of the four castes and disciples of the four assemblies who would contest with one another over right and wrong, proclaiming themselves noble and others lowly. People such as these would be beyond reckoning, and therefore he took precautions beforehand, thereby opening the path to self-sufficiency. Now, the reason Kauṇḍinya is declared foremost is that he was of the Śākya clan and a noble family; selected by the king to be sent as an attendant through hardships and toil, in the retribution for his merits he was duly placed foremost. Furthermore, when the Dharma was first taught and received, none could precede him; this also makes him foremost. Skilful at exhorting, guiding, and nurturing the noble assembly, he was the first to receive the greeting of 'Come, bhikṣu!'; this is yet again why he is foremost. Among what humans revere, the cakravartin is supreme; among luminaries, the sun is supreme; among the constellations, the moon is supreme; among the myriad rivers, the ocean is supreme; among the Four Heavenly Kings, Dhṛtarāṣṭra is supreme; among the Thirty-three Gods, Śakra is supreme; among the six heavens of the desire realm, Pāpīyas is supreme; among the eighteen heavens of the form realm, the Pure Abodes are supreme; among the ninety-six schools of the saṅgha, the Śākya saṅgha is supreme; among the ninety-six paths, the Buddha's path is the most supreme; and among the five men, the monk Kauṇḍinya is supreme. By this account, Kauṇḍinya is foremost.
4.3
The monk Udāyin was supreme in exhorting and guiding. All monks exhort and guide; why is he declared supreme? When the Buddha was about to return to deliver his home country, he first sent him ahead to display miraculous transformations. Engaging in conversation with the king, he explained things one by one; those whom he delivered were countless, and therefore he is declared supreme in exhorting and guiding.
4.4
The monk Mahādhāma had sharp faculties and was swift. Other monks all attained supernatural faculties after their outflows were exhausted, but this monk attained supernatural faculties before his outflows were exhausted, and therefore he is declared foremost.
4.5
All who ride the void do so by means of ṛddhi. That this monk could walk upon empty space as if treading on the ground was the capacity of the monk Subāhu, and therefore he is declared foremost.
4.6
Maudgalyāyana with his ṛddhi went silently to other lands. The monk Vāppa, using ṛddhi to soar through the void, let out a voice that shook near and far, able to subdue non-Buddhists, and therefore he is declared foremost.
4.7
As for the monk Gavāmpati, on account of two things he could not dwell in the world. What were they? This monk's feet resembled cattle hooves, and when his stomach was full, he chewed the cud; on account of these two things he could not dwell in the world. If non-Buddhist brahmacārins were to see him chewing the cud, they would say that the śramaṇa eats at improper times, and a mind of slander would arise. Therefore, the Buddha sent him up to heaven to sit in meditation and quiet his mind in the Sudharmā Lecture Hall. The monk Subhūti frequently served as a messenger for the saṅgha, traveling up to heaven. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Kāśyapa struck the gaṇḍī and gathered the great assembly of monks, ordering Aniruddha to survey the entire world to see who had not come. Aniruddha then surveyed the world: all had come, and only the monk Gavāmpati was now in heaven. He immediately dispatched Subhūti to summon him to come. Subhūti arrived in the Thirty-three Heavens and saw him in the Sudharmā Lecture Hall having entered nirodhasamāpatti. He snapped his fingers to awaken him and said: 'The World-Honoured One entered nirvāṇa fourteen days ago. Kāśyapa has assembled the community and sent me to summon you; you may descend to the world and proceed to the place where the community is gathered.' Gavāmpati replied: 'The world is already empty; what purpose would my going serve?' Bearing not to return to the world, he wished to attain nirvāṇa. He then entrusted his robes and bowl to Subhūti to return to the saṅgha, and thereupon attained nirvāṇa. On account of this cause and condition, being well situated in heaven, he is declared foremost.
4.8
As for the monk Sujaya, he was originally the son of a noble family. At his birth, there were naturally golden slippers upon his feet as he was born. His parents treasured him and built palaces for the three seasons for him, with singing women providing entertainment, never leaving his side. One time, while his wife was sleeping, he beheld her white teeth: although her bodily form was exquisite, it was merely bones. Observing the foulness in full, his hair stood on end with horror, and looking around at the palace dwellings, they seemed like grave mounds. In fright, he ran out the door. Two spirits came to receive him, and he asked the two spirits: 'Now that I am in extremity and distress, who can save me?' The two spirits replied: 'Only the World-Honoured One is well able to rescue from distress.' He asked: 'Where is he now?' They replied: 'He is close by in the Jetavana; you may go to him and petition him.' Following the light, he reached the Buddha, bowing his head in reverence at his feet. The Buddha, taking his original mindset as the occasion, expounded the wondrous Dharma for him, and immediately his mind opened, his outflows were exhausted, and his fetters unloosed. On account of this cause and condition, the monk Sujaya was foremost in the contemplation of foulness.
4.9
The reason why Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa is declared foremost is that since past lives, the three brothers always had a thousand disciples following them. Now encountering the era of Śākyamuni Buddha, the Buddha used eighteen transformations to deliver the thousand men under Kāśyapa; the Buddha's assembly was thereby established, and the offerings of the four requisites arose from this. By this account, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa was foremost in being able to protect the noble assembly and provide offerings.
4.10
The reason why Nadī-Kāśyapa is declared foremost is that when the Buddha preached the Dharma for him, he listened with a focused mind, his concentrated attention penetrating the spirit; all fetters melted away, and true virtue was replete within, reaching his very bones and marrow, so that marrow and fat flowed outwards, resembling perspiration. By this account, his mind was tranquil and able to conquer all fetters; therefore he is declared foremost.
4.11
As for the monk Aśvajit, he had only trained under the Buddha for seven days when he became fully possessed of deportment. As he was about to enter Vaiśālī to beg for alms, he met Upatiṣya outside the city gate. Seeing from afar that Aśvajit's deportment was dignified and serene and his Dharma robes were neat and orderly, Upatiṣya's heart was filled with joy, and he asked: 'What kind of person are you, sir?' He replied: 'I am a śramaṇa.' He asked: 'Did you come to know this on your own, sir, or do you have a master and lineage?' He replied: 'I have a master.' 'What is your master's name? How does he expound the Dharma?' He answered: 'My master's name is Śākyamuni, God among gods, the most supreme in the three realms. His teaching takes emptiness and non-existence as primary, bringing the mind to rest and penetrating to the origin; hence the name śramaṇa.' Upatiṣya, upon hearing these wondrous words, immediately attained the path's trace. Tiṣya and his fellow student originally had an agreement: whoever first obtained the nectar should inform the other. He then took leave of Aśvajit and went to Kolita's place. Kolita, seeing him come with an extraordinary expression, suspected that he had obtained the nectar, and immediately asked: 'Did you obtain the nectar?' He said: 'I obtained it.' 'What is the nectar?' 'The nectar is penetrating the emptiness and non-existence of all dharmas.' Kolita reflected upon this and also attained the path's trace. The reason why Aśvajit was foremost in deportment is that during five hundred past lives he had been a monkey, and having now obtained human birth, his nature was still restless and agitated; yet after seven days of renunciation, he altered his old track. Though his learning was initially shallow, he was skilful at proclaiming the noble teaching, causing those who first beheld him to feel joyful and penetrate the teaching. Moving and awakening others through deportment, he is declared foremost.
4.12
The reason why Śāriputra is declared foremost in wisdom is that the World-Honoured One also said: 'If one wished to know the extent of Śāriputra's wisdom, taking Mount Sumeru as the inkstone, the waters of the four great oceans as the ink water, the bamboo and trees of the four continents as brushes, and all the people filling them as scribes, even if they wished to write down Śāriputra's wisdom, they still could not exhaust it—how much less could an ordinary person with the five supernormal faculties fathom it?' Therefore, he is declared foremost in wisdom.
4.13
The reason why Maudgalyāyana is declared foremost in ṛddhi is that the World-Honoured One also spoke of a proof. In former times, when the three calamities were rampant, the people suffered great famine. Maudgalyāyana thought: 'Beneath this earth there still remains the earth essence of former days. Now the people are starving terribly; I wish to overturn this earth and take the lower earth essence to sustain the people's lives.' Having thought this, he addressed the Buddha: 'I now wish to use the four bases of ṛddhi to overturn the earth and take the lower earth essence to relieve the people's lives. I wonder whether this may be done or not?' The Buddha said: 'Stop, stop, Maudgalyāyana! Although your ṛddhi can overturn this without difficulty, what of the sentient beings therein? Could one hold the worms with one hand and overturn the earth with the other?' The Buddha said: 'It cannot be done. Why is that? In future times, monks will mostly lack ṛddhi. If there were famine in the future, kings, ministers, and commoners would order the śramaṇas to overturn the earth; if they could not do so, they would say they were not śramaṇas.' Based on this proof of ṛddhi, Maudgalyāyana is declared foremost.
4.14
The reason why the monk Śroṇa-Koṭīviṃśa is declared foremost in ascetic practice is that formerly, in the country of Campā, a great gṛhapati had a son born to him who was handsome and exquisite; hair four inches long grew beneath his feet, and he had never trodden upon the ground. The reason hair grew beneath his feet was that in the past, during the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, he had been a great gṛhapati with limitless wealth and treasures, who, having built a monastery and a lecture hall for the saṅgha, spread white fine cotton over the ground and had the monks tread upon it. Due to this cause and condition, he obtained hair growing beneath his feet. The reason he was named Twenty-Koṭī Ears was that at his birth, precious pearls worth twenty koṭīs naturally grew within his ears, which was then taken as his name. At that time, King Bimbisāra heard of his marvel and wished to meet him, so he ordered him to come. Calculating the distance of a fifteen-day journey, he came riding in a carriage; whenever he was about to step down from the carriage, they would spread fine cotton on the ground, and only then would he walk upon it. Having arrived at the king's place, the king ordered him to be seated. After exchanging solicitous greetings, hearing that he was able to play the lute, the king commanded him to play it. Having entertained each other, they went together to the Buddha's place. At that time, the Buddha was expounding the wondrous Dharma at length for the great assembly; seeing the Buddha, he rejoiced, bowing his head in reverence at his feet. The Buddha ordered him to be seated, and upon hearing the Dharma, he was overjoyed and immediately sought to renounce household life. The Buddha consented to his aspiration for renunciation, and he straightway became a śramaṇa. Heroic and vigorous, he practiced walking meditation without laxity; his flesh and skin being delicate and soft, the soles of his feet were torn open, and wherever he walked in meditation, the blood flowed, turning into mud. Having accumulated practice for a long time, his outflows were still not removed; feeling weary and remiss in mind, he wished to return to lay clothes: 'My family has wealth to indulge in; I can broadly cultivate merits and virtues and still avoid the three evil paths.' The Buddha, knowing his thoughts, suddenly leaped forth from the earth before him and asked the monk: 'When you formerly played the lute, if the strings were too tight or too loose, could a wondrous melody be produced?' He replied: 'It could not.' 'If all the strings were completely loose, could it still be produced?' He replied: 'It could not.' 'If they were neither loose nor tight, and the strings and pegs were properly attuned, could a wondrous sound be produced?' He replied: 'It could.' The Buddha said: 'Practice is also like this: being neither tense nor slack, abiding in moderation and tuned appropriately, only then can the path be accomplished.' Pondering the Buddha's words, his mind opened wide with understanding, and he immediately became an arhat. On account of this cause and condition, he is declared foremost in ascetic practice.
4.15
The reason why Aniruddha is called foremost in the divine eye is that once when the Buddha was preaching the Dharma to a great assembly, Aniruddha was sleeping on his seat. Seeing him sleep, the Buddha said to him: "Now while the Tathāgata preaches the Dharma, why do you sleep? Sleep blocks the mind—how does it differ from death?" Feeling ashamed, Aniruddha resolved firmly within himself and vowed: "From this day forward, I shall not dare to sleep again." Not sleeping for a long time, his eyes consequently lost their sight. The reason for this is that generally there are six nutriments, and the eye has two nutriments: first, looking at form; second, sleep. The five sense organs each also have two nutriments. Only when obtaining their nutriments are the six faculties intact. Because the eye lost the nutriment of sleep, he lost the faculty of the eye. The Buddha ordered Jīvaka to treat it, but he said: "Without sleep, it cannot be cured." Having lost his physical eyes, he could see nothing more. His five hundred disciples each scattered and abandoned him; he had to ask others to thread his needle as he groped about patching his robes. When the thread ran out and was to be re-threaded, there was no one he could ask. He cried out to his left and right: "Whoever wishes to seek merit, thread this needle for me!" The World-Honoured One suddenly arrived before him, took it, and said: "I shall thread it for you." He asked: "Who is this?" He replied: "I am the Buddha." "The Buddha is already full in merit; do you still wish to seek merit?" He replied: "Can meritorious virtue ever be satiated?" Aniruddha reflected: "Even the Buddha still seeks merit, how much more so an ordinary person?" Deeply moved in his heart, he turned to look toward the Buddha, and because of his utmost sincerity, he suddenly obtained the divine eye. Having obtained the divine eye, he further reflected again and thereupon attained the state of an arhat. In general, arhats all have three eyes: the physical eye, the divine eye, and the wisdom eye. Aniruddha had precisely two eyes: the wisdom eye and the divine eye. One who sees with three eyes is confused; the physical and divine [eyes] compete in efficacy, with fine and coarse seen mixed together—therefore it is called confused. Aniruddha exclusively used the divine eye to view the great-thousandfold world, seeing both fine and coarse completely, clearly discerning within physical forms those that possess consciousness and those that are without consciousness. What devas and humans see has the pure and the impure. Those whose vision is extremely pure see all physical kinds in the world, both with consciousness and without consciousness, as all moving and wavering, suspecting that they are insects when they are not insects. Those whose vision is impure see grains of cooked rice moving and all think they are insects. The distinction between superior and inferior has its origins. For these reasons, he is [called] foremost in the divine eye.
4.16
The reason why the monk Revata is called foremost in sitting in meditation and entering absorption is that formerly King Prasenajit invited him to sit in meditation under a tree. At that time the king invited him to enter the palace to eat. Six years passed without him moving elsewhere, and just when he intended to move to another tree, the tree deity would not permit it. What was the proof of this? Whenever he was about to move, the tree deity would scatter flowers in offering. By this proof, it was known that it did not permit it. How is it known that his mind harboured no extraneous thoughts? At that time Kauṣṭhila came to Revata's dwelling and said: "Why do you not sit under a good tree? Why do you sit under this withered tree?" He replied: "Your honor is called foremost in the four analytical knowledges, capable of distinguishing the principles of the Dharma and responding with appropriate phrasing. I wonder, to which analytical knowledge does distinguishing a withered tree belong? Since I sat here nearly six years have passed, and I do not distinguish between living and withered. Has your honor just arrived and already made such a distinction?" The king invited him into the palace to make offerings day after day, ordering all the consorts to take their respective turns on duty. When the six years were fulfilled, gifts were distributed and he was sent off; when receiving the dakṣiṇā, he did not know the host's name. The king said: "Having received our invitations for six years, you do not know our names; how could your absorption be like this?" He replied: "Sitting under the tree, I did not even know whether the tree was withered or alive, how much less could I know a person's name?" The merit of offering to meditation is most pure in virtue; in accordance with the king's vows, it can lead to nirvāṇa—it is truly an excellent field of merit. Therefore he is called foremost in delighting in meditation.
4.17
The monk Dabba Mallaputta encouraged and directed the provision of fasting assemblies and discourses. The Buddha entrusted the affairs of the Saṅgha to him, dividing the groups according to what was appropriate: those [devoted to] the sūtras in one place, the vinaya in one place, the Mahāyāna in one place, sitting in meditation in one place, high seats in one place, begging for food in one place, and teaching and conversion in one place, organizing them according to their activities so that each followed their own kind. If dānapatis came to issue invitations, he assigned and dispatched them in proper sequence without inquiring whether [the household] was high or low. If there was a private invitation, it was not permitted in this arrangement. Once, when the dānapatis' invitations were exhausted, the group of six monks happened by their turn to receive a poor family. Harboring resentment, they returned and complained to the Buddha, saying: "Mallaputta has deceived us. He himself receives good places, while we are sent to a poor house. How is this fair?" The Buddha summoned Mallaputta: "Is this truly so with you?" He replied: "No." At that time there was no food and the day was approaching noon; he had mixed cow dung [in water] and drunk it to serve as his midday meal. Hearing the words of the group of six, having no other way to clear himself, he immediately vomited this dung-broth before the Buddha. The group of six were ashamed: two were deeply moved and attained the exhaustion of outflows; two returned to the white robes [of lay life]; and two, with boiling blood pouring from their faces, died and fell into Avīci. As for 'fasting and discourses', it means assembling the assemblies of the divisions and synthesizing their appropriate practices. Because he was skilled at encouraging and accomplishing this, he is called foremost.
4.18
The Younger Dabba was the one in charge of erecting rooms and chambers to promote the cāturdiśa-saṅgha; because they jointly accomplished this merit, he is not separately proclaimed.
4.19
The reason why the monk Rāṣṭrapāla is called the noble and eminent is that he was of royal lineage, naturally intelligent and broadly learned, and fond of pursuing studies from his youth. Hearing that the Buddha had appeared in the world to open up and transform the foolish and ignorant, he immediately went to the Jetavana monastery to listen to and gather the words of the Dharma. Hearing the teaching, his spirit was absorbed, and he wished to go forth from the household life. Returning, he addressed his parents, but they would not permit it. He reflected within his heart: "All sentient beings are my parents; how could they be only these two persons?" Having so thought, he went to the Buddha's dwelling to request ordination as a śramaṇa. The Buddha asked: "Do your parents permit it?" He said: "They do not permit it." His elder brother was a king, so he also addressed the king seeking to practice the path, but the king likewise did not permit it. In his heart he reflected: "I must find an expedient means to go forth and practice the path." His parents had only this one son and did not wish him to leave their sight for even an instant. He asked for a single couch and sat before his parents, neither drinking nor eating for six days. His parents were terrified, fearing they would kill their son: "If we kill this child, what use is a dead child to us? Let us consent and release him to practice the path." They made an agreement with their son, saying: "Now we release you to practice the path, but you must return home frequently." Once his parents had consented, he went to the Buddha's dwelling. [The Buddha] asked: "Have they permitted you?" He said: "They have already permitted me." The Buddha then called out to him: "Come, monk (ehi bhikṣu)!" Stroking his head with his hand, his beard and hair fell off naturally, appearing like one whose beard and hair had been shaved for seven days, and with the kāṣāya robe on his body he immediately became a śramaṇa. When [the Buddha] preached the four noble truths for him, he immediately became an arhat. Because of his original agreement, he soon returned home. Wearing his robes and holding his bowl, he stood at the gate. At that time a maidservant was washing rice and was about to discard the rice-water; he extended his bowl and asked for the drink. The maidservant looked up and recognized her master; she went inside and reported: "The young master is outside." The parents were overjoyed: "If it is truly our son, we shall release you to become a free citizen!" They immediately went out to welcome him in and set out delicacies for him. He said: "The proper time has already passed; according to the Dharma, I should not eat." The parents said: "Today is already thus; come early tomorrow." He then returned to his lodging. After he had left, the parents instructed all his wives: "Our son will come tomorrow. You must adorn your faces, attire, and ornaments well, and each display your finest skills. If you can make my son return to the white robes, it will be greatly rewarding for you." They further instructed the treasury officials to bring out various treasures, piling gold, silver, and the seven jewels into separate heaps, hoping their son's mind would be moved and he would return to worldly contamination. The next day at mealtime, holding his bowl, he returned and took his seat. The wives and maidens each assumed seductive poses, some scattering flowers and incense, some brushing their robes and twisting blades of grass. Rāṣṭrapāla said: "Sisters, why bother with such trouble?" The wives thought: "Since he treats us as sisters, there is no chance he will return." He said to his parents: "What use are these treasures? These only delude people; disaster and calamity are brought about by them. Why not cast them into the mountains and marshes?" The parents admonished him, saying: "The morality of the path lies in the mind; why must one go forth? The householder Citta also attained the path while remaining at home." He said: "I have never heard of one attaining the exhaustion of outflows while remaining at home. In what Citta attained, there still remains the portion of one more rebirth; how is that worthy of being prized?" Though he had noble treasures and fine jade, he cast them aside as if abandoning nothing. Therefore he is called foremost in going forth.
4.20
The reason why Kātyāyana is called foremost in skill at distinguishing the meaning is that when he was about to compile the Dharma, he reflected in his heart: "The human world is tumultuous and noisy; fine contemplation cannot be focused." Therefore he hid within the earth for seven days, and having compiled and assembled the Great Dharma, he presented it to the Buddha. [The Buddha] praised it, saying: "Excellent!" Sealed and approved by the Sage, it was made into one Piṭaka. This meaning is subtle and profound, subduing the non-Buddhists; therefore he is called foremost. Another reason he is called foremost is that the World-Honoured One went to the Śākya country, sat beneath a tree, and held a staff. The Śākyas all came to gaze upon the Buddha: "Formerly you abandoned our daughters, yet your marks and characteristics are superior to before. What is in your mind now?" He replied: "The mind does not cling to the world and is not contaminated by the mundane." The brahmacārin said: "Excellent!" and receiving this understanding, went away. Later, the monks did not understand these words and asked Kātyāyana: "The Buddha praised your honor as foremost in eloquence, analyzing principles, and understanding the meaning. What was the meaning of the World-Honoured One's answer to the brahmacārin about being uncontaminated and unattached?" Then Kātyāyana explained it for them: "Monks, you should know that dependent on form, the eye gives rise to sensation; dependent on sensation, perception arises; dependent on perception coming and going, discriminating consciousness arises, giving rise to an attached mind. From this attachment, he has permanently parted." When the monks heard this explanation, their minds were still unsatisfied. Kātyāyana observed that the monks' minds had not understood, so he drew an analogy, saying: "Suppose there is a person here who wishes to seek a solid object, yet conversely abandons the root and takes the branches and leaves. Would he obtain a solid object?" They said: "He would not." "You gentlemen are also like this. The Buddha is staying nearby, yet conversely you come to ask me; is this not abandoning the root and taking its branches?" The monks immediately went to ask the Buddha, reporting that Kātyāyana had explained it thus: "We wonder if the principle should be so?" The Buddha answered: "Just as Kātyāyana has explained, it is identical and without difference." Because of this circumstance, he is again called foremost.
4.21
The reason why the bhikṣu Kuṇḍadhāna is called foremost in receiving the tally (śalākā) is that tallies are generally used to record the number of persons to ascertain whether they are sincere or not. If one answers with sincerity, taking the tally brings merit; if one takes it falsely, the accrued guilt becomes ever greater. In the language of the Han it is called 'chou' (tally); in India it is 'śalākā'. 'Śalākā' also means 'exhaustion': through merit guilt is exhausted, and through guilt merit is exhausted. How is this known to be so? Formerly, the daughter of Anāthapiṇḍada married into a Nirgrantha country and asked the Buddha, 'May I do so?' The Buddha said, 'You should know that now is the time. Going will surely be of benefit.' Once the daughter arrived, she invited the World-Honoured One from afar. The Buddha, knowing her intention, silently accepted the invitation. He instructed Ānanda, 'Tomorrow we shall accept the invitation of Śakramāna. Strike the gaṇḍī, assemble the community, and display supernatural powers.' At the time of the śalākā, the elder Kuṇḍa had not yet attained supernatural powers. Hearing that the tally was being circulated for the invitation, he felt ashamed of not having attained supernatural powers, and looking upon his own form and shadow at the head of the assembly, he felt like an old wild fox on Purple Gold Mountain. Weighing his choices in deep worry: if he took the tally, he did not conform to the general rule [of having supernatural powers]; if he did not take it, he was dwelling as the elder. Even an eight-year-old śrāmaṇera had attained supernatural powers, yet despite his many years of effort, he had achieved nothing. Reflecting thus: 'What use is there in remaining alive?' With deep emotion and inner knot, as he received the tally and was about to hand it back, he instantly became free of āsravas (attained āsravakṣaya). If one receives the tally falsely: the human body has nine hundred thousand pores, and with this as the count, one will not receive a human body for that many lifetimes. If one receives it with refined sincerity, one can immediately attain the realization of the exhaustion of āsravas; this elder serves as clear proof of this. The reason he was further made an elder was that he was skilled in explaining the Dharma in a way suitable to the multitude, and having been chosen by the assembly, he became the elder. For this reason, the elder is called foremost in receiving the tally.
4.22
The reason why Piṇḍola is called able to subdue the non-Buddhists is this: in the city of Vaiśālī there was the householder Citta, who was constantly troubled by the six teachers' arrogance and self-aggrandizement, who said: 'The śramaṇa Gautama claims to be supreme; we shall contend with him in skill. If he displays one [feat], we shall display two, doubling thus up to thirty-two.' At that time, the householder widely invited the sanghas inside and outside [the city] and made offerings to them. He erected a great banner forty-nine feet high and placed a sandalwood bowl upon it, proclaiming: 'Whoever can stretch out his hand and take this bowl shall be deemed foremost.' Then Piṇḍola thought to himself: 'Now I should display supernatural power to silence and subdue the six teachers.' But he also thought: 'The World-Honoured One constantly admonishes his disciples not to display supernatural powers. If I do not display them now, I fear they will incur guilt forever; if I display them, I fear disobeying the Honoured One's teaching.' Hesitating back and forth, he then displayed supernatural power, reached out his hand, and took the sandalwood bowl. Rising into the air, he circled the city seven times and returned to his seat, saying to the brahmacārins: 'You gentlemen may now display your two!' The six teachers fell silent. At that time, a great yakṣa general named Pañcika said to the six teachers: 'Hurry and display your two!' The followers of the six teachers did not know which way to turn. Judging from this, we know that Piṇḍola was the most foremost in subduing non-Buddhists.
4.23
The reason why the bhikṣu Kṣema is called foremost in caring for the sick is this: once, at the Jeta Hermitage, there was a bhikṣu who was critically ill and had been confined to his bed for a long time. Worms crawled out from under his spine, and he moaned and wailed all day long. The Buddha, inspecting the quarters together with the bhikṣus, saw this bhikṣu in such dire distress and asked, 'Is there anyone caring for you?' He replied, 'No.' [The Buddha] asked again, 'In the past, did you ever care for others' illnesses?' He answered, 'No.' The Buddha said, 'If you do not attend to the illnesses of others, how can you expect people to look after you?' Thereupon, the Tathāgata folded his saṃghāṭī, massaged and wiped him with his own hands, and washed him clean. At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra also came to assist the World-Honoured One in tending to the sick man. Thereupon, receiving the grace of the World-Honoured One, the sick bhikṣu was immediately healed. The Buddha told the bhikṣus: 'From this day forth, if anyone is sick, you should care for one another.' Then the World-Honoured One looked around and said to the bhikṣus, 'Who can constantly care for the sick?' Only the bhikṣu Kṣema [could do so]. The bhikṣu Kṣema constantly used five things to care for the sick. What are the five? Distinguishing good medicines; not being indolent, rising before and sleeping after [the patient]; always delighting in conversation and sleeping little; offering service with the Dharma without greed for food and drink; and being capable of preaching the Dharma to the sick. Thus it is said that whenever the bhikṣu Kṣema cared for the sick with these five dharmas, none failed to recover. Why is that? In past lives, this bhikṣu had been a physician for five hundred lifetimes, excelled in understanding prescriptions and herbs, and by listening to voices and observing complexions knew the root causes of diseases; furthermore, he nursed the sick with the four necessities. For this reason, the bhikṣu Kṣema is called foremost in caring for the sick.
4.24
The reason why the bhikṣu Vaṅgīsa is called able to compose verses (gāthās) is this: previously, when this bhikṣu was the son of a householder, he had brilliant natural talent and praised everything in verse. Once, when he went out traveling, he encountered the daughter of an acrobat family, whose appearance was upright and rare in the world. Seeing her, he felt delight and wished to marry her. He returned and told his parents, reporting what he had seen before: 'Would my parents please propose marriage for me?' The parents were displeased: 'You are the son of a noble clan; how could you change your station and ruin our ancestral tradition?' The son's desire was fierce, and he repeated: 'If you do not marry her to me, I cannot remain alive in this world.' Seeing their son's words were so grave, the parents could not bear to forbid him, and said: 'As you wish. It is not our doing.' Thereupon he sent a messenger himself to communicate with the girl's family. The girl's family belonged to the acrobat caste and valued acrobatics above all, so they replied to the messenger: 'We do not covet your master's wealth. Only if he is fully accomplished in all acrobatic arts will we give her to him.' When Vaṅgīsa heard this, he immediately went to acrobats and studied all the arts; in not many decades of days, he was fully accomplished in all the arts. He sent a message again: 'What was to be learned is now complete; you may now bestow her.' The master replied: 'If your arts are complete, you must go before the king for the contest.' At that time it was the new year festival, and the king gathered acrobats to test their arts widely; to the most victorious he would grant a thousand ounces of gold. The king had also heard that this maiden was exquisite and wished to take her into the palace. In testing the arts, climbing the pole was considered the supreme [feat]. A pole forty-nine feet high was erected, and beneath it were placed swords and blades, all pointing upward, with barely space for a foot between them. Then Vaṅgīsa climbed the pole, spun seven times in mid-air above it, and threw himself down to the empty ground. The king, fearing he would lose the maiden, feigned not to see. The people all said it was wonderful. The king said, 'I did not see it. If it was truly wonderful, do it once more.' Vaṅgīsa thought: 'If I do not obey the king's order, I will surely lose this maiden; I must attain my desire.' Risking his life, Vaṅgīsa climbed up again. Having reached the top of the pole, he looked back at the maiden's face and thought to himself: 'Because of this person, how have I come to such distress?' His mind grew terrified and his body trembled, fearing he could not preserve himself: 'A woman is unreal; what is the use of this?' The Buddha knew that this man could certainly be delivered, and that if not rescued, he would fall into the three bad destinies. He said to Maudgalyāyana: 'Use your supernatural powers to save him from distress.' Maudgalyāyana received the instruction and immediately went to display a transformation: sitting cross-legged in the sky, he further manifested a staircase of seven jewels beneath the pole. Other people could not see it; Vaṅgīsa alone saw it. Slowly, he descended seven rounds along the steps, supported by supernatural power, safe within while appearing endangered without. The king and the crowd considered it marvelous, and the king took the girl by the hand himself to deliver her to Vaṅgīsa. Vaṅgīsa said: 'I have no use for this deceptive object, which deceives worldly people and misleads the pure and upright; the ruin of states and the destruction of families never fail to stem from this.' He immediately followed Maudgalyāyana to visit the World-Honoured One. The World-Honoured One said to him: 'Welcome, bhikṣu.' He thereupon became a śramaṇa. When [the Buddha] taught him the Four Noble Truths, he immediately attained arhatship. Joy welled up from within and found expression in words, and he composed verses to praise the World-Honoured One:
4.25
'On the pure fifteenth day,
Five hundred bhikṣus gather,
Having severed all fetters,
Rṣis who do not receive rebirth.
Just as a cakravartin
Is surrounded by all his ministers,
Over the four seas and the earth,
His domain has no bounds;
So it is that you subdue humanity,
O unsurpassed Guide,
Protecting all the śrāvakas,
Whose three knowledges destroy the nature of fetters.
All the sons of the World-Honoured One
Are free from dust and defilement;
Having broken the net of craving and desire,
Now we pay homage to the moon among stars.'
4.26
For this reason, Vaṅgīsa is called the foremost in composing verses and gāthās to praise the virtues of the Tathāgata.
4.27
The reason why Koṭṭhita is called foremost in the four analytical knowledges (pratisaṃvid) is this: in general, śrāvakas do not necessarily possess all four analytical knowledges complete. Some have the analytical knowledge of dharmas but not of meanings; some have that of meanings but not of dharmas; some have that of inspiration but not of language; some have that of language but not of inspiration. Koṭṭhita possessed all these four analytical knowledges in full. Śāriputra and Mahākātyāyana also possessed the four analytical knowledges, but the reason they were not called supreme is that Śāriputra primarily took wisdom as his principal quality, and Mahākātyāyana primarily took compilation [of the Dharma] as his principal quality; therefore, each was not designated by the four analytical knowledges. Even if they had the four analytical knowledges, they could not equal Koṭṭhita. Koṭṭhita could debate the meaning of a single phrase for seven days without exhausting it, how much more so for the four analytical knowledges—how could they be measured? For this reason, he is foremost in the four analytical knowledges.
4.28
The reason why the bhikṣu Nandi is called foremost in begging for food is this: other bhikṣus, though they also beg for food, may not keep the precepts fully, may have greedy minds, may look to the left and right without a focused mind, or may avoid the cold or heat. But when this bhikṣu begged for food, he had none of these faults. His alms-gathering being pure and meticulous, the donors gained great merit. Now an analogy is drawn to illustrate the greater and lesser. Someone asked about archery: 'One person shoots a dark hair at a hundred paces; another person shoots the ground, raising dust. Which is more difficult?' The reply: 'The dark hair is difficult, for though one shoots, one might not hit the mark.' This is beyond dispute. If one gives food to an alms-beggar or gives to the assembly of monks, which is greater? Giving to a true āraṇyaka is likened to the dark hair in the analogy; if the recipient is not genuine, it is like shooting into empty space. Though the matter is difficult, there is gain and loss. The arrow striking the ground is likened to giving to the assembly of monks: shooting at a hair, though precise, often misses; shooting at the ground, though easy, never misses the ground. Because the ground of the field of merit is thick, there is neither increase nor decrease; but because an āraṇyaka may be pure or coarse, there is gain and loss. Since Nandi achieved purity, he is called foremost.
4.29
The reason why Śīla is said to eat at one sitting is that this refers to a practice of the dhūtas. In the practice of an āraṇyaka, one may beg for food, sit under a tree, or dwell alone in solitude. Now, eating at one sitting means that from early morning until noon, if a dānapati provides food, no matter how much or little, he simply sits in one place and eats. If he is not yet full and has not moved from his seat, he may eat more; but if he has already risen, he must not eat again. Constantly eating in one place without departing, Śīla is therefore called foremost.
4.30
The reason why the bhikṣu Kimbila is mentioned is that he constantly engaged in begging at seven houses, never exceeding seven. The reason for this is that he made a vow limiting it to seven. When begging for food, desiring to bring merit and deliverance to sentient beings, he single-mindedly contemplated the Way without greedy thoughts; whether he received good or bad [food], he did not increase or decrease [his contentment], begging in consecutive order without selecting between poor and rich. When receiving food from one or two houses, if there were further donors, if it was sufficient he stopped, and if insufficient he accepted. If he reached seven houses without obtaining food, he returned to his dwelling to contemplate and practice the Way, never thinking, 'Tomorrow I will go to such-and-such a house and not to that house,' being entirely free of discriminatory thoughts; hence he is called the 'seven-house śramaṇa'. Upon returning, he sat quietly and collected his mind in the Way. Therefore, Kimbila is called foremost in begging for food at seven houses.
4.31
Bhikṣu Dṛḍhapratijña made it his practice to dwell constantly in quiet and secluded places among mountains and marshes; Bhikṣu Nandi made it his practice constantly to beg for food and endure humiliation; Bhikṣu Kimbila made it his practice to beg food from seven households; and Śīla made it his practice to eat in one place—each of the twelve dhūtas maintaining one practice. As for Bhikṣu Bhūmi, he kept and maintained the three robes, not parting from them whether eating or resting. Some say that the creation of the three robes was on account of the three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma; some say it was on account of the three times (past, present, and future); and some say it was on account of the three seasons that the three robes were established: in winter one wears the heavy one, in summer one wears the light one, and in spring and autumn one wears the intermediate one. On account of these three seasons, he had the three robes complete: the heavy one had five strips, the intermediate one had seven strips, and the thin one had fifteen strips. In times of great cold, wearing the three robes layered over each other could ward it off. Some also say the three robes were established on account of mosquitoes, gnats, and sandflies. Because of these reasons, he constantly maintained them without neglecting them, and was therefore called foremost.
4.32
The reason why Bhikṣu Vatsa was praised is that formerly, while living at home, he always considered home life an affliction. Upon leaving home to seek the Path, he always sat in the open air. If he entered a room, he was constantly afflicted by suffocating air, as if his mouth were being covered. Therefore, he always sought to sit in the open air to contemplate and practice the Path, after which his body became harmonized, his breath circulated smoothly, and his practice of the Path proceeded without obstruction. Due to these causes and conditions, Vatsa was praised as foremost in sitting in the open air.
4.33
The reason why Revata of Doubts was praised for constantly dwelling under trees is that, on the stage of an ordinary person, seeking dhyāna-concentration, he dwelt under trees relying on thoughtful deliberation to eliminate the fetters. Other bhikṣus also sat in dhyāna under trees; why were they not praised? Because they could not, upon hearing [the teaching] once, independently focus their contemplation. This bhikṣu, upon hearing the Buddha's teaching once, was able to practice it, focusing his mind without letting go, and within six years exhausted his fetters. The earlier Revata delighted in wandering in dhyāna-concentration; their conduct and stillness did not differ, but the practices they delighted in were distinct, and therefore each was praised as foremost.
4.34
The reason why Bhikṣu Dattaśūra was praised for delighting in emptiness is that this bhikṣu understood internal emptiness upon entering a room, and understood external emptiness upon leaving a room: internal emptiness corresponds to consciousness, and external emptiness corresponds to the body; entering the room he penetrated the emptiness of consciousness, and leaving the room he understood the emptiness of the body. Having already comprehended internal and external emptiness, all dharmas are likewise so. When this bhikṣu heard the teaching of emptiness expounded, he kept it stored in his heart; entering the room and seeing emptiness, he immediately penetrated body and consciousness. Other bhikṣus penetrate emptiness only after their fetters are exhausted, for the mind of emptiness is difficult to attain. Valued for attaining it first, he was therefore praised as foremost.
4.35
The reason why Bhikṣu Nirbhaya was praised as supreme in wearing the five-patch robe is that this bhikṣu contemplated the body's foulness and leaks, its thirty-six substances, as having nothing worthy of greed or value; detesting and despising this body, he shielded himself with despised things. Or it is said: robes are divided into those that may be associated with and those that may not be associated with. Which may be associated with? Wearing bad robes makes one feel shame and self-reproach—these may be associated with; wearing fine robes makes one arrogant and self-important—these may not be associated with. Shabby robes assist practice, and for this reason he wore the five-patch robe. This bhikṣu was skilled at drawing analogies between the internal and external, and was therefore praised as foremost.
4.36
The reason why Bhikṣu Uttara was praised for constantly delighting in charnel grounds is that this bhikṣu was a disciple of Ānanda. Before the master attained the Path, he reflected in his own mind: 'This body has transmigrated, leaving no place unexperienced. When in the heavens, clothes and conveyances were spontaneous, but now they have been abandoned; when among humans as a cakravartin, with the seven treasures leading and attending, that too has passed away; when among animals constantly eating grass and thorns, this too has passed away; when among hungry ghosts taking molten copper as food, or in hell facing blades and swords, all these forms of retribution have passed away. Now having obtained a human body, my allotment will conclude right here. What was valued in ancient and modern times are all discarded things, illusory and perilous forms; not one is worthy of attachment, and all ought to be cast aside.' He then stayed in charnel grounds and further reflected: 'Even if I wished to stay under trees or among mountains and marshes, these are all coveted by living people; only charnel grounds are disliked by people.' For this reason he dwelt there. 'Those that delight in charnel grounds are only ghosts, together with creatures like foxes, wolves, crows, and kites; I should now enter the samādhi of benevolence to save those kinds.' On this account he again dwelt in charnel grounds. Due to these causes and conditions, he constantly delighted in charnel grounds and did not dwell among people; therefore he was praised as foremost.
4.37
The reason why Bhikṣu Rohiṇī was praised as foremost in always sitting on a mat of grass is that this bhikṣu constantly sat on a mat of grass to eliminate the mind of craving. How did he eliminate craving? Even if there were golden beds and jade tables, he had no craving or attachment to them at all. Or it is said: if someone offered an exquisite seat, it was no different to him than offering a grass seat. Craving having been exhausted, all fetters were also exhausted; he then took grass in hand and made obeisance toward the grass. Someone asked: 'Why do you make obeisance toward the grass?' He replied: 'Because of this grass, my mind for glory and ornament has been exhausted. Attaining the Path came from this; it is my teacher, and therefore I make obeisance toward it.' The five hundred macaques that attained birth in heaven also scattered heavenly māndārava flowers upon their former corpses. Because they were born in heaven by virtue of those corpses, they came to scatter flowers. Indeed, the noble must take the base as its root; due to these causes and conditions, he was praised as foremost in sitting on a mat of grass.
4.38
The reason why Bhikṣu Uggama was praised as foremost in not speaking with people and walking with his gaze fixed on the ground is that this bhikṣu was constantly distressed by verbal faults. Wishing to reform them, he reflected to himself: 'Precisely because of this mouth, being born among devas and humans, or moaning and crying out in the three paths and the hells, thus running through the five paths, one undergoes boundless suffering. I ought now, like Prince Mūgapakkha, make a vow not to speak; whence then could the four faults and three calamities arise?' Having ceased speaking, he walked looking straight ahead. The Buddha marvelled at his ability to do so, and frequently praised his virtue to the bhikṣus, saying to Ānanda: 'Such a bhikṣu should be preserved in memory and recorded, in order to guide future ages of decline.' Due to these causes and conditions, he was praised as foremost.
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Linked texts (1)
- 分別功德論 — Classical Chinese