分別功德論 5.15

5.15

As for why Rāhula is praised for upholding the precepts without breach: Some say, "Rāhula was fond of lying; how can it be said that he upheld the precepts?" Some say, "Rāhula did not lie [out of malice], but was merely resentful toward the Buddha." Why was he resentful toward the Buddha? Because the Buddha did not become a wheel-turning cakravartin. Had he become a cakravartin, he would have had 84,000 great ministers, 84,000 jade maidens, and elephants, horses, and chariots—each and every thing would have numbered 84,000. To abandon such a station and become a śramaṇa, begging from east to west—is that not shameful? Coveting the benefits of a cakravartin and resenting the Tathāgata, he thus told lies. When people asked Rāhula where the Tathāgata was, when the Tathāgata was actually at the Jetavana vihāra, he would answer that he was in the Andhavana; when he was actually in the Andhavana, he would falsely say he was in the Jetavana. Repeatedly telling lies, he deceived those who came. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, "Rāhula tells lies." The Buddha summoned Rāhula: "Do you truly tell lies?" He answered, "Truly so." "Rāhula! Why do you tell lies? The reason I abandoned the station of a cakravartin is that the station of a cakravartin cannot be relied upon; all returns to impermanence, with nothing enduring. Even Śakra and Brahmā cannot be preserved, how much less can a cakravartin be relied upon? Rāhula! I have abandoned this countless times in the past, yet you now resent it." The Buddha said to Rāhula, "Bring some water." Rāhula then filled a bowl with water and offered it to the Tathāgata. Holding the bowl of water, the Tathāgata said to Rāhula, "Do you see this water?" He replied, "I see it." The Buddha said, "This water fills the bowl without diminution, which is an analogy for upholding the precepts completely without loss or breach." He then poured half of it away and said to Rāhula, "Do you see this water?" He replied, "I see it." The Buddha said, "This water is half lost, which is an analogy for the precepts being incomplete." He then poured the water out until it was empty, showed it to Rāhula, and said, "Do you see this empty bowl?" He answered, "I see it." The Buddha said, "To violate the precepts entirely is like this empty bowl." He then turned the bowl upside down on the ground, showed it, and said, "Do you see?" He answered, "I see." The Buddha said, "Having violated the precepts entirely, one will fall into hell. This is analogous to the mouth of the bowl facing the ground." After Rāhula received this injunction, he never again committed an infraction even by a hair's breadth; therefore he is called the foremost in upholding the precepts. Some say: There was also another incident. Śāriputra took Rāhula into the city of Śrāvastī to beg for food. At that time a brāhmaṇa saw Rāhula walking behind, and at once gave rise to evil intent; he struck Rāhula on the head so that blood flowed and stained his face. Rāhula immediately gave rise to an evil thought: "I must find an expedient means to repay this enemy. All who are called brāhmaṇas shall be destroyed; I shall never spare them." Śāriputra already knew what was in Rāhula's mind. Wiping away his blood, he said to Rāhula, "You should recall that when your father was King Sudāna in the past, a man came to ask for his eyes, and he at once gouged out his eyes and gave them away without regret. When he sat in meditation in the park and a king cut off his hands and feet, he was also without regret. When he was an elephant and gave his tusks to someone, he was also unwearied. Why do you now give rise to such an evil thought?" When Rāhula heard what his master said, he immediately reproached himself: "Why do I now direct an evil mind toward him?" He then showed forbearance like the earth, not giving rise to harmful thoughts even by a hair's breadth. The person who struck Rāhula's head at that time fell into the Avīci Hell. By these causes and conditions, it is known that Rāhula is the foremost in upholding the precepts.