妙法蓮華經文句 1.115

1.115

佛弟子中多名迦葉，如十力、三迦葉等，皆是大人；於諸同名中最長，故標大迦葉也。於跋耆聚落，初從佛聞增上戒、定、慧，即得無漏，受乞食法，行十二頭陀，逾老不捨，後時佛語：「汝年高，可捨乞食，歸眾受食，可捨麁重糞掃衣，受壞色居士輕衣。」迦葉白佛：「佛不出世我當為辟支佛，終身行頭陀，我今不敢放所習更學餘者，又為當來世作明。未來世言：『上座迦葉為佛所歎，我亦當學難行苦行。』」佛言：「善哉！」是為行大。《增一阿含》：「佛法中行十二頭陀，難行苦行，大迦葉第一。頭陀既久，鬚髮長、衣服弊，來詣佛所，諸比丘起慢。佛命令就佛半座共坐，迦葉不肯。佛言：『吾有四禪，禪定息心從始至終無有耗損，迦葉亦然；吾有大慈仁覆一切，汝亦如此體性亦慈；吾有大悲濟度眾生，汝亦如是；吾有四神三昧：一無形、二無量意、三清淨積、四不退轉，汝亦如是；吾有六通，汝亦如是；吾有四定：一禪定、二智定、三慧定、四戒定，汝亦如是。』」《增一阿含》云：「一婆羅門白佛：『昨有婆羅門至我家，何者是？』佛指迦葉。又問：『此沙門，非婆羅門。』佛言：『沙門法律，婆羅門法律，我皆知，迦葉亦爾。迦葉功德與我不異，何故不坐？』諸比丘聞佛所讚，心驚毛竪。」佛引本因緣，昔有聖王號文陀竭，高才絕倫，天帝欽德，遣千馬車造闕迎王，天帝出候與王同坐，相娛樂已，送王還宮。昔迦葉以生死座命吾同坐，吾今成佛以正法座報其往勳，對佛坐時天人咸謂佛師。又迦葉共阿難為比丘尼說法，有一比丘尼不喜云：「販針兒在針師前賣針。」迦葉語阿難言：「此比丘尼以汝為針師，我為販針兒。」迦葉語尼言：「佛說月喻經，日日增長常如新學者，唯大迦葉，汝聞不？於大眾中分半座，汝聞不？於大眾中讚同佛廣大功德，汝聞不？云何此人是販針兒？」如此等是被佛印可大也。

Among the Buddha's disciples, many were named Kāśyapa, such as Daśabala, the Three Kāśyapas, and so on, all of whom were great persons. Being the eldest among those of the same name, he was designated Mahākāśyapa. In the Vajji village, when he first heard from the Buddha the higher discipline, concentration, and wisdom, he immediately attained the undefiled state, received the practice of begging for food, and practiced the twelve dhūtas, not giving them up even in old age. Later, the Buddha said to him: 'You are advanced in years; you may abandon begging for food and join the saṅgha to receive meals; you may abandon the heavy rag robe and receive the light, dyed householder's robe.' Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: 'If the Buddha had not appeared in the world, I would have become a pratyekabuddha, practicing dhūta for the rest of my life. Now I do not dare abandon what I have practiced to learn other things, and I also wish to be a light for future generations. Future generations will say: "The elder Kāśyapa was praised by the Buddha; I too should learn these difficult practices and austerities."' The Buddha said: 'Excellent!' This is greatness in practice. The Ekottarika-āgama says: 'In the Buddha's teaching, in practicing the twelve dhūtas, difficult practices, and austerities, Mahākāśyapa is foremost.' Having practiced dhūta for a long time, his beard and hair were long and his robes worn out. When he came to where the Buddha was, the monks felt arrogance. The Buddha commanded him to sit beside him, sharing half the Buddha's seat; Kāśyapa was unwilling. The Buddha said: 'I possess the four dhyānas, where the mind is stilled through meditative concentration without any decline from beginning to end; Kāśyapa is also like this. I possess great benevolence that covers all; you are also like this, your fundamental nature also being benevolent. I possess great compassion to rescue and cross over sentient beings; you are also like this. I possess four spiritual samādhis: first, formless; second, immeasurable intention; third, pure accumulation; fourth, non-retrogression; you are also like this. I possess the six spiritual penetrations; you are also like this. I possess four concentrations: first, dhyāna concentration; second, wisdom concentration; third, insight concentration; fourth, discipline concentration; you are also like this.' The Ekottarika-āgama says: 'A brāhmaṇa said to the Buddha: "Yesterday a brāhmaṇa came to my home; which one was it?" The Buddha pointed to Kāśyapa. He asked again: "This is a śramaṇa, not a brāhmaṇa." The Buddha said: "I know both the monastic code of the śramaṇa and the religious code of the brāhmaṇa, and Kāśyapa is also like this. Kāśyapa's merit is no different from mine; why do you not sit?" When the monks heard the Buddha's praise, they were astonished and their hair stood on end.' The Buddha cited a past causal condition: in the past, there was a sacred king named Mandhātṛ of peerless talent; Indra admired his virtue and dispatched a carriage of a thousand horses to the palace to welcome the king. Indra came out to await him and sat together with the king; having entertained one another, he sent the king back to his palace. 'In the past, Kāśyapa invited me to sit together with him on a seat in saṃsāra; now that I have become a Buddha, I repay his past meritorious service with the seat of the true Dharma.' When sitting opposite the Buddha, all devas and humans thought he was the Buddha's teacher. Furthermore, when Kāśyapa together with Ānanda expounded the Dharma to the bhikṣuṇīs, a bhikṣuṇī was displeased and said: 'A needle peddler is selling needles in front of a needle maker!' Kāśyapa said to Ānanda: 'This bhikṣuṇī considers you a needle maker and me a needle peddler.' Kāśyapa said to the nun: 'The Buddha taught the Moon Analogy Sūtra, saying that one who grows day by day and is always like a new student is Mahākāśyapa alone. Have you heard this or not? That he shared half a seat in the great assembly, have you heard this or not? That he was praised in the great assembly as sharing the Buddha's vast merit, have you heard this or not? How can you say this person is a needle peddler?' Such examples constitute his greatness in being certified by the Buddha.