妙法蓮華經文句 1.133

1.133

難陀、跋難陀二龍，護王舍城，雨澤以時，國無饑年。王及臣民，歲設大會置三高座，王、太子、論師，身子以八歲之年身到會所，問人三座，人具答之，即越眾，登論床，群儒皆耻不肯論議，勝此小兒，無足顯譽；脫其不如，屈辱大矣！皆遣侍者，傳語問之。答過問表，盡墮諸幢，無敢當者。王及臣民稱慶無極，國將太平智人出世。及年十六，究盡閻浮典籍，無事不閑，博古覽今，演暢幽奧，十六大國論議無雙，五天竺地最為第一。師事沙然梵志，梵志道術身子皆得，師有二百五十弟子，悉附身子而成就之。沙然臨死欣然而笑，身子問故，答：「世俗無眼為恩愛所親，我見金地國王死，夫人投火聚，願同生一處。」言已命終。後見金地商人，問之果然。身子追悔：「我未盡師術，而不授此法，為我非其人，師祕乎！」自知未達，更求勝法，而無師可事。雖不逮此一法，餘法皆通，於外道眾中最為第一。於道見頞䫌威儀庠序，因問師法，頞䫌答云：「諸法從緣生，是故說因緣，是法緣及盡，我師如是說。」一聞即得須陀洹果，來至佛所，七日遍達佛法淵海，又云：「十五日後得阿羅漢，為羅云和尚，憍梵作師，聲聞眾中右面弟子。調達破僧，引五百比丘去，身子往化五百人歸（云云）。」勞度差捔力，度差為花池，身子為象拔花蹋池；度差為夜叉鬼，身子為毘沙門王；種種皆勝，度差降伏。《中阿含》云：「身子是四眾所生母，目連是所養母（云云）。」

The two nāga kings, Nanda and Upananda, protected Rājagṛha, providing rain in season so that the country had no famine years. Annually, the king, ministers, and common people held a great assembly and set up three high seats: for the king, the crown prince, and the master of debate. At eight years of age, Śāriputra arrived at the assembly grounds in person and asked people about the three seats. After they had fully answered him, he immediately bypassed the assembly, climbed up onto the debate couch. The multitude of scholars were all ashamed and unwilling to debate, thinking: 'Defeating this little child brings no noteworthy praise or reputation, but if one fails to match him, the humiliation will be great!' They all sent their attendants to convey words and pose questions to him. His answers surpassed what was asked, entirely felling all their banners, such that none dared to face him. The king, ministers, and common people celebrated boundlessly, proclaiming that the state was about to enjoy great peace, as a person of wisdom had appeared in the world. When he reached sixteen years of age, he had thoroughly mastered the texts of Jambudvīpa, leaving no matter unfamiliar; broadly surveying the ancient and modern, he expounded the subtle and profound. In debate across the sixteen great kingdoms he was without peer, the foremost in the five regions of India. He served the brāhmaṇa Sañjaya as his master, completely mastering the brāhmaṇa's arts and methods. The master had two hundred and fifty disciples, all of whom attached themselves to Śāriputra and were brought to completion by him. When Sañjaya was near death, he smiled happily. Śāriputra asked the reason, and he replied: 'Worldly people lack insight and are attached by affectionate love. I see that the king of the land of Suvarṇabhūmi has died, and his consort has thrown herself into a mass of fire, vowing to be reborn in the same place.' Having spoken, his life ended. Later, Śāriputra met a merchant from Suvarṇabhūmi, asked about it, and found it indeed was so. Śāriputra had lingering regret: 'I did not exhaust my master's arts, and he did not pass this method to me; was it because I was not the right person, or that my master kept it secret?' Knowing he had not yet reached the ultimate, he further sought superior dharmas, yet found no master worthy of service. Although he had not attained this single method, he was thoroughly versed in all other dharmas, and was the very foremost among the non-Buddhist assemblies. On the road he saw the dignified deportment and composed composure of Aśvajit, and thereupon asked about his master's teaching. Aśvajit answered, saying: 'Dharmas arise from conditions; therefore the cause and conditions are spoken. These dharmas and their conditions also cease; my master speaks thus.' Upon hearing this once, he immediately attained the fruit of srotāpanna. Coming to where the Buddha was, within seven days he comprehensively penetrated the deep ocean of the Buddha's teachings. It is also said: 'After fifteen days he attained arhatship, becoming the upādhyāya of Rāhula, the teacher of Gavāmpati, and the right-hand disciple among the assembly of śrāvakas. When Devadatta broke the Saṅgha and led five hundred monks away, Śāriputra went and transformed the five hundred people, bringing them back, and so forth.' When competing in powers with Raudrākṣa: Raudrākṣa created a lotus pond, and Śāriputra transformed into an elephant that uprooted the flowers and trampled the pond; Raudrākṣa became a yakṣa demon, and Śāriputra became King Vaiśravaṇa; in every respect he prevailed, and Raudrākṣa was subdued. The Madhyamāgama says: 'Śāriputra is the mother who gives birth to the four assemblies, and Maudgalyāyana is the nursing mother, and so forth.'