妙法蓮華經文句 1.139

1.139

「大目揵連」，姓也，翻讚誦，《文殊問經》翻萊茯根，真諦云：「勿伽羅，此翻胡豆，二物古仙所嗜，因以命族。」《釋論》云：「吉占師子父也，名拘律陀，拘律陀樹名，禱樹神得子，因以名焉。」又目伽略兮度，《未來因果經》云：「大目連羅夜那，同名者多，故舉大也。」《釋論》云：「舍利弗才明見貴，目連豪爽取重，智藝相比德行互同。」《增一阿含》云：「我弟子中，神通輕舉飛到十方者，大目連第一。」《釋論》四十一，稱左面弟子。外道師徒五百，用呪移山，經一月日簸峨已動。目連念言：「此山若移，多所損害。」即於山頂虛空中結跏，山還不動。外道相謂；「我法山動，計日必移，云何安固，還若於初？必是沙門使爾。」自知力弱歸心佛道，令無量人正法出家也。

"Mahāmaudgalyāyana" is a clan name, translated as "Praise-Chanter". The Sūtra of Mañjuśrī's Questions translates it as "radish root". Paramārtha says: "'Maudgala' is translated here as 'broad bean'; both were relished by an ancient rṣi, and so they named the clan after them." The Dàzhìdù lùn says: "The father was an astrologer named Kolita. Kolita is the name of a tree; he prayed to the tree spirit and obtained a son, and so named him after it." Also, "Maudgalya" means "saving [one's mother]". The Sūtra of Past and Future Causes and Effects says: "[He was called] Mahāmaudgalyāyana; because there were many with the same name, 'Mahā' (Great) is added." The Dàzhìdù lùn says: "Śāriputra was honoured for his brilliant talent and wisdom; Maudgalyāyana was esteemed for his heroic forthrightness. Their wisdom and accomplishments were comparable, and their virtuous conduct was equal." The Ekottarika-āgama says: "Among my disciples, the foremost in flying to the ten directions with light and swift supernatural powers is Mahāmaudgalyāyana." Fascicle forty-one of the Dàzhìdù lùn calls him the disciple on the left side. A non-Buddhist teacher and his five hundred disciples used spells to move a mountain; after a month, it was rocking and had already moved. Maudgalyāyana thought: "If this mountain moves, it will cause great harm." Thereupon he sat cross-legged in the open air above the mountain peak, and the mountain remained motionless once again. The non-Buddhists said to one another: "According to our method, the mountain moved, and by counting the days it was sure to be shifted. Why has it become firm and steady, returning to how it was at first? It must be the śramaṇa who caused this." Knowing their own power was inferior, they took refuge in the Buddha's path, causing countless people to leave the household under the correct Dharma.