妙法蓮華經文句 1.147

1.147

「摩訶迦栴延」，此翻為文飾，亦肩乘，人云字誤，應言扇繩，亦好肩，亦名柯羅，柯羅此翻思勝，皆從姓為名。《增一阿含》云：「善分別義敷演道教者，迦栴延最第一。」如《長阿含》云：「有外道執斷見謂無他世，凡有十番問答。外道言：『無有他世。』答言：『今之日月為天為人？為此世他世耶？若無他世，則無明日。』又問：『我見人死不還，云何說其受苦，故知無他世。』答云：『如罪人被駐，寧得歸不？』又問：『若生天，何故不歸？故知無他世。』答云：『如人墮廁得出，寧肯更入廁不？又天上一日當此百年，生彼三五日，未遑歸心，設有歸者而汝已化，寧得知之？』又問：『我鑊煮罪人，密蓋其上，伺之，不見神出故，知無他世。』答云：『汝晝眠時，傍人在邊，見汝神出不？』又問：『我剝死人皮，臠肉、碎骨，求神不得故，知無他世。』答云：『如小兒析薪，寸寸分裂求火，寧有可得不？』又問：『我秤死人更重，若神去應輕，若無神去，則無他世。』答云：『如火與鐵合鐵則輕，鐵失火則重，人生有神則輕，死失神則重。』又問：『我見臨死人，反轉求神不得故，知無他世。』答云：『如人反轉求於貝聲，寧得聲耶？』又問：『汝雖種種破，我執此甚久而不能捨。』答云：『如人採穭，初見麻取麻，次捨麻取麻皮，次捨麻皮取縷，次捨縷取布，次捨布取絹，次捨絹取銀，次捨銀取金，捨劣取勝，云何不能捨？』又問：『非但我如是說，諸人亦如是說，云何謂我為非？』答云：『兩商人逢鬼，鬼為人像，語言：「前路豐米足草，載之何為？」一商人便棄，前路人牛皆飢，遂為鬼所噉；一商人云：「若得新米草，可棄故米草。」人牛皆不為鬼所食。諸人妄說如鬼誑言，汝不納我言，如棄故米草，今既得新何不棄故？』又問：『我不能捨，勸我則瞋。』答曰：『汝如養猪人，路上遇糞，頭擎將還，在路逢雨，汁下污頭，傍人令棄，倒更瞋他，謂汝不養猪故令我棄，反瞋勸者。』如是番番析破廣演諸義，外道便伏而讚歎言：『尊者前說日月而我已解，欲聞智辯故番番執難。善哉！妙說。』」迦栴延善論義相亦復如是。

"Mahākātyāyana" is translated here as "Literary Ornament", and also as "Shoulder-Vehicle". Some say this character is an error and it should be "Fan-Cord"; also "Fine-Shouldered"; also named Kola. "Kola" is translated here as "Superior Reflection". These are all names derived from his clan. The Ekottarika-āgama says: "Foremost in skillfully analyzing meanings and widely expounding the teachings of the Way is Kātyāyana." As the Dīrgha-āgama says: "There was a non-Buddhist who clung to the view of annihilation, maintaining that there is no other world. In all, there were ten rounds of questions and answers. The non-Buddhist said: 'There is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Are the sun and moon of today celestial or human? Belonging to this world or another world? If there were no other world, there would be no tomorrow.' Again he asked: 'I see that people who die do not return; how can it be said that they suffer torment? Therefore I know there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Like a criminal placed under arrest, would he be able to return home or not?' Again he asked: 'If they are born in heaven, why do they not return? Therefore I know there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Like a person who falls into a privy and manages to get out, would he be willing to enter the privy again? Furthermore, one day in heaven is equal to a hundred years here. When born there for three to five days, one has no leisure to think of returning; and even if someone were to return, you would already have perished—how could you know of it?' Again he asked: 'I have boiled a criminal in a cauldron with a tight lid over it, watching him, and did not see a spirit emerge. Therefore I know there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'When you sleep in the daytime and someone is by your side, do they see your spirit leave or not?' Again he asked: 'I have flayed a dead man's skin, sliced his flesh, and crushed his bones, searching for a spirit and finding none. Therefore I know there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Like a child splitting firewood into tiny pieces in search of fire, could he find any or not?' Again he asked: 'When I weigh a dead man, he is heavier; if the spirit had departed, he should be lighter. If no spirit departed, then there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Just as when fire combines with iron, the iron is light, and when the iron loses the fire, it is heavy; when a human is alive and has a spirit, he is light, and when he dies and loses the spirit, he is heavy.' Again he asked: 'I have seen a dying person tossing and turning, yet searching for a spirit I could not find it. Therefore I know there is no other world.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Like a person turning over a conch shell searching for the sound, could he find the sound?' Again he asked: 'Although you refute this in various ways, I have clung to this for a very long time and cannot abandon it.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Like a person gathering wild grains: first seeing hemp, he takes the hemp; next he discards the hemp and takes hemp bark; next he discards the hemp bark and takes thread; next he discards the thread and takes cloth; next he discards the cloth and takes silk; next he discards the silk and takes silver; next he discards the silver and takes gold. Discarding the inferior and taking the superior, why can you not abandon it?' Again he asked: 'Not only do I say so, but everyone else says so too; why do you say I am wrong?' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'Two merchants encountered a ghost. The ghost took human form and said: "The road ahead has abundant grain and ample grass; why carry these burdens?" One merchant discarded his, and on the road ahead the men and oxen all starved, and were ultimately devoured by the ghost. The other merchant said: "If we obtain new grain and grass, we can discard the old grain and grass." Neither the men nor the oxen were eaten by the ghost. The false assertions of people are like the ghost's deceptive words. You do not accept my words, which is like discarding the old grain and grass; now that you have obtained the new, why not discard the old?' Again he asked: 'I cannot abandon it; if you urge me to, I will become angry.' [Kātyāyana] answered: 'You are like a pig farmer who found dung on the road and carried it back on his head. On the road he met with rain, and the sludge ran down, dirtying his head. When a bystander told him to discard it, he instead became angry at him, saying: "Because you do not raise pigs, you tell me to discard it!" and got angry with the one who advised him.' In this way, analyzing and refuting round by round and expounding various meanings at length, the non-Buddhist was subdued and praised him, saying: 'When the Venerable One spoke previously of the sun and moon, I had already understood; wishing to hear your wise eloquence, I raised objections round by round. Excellent! A wonderful explanation!'" Kātyāyana's skill in debating principles was just like this.