妙法蓮華經文句 2.18

2.18

「摩訶拘絺羅」，此翻大膝，舍利弗舅，由來論勝姊。姊孕，論則不勝，知所懷者，智寄辯尚爾，何況出胎？（云云）即棄家往南天竺，讀十八經。時人笑之：「累世難通，一生非冀。」喟然歎曰：「在家為姊所勝，出路為他所輕。」誓讀不休，無暇剪爪，時人呼為長爪梵志。學訖還家，問甥所在，人云：「為佛弟子。」即大憍慢：「我甥八歲聲震五竺，彼沙門者有何道術誘我姊子？」徑往佛所，思惟良久，不得一法入心，語佛言：「一切法不忍，忍即安義，此言一切法我皆能破，使不得安故，言一切法不忍。」佛問：「汝見是忍不？」此墮兩負處：若我見忍，前已云：「一切不忍。」若我見不忍，無以勝佛，即低頭，得法眼淨。身子扇佛聞舅論，得阿羅漢果。《增一》云：「得四辯才，觸難能答，拘絺羅第一。」南方天王毘留匐叉常來隨侍。

“Mahākauṣṭhila” is translated as “Big Knees”. He was Śāriputra’s maternal uncle; formerly, in debates he always defeated his sister. When the sister became pregnant, he could not defeat her in debate. Knowing what was conceived, [he thought]: “When wisdom merely lodges within her, her eloquence is already like this; how much more so when the child is born from the womb?” (and so on). He immediately left home and went to South India to study the eighteen scriptures. People of the time laughed at him: “It is difficult to master in successive lifetimes; it is not to be hoped for in a single lifetime.” He sighed and lamented: “At home I was defeated by my sister; abroad I am slighted by others.” He vowed to study without pause, having no time to trim his nails, so people of the time called him the Long-Nailed Renunciant. Having finished his studies, he returned home and asked where his nephew was. People said: “He has become a disciple of the Buddha.” He immediately grew very arrogant: “At eight years old my nephew’s fame shook the five Indias. What technique does that śramaṇa possess to entice away my sister's son?” He went straight to the Buddha's place. Having pondered for a long time without finding a single teaching to enter his mind, he said to the Buddha: “I do not accept any dharma.” “Accept” has the sense of being settled; this meant, “I can refute all dharmas and cause them not to be settled; hence I say I do not accept any dharma.” The Buddha asked: “Do you accept this view of yours?” This fell into a two-fold defeat: if he accepted his view, he had previously said, “I do not accept anything”; if he did not accept his view, he had no way to defeat the Buddha. Thereupon he bowed his head and attained the purity of the Dharma Eye. Śāriputra, fanning the Buddha and hearing his uncle's debate, attained the fruit of arhatship. The Ekottarika-āgama states: “Among those who attain the four analytical knowledges and can respond when encountering difficulties, Kauṣṭhila is foremost.” The heavenly king of the south, Virūḍhaka, constantly came to attend upon him.