妙法蓮華經文句 2.37

2.37

“Ānanda” translates here as “Joy,” or “Unstained.” King Śuddhodana had hoped that the crown prince would become a golden-wheel-turning king and dominate his dynastic realm, but when he suddenly abandoned the state and gave up the kingship, the king was overwhelmed with sorrow almost to the point of extinction. Māra came to deceive him: “Your son is already dead.” The king wept, saying: “Asita's words were false, and the auspicious signs had no verification.” Then another deity came and said: “Your son has become a Buddha.” While the king was still undecided in doubt, in a moment a message brought news: “Last night heaven and earth shook violently; the crown prince has become a Buddha.” The king rejoiced greatly. King Śuklodana presented a memorial: “A son has been born.” The entire kingdom was joyful, and so he was named Joy (Ānanda); this was the name given by his parents. Ānanda was handsome, and all who saw him were delighted; the Buddha had him wear robes covering his shoulders. A woman carrying her child went to a well; seeing Ānanda, she gazed without blinking and, without realizing it, tied the rope around her child's neck. The *Madhyama-āgama* says: “When the fourfold assembly hears what Ānanda expounds, whether much or little, none fails to rejoice. When he is about to ask a question, he first clears his throat, and the great assembly all rejoices. When the fourfold assembly observes his silence, his walking, standing, sitting, lying down, pointing and directing, advancing, stopping, moving, and turning, all rejoice.” Ānanda was born on the eighth day of the fourth month, the day of the Buddha's attainment of the Way. He served the Buddha for twenty-five years; deducing from this, when the Buddha was fifty-five, Ānanda was twenty-five. When the Buddha sought an attendant, the five hundred requested to serve as explained before. The assembly urged Ānanda, Ānanda complied, and all five hundred rejoiced. Maudgalyāyana relayed Ānanda's three vows; the Buddha said: ‘Anticipating criticism, he asks not to accept old robes or food; wishing to benefit himself, he asks to come and go at any time.’ The Buddha endorsed and granted them. The Buddha said: ‘Ānanda surpasses past attendants; past attendants understood only after hearing it spoken, but now, before the Buddha has even uttered a word, Ānanda has already understood the Tathāgata's intention, fully knowing what is needed and what is not.’ Therefore the Dharma was entrusted to Ānanda, and the Tathāgata rejoiced. The Four Heavenly Kings each offered a bowl to the Buddha; the Buddha stacked and pressed them into a single bowl, the four rims distinct, yet this bowl was extremely heavy; Ānanda rejoiced, carrying it without weariness. The seventh fascicle of the *Madhyama-āgama* says: ‘Ānanda served the Buddha for twenty-five years; he recited the eighty thousand skandhas he had heard without leaving out anything, never asking a single line twice.’ This was rejoicing through the power of mindfulness. Ānanda followed the Buddha into the palaces of devas, humans, and nāgas; seeing celestial maidens and nāga maidens, his mind was unstained; though he had not yet exhausted the residual defilements, he remained unstained, and all devas, humans, and nāga spirits rejoiced without exception. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, seated on the lion throne, Kaśyapa and the great assembly praised him, saying: ‘His face is like the pure full moon, / his eyes like blue lotuses; / the great ocean-water of the Buddha's Dharma / has flowed into Ānanda's heart.’ Making a vow himself, he entered nirvāṇa while sitting; remaining, he feared the Licchavis would harbor resentment; advancing, he feared King Ajātaśatru would harbor resentment. In the middle of the Ganges, he entered the wind-swift samādhi and divided his body into four portions: one for the heavens, one for the nāgas, one for Vaiśālī, and one for Ajātaśatru. King Aśoka paid homage to Ānanda's stūpa and offered ten million liang of gold, praising him in verse: ‘Able to uphold the Dharma body, / because of the lamp of Dharma, the Dharma abides. / Mindfulness holds the ocean of the Buddha's wisdom, / therefore we make the supreme offering. / Mindfully retaining the much that was heard, / his mouth uttered subtle words. / Praised by the World-Honoured One, / beloved of devas and humans.’ The *Ekottarika-āgama* says: ‘Knowing the right time and understanding things, going everywhere without doubt, never forgetting what is remembered, having heard much and reached broad understanding, capable of upholding [the teaching]—Ānanda is foremost.’”