大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 77.18

77.18

Regarding the commentary's words, "Tradition says it is the place where the Buddha left his shadow": that is, the second fascicle of the *Records of the Western Regions* states: "More than twenty li southwest of the city of the kingdom of Nagarahāra, there is a saṅghārāma. To the southwest of the saṅghārāma, a deep ravine is steep and precipitous, with a flying cascade and towering cliff walls. On the stone cliff of the eastern bank, there is a large cave, which is the dwelling place of the nāga Gopāla. The entrance path is narrow and small, and the cavern is pitch dark; moisture seeps from the cliff rocks, and the creek path has leftover currents. In antiquity, there was a shadow of the Buddha, brilliant as his real countenance, fully endowed with the marks and signs, majestic as if he were truly present. In recent times, people do not see it universally; even if something is seen, it is merely faint. Only those who pray with utmost sincerity and have a covert resonance are temporarily granted a clear display, yet even that cannot last long. In antiquity, when the Tathāgata was in the world, this nāga was a cowherd. In offering milk and curds to the king, he breached etiquette. Having incurred reprimand, his mind harboured resentment. He then bought flowers with gold coins, offered them to a stupa of prediction, and made a vow to become an evil nāga to destroy the kingdom and harm the king. Thereupon he rushed toward the stone cliff, cast down his body, and died. He subsequently dwelt in this cave as a great nāga king, and then wished to leave the cave to fulfil his original evil vow. Just as he gave rise to this thought, the Tathāgata already perceived it. Pitying the people of this kingdom for being harmed by the nāga, he exercised his supernatural powers and went from Central India to the nāga's abode. When the nāga saw the Tathāgata, his toxic mind was thereupon halted; he took the precept against taking life and vowed to protect the true Dharma. He then invited the Tathāgata to dwell constantly in this cave, so that the noble disciples would always receive his offerings. The Tathāgata told him: 'I am about to pass into quiescence, so I will leave my shadow for you. I shall dispatch five arhats to always receive your offerings; even when the true Dharma disappears, this affair will not change. When your toxic mind and fury arise, you should contemplate my shadow; through benevolence and compassion, your toxic mind will cease. The future World-Honoured Ones in this Bhadrakalpa will also pity you and will all leave shadows.'"

Explanation: This is largely identical with the *Sūtra on the Samādhi-Ocean of the Contemplation of the Buddha*, as already cited in the subcommentary to the first assembly. However, the *Records of the Western Regions* says: "This kingdom has no separate ruler and is subordinate to Kapiśa; it is not far from Gandhāra, or perhaps was once subordinate to it."