無量壽經連義述文贊 1.27

1.27

經曰「服乘白馬」至「剃除鬚髮」者，述云：此次、入道類也。寶冠瓔珞遣之令還，捨珍妙衣即所捨也。有說：服乘即乘之別目。非也，不應乘寶冠及瓔珞故。今即服者著也，乘者騎也。白馬者，即乾涉也。寶冠瓔珞者，即諸莊嚴具也。菩薩思惟：「私自出家，即違法教、不順俗理。」詣王所言：「今願出家，唯垂哀許。」王勅釋種於城四面各有五百，警無暫休。菩薩語車匿：「我欲須乾涉。」匿聞天勅，即取最上金勒寶鞍諸莊嚴具用被馬王，持以奉進。時靜慧天令城人民皆悉昏睡，嚴慧天子於虛空中化為寶路。菩薩乘已，初舉步時昇虛而行，四王捧承馬足、梵釋示開寶路，去迦毘羅城至彌尼園。其夜已曉，所行道路過六由旬，諸天八部事畢不現。菩薩遂行至往仙人苦行林中，下馬歎匿：「我既至間處，汝將乾涉還。」即自解髻取摩尼寶以付車匿還奉大王，脫身瓔珞奉大聖主，餘嚴具與耶輸陀，言：「人生世間，愛必別離。今為斷此苦故，出家學道。」匿聞菩薩語，舉聲大哭。馬前屈雙脚，甜菩薩足，淚下悲鳴。菩薩即從車匿取摩尼劍，即自剃髻，擲致空中。釋天承取，還禮供養。菩薩自觀身著寶衣，即念不當。時淨居天化作獵師，身著袈裟，於菩薩前默然而住。菩薩語言：「汝所著者乃是往古諸佛之服。汝若與我，我當與汝憍奢耶衣。」獵師即應。忽復本形，上至梵天。於是菩薩剃鬚髮，身著袈裟，言真出家。發遣車匿，將乾涉還。徐步往彼跋樂仙人苦行林中。大王教五人入山求侍，而不能及，遂遁山林。菩薩行詣鞞留苦行女人所受彼請已，往波頭摩苦行女人所亦受請已，往利婆陀梵行仙人所既受請已，後往光明、調伏二仙人所受明日齋，遂至毘舍離城。城傍有仙名阿羅邏，將三百弟子，常為其說無所有所定。聞仙所說，勤修不倦，住於小時皆已得證，更無所修，非能盡苦。即出彼城，往王舍城，入靈鷲山獨住一處，諸天守護。旦著衣持鉢，從溫泉門入王舍城次第乞食。王傳聞嘆，自涉高樓觀菩薩身，因勅左右奉上飲食，令發所住。詣菩薩所，願大慈悲於此國境證佛菩提，使不我遠。禮已還宮。而《智論》云「去城十二由旬至跋伽仙人所」者，蓋說剃髮之所故，亦不違過六由旬。今言珍妙衣者，即與持舉嚴身之具。著法服者，即求獵師毀形之衣。若著此衣必離塵垢，故云法服。

The sūtra says: "Riding a white horse" up to "he shaved off his beard and hair." The Commentary states: This is the next [part], belonging to entering the path. The precious crown and necklaces being sent back, and casting off precious, exquisite robes, are what was cast off. Some say that "apparel and mount" (fucheng) is another term for riding. This is not so, for one does not ride a precious crown or necklaces. Here, "apparel" means wearing, and "mount" means riding. The "white horse" is Kaṇṭhaka. The "precious crown and necklaces" are the various ornaments. The Bodhisattva reflected: "To privately go forth into the homeless life would contravene the teachings of the law and not conform to conventional propriety." He went to the king and said: "I now wish to go forth; I only pray you deign to grant your compassionate permission." The king ordered the Śākyas to station five hundred men on each of the four sides of the city, keeping watch without momentary rest. The Bodhisattva said to Chandaka: "I have need of Kaṇṭhaka." Hearing the divine command, Chandaka took the finest gold bridle, jeweled saddle, and various adornments to drape over the king of horses, and brought it forward. At that time, the deva Śāntamati caused the city's inhabitants to fall fast asleep, and the devaputra Subhūṣitamati manifested a jeweled road in empty space. Once the Bodhisattva mounted, as he first lifted his step, he soared into the void and rode away; the Four Heavenly Kings held up the horse's hooves, and Brahmā and Śakra pointed out and opened the jeweled path, departing from the city of Kapilavastu as far as the Mini garden. That night turned to dawn, and the road traveled exceeded six yojanas. The devas and the eight classes of beings, having accomplished their task, disappeared. The Bodhisattva then proceeded to the ascetic grove of the ṛṣis. Dismounting, he thanked Chandaka: "Since I have reached a secluded place, take Kaṇṭhaka back." He then untied his topknot, took the maṇi jewel, and gave it to Chandaka to return and present to the great king; he took off the necklaces from his body to present to the Great Holy Lord, and gave the remaining ornaments to Yaśodharā, saying: "When human beings live in the world, love must inevitably entail parting. Now to cut off this suffering, I go forth to learn the path." Hearing the Bodhisattva's words, Chandaka wept aloud. The horse bent its front two legs, licked the Bodhisattva's feet, and shed tears with a mournful neigh. The Bodhisattva then took the maṇi sword from Chandaka, cut off his own topknot, and cast it into the void. Śakra caught it, paid homage, and made offerings. The Bodhisattva looked at himself wearing precious robes, and considered it inappropriate. At that time, a deva from the Śuddhāvāsa heaven transformed into a hunter wearing a kāṣāya, standing silently before the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva said to him: "What you wear is the robe of the buddhas of past ages. If you give it to me, I will give you my kauśeya garments." The hunter immediately complied, then suddenly resumed his original form and ascended to the Brahmā heaven. Thereupon the Bodhisattva shaved his beard and hair, donned the kāṣāya, and declared his true going-forth. He sent Chandaka away to take Kaṇṭhaka back. He walked slowly toward the ascetic grove of the ṛṣi Bhārgava. The great king instructed five men to enter the mountains to seek and attend him, but they could not catch up, and so they withdrew into the mountain forests. The Bodhisattva went to the ascetic woman Bhīlu, accepted her invitation, then went to the ascetic woman Padmā and accepted her invitation as well, and went to the brahmacārin ṛṣi Raivata and accepted his invitation; later he went to the two ṛṣis Prabhāsa and Dāntaka and accepted their meal for the next day, finally reaching the city of Vaiśālī. Beside the city was a ṛṣi named Ārāḍa, who led three hundred disciples and constantly taught them the concentration of nothingness. Hearing what the ṛṣi taught, the Bodhisattva practiced diligently without fatigue, and in a short time realized it all; there being nothing further to cultivate, and it being unable to end suffering, he left that city, went to Rājagṛha, and entered Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa to dwell alone in one place, guarded by the devas. In the morning, wearing his robes and holding his bowl, he entered Rājagṛha through the Warm Springs Gate to beg for food in succession. The king heard reports praising him, mounted a high tower himself to gaze upon the Bodhisattva's body, and thereupon ordered his attendants to offer food and drink and to find where he resided. He went to the Bodhisattva's abode, praying: "With great compassion, realize buddhahood within the borders of this kingdom, so that you do not wander far from me." Having paid homage, he returned to his palace. As for the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa stating "at twelve yojanas from the city he reached the abode of the ṛṣi Bhārgava," this was spoken of the place of shaving the hair, and thus does not contradict "exceeding six yojanas." Now, "precious, exquisite robes" refers to giving away the adornments held to ornament the body. "Wearing the Dharma robes" refers to seeking the hunter's disfiguring garments. If one wears these robes, one is certain to leave behind dust and defilement; hence they are called "Dharma robes."