阿彌陀經疏 1.102

1.102

「薄拘羅」者，此云善容，謂好容儀。過去曾持一不殺戒，今得五不死報：一、釜煮不死；二、𨫼搏不燋；三、墮水不溺；四、魚吞不爛；五、刀割不傷。《五百弟子自說本起經》云：我昔曾施病僧藥及施沙門一呵梨勒，九十劫以來不墮惡道，今年一百六十未曾有病。又《分別功德論》云：薄拘羅者昔作長者，因醉入寺唱曰：「諸比丘！有須者當至家。」明旦有一比丘來索藥言患頭痛，長者曰：「此膈上水仰攻其頭，頭遂痛也。」即施一呵梨勒果，比丘服已得差。由是九十一劫未曾有患，至年八十出家學道，至今八十餘年，合一百六十年。《中阿含經》云：我持糞掃衣來八十餘年，未曾憶受用針線縫衣及針綿囊乃至一縷，未曾從一大家乞食，未曾視女人面及入比丘尼房，亦不共語。未曾憶畜一沙彌，且不曾暫患頭痛等，亦不曾服一片藥，八十年來常結跏趺坐未曾倚物。《雜阿含》云：佛滅度之後，時阿育王遍禮諸塔廣施珍寶，聞薄拘羅少欲第一，乃施一金錢。時彼塔神還擲出之。王言：「善哉！真實少欲，一錢亦不受也。」

Regarding "Vakkula": Here translated as "Good Appearance," meaning a fine countenance and deportment. In the past he once observed the single precept against taking life, and now he obtained the retribution of five kinds of non-dying: first, not dying from being boiled in a cauldron; second, not being scorched when roasted in a pan; third, not drowning when fallen into water; fourth, not being digested when swallowed by a fish; fifth, not being injured when cut with a knife. The *Sūtra of the Five Hundred Disciples' Previous Lives as Told by Themselves* states: In the past I gave medicine to a sick monk and gave a single harītakī to a śramaṇa; for ninety kalpas I have not fallen into the evil destinies, and now at one hundred and sixty years of age, I have never been ill. Furthermore, the *Fenbie gongde lun* states: Vakkula was formerly an elder who, having become drunk, entered a monastery and cried out: "O monks! Whoever has need should come to my house!" The next morning, a monk came seeking medicine, saying he suffered from a headache. The elder said: "Fluid above the diaphragm is rising to attack the head, causing the headache." He immediately gave him a single harītakī fruit; upon taking it, the monk was cured. Because of this, for ninety-one kalpas he never had any illness; at age eighty he went forth to study the path, and over eighty years have passed until now, totaling one hundred and sixty years. The *Madhyama-āgama* states: Since I took up rag-robes over eighty years ago, I do not recall using needle and thread to sew robes, nor [using] a needle, cotton bag, or even a single thread; I have never begged food from an aristocratic household; I have never looked at a woman's face, entered a nun's room, or spoken with one. I do not recall keeping a single novice; moreover, I have never briefly suffered from a headache or the like, nor have I ever taken a single dose of medicine; for eighty years I have constantly sat in full lotus posture without ever leaning against anything. The *Saṃyukta-āgama* states: After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, King Aśoka paid homage everywhere to the stūpas and gave treasures extensively; hearing that Vakkula was foremost in having few desires, he made an offering of a single gold coin. Thereupon the spirit of that stūpa cast it right back out. The king said: "Excellent! Truly having few desires, he does not accept even a single coin!"