阿彌陀經通贊疏 1.64

1.64

The Praise says: The third [pair] is the match of Awakening to Emptiness and Knowing Illusion. Mahākauṣṭhila means in Chinese "Big Knees," because his kneecaps were large; "Juchila" is an error. He was the maternal uncle of Śāriputra. Once he debated doctrine with his sister and repeatedly suffered defeat. Indignant, he traveled far to extensively study doctrines and arts. When his studies were completed, he returned to his home country; his sister's appearance had already withered, and his nephew had already shaved his head [as a monk]. Taking leave of his sister, he entered the monastery to seek out the Buddha for a debate. Wearing a fire-pot on his head and iron plates clad over his body, his hair reaching the ground and his fingernails over a foot long, howling at the moon and calling the wind, he entered the Buddha's assembly, his mind harboring arrogance as though no one were around. Upon seeing the World-Honoured One, he said to the World-Honoured One: "You have taken in my nephew; with what teaching do you guide him?" He immediately demanded a debate. The World-Honoured One asked: "What Dharma do you take as your tenet?" He replied: "I take not accepting any phenomenon as my tenet." The World-Honoured One said: "The words 'not accepting any phenomenon'—are they already accepted?" Although he was defeated, his arrogant mind was not yet extinguished. The World-Honoured One then displayed his spiritual power, causing the iron plates to bind his body and the fire-pot to burn his head; falling unconscious, he finally submitted. Turning his mind to repent and apologize, he turned to the Buddha to leave the household. [The Buddha] called him, "Welcome!" His monastic deportment became relaxed and refined, and he realized the stage of an arhat. Because he awakened to the principle of emptiness and attained the fruit of the Way, he is named "Awakening to Emptiness." This Venerable One thoroughly mastered doctrines and arts, widely examined sūtras and treatises; his eloquence was like an overturned river, his words like strung jade. With a single word he awakened to the Way, knowing the five aggregates to be empty; delighting in the Pure Land to receive birth, he went to Jetavana to listen to the Dharma. Hence he is called "awakening to emptiness."