觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.52

1.52

The eulogy states: Fourth is the assembly of inner virtue of wisdom. In Sanskrit, it is Śāriputra. 'Śāri' is translated here as 'spring oriole', and also as 'heron' (qiū). 'Putra' means 'son'. Because of the current corrupted abbreviation, it is called 'Śāriputra'. Before the mother conceived the child, her speech was halting and clumsy; whenever she debated with her younger brother Mahākauṣṭhila, she was constantly inferior to her brother. After conceiving the child, her eloquence was swift and hard to match, and in debates she was always victorious. Because the mother was so eloquent, she was called 'Spring Oriole'—the spring oriole being the modern mockingbird. Because he was born of her, he is again called 'son', also called 'Son of the Heron'. The Venerable One was of great Brahmin caste. His father was of elevated talent and broad knowledge, possessing profound discernment of subtle intricacies; among all classical texts, there were none he had not thoroughly mastered. His wife had an evocative dream and fully reported it to her husband, saying: 'Last night in my sleep, I had a dream in which I felt a strange person wearing armor and holding a vajra in his hand, who broke through various mountains and then retreated to stand beneath a single mountain. I do not know what this signifies?' The husband said: 'The dream is very auspicious. You will give birth to a boy whose thorough learning will penetrate the world, who will crush all debaters and dismantle their tenets. He will be inferior to only one person, and will become his disciple.' When she indeed became pregnant, the mother suddenly became intelligent, engaging in lofty debates and fierce discussions without any hesitation in speech. When the Venerable One reached eight years of age, his fame spread in the four directions. His nature was pure and honest, his mind was compassionate; he broke apart bondages and perfected wisdom. He and the son of Maudgalyāyana were companions from youth; deeply weary of worldly dust, they had not yet found where to take refuge. Thereupon, he and the son of Maudgalyāyana engaged in correct cultivation under the non-Buddhist Sañjaya. Then they said to each other: 'This is not the ultimate principle; it cannot exhaust the bounds of suffering. Let us each seek an enlightened guide; whoever first tastes the ambrosia must surely share its flavor.' At that time, the great arhat Aśvajit, holding his alms-bowl, entered the city to beg for food. Śāriputra saw his elegant and leisurely deportment, approached him, and asked: 'Who is your master?' He replied: 'The prince of the Śākya clan, who, weary of the world, left home and attained complete enlightenment. He is my master.' Śāriputra said: 'What Dharma does he teach? May I hear it?' He replied: 'I have just recently received instruction and have not yet penetrated the profound meaning.' Śāriputra said: 'Please speak what you have heard.' Aśvajit thereupon expounded according to what was appropriate. Upon hearing it, Śāriputra immediately realized the first fruit, and thereupon, together with his disciples—one hundred people, also said to be two hundred and fifty people—went to the Buddha's place. The World-Honoured One saw them from afar, pointed, and told the assembly: 'The one who comes is foremost in wisdom among my disciples.' Having arrived, he paid homage and wished to follow the Buddha's Dharma. The World-Honoured One told him: 'Welcome, bhikṣu!' When he heard these words, his moral precepts were fully complete. Half a month later, he again heard the Buddha preach the Dharma for the Long-Nailed Wanderer (Dīrghanakha); hearing the rest of the discourse, he attained complete awakening and realized the fruit of an arhat. Later, when Ānanda received the Buddha's announcement of the time of his parinirvāṇa, they passed the word to one another, each harboring feelings of sorrow. Śāriputra felt even deeper longing and veneration, and, unable to bear seeing the Buddha enter parinirvāṇa, he asked the World-Honoured One to allow him to enter extinguishment first. The World-Honoured One told him: 'You should know that it is time.' He bade farewell to his disciples and also went to his native village. A novice attendant announced it throughout the cities and towns; King Ajātaśatru and the people of that country rushed like the wind, all gathering like clouds. Śāriputra expounded the Dharma extensively for them, and having heard it, they departed. In the final watch of the night, with his mind focused and restrained, he entered the concentration of cessation; emerging from it, he passed into extinguishment.