佛頂尊勝陀羅尼經教跡義記 1.35

1.35

第二釋阿難因，如《法華經》云：「我與阿難於空王佛所同時發心，我常行精進，阿難常樂多聞。」又釋迦牟尼佛昔迦葉佛時為沙彌，時師主每日令誦千言，復令常乞二人食，恐誦經不得，在路啼哭。爾時有一長者，問沙彌曰：「汝何為憂惱？」沙彌報曰：「我和尚令我誦千言，復令我常乞二人食，我恐誦經不得，所以憂惱。」長者報曰：「汝可安心誦經，自今已後，常來向弟子家取二人食，師若成佛，願為法藏弟子。」昔日誦經沙彌者即釋迦牟尼佛，是施食長者即阿難。是此則第二釋阿難因竟。

Second, explaining Ānanda's causes: As the Lotus Sūtra says: 'Ānanda and I both generated the mind [for bodhi] simultaneously under King of Emptiness Buddha; I always practiced vigorous exertion, while Ānanda always delighted in hearing much.' Furthermore, when Śākyamuni Buddha was a novice monk long ago in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, his preceptor had him recite a thousand words every day and also had him always beg food for the two of them; fearing that he could not recite the sūtras, he wept along the road. At that time, there was an elder who asked the novice: 'Why are you distressed?' The novice replied: 'My preceptor has me recite a thousand words, and also has me always beg food for the two of them; I fear that I cannot recite the sūtras, which is why I am distressed.' The elder replied: 'You may recite the sūtras with peace of mind; from now on, always come to this disciple's house to take food for two. When you become a Buddha, Master, I vow to be your disciple who preserves the Dharma treasury.' The novice monk who recited the sūtras in the past was Śākyamuni Buddha, and the elder who gave the food was Ānanda. This concludes the second, explaining Ānanda's causes.