四分律行事鈔資持記 3.868

3.868

Under 'Communal Affairs': First, five sages are cited as examples. Dabba is the arhat Dabba of the Dharmaguptaka-vinaya. 'Renouncing arhatship' means growing weary of the stage of no further learning; 'seeking the steadfast' means cultivating the great practice. The Samantapāsādikā says that this person was a prince who went forth; hence he is called 'royal seed.' As for the story of Kāśyapa, the Sarvāstivāda Biographies says that Kāśyapa personally managed five monasteries on Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain, combining them into a single boundary, and personally mixed mud to plaster the walls. Jīvaka [read: Jātaka/Geyata]: the full name is Geyata. The Za baozang jing states: In South India, two bhikṣus heard that Geyata had great majestic virtue, and went to his dwelling. They saw a bhikṣu of emaciated appearance lighting a fire before the stove, and asked him, 'Do you know Geyata?' He answered, 'He is in the third cave.' They then went into the cave, only to see the bhikṣu who had just been lighting the fire. After bowing, they asked, 'Since you possess majestic virtue, why do you labor yourself?' He replied, 'I contemplate the past suffering of saṃsāra; if my head and hands could be used for kindling, I would not even spare them, so how much less do I spare laboring my body?' Śāriputra is Śāriputra. The Avadānaśataka states: In the Buddha's time there was a bhikṣu named Likuñci. After going forth he attained arhatship, but could get no food on his almsrounds. When he entered the stūpa to sweep and sprinkle, his alms were abundant. He addressed the Saṃgha, saying, 'From now on, allow me to sweep and sprinkle the stūpa and monastery.' Later one day, he slept and did not wake at dawn. Śāriputra saw that the stūpa was dusty and immediately swept it. When Likuñci awoke, he harbored distress and resentment, and said to Śāriputra, 'You swept my ground, causing me to suffer hunger and exhaustion.' Because of this, for seven days he could get no food, and finally ate sand and drank water, whereupon he entered nirvāṇa. The bhikṣus questioned the Buddha, and the Buddha said: 'In the past, he became angry at his mother's giving of alms, and locked his mother in a room. When his mother asked him for food, he replied, "Why not eat sand and drink water?" In seven days his mother died. When the son's life ended, he fell into hell; having completed his punishment, he became a human and consequently received this retribution. Because he made offerings to the Buddha in the past, he has now attained the path.' (The narrative of Maudgalyāyana is fully cited in a later chapter.) 'However...' below reveals the merit of the Saṃgha. 'Great...' below praises what is cultivated. 'The sūtra...' below encourages mindful retention; that is, the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra. 'Pure livelihood' refers to the absence of deviant seeking.