大乘玄論 5.13

5.13

第五論緣起。龍樹菩薩者，出南天竺梵志種也。天聰奇悟，事不再告。在乳餔之中，聞諸梵志誦四韋陀典，而識其義。弱冠馳名，獨步諸國，天文地理及諸道術無不悉綜。契友三人，一生之樂唯有隱身之術。俱至術師，術師念曰：「此四梵志，擅名一世，草芥群生，才明絕世。我不與術法，與青藥一丸，藥盡必來。」龍樹磨此藥時，聞其香氣皆識之分數多少，如其方藥。藥師怪而嘆曰：「若此人者，聞之猶難，而況相遇。我之賤術，足惜之耶？」具授術方。四人得術，常入王宮，宮中美女懷妊者多。王太不悅，有舊老智臣言：「可以細土置諸門中，斷諸往行者。若是術人，即見其迹自現，可以兵除。若是鬼神而無其迹，可以呪滅。」見四人迹，令諸力士揮刀宮中，斬三人死，唯龍樹不死。出家受戒，九十日中誦通三藏。後得大乘經，甚大愛樂。大龍菩薩見其如是，接入海宮，授方等經藏。龍樹深入無生，二忍具足。其中有婆羅門，善知呪術，欲與龍樹爭勝。王言：「汝大愚癡。此菩薩者，明與日月爭光、智與佛並照。何不宗敬？」婆羅門呪作大池，千葉蓮華，自坐其上；龍樹呪作六牙白象，以鼻絞拔，高舉擲地。婆羅門化作十頭羅剎；龍樹化作毘沙門天王，諸羅剎恐怖而退。婆羅門化作毒龍，雨諸瓦石；龍樹化作曼陀羅華。外道折伏，出家作弟子。龍樹菩薩，作百部論，大行閻浮提。涅槃之後，國國作塔供養也。

Fifth, discussing the origins [of the treatise]. Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna was born of the Brahmin caste in South India. Possessing natural intelligence and extraordinary comprehension, things never needed to be told to him twice. While still being breastfed, hearing the Brahmins reciting the four Veda scriptures, he understood their meanings. At the age of twenty his fame spread, walking unrivaled through all kingdoms; astronomy, geography, and various magical arts, there were none he did not fully master. He had three close friends, and the sole pleasure of their lives was the art of invisibility. Together they went to an occult master. The master thought to himself: 'These four Brahmins possess renowned fame for an era, treating all living beings like grass and weeds, with talent and intelligence unmatched in the world. I will not give them the magical method; I will give them one blue medicine pill. When the medicine is exhausted, they will surely return.' When Nāgārjuna was grinding this medicine, smelling its fragrance, he recognized all the proportions and quantities according to its pharmaceutical formula. The master of medicine was astonished and sighed, saying: 'To even hear of such a person is difficult, how much more to meet him! Is my humble art worth begrudging?' He fully bestowed the formula of the art. The four men, having obtained the art, constantly entered the royal palace, and many of the palace women became pregnant. The king was extremely displeased. An elder, wise minister said: 'Fine earth can be placed across the doorways to cut off those who come and go. If they are sorcerers, their footprints will appear of themselves, and they can be eliminated by troops; if they are ghosts or spirits without footprints, they can be destroyed by spells.' Seeing the footprints of the four men, the king ordered strong warriors to swing their swords in the palace, cutting three men to death; only Nāgārjuna did not die. He renounced the household life, received the precepts, and within ninety days recited and mastered the Tripiṭaka. Later he obtained Mahāyāna sūtras and took great delight in them. Bodhisattva Mahānāga, seeing him like this, welcomed him into the ocean palace and conferred upon him the Vaipulya sūtra treasury. Nāgārjuna deeply penetrated the unborn and was fully endowed with the two forbearances. Among them was a Brahmin skilled in incantations who wished to contend for supremacy with Nāgārjuna. The king said: 'You are exceedingly foolish! This Bodhisattva's brilliance rivals the light of the sun and moon, and his wisdom shines alongside the Buddhas. Why do you not revere him?' The Brahmin magically produced a great pond with a thousand-petaled lotus flower, and sat upon it himself. Nāgārjuna magically produced a six-tusked white elephant, which coiled its trunk, uprooted it, lifted it high, and dashed it to the ground. The Brahmin transformed into a ten-headed rākṣasa; Nāgārjuna transformed into the Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa, and all the rākṣasas retreated in terror. The Brahmin transformed into a poisonous dragon, raining down tiles and stones; Nāgārjuna transformed into māndārava flowers. The non-Buddhist was subdued and left the household life to become a disciple. Bodhisattva Nāgārjuna composed one hundred treatises, which circulated widely in Jambudvīpa. After his nirvāṇa, every country built stūpas to make offerings to him.