律相感通傳 1.129

1.129

答曰：「此佛滅後將二百年，北天竺僧與外道同住，外道嫉之，密以利刀內衣葉中，同往王所。外道告王：『沙門釋子內藏利刀將欲害王。』因即撿獲，由此普誅一國比丘。時有耶舍阿羅漢，令諸比丘權且縫合，為絕命難。此乃北方因事權制，非佛所開。今有南方比丘皆悉縫合，有無識者亦學縫之。」

He replied: "Nearly two hundred years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, monks in Northern India lived together with non-Buddhists. The non-Buddhists were jealous of them and secretly inserted sharp knives into the folds of their robes, and went together to the king's court. The non-Buddhists told the king: 'The Śākyamuni-son śramaṇas conceal sharp knives within, intending to harm the king.' Upon investigation, they were discovered, and on account of this all the monks throughout the entire country were executed. At that time, there was the arhat Yaśas, who instructed all the monks to temporarily stitch them together as an expedient, in order to avert mortal peril. This was an expedient measure instituted in the north due to circumstance; it was not a dispensation permitted by the Buddha. Nowadays, there are monks in the south who all stitch them together, and those without understanding also copy them in stitching them."