人天眼目 5.3

5.3

王荊公問佛慧泉禪師云。禪家所謂世尊拈花。出在何典。泉云。藏經亦不載。公曰。余頃在翰苑。偶見大梵天王問佛決疑經三卷。因閱之。經文所載甚詳。梵王至靈山。以金色波羅花獻佛。舍身為床座。請佛為眾生說法。世尊登座拈花示眾。人天百萬。悉皆罔措。獨有金色頭陀。破顏微笑。世尊云。吾有正法眼藏涅槃妙心實相無相。分付摩訶大迦葉。此經多談帝王事佛請問。所以祕藏世無聞者。

Wang Jinggong asked Chan Master Fohui Quan: "Where does the Chan school's so-called 'World-Honoured One holding up a flower' appear in the canonical texts?" Quan said, "The collection of sūtras also does not record it." Gong said, "When I was recently in the Hanlin Academy, I happened to see the three fascicles of the Sūtra on the Questions of the Mahābrahmā King to the Buddha for Resolving Doubts. Upon perusing it, what is recorded in the text of the sūtra is very detailed: The Brahmā King arrived at Vulture Peak, offered a golden flower to the Buddha, gave up his body as a seat, and requested the Buddha to preach the Dharma for sentient beings. The World-Honoured One mounted the seat and held up the flower to show the assembly. The millions of humans and gods were all at a loss. Only the Golden Ascetic broke into a subtle smile. The World-Honoured One said: 'I have the treasury of the true Dharma eye, the marvelous mind of nirvāṇa, the true mark of formlessness; I entrust it to Mahākāśyapa.' Because this sūtra mostly discusses kings serving the Buddha and making requests, it was kept secret and hidden, unheard of by the world."