宗鏡錄 99.41

99.41

The Biography of Deva states: 'The Bodhisattva Deva was widely learned, deeply read, and unmatched in talent and eloquence. His fame resounded through India, and he was esteemed by all kingdoms. The only thing he felt ashamed of and worried over was that people did not believe in or accept his words. In that kingdom there was a great deva of wondrous efficacy, modeled in yellow gold, twenty feet in seated height, called Maheśvara. When people made supplications, he could grant their wishes in the present life. Deva went to the temple seeking to enter and pay homage. The temple keeper said: "The image of the god is supremely divine. If anyone sees it, not only do they not dare look straight at it, but it also causes them to lose their wits for a hundred days after retreating. You should just approach the gate and make your request; why must you see it?" Deva said: "If the god can truly be as you say, then let me see him. If he is not like that, how could he be one I wish to see?" The people of the time marveled at his spirit and submitted to his clear rectitude. Those who followed him into the temple numbered tens of thousands. Once Deva entered, the image of the god rolled its eyes and glared at him with fury. Deva asked: "The heavenly god is indeed divine, but why is he so petty? One should move people with spiritual essence and subdue beings with wisdom and virtue; yet you borrow gold for eyes and frequently roll glass to bewilder them—this is not what is expected." He immediately climbed a ladder and gouged out its eyes. At that time, all the onlookers felt doubt: "Why was Maheśvara cornered by a single petty brāhmaṇa? Could it be that his fame exceeds the reality and his reasoning has failed his words?" Deva explained to the multitude: "The spirit is far-reaching and great; therefore he tested me with immediate matters. I grasped his mind, and so climbed the heap of gold and removed the glass, to let you all know that the spirit does not depend on physical matter, and essence does not rely on form. I was not disrespectful, nor was the god humiliated." Having spoken, he left. That very night he sought various offerings, and early the next morning he respectfully sacrificed to the heavenly god. Deva's prior reputation was already weight, and added to this was his wisdom engaging in spiritual resonance; wherever his words reached, all responded like an echo. In a single night, the offerings and fine viands—whatever was required—were completely provided. Maheśvara assumed a physical body, some forty feet in height, with his left eye withered and sunken, and came to sit there. Looking over the offerings and viands, he sighed at what was unprecedented, commended Deva's virtuous power in being able to bring this about, and told him: "You have grasped my mind; others have grasped my form. You offer with mind; others present with matter. The one who knows and respects me is you; those who fear and deceive me are others. The offerings and viands you have presented are entirely good and beautiful. Yet there is only one thing I need; if you can give it to me, that would be true supreme giving." Deva said: "The god examines my mind; I obey your command alone." The god said: "What I lack is a left eye; if you can give it to me, you may gouge it out." Deva said: "I respectfully follow the heavenly command." He immediately used his left hand to gouge out his eye and give it to him. By the divine power of the heavenly god, as soon as it was gouged out, another grew in its place. The god demanded it incessantly, and from dawn until morning's end, Deva gouged out tens of thousands of eyes. The heavenly god praised him, saying: "Excellent, young brāhmaṇa! This is true supreme giving. What wish do you seek? It shall surely be as you desire." Deva said: "I receive illumination in the mind; I do not rely on the external. I only regret that the foolish and ignorant common folk do not know to believe and accept my words. If the god grants my wish, surely make my words not be spoken in vain. I make only this request; I need nothing else." The god said: "It shall surely be as you have requested." Thereupon Deva withdrew. He went to a monastery, received the precepts for going forth, shaved his hair, donned the Dharma robes, and traveled about propagating the transformation. In the capital of a great Indian kingdom, at a crossroads, he arranged a high seat and made three propositions, saying: "Among all sages, the Buddha-sage is foremost. Among all dharmas, the Buddha-Dharma is the most correct and foremost. Among all assemblies that rescue the world, the Buddha-saṃgha is foremost. If there is any disputant from the eight directions who can refute these words, I will cut off my head to apologize for my defeat. Why is that? Establishing a principle that is not clear is ignorance; a head of ignorance is not something I need, and cutting it off to apologize for defeat is not to be regretted in the least." Having heard these words, disputants from the eight directions also gathered and made a vow, saying: "If we are unequal to you, we too will cut off our heads; a head of ignorance is also not to be regretted." Deva said: "The Dharma I practice is benevolent toward all beings. If you are unequal, you need only shave your hair and beard to become my disciples; your heads will not be cut off." Having established this agreement, they each composed prestigious doctrines and set up comprehensive arguments to debate with him. Those whose wisdom was shallow and inclinations superficial were defeated in a single word; those whose wisdom was deep and inclinations far-reaching ran out of words and reasoning at most by the second day. Thereupon they all shaved their hair. In this way, day after day, the royal house sent robes and bowls, and by the end of three months, he had delivered over one hundred thousand people.' Explanation: 'Receiving illumination in the mind, not relying on the external'—if one truly acts according to these words, where can one go and not succeed? Thus his virtue could move the luminous spirit, gouge out the eye of Maheśvara, harmonize with people's minds in conversion, and deliver the minds of a hundred thousand non-Buddhists. He can truly be called an excellent physician who rescues the world, possessing wondrous arts for delivering people. If one does not attain this purport, how could compassionate vows be accomplished? Benefiting oneself and benefiting others—the principle is exhausted in this.