佛祖統紀 3.125

3.125

三十四年（癸丑）佛成道已過三十年。住王舍城告諸比丘。誰能為我受持十二部經供養左右。時憍陳如白言。我能供給。佛言。汝已朽邁。云何為我給使。乃至五百阿羅漢。皆悉不受。目連入定見如來心在阿難。如日初出光照西壁。語憍陳如。陳如語阿難曰。汝今當為如來給使。阿難言。願如來與我三願。一者。不受如來故衣。二者不隨如來受別請。三者聽我出入無時。佛言善哉。具足智慧預見譏嫌。何以故。若有人言。汝為衣食奉給如來。是故不受故衣。不隨別請出入有時。則不能廣利四部。故求出入無時。我為阿難。開是三事（涅槃經）。

In the thirty-fourth year (gui-chou), thirty years having passed since the Buddha attained enlightenment, he dwelt in the city of Rājagṛha and addressed the bhikṣus: 'Who can uphold the twelve divisions of scripture for me and attend to my personal service?' At that time, Kauṇḍinya said: 'I can attend to your needs.' The Buddha said: 'You are already old and decrepit; how could you serve me?' And so on, up to the five hundred arhats, none of whom were accepted. Maudgalyāyana entered samādhi and saw that the Tathāgata's mind was set upon Ānanda, like the sun at its first rising shedding its light upon the western wall. He informed Kauṇḍinya, and Kauṇḍinya said to Ānanda: 'You should now serve the Tathāgata.' Ānanda said: 'I pray that the Tathāgata grant me three wishes: first, not to receive the Tathāgata's used robes; second, not to accompany the Tathāgata to receive separate invitations; third, to permit me to enter and exit at any time.' The Buddha said: 'Excellent! You are endowed with wisdom and foresee reproach. Why? If someone were to say, "You serve the Tathāgata for the sake of food and clothing," therefore you do not accept used robes or accompany separate invitations. If there were fixed times for entering and exiting, you could not broadly benefit the four assemblies; hence you seek to enter and exit without fixed times. I grant these three requests for Ānanda.' (Nirvāṇa Sūtra.)