佛祖統紀 2.33

2.33

Twenty-seventh year (yimao): Previously, when the Prince was born, his feet walked seven steps and his mouth declared, 'I alone am supreme.' After speaking, he fell silent, neither walking nor speaking just like other infants. His foster mothers nursed and reared him, and he gradually grew up (Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom). Twenty-eighth year (bingchen). Twenty-ninth year (dingsi). Thirtieth year (wuwu). Thirty-first year (jiwei): For the Prince, the King prepared carts of elephants, horses, oxen, and sheep, and children's toys. The people throughout the realm all practiced benevolence and kindness; the five grains were bountiful and mature, and the winds and clouds came in season—all through the power of the Prince's merit. Furthermore, five hundred servants, such as Chandaka who was born of a maidservant, were assigned to attend the Prince (Sūtra on Cause and Effect). Thirty-second year (gengshen): When the Prince was seven years old, the King ordered him to learn writing, seeking out an intelligent brāhmaṇa in the realm named Selection of Friends (Viśvāmitra). A great academy was erected with couches and learning utensils. The Prince asked the teacher: 'How many kinds of writing are there?' The teacher was silent and did not reply; feeling ashamed within, he prostrated at the Prince's feet and said: 'I only pray that you will explain how many kinds of writing there are in Jambudvīpa.' The Prince answered: 'There are Brāhmī writing (the writing of the brāhmaṇas), Kharoṣṭhī writing (the immortal with donkey lips), and other such kinds, sixty-four writings in all.' (According to the Sūtra of the Buddha's Former Deeds, the Prince studied writing at eight years of age under the master Viśvāmitra. Among the sixty-four scripts are Deva writing, meaning gods; Nāga writing, meaning dragons; and Chinese writing, meaning the Great Tang. Below this it fully lists the writings of the sounds of the devas, earth, eight classes, four continents, birds, and beasts.) [The master] consented and reported to the King: 'The Prince is a teacher of gods and humans; why would you have me instruct him?' The King was delighted to hear this. In all arts, classics, astronomy, geography, mathematics, archery, and charioteering, [the Prince] knew them naturally (Sūtra on Cause and Effect). At that time, the King again ordered the Śākya Renti to teach the Prince military laws and tactics, and constructed a park for him named Legu. The Prince entered the park with five hundred Śākya youths to amuse themselves and study all the classics. Within four years, he and the other Śākyas had mastered everything (Sūtra of the Buddha's Former Deeds).