佛祖統紀 3.87

3.87

In the fifth year (jiāshen), there was an elder's son named Yaśas, who was intelligent and of sharp faculties. In the middle of the night, he saw a light in the sky; opening his door, he followed the light to the Deer Park. The Buddha expounded the Four Truths, and he became an arhat. He wished to leave household life, and the Buddha said, 'Come, bhikṣu!' and he immediately became a śramaṇa. At that time, Yaśas's father sought his son at the Buddha's place; the Buddha expounded the Dharma for him, and he obtained the purity of the Dharma-eye. He took the three refuges, becoming the very first upāsaka. Furthermore, fifty elders who were friends of Yaśas, hearing that Yaśas had left household life, went together to the Buddha's place wishing to leave household life. The Buddha said, 'Come, bhikṣus!' and they immediately became śramaṇas. At this time, there were for the first time fifty-six arhats. The Buddha told the bhikṣus, 'You should each wander about to transform sentient beings.' Thereupon, the bhikṣus paid homage at his feet and took their leave. The Bhagavat then set out from Vārāṇasī toward the country of Magadha. At dusk, he lodged at the dwelling place of Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa, subduing a fire-dragon, administering the three refuges to it, and placing it in his alms-bowl to show Kāśyapa, who praised it as unprecedented. The Buddha knew that Kāśyapa's faculties and conditions were gradually ripening, so he went to the bank of the Nairañjanā River. At that time, Māra the Evil One beseeched him to enter parinirvāṇa, making his request three times. The Bhagavat replied, 'Those who ought to be saved have not yet been brought to completion.' Having heard this, Māra returned to his own palace. At that time, Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and five hundred disciples wished to leave household life. The Buddha said, 'Come, bhikṣus!' and they immediately became śramaṇas. The Buddha expounded the Four Truths, and they gradually attained the fruit of arhatship; they discarded their fire-worship implements into the river. At that time, Uruvilvā's two younger brothers—one named Nadī and the other named Gayā—were downstream on the river. Seeing their elder brother's fire-worship implements floating downstream, they were greatly alarmed and astonished, and went immediately to find their brother. Seeing their brother wearing a kāṣāya, each, together with two hundred and fifty disciples, wished to leave household life. The Buddha called, 'Come, bhikṣus!' and they immediately became śramaṇas and attained arhatship. The Bhagavat then went with Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and the thousand bhikṣus to Rājagṛha, to King Bimbisāra's place (the father of King Ajātaśatru). The king and the hundred officials went out of the city to welcome the Buddha. The Buddha expounded the Dharma for them, and the king along with eighty thousand nayutas of brāhmaṇas, great ministers, and common people obtained the purity of the Dharma-eye (Yinguo jing). In the country there was an elder named Kāliṅga who went to the Buddha's place and offered a bamboo grove (according to the Xiyu ji, the Vulture Peak and the Bamboo Grove are both five li beside Rājagṛha), which could serve as a monastery. The king ordered his ministers to erect halls and quarters, welcomed the Buddha into the city, and they went together to the Bamboo Grove. Of all the kings who met the Buddha, Bimbisāra was foremost; of all saṅghārāmas, the Bamboo Grove was the first (Puyao jing. Note: According to the Zhong benqi jing, Elder Kalandaka had earlier donated it to the Nirgranthas, but regretted not offering it to the Buddha. A demon-master, knowing his thought, summoned yaksas who drove the Nirgranthas away in fright. The elder rejoiced and invited the Buddha to dwell there).