佛祖統紀 33.21

33.21

Offerings to the Arhats: At the time of the Buddha's nirvāṇa, he entrusted the sixteen arhats to serve as true fields of merit for various donors. At that time, the arhats all received the Buddha's command, using their supernatural powers to extend their own lifespans. If one invites the Saṃgha from the four quarters and establishes an unrestricted offering, whether at their dwelling place or at a monastery, these venerable ones and their retinues disperse and attend, concealing their holy forms to receive the offering implements secretly, causing all donors to obtain superior karmic rewards. (The Fazhu ji, beginning with Piṇḍola and ending with Panthaka, lists sixteen seats in total.) Except for the four great arhats and the sixteen arhats, the rest all entered parinirvāṇa. As for the four great arhats, the Mile xiasheng jing says they are Kāśyapa, Piṇḍola, Rāhula, and Kuṇḍadhāna. The sixteen arhats come from the Baoyun jing. However, Piṇḍola and Rāhula are already among the sixteen. Now, those who speak of eighteen add Kāśyapa and Kuṇḍadhāna. (The Miaole: "Piṇḍola here means 'unmoving'. Some who add Piṇḍola to the sixteen are referring to Piṇḍola [Bhāradvāja]. Those who add Nandimitra [Qingyou] are mistaken, as he is merely the author of the Fazhu ji, written a hundred years after the Buddha's nirvāṇa, recounting the sixteen arhats receiving the entrustment to remain in the world; thus one knows that Nandimitra is not among those who remain in the world. Now, if one wishes to discuss the eighteen who remain, one should take the Miaole as evidence. Jingjue, in composing his ritual praises, also summarized the Miaole.")