佛祖歷代通載 3.9

3.9

(Wu-yin) Now we rely on the teaching of six years of asceticism and attaining enlightenment at thirty. Some say he left the household on the eighth day of the twelfth month; the various schools have differing accounts. The commentary Xuanzan shu states: Synthesizing the various texts, there are two views. One says the various schools state he left the household at nineteen and attained enlightenment at thirty. The Benqi yinyuan jing also gives nineteen years of age; the Siwei wuxiang sanmei jing gives enlightenment at thirty; the Zhilun (Dazhidulun) also gives nineteen, but does not state the time of attaining enlightenment; the Buddha's actual residence in the world was eighty years. Reconciling this: he left home at nineteen, served ṛṣis for five years practicing pleasurable practices, practiced asceticism for six years, and attained enlightenment at thirty; the Zhilun adopts this. The second says: various schools and the Mahāyāna also state he left the household at twenty-nine and attained enlightenment at thirty-five. The Ekottarika, Madhyama, and Saṃyukta Āgamas, the Chuyao jing, and the Vasumitra Treatise all state twenty-nine; the Karuṇāpuṇḍarīka Sūtra and the Samantapāsādikā state enlightenment at thirty-five; the Benqi jing says thirty-five. Bodhiruci quotes a sūtra verse saying: "For eight years an infant, / for seven years a youth, / for four years learning the five sciences, / for ten years enjoying the five desires, / for six years practicing asceticism, / at thirty-five attaining enlightenment. / During forty-five years / he taught and transformed all sentient beings." Paramārtha and the Record of the Western Regions both agree with this account. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra, the Bao'en jing, and others likewise state the Buddha's lifespan was eighty years. The jiazi calculation gives only seventy-nine years. Briefly explaining the verse (concerning the five sciences, the Yogācāra-bhūmi-vyākhyā says: 1. Inner science (adhyātma-vidyā) has two characteristics: first, revealing the characteristics of correct cause and effect; second, that what is done is not lost and what is not done is not obtained. 2. Logic (hetu-vidyā) has two characteristics: first, revealing the victorious characteristic of refuting other doctrines; second, revealing the victorious characteristic of escaping other doctrines. 3. Linguistics (śabda-vidyā) also has two characteristics: first, revealing the establishment of root morphemes and their derivations; second, revealing the victorious characteristic of skill in speech. 4. Medicine (cikitsā-vidyā) has four characteristics: first, revealing skill regarding the nature of illnesses; second, revealing skill regarding the causes of illnesses; third, revealing skill regarding recurrence after cessation; fourth, revealing skill regarding non-recurrence after cessation. 5. Arts and crafts (śilpa-karma-sthāna-vidyā): skill in all mundane worldly practices. Concerning the three faculties and six arts: the three faculties are: 1. literary brush; 2. military prowess; 3. eloquence of tongue. The six arts are: 1. propriety: humility and reverence between elders and youths; 2. music: rectitude and changes in customs; 3. calligraphy: eight styles and six scripts; 4. mathematics: thoroughly knowing infinitesimal counts; 5. archery: able to draw bows and crossbows; 6. charioteering: skilled in taming elephants and horses. When the Bhagavān was a prince in the palace, his nature was humane and worthy: this is called propriety. Comprehending all customs: this is called music. Fully mastering the sixty-four scripts: this is called calligraphy. Exhausting the one hundred and twenty numerations: this is called mathematics. Piercing nine layers of iron drums: this is called archery. Throwing the great elephant blocking the gate: this is called charioteering. The rest is fully detailed in the sūtras and treatises).