釋氏稽古略 1.407

1.407

十三祖迦毘摩羅大士　華氏國人也。未詳其姓。初為外道。有大幻術。徒侶三千。通諸異論既得法於馬鳴大士。行化至西印度。彼國太子名雲自在。請宮中供養。祖不允。太子曰。城北大山有一石窟。可住禪寂。祖諾。行數里逢一大蟒。祖與授三歸依。蟒脫去至石窟。又北十里有大樹蔭覆五百大龍。其樹王名龍樹常為龍眾說法。迎祖曰。深山孤寂。龍蟒所居。大德至尊。何枉神足。祖曰。吾非至尊。來訪賢者。龍樹默念曰。此師得決定性明道眼否。是大聖繼真乘否。祖曰。汝雖心語我已意知樹聞悔謝求度祖即度之。未幾乃命之曰。今以如來大法眼藏付囑於汝。聽吾偈曰。非隱非顯法。說是真實際。悟此隱顯法。非愚亦非智。付法已。即顯神變化火焚身。龍樹收五色舍利建塔焉。當此周赧王之世也（正宗記）三歸依者歸依佛歸依法歸依僧也。

The Thirteenth Patriarch, the Mahāsattva Kapimala, was a native of Pāṭaliputra. His family name is not known. Originally a non-Buddhist, he possessed great magical arts, had a retinue of three thousand, and was versed in various heterodox treatises. Having received the Dharma from the Mahāsattva Aśvaghoṣa, he traveled and taught until he reached Western India. The crown prince of that country, named Cloud of Sovereign Mastery, invited him into the palace to make offerings. The Patriarch did not accept. The prince said, 'In the great mountain north of the city there is a stone cave where you may abide in dhyāna solitude.' The Patriarch assented. Traveling several li, he encountered a great python; the Patriarch conferred upon it the Three Refuges, and the python shed its skin and departed. Reaching the stone cave, ten li further north there was a great tree shading five hundred great nāgas. The king of those trees was named Nāgārjuna, who constantly expounded the Dharma to the host of dragons. Welcoming the Patriarch, he said, 'Deep in the mountains and solitary, a dwelling for dragons and pythons; O Bhadanta, supreme one, why have you deigned to turn your spiritual steps here?' The Patriarch said, 'I am no supreme one; I come to visit a worthy.' Nāgārjuna reflected silently, 'Has this master attained the determinate nature, clear with the eye of the Way? Is he a great sage inheriting the True Vehicle?' The Patriarch said, 'Though you spoke in your mind, I already knew your thought.' When Nāgārjuna heard this, he repented and apologized, seeking ordination, and the Patriarch thereupon ordained him. Soon after, he instructed him, saying, 'Now I entrust the Tathāgata's treasury of the Great Dharma Eye to you. Listen to my verse: "Neither concealed nor manifest Dharma / Is spoken of as the true reality. / Awakening to this Dharma of concealment and manifestation, / One is neither foolish nor wise."' Having transmitted the Dharma, he displayed supernatural transformations, turning into fire to cremate his body. Nāgārjuna collected the five-colored relics and built a stūpa for them. This corresponded to the era of King Nan of Zhou (Zhengzong ji). (The Three Refuges are taking refuge in the Buddha, taking refuge in the Dharma, and taking refuge in the Saṅgha.)