釋氏稽古略 2.12

2.12

二十五祖婆舍斯多尊者　罽賓國人也。姓婆羅門。父寂行。母常安樂。勝冠從師子尊者出家。受具既得法。欲詣南印度。初至中天竺國。其王曰迦勝。禮迎之。時王宮殿俄有異香。尊者肅然曰。我師謝矣。遂北面作禮。尋辭王。王曰。尊者少留容有所問。此苑有泉熱不可探。願為決之。祖曰。此為湯泉。有三緣所致。其一神業。其二鬼業。其三熱石。熱石者其色如金。其性常炎故。其出泉如蕩。鬼業者謂其鬼方出罪所遊於人間。以餘業力煎灼此泉。以償其夙債。神業者謂神不守其道妄作禍福。以取饗祀。惡業貫盈冥罰役之。亦使煎灼此泉以償濫祭。王曰。幸尊者驗之三緣。此果何者而致之。尊者曰。此神業所致也。即命爇香臨水。為其懺悔。須臾瀕水現一長人。前禮尊者曰。我有微祐得遇尊者。即生人中故來辭耳。已而遂隱。後七日其水果清冷如常泉。尊者辭王。王躬羅御仗以送之。至南印度。其王曰天德。逆而禮之。王有二子。一名德勝。二名不如蜜多。後德勝嗣位。信向外道致難于祖。遽問祖曰。予聞師子比丘不免於戮。何能傳法。祖曰。我師難未起時授我信衣法偈以顯師承。王曰。其衣何在。祖探囊中出衣示王。王命焚之。五色相鮮薪燼如故。王即敬禮曰。師子真嗣。王弟不如蜜多遂求出家。侍祖六年。於王宮受具。羯磨之際大地震動。祖命之曰。吾已衰朽。安可久留。汝當善護正法眼藏普濟群有。聽吾偈曰。聖人說知見。當境無非是。我今悟真性。無道亦無理。不如蜜多聞偈已。啟祖曰。法衣宜傳授邪。祖曰。此衣為難故假以為證。汝身無難。何假其衣。化被十方人自信向。祖乃現于神變。化三昧火自焚其身。平地舍利可高一尺。德勝王剏浮圖而祕之。當此東晉明帝之世也（正宗記）。

The Twenty-Fifth Patriarch, the Venerable Bāśiasita: He was a native of the country of Kashmir. His family was of the brāhmaṇa caste; his father was Jixing ("Tranquil Conduct"), and his mother was Chang'anle ("Constant Ease and Joy"). At the age of crowning he left home under the Venerable Siṃha, received full ordination, and, having attained the Dharma, wished to go to southern India. When he first reached the country of Central India, its king, named Jiāsheng, welcomed him with courtesy. At that time, an extraordinary fragrance suddenly appeared in the king's palace. The Venerable One solemnly said, "My teacher has passed away." He then faced north and paid homage, and soon took leave of the king. The king said, "Venerable One, stay a little while and allow me to ask a question: in this park there is a spring so hot that one cannot touch it; I wish that you would determine the cause for me." The Patriarch said, "This is a hot spring; it is brought about by three conditions: the first is the karma of spirits, the second is the karma of ghosts, and the third is hot stone. As for hot stone, its color is like gold and its nature is constantly flaming; therefore the spring it issues is like boiling water. As for the karma of ghosts, it means that a ghost, having just left the place of punishment, wanders among men and, by the force of its remaining karma, boils this spring to repay its former debts. As for the karma of spirits, it means that a spirit did not keep to its proper way and falsely caused misfortune and good fortune to obtain sacrificial offerings; its evil karma having become fully laden, the punishments of the unseen realm put it to labor and also cause it to boil this spring to repay the illicit offerings." The king said, "May the Venerable One examine it among these three conditions: by which of these was this in fact brought about?" The Venerable One said, "This was brought about by the karma of a spirit." He then ordered incense to be burned overlooking the water and performed repentance for it. Shortly, a tall man appeared by the water, came forward, bowed to the Venerable One, and said, "Having a small amount of blessing, I was able to meet the Venerable One; I am now to be born among humans, so I have only come to bid farewell." Having spoken, he then disappeared. Seven days later, the water was indeed pure and cool like an ordinary spring. The Venerable One took leave of the king, and the king personally arrayed his imperial guards to escort him. When he reached southern India, its king, named Tiande ("Heavenly Virtue"), welcomed him with homage. The king had two sons: the first was named Desheng ("Virtue-Victor"), and the second was named Punyamitra. Later, Desheng succeeded to the throne; believing in and turning toward the non-Buddhists, he brought trouble upon the Patriarch. He hastily asked the Patriarch, "I have heard that the bhikṣu Siṃha did not escape execution; how could he transmit the Dharma?" The Patriarch said, "Before the trouble arose for my teacher, he conferred upon me the robe of trust and the Dharma verse to manifest the teacher's succession." The king said, "Where is that robe?" The Patriarch reached into his bag, produced the robe, and showed it to the king. The king ordered it to be burned, but the five colors shone brightly, and when the firewood was reduced to ashes, it remained as before. The king then paid respectful homage, saying, "A true heir of Siṃha!" The king's younger brother Punyamitra then sought to leave home; he attended upon the Patriarch for six years and received full ordination in the royal palace. At the time of the karmavācanā, the great earth shook. The Patriarch instructed him, saying, "I am already decrepit; how could I remain long? You must properly protect the treasury of the true Dharma eye and universally deliver all beings. Listen to my verse: 'The sage speaks of knowledge and views, / In confronting circumstances, none is not so. / Now I have awakened to the true nature: / There is neither way nor principle.'" Having heard the verse, Punyamitra addressed the Patriarch, saying, "Should the Dharma robe be handed down?" The Patriarch said, "This robe was borrowed as proof because of the trouble. There is no trouble for your person; why borrow the robe? When your transformation covers the ten directions, people will naturally believe and turn toward you." The Patriarch then manifested divine transformations, manifested the fire of samādhi, and burned his own body. On the level ground, the relics were about one foot high. King Desheng erected a stūpa and enshrined them. This was during the era of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Jin (Zhengzong ji).