釋迦譜 1.392

1.392

普耀經云。菩薩手執金筆栴檀書隷明珠書床問師選友。今師何書而相教乎。其師答曰以梵佉留而相教耳。菩薩答曰。其異書者。有六十四。今師何言正有二種。師問皆何所名。答曰。梵書。佉留書。護眾書。疾堅書。龍鬼書。揵杳和書。阿須倫書。鹿輪書。天腹書。轉數書。轉眼書。觀空書。攝取書（文多不悉載也）此六十四。欲以何書而相教乎。時師歡悅。說偈讚歎菩薩。為諸童子。一一分別諸字本末。勸發無上正真道意。瑞應本起云。時去聖久。書缺二字。以問於師。師不能達。反啟其志。此阿字者是梵音聲。又此字義是不可壞。亦是無上正真道義。凡如此義無量無邊。爾時婆羅門深生慚愧。還至王所。而白王言大王。太子是天人中第一之師。云何而欲令我教耶。爾時父王聞婆羅門言。倍生歡喜。歎未曾有。即厚供養彼婆羅門。隨意所之。凡諸技藝。典籍議論。天文地理。算數射御。太子皆悉自然知之。

The Puyao jing says: The Bodhisattva, holding a gold pen, sandalwood writing slips, and a writing desk of bright pearls, asked his master, Selected Friend, 'What script will you now teach me?' His master replied, 'I shall teach you the Brāhmī and Kharoṣṭhī scripts.' The Bodhisattva answered, 'There are sixty-four distinct scripts. Why do you say there are only two kinds?' The master asked, 'What are all their names?' He answered, 'The Brāhmī script, the Kharoṣṭhī script, the script that protects the assembly, the swift and firm script, the nāga and ghost script, the gandharva script, the asura script, the deer-wheel script, the celestial-belly script, the revolving-number script, the revolving-eye script, the contemplating-emptiness script, the grasping script...' (The text is extensive and is not fully recorded here.) 'Among these sixty-four, which script do you wish to teach me?' The master was delighted, spoke verses in praise of the Bodhisattva, and for the sake of the boys analyzed the origin and end of each character, encouraging them to give rise to the intention toward supreme, correct, and true awakening. The Ruiying benqi [jing] says: At that time, having long been separated from the sages, the script lacked two characters. When he questioned his master, the master could not explain them, and the prince in turn enlightened his mind: 'This syllable "A" is the sound of Brahmā. Furthermore, the meaning of this character is indestructible, and it is also the meaning of the supreme, correct, and true Way. Meanings such as this are immeasurable and boundless.' At that time, the Brahmin felt deep shame, returned to the king's presence, and said to the king, 'Great King, the prince is the foremost teacher among gods and humans; how could you have me instruct him?' When the father heard the Brahmin's words, his joy doubled, and he marveled at what had never been before. He then generously offered gifts to that Brahmin, letting him go wherever he pleased. As for all arts and skills, classic texts and debates, astronomy and geography, mathematics, archery, and charioteering, the prince knew them all naturally.