釋迦譜 1.421

1.421

爾時太子心自念言。我今日食一麻一米。乃至七日食一麻米。身形消瘦有若枯木。修於苦行垂滿六年。不得解脫故知非道。不如昔在閻浮樹下。所思惟法。離欲寂靜是最真正。今我若復以此羸身而取道者。彼諸外道當言。自餓是般涅槃因。我今雖復節節有那羅延力。亦不以此而取道果。我當受食然後成道。作是念已即從座起。至尼連禪河入水洗浴。洗浴既畢。身體羸瘦不能自出。天神來下為捺樹枝。得攀出池。時彼林外有一牧牛女人。名難陀波羅。時淨居天來下勸言。太子今者在於林中。汝可供養。女人聞已心大歡喜。于時地中自然而生千葉蓮華。上有乳麋。女人見此生奇特心。即取乳麋至太子所。頭面禮足而以奉上。太子即便受彼女施而呪願之。今所施食欲令食者。得充氣力。當使施家得贍得喜安樂無病終保年壽智慧具足。太子即復作如是言。我為成熟一切眾生。故受此食。呪願訖已即受食之。身體光悅氣力充足堪受菩提。爾時五人既見此事。驚而怪之謂為退轉。各還所住。菩薩獨行趣畢波羅樹。自發願言。坐彼樹下。我道不成。要終不起。菩薩德重。地不能勝。于時步步地為震動出大音聲。爾時盲龍聞地動響。心大歡喜兩目開明。曾見先佛有此瑞應。作是念已從地踊出。禮菩薩足。時有五百青雀。飛騰虛空右繞菩薩。雜色瑞雲。及以香風。而隨歎佛。爾時盲龍以偈讚曰。

At that time, the prince thought to himself: 'Now I eat one hemp seed and one grain of rice a day, or even eat one hemp seed and one grain of rice every seven days. My body is emaciated like a dry piece of wood. I have practiced austerities for nearly six years, yet I have not attained liberation, so I know this is not the path. It is not as good as the Dharma that I contemplated in the past beneath the jambu tree: detachment from desire and tranquility are the most genuine and true. Now, if I were to attain the Path with this frail body, those non-Buddhists would say that self-starvation is the cause of parinirvāṇa. Although I still have the strength of Nārāyaṇa in every joint, I will not attain the fruit of the Path by this means either. I should accept food and only then attain the Path.' Having had this thought, he rose from his seat, went to the Nairañjanā River, and entered the water to bathe. When the bathing was finished, his body was so frail and emaciated that he could not emerge on his own. A heavenly deity came down and pressed down a tree branch for him, so that he was able to grasp it and pull himself out of the pool. At that time, outside the forest, there was a cowherd maiden named Nandabalā. A deity of the Śuddhāvāsa Heaven descended and urged her, saying: 'The prince is now in the forest. You should make an offering to him.' Having heard this, the woman was filled with great joy. At that moment, a thousand-petaled lotus flower spontaneously sprang up from the ground, with milk-rice porridge upon it. Seeing this, the woman thought it marvelous; she at once took the milk-rice porridge, went to the prince's presence, prostrated her head and face at his feet, and offered it to him. The prince then accepted the woman's offering and uttered an auspicious blessing: 'May this offering of food that is given now replenish the physical vigor of the one who eats it; may the family of the donor obtain abundance, obtain joy, be at peace, be free from illness, fully preserve their lifespan, and be complete in wisdom.' The prince then further spoke these words: 'It is in order to bring all sentient beings to maturity that I accept this food.' When the auspicious blessing was finished, he accepted and ate it. His body became radiant and delighted, his physical vigor was fully replenished, and he was capable of receiving bodhi. At that time, when the five men saw this matter, they were shocked and surprised, considering it a regression, and each returned to his own dwelling. The Bodhisattva went alone toward the pippala tree, and made a vow of his own: 'Sitting beneath that tree, if I do not accomplish the Path, I shall never rise.' The Bodhisattva's virtue was weighty, and the earth could not bear it. At that moment, with every step he took, the earth shook and emitted a great sound. At that time, the blind dragon heard the rumbling of the earth shaking, and his heart was filled with great joy; his two eyes opened and regained sight. Having seen such auspicious omens with previous Buddhas in the past, he had this thought, welled up out of the earth, and paid homage to the Bodhisattva's feet. At that time, there were five hundred bluebirds flying through the air, circling the Bodhisattva to the right. Multi-colored auspicious clouds and fragrant winds followed, praising the Buddha. At that time, the blind dragon praised him in verse, saying: