釋迦譜 1.513

1.513

時舍利弗欣然大悅。如冥覩明口言善哉。昔來抱疑又吾好學。八歲從師至年十六。靡不周宗行遍天下。十六大國自謂已達。今乃聞異無上正真。得吾本願今佛所在。答曰在迦陵竹園。將諸弟子往詣佛所。稽首足下問訊至尊。身墮愚冥迷惑歷載。不得諮受今乃奉聖。無極大道。願聽出家得為比丘。受成就戒。佛言。善哉呼比丘來。頭髮自墮袈裟著身。佛為說經分別諸法。十二根本亘然意達。漏盡意解得無著果。前白佛言。吾有同學。俗字拘律陀今名目連。少小相順要有至真。以相開示今已蒙濟。彼沒塵垢未得拔出。承尊聖旨往開示之。佛言善哉。宜知是時。勿得稽留。時舍利弗稽首佛足。辭出入城求目連。遙見目連與諸弟子。遊行城裏街曲里巷。舍利弗趣之。目連覩見體改服變。不與常同問之所以。被服改變有何異見。答曰學人無常唯行大明。吾學積年不值大聖。今乃遇之無上大道。欣慶無量故來相求。同其道味累劫無窮。目連答曰此非。小事善共思惟。舍利弗曰。不須重言吾厭從事。不復欲聞假喻言之。人有珍妙施有勝得。大寶如意明珠及獲寶瑛。復欲反求帛祠為珠。非身所欲。目連答曰。仁智勝我。常兄事卿必不相誤。便當同志將吾受訓。稽首至尊。時舍利弗與目犍連。俱往詣佛稽首佛足。退坐一面叉手白佛。違曠侍省沈沒塵垢。今乃奉覲願為沙門。啟受法律。佛言善哉即除澡瓶屏鹿衣杖具。佛呼比丘來。頭髮自落袈裟著身。為說正諦漏盡意解。所作已辦成無著果。佛言此二人等往古世時。誓供養我待吾道成。侍衛左右今乃相值。本有千弟子。得舍利弗目連。有二百五十比丘一時所度。

At that time, Śāriputra was filled with joy and greatly delighted, like one in darkness seeing light. He uttered: 'Excellent! From of old I have harboured doubts, yet I was fond of learning. At the age of eight I followed a master, and by the age of sixteen there was no teaching I had not mastered, travelling all over the world. Among the sixteen great kingdoms I considered myself to have attained the utmost. Only now have I heard of the extraordinary, unsurpassed, true realization. I have attained my original wish! Where is the Buddha residing now?' [The śramaṇa] replied: 'He is in the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove.' Taking his disciples, [Śāriputra] went to the Buddha's dwelling, bowed his head at his feet, and inquired after the Supreme One's well-being: 'Having fallen into ignorance and darkness, I have been deluded for many years, unable to consult and receive [the teaching]. Only now do I pay reverence to the Sage, the boundless Great Way. I pray you will permit me to go forth and become a bhikṣu, receiving the complete precepts.' The Buddha said: 'Welcome, bhikṣu.' His hair fell away of itself, and kāṣāyas appeared upon his body. The Buddha expounded the sūtras and distinguished all dharmas for him; the twelve roots suddenly became clear to his mind, his outflows were extinguished, his mind was liberated, and he attained the fruit of non-attachment. Stepping forward, he addressed the Buddha: 'I have a fellow student whose secular name is Kolita, now named Maudgalyāyana. Since our youth we have been in accord, pledging that whoever attained the ultimate truth should instruct the other. Now that I have received salvation, while he remains submerged in the dust and defilements and has not yet been extracted, I would rely on the Holy One's decree to go and instruct him.' The Buddha said: 'Excellent! You should know that now is the time; do not delay.' Then Śāriputra bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, took his leave, and entered the city to seek Maudgalyāyana. From afar, he saw Maudgalyāyana walking with his disciples through the streets and alleys of the city. Śāriputra approached him. Maudgalyāyana, observing that his demeanor and clothing had changed and were not as usual, asked him the reason: 'Your clothing has changed; what extraordinary view have you gained?' He replied: 'A student knows impermanence and practices only the Great Illumination. I have studied for many years without encountering the Great Sage; only now have I met the unsurpassed Great Way. My joy is boundless, and therefore I have come to seek you, that we may share the flavor of the Way for countless eons.' Maudgalyāyana answered: 'This is no small matter; let us reflect on it well together.' Śāriputra said: 'There is no need for repeated talk. I have grown weary of [worldly] matters and do not wish to hear any more. To speak by way of an analogy: when a person possesses precious marvels, giving yields supreme gain—great wish-fulfilling gems, luminous pearls, and obtained jewels. To then turn back and seek silk offerings in place of pearls is not what one desires for oneself.' Maudgalyāyana answered: 'Your benevolence and wisdom surpass mine. I have always looked up to you as an elder brother, and you would surely not lead me astray. Let us share the same intention; lead me to receive instruction and bow my head to the Supreme One.' Then Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana went together to the Buddha, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, withdrew to sit at one side, joined their palms, and addressed the Buddha: 'Having long neglected to attend upon and serve you, we have been submerged in dust and defilements. Only now do we behold you; we pray to become śramaṇas and receive the Dharma and Vinaya.' The Buddha said: 'Excellent!' Thereupon, discarding their washing-flasks, deer skins, and staves, the Buddha said: 'Welcome, bhikṣus.' Their hair fell away of itself, and kāṣāyas appeared upon their bodies. He expounded the noble truths to them; their outflows were extinguished, their minds were liberated, what was to be done had been done, and they achieved the fruit of non-attachment. The Buddha said: 'In past ages, these two men made a vow to make offerings to me and wait until my attainment of the Way, to attend and guard my left and right. Only now do we meet.' Originally [the Buddha] had a thousand disciples; upon gaining Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana, there were two hundred and fifty bhikṣus who were converted at one time.