釋迦譜 1.86

1.86

時諸力士釋種長者啟白淨王。若太子作佛斷聖王種。王曰。何所王女宜太子妃。菩薩心念。吾不貪欲棄兜率來。以權方便今當試之。使上工立妙金像。以書文字。女人德義如吾所疏。能應娉耳。時白淨王告右梵志入迦夷衛國遍瞻察。梵志周行覩一玉女。淨猶蓮花。類玉女寶。王問女。梵志報曰。執杖釋種。王言。儻不可意使自擇之。召羅衛好女會彼講堂。時釋女俱夷到菩薩所。諦視菩薩目未曾眴。菩薩欣笑。執持寶英以遺俱夷。俱夷報曰。吾不貪寶。當以功德莊嚴。王遣梵志往媒此女。執杖釋言。我等本姓有藝術者乃嫁與之。王問菩薩。能現術乎。菩薩曰能。王遍勅國中。撞鍾擊鼓。却後七日太子現術。諸有藝術皆來集會。勝者以釋女與之。於是調達右手牽象左手撲殺。難陀出城門。即牽移路側。菩薩出城曰。是象身大臭熏城內。即右掌接擿置城外。時大臣炎光算術第一。言談算術亦不能及。樹木藥草眾水滴數一一可知。樗蒱六博天文地理。八萬異術一切諳會。不及菩薩。調達及難陀故欲手搏。菩薩愍之。舉調達身在於空中三反跳旋使身不痛。王及釋種更欲試射。調達竪四十里鼓。難陀六十里。菩薩百里。調達射中四十里鼓。不能得過。難陀六十里亦不得越。菩薩引弓。弓即折破。問有異弓任吾用不。王曰。吾祖父所執用弓奇異無雙。無能用者。著於天寺便可持來。一切諸釋無能張者。菩薩以手捺張。拼弓之聲悉聞城內。注箭放撥中百里鼓。箭沒地中涌泉自出。中鐵圍山。三千剎土六反震動。一切諸釋怪未曾有。於時執杖釋種以女俱夷為菩薩妃。隨世習俗現相娛樂。

Then the wrestlers and elders of the Śākya clan addressed King Śuddhodana: "If the prince becomes a Buddha, the lineage of the sage king will be cut off." The king said: "Which king's daughter is suitable to be the prince's consort?" The Bodhisattva thought: "I have no greed or desire; I abandoned Tuṣita to come here. Now I should test them by skillful means." He had a master artisan make a splendid golden statue inscribed with characters, [stating that] only a woman possessing the virtues and righteousness described in his text could be betrothed to him. King Śuddhodana then instructed the chief brāhmaṇa to enter the city of Kapilavastu and inspect everywhere. Walking about, the brāhmaṇa saw a maiden, pure as a lotus and like the treasure of a maiden. The king asked about the maiden, and the brāhmaṇa replied: "She is of the Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya clan." The king said: "Lest she not be to his liking, let him choose for himself." He summoned the beautiful maidens of Kapilavastu to gather at the lecture hall. At that time, the Śākya maiden Gopī arrived before the Bodhisattva, gazing intently at him without blinking. The Bodhisattva smiled with joy, took a jeweled flower, and gave it to Gopī. Gopī replied: "I do not covet jewels; one should adorn oneself with merit." The king sent the brāhmaṇa to arrange the match with this maiden. Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya said: "According to the custom of our clan, she will only be given in marriage to one who possesses arts and skills." The king asked the Bodhisattva: "Can you display your skills?" The Bodhisattva said: "I can." The king issued an order throughout the realm, striking bells and beating drums: "Seven days from now, the prince will display his skills. Let all who have arts and skills assemble; to the victor, the Śākya maiden shall be given." Thereupon, Devadatta pulled an elephant with his right hand and struck it dead with his left. When Nanda came out of the city gate, he dragged it to the side of the road. When the Bodhisattva came out of the city, he said: "This elephant's body is large, and its stench fills the city." Taking it in his right palm, he tossed it outside the city. At that time, the minister Arcismat was foremost in mathematics, yet in discourse and calculation he could not match [the Bodhisattva]. The number of trees, medicinal herbs, and drops of water could all be known one by one; gambling, liubo, astronomy, and geography—he was thoroughly versed in all eighty thousand extraordinary arts, yet none could rival the Bodhisattva. Devadatta and Nanda still wished to engage in hand-to-hand combat. Pitying them, the Bodhisattva lifted Devadatta into the air, whirling him three times, without hurting his body. The king and the Śākyas wished to test their archery further. Devadatta set up an iron drum at forty li, Nanda at sixty li, and the Bodhisattva at a hundred li. Devadatta struck the drum at forty li, but could not pierce through it; Nanda hit sixty li, but could not surpass it either. When the Bodhisattva drew his bow, the bow snapped. He asked: "Is there another bow capable of bearing my use?" The king said: "The bow used by my grandfather is peerless and extraordinary; none can use it. It is kept in the deva temple and may be brought here." None of the Śākyas could string it. The Bodhisattva strung it by pressing it with his hand; the twang of the bow was heard throughout the city. Nocking an arrow and releasing it, he pierced the drum at a hundred li. The arrow sank into the earth, and a spring welled forth naturally. It struck Mount Cakravāḍa, and the trichiliocosm trembled in six ways. All the Śākyas marveled, declaring it unprecedented. At that time, Daṇḍapāṇi Śākya gave his daughter Gopī to be the Bodhisattva's consort. Conforming to worldly customs, they appeared to enjoy pleasure together.