釋迦譜 3.13.1

3.13.1

舍衛國王波斯匿。 有一大臣。 名曰須達。 居家巨富財寶無限。 好喜布施賑濟貧乏及諸孤老。 時人因行為其立號。 名給孤獨。 爾時長者生七男兒。 年各長大為其納娶。 次第至六。 其第七兒。 端正殊異偏心愛念。 當為娶妻欲得極妙容姿端正有相之女。 為兒求之。 即語諸婆羅門言。 誰有好女相貌備足。 當為我兒往求索之。 諸婆羅門便為推覓。 展轉行乞到王舍城。 城中有一大臣。 名曰護彌。 財富無量信敬三寶。 時婆羅門到家從乞。 國法施人要令童女持物布施。 護彌長者時有一女。 威容端正顏色殊妙。 即持食出施婆羅門。 婆羅門見心大歡喜。 我所覓者今日見之。 即問女言。 叵有人來求索汝不。 答言未也。 問言。 女子汝父在不。 其女言在。 婆羅門言。 語令出外我欲見之。 與共談語。 時女入內白其父言。 外有客人欲得相見。 父便出外。 時婆羅門。 問訊起居安和善吉。 舍衛國王有一大臣。 字曰須達輔相識不。 答言未見。 但聞其名。 報言知不。 是人於彼舍衛國中。 第一富貴如汝。 於此間富貴第一須達。 有兒端正殊妙。 卓略多奇。 欲求君女為可爾不。 答言可爾。 值有估客欲至舍衛。 時婆羅門作書因之。 送與須達具陳其事。 須達歡喜詣王。 求假為兒娶婦。 王即聽之。 大載珍寶趣王舍城。 於其道次拯濟貧乏。 到王舍城。 至護彌家為兒求妻。 護彌長者歡喜迎逆。 安置敷具暮宿其舍。 家內搔搔辦具飲食。 須達念言。 今此長者。 大設供具欲作何等。 將請國王太子大臣。 長者居士婚姻親戚設大會耶。 思惟所以不能了知。 而問之言。 長者今暮。 躬自執勞經理事務。 施設供具。 為欲請王太子大臣。 答言不也。 欲設婚姻親戚會耶。 答言。 請佛及比丘僧。 於時須達聞佛僧名。 㱇然毛竪如有所得心情悅豫。 重問之言。 云何名佛願解其義。 長者答言。 汝等聞乎淨飯王子厥名悉達。 其生之日天降瑞應。 三十有二萬神侍衛。 即行七步舉手而言。 天上天下唯我為尊。 身黃金色三十二相八十種好。 應王金輪典四天下。 見老病死苦不樂在家。 出家修道。 六年苦行。 得一切智盡結成佛。 降諸魔眾十八億萬。 號曰能仁。 十力無畏十八不共。 光明照耀三達遐鑒。 故號佛也。 須達問言。 云何名僧。 護彌答言。 佛成道已。 梵天勸請轉妙法輪。 至波羅捺鹿野苑中為拘隣五人轉四真諦。 漏盡結解便成沙門。 六通具足四意七覺八道悉練。 上虛空中八萬諸天得須陀洹。 無量天人發無上道意。 次度欝卑迦葉兄弟千人。 漏盡意解。 如其五人次第得度。 舍利弗目連徒眾五百亦得應真。 如是之等神足自在。 能為眾生良祐福田故名僧也。 須達聞說如此妙事。 歡喜踊躍感念信敬。 企望至曉當往見佛。 誠款神應見地明曉尋明即往羅閱城門。 夜三時開。 初夜中夜後夜。 是謂三時。 中夜出門見有天祠。 即為禮拜忽忘念佛。 心目還闇便自念言。 今夜故闇。 若我往者。 為惡鬼猛狩見害。 且還入城待曉當往。 有親友終生於四天。 見其欲悔便下語之。 居士莫悔也（我是汝昔善知識。 蜜肩婆羅門。 因聞法得生天。 今為大勢門神。 故相勸耳）汝往見佛得利無量。 正使令得百車珍寶。 不如轉足一步至趣世尊所。 得利深過踰於彼。 居士莫悔。 正使令得一四天下滿中珍寶。 不如舉足一步至世尊所所得利益。 盈踰過於彼百千萬倍。 須達聞天說如此語。 益增歡喜敬念世尊。 闇即得曉。 尋路往至到世尊所。 爾時世尊。 知須達來出外經行。 是時須達遙見世尊。 猶如金山相好威容。 儼然昞著。 過踰護彌所說萬倍。 覩之心悅不知禮法。 直問世尊。 不審瞿曇起居何如。 世尊即命令就座。 時首陀會天遙見。

In Śrāvastī, King Prasenajit had a great minister named Sudatta. His household was immensely wealthy, with boundless treasures, and he delighted in giving alms to relieve the poor and indigent, as well as orphans and the elderly. People of that time gave him an epithet based on his deeds, naming him Anāthapiṇḍada. At that time the elder had seven sons. As each grew to adulthood, he took wives for them, one after another up to the sixth. His seventh son was exceptionally handsome and remarkably distinguished, and was favored with special love and affection. Wishing to take a wife for him, he desired to obtain a maiden of the utmost loveliness, handsome posture, and auspicious marks, and sought one for his son. He said to various brahmins: “Who has a fine maiden with complete physical marks? Go and seek her for my son.” The brahmins then searched for one. Wandering and begging from place to place, they arrived at Rājagṛha. In the city was a great minister named Homī, who possessed boundless wealth and reverently believed in the Three Jewels. A brahmin arrived at his house to beg. According to the custom of that land, when giving alms to others, it was required that a maiden hold the offerings to bestow them. The elder Homī had a daughter whose majestic poise was upright and whose appearance was exceedingly wondrous. She took food out to give to the brahmin. Seeing her, the brahmin rejoiced greatly in his heart: “The one I was searching for, today I have found her!” He asked the maiden: “Has anyone come to ask for your hand?” She answered: “Not yet.” He asked: “Maiden, is your father at home?” The maiden said: “He is.” The brahmin said: “Tell him to come out; I wish to see him and converse with him.” The maiden went inside and reported to her father: “Outside there is a guest who wishes to meet you.” The father went out. The brahmin inquired after his well-being, peace, and health, [and said]: “The king of Śrāvastī has a great minister named Sudatta, an assisting minister; do you know him?” He answered: “I have not seen him, but have only heard his name.” [The brahmin] said: “Do you know? That man is the foremost in wealth and nobility in that kingdom of Śrāvastī, just as you are the foremost in wealth and nobility here. Sudatta has a son who is handsome, extraordinarily wondrous, eminent, and possessed of many talents. He wishes to ask for your daughter’s hand; would this be acceptable?” He answered: “It is acceptable.” It happened that there was a merchant who wished to go to Śrāvastī. The brahmin wrote a letter and entrusted it to him to deliver to Sudatta, explaining the matter in full. Rejoicing, Sudatta went to the king to ask for leave to take a wife for his son. The king granted it. He loaded a great quantity of precious treasures and headed for Rājagṛha, succoring the poor and destitute along the way. Arriving at Rājagṛha, he went to Homī's house to seek the wife for his son. The elder Homī joyfully went out to welcome him, arranged bedding for him, and lodged him for the night in his house. The household bustled about preparing food and drink. Sudatta thought: “For what purpose is this elder preparing such a grand feast? Is he going to invite the king, crown prince, and ministers, or is he hosting a great gathering for elders, householders, marriages, and relatives?” He pondered the reason but could not fathom it. So he asked him: “This evening, elder, you are personally toiling and managing affairs, setting out provisions. Is it to invite the king, crown prince, and ministers?” He answered: “No.” “Do you wish to hold a gathering for a marriage or relatives?” He answered: “I am inviting the Buddha and the community of monks (bhikṣus).” When Sudatta heard the words “Buddha” and “Saṅgha,” his hair bristled with awe; as if having gained something, his heart was elated. He asked again: “What is meant by ‘Buddha’? Pray explain its meaning.” The elder answered: “Have you heard of the prince of Śuddhodana, whose name was Siddhārtha? On the day he was born, Heaven sent down thirty-two auspicious omens, and myriad gods stood guard. He immediately walked seven paces, raised his hand, and declared: ‘Above the heavens and beneath the heavens, I alone am supreme.’ His body was golden, adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary signs. He was destined to rule as a golden wheel-turning king over the four continents. Seeing the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, he took no pleasure in household life; he went forth from the household to cultivate the Way. After six years of ascetic practice, he attained all-knowledge, eradicated the defilements, and became a Buddha. He subdued eighteen hundred million of Māra's hosts, and was called the Capable and Benevolent One (Śākyamuni). Endowed with the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen unshared dharmas, with radiant brilliance shining forth and a far-reaching vision of the three penetrations—therefore he is called ‘Buddha’.” Sudatta asked: “What is meant by ‘Saṅgha’?” Homī answered: “After the Buddha attained the Way, Brahmā exhorted and requested him to turn the wondrous wheel of the Dharma. He went to the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī and, for the five men led by Kauṇḍinya, turned the four noble truths. Their defilements were exhausted, their fetters undone, and they became śramaṇas, fully endowed with the six supernatural penetrations, thoroughly trained in the four applications of mindfulness, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold path. Up in the sky, eighty thousand devas attained stream-entry (srotāpanna), and boundless gods and humans gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed awakening. Next, he converted Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and his brothers, a thousand men in all; their defilements exhausted and their minds liberated, they attained deliverance successively just as those five men had. Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana with their retinue of five hundred also attained arhatship. Persons such as these have mastery in supernatural powers and are able to serve as an excellent field of merit for sentient beings; therefore they are called ‘Saṅgha’.” Hearing such wondrous matters recounted, Sudatta leaped for joy and was moved to deep faith and reverence. Longing for dawn, he resolved to go see the Buddha. Due to his sincere devotion and spiritual resonance, he saw the earth brighten. Following the light, he immediately set off. The city gate of Rājagṛha opened at three times during the night: the first watch, the middle watch, and the last watch—these are the three times. Leaving the gate during the middle watch, he saw a shrine to a deva and immediately bowed to it, suddenly forgetting his mindfulness of the Buddha. His mind and sight became dark again, and he thought to himself: “Tonight is still dark. If I proceed, I might be harmed by evil spirits and ferocious beasts. I had better return into the city and wait until dawn to go.” A deceased close friend had been reborn in the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings; seeing that he was about to turn back, he descended and spoke to him: “Householder, do not turn back! (I was formerly your good spiritual friend, the brahmin Mi-jian. Because of hearing the Dharma, I attained rebirth in heaven and am now a gate-god of great power, which is why I advise you.) If you go to see the Buddha, you will obtain boundless benefit. Even if you were granted a hundred carts of precious treasures, it would not compare to taking a single step toward the World-Honoured One’s dwelling; the benefit obtained far surpasses that. Householder, do not turn back! Even if you were granted an entire continent of four quarters filled with precious treasures, it would not compare to lifting your foot to take a single step toward the World-Honoured One’s dwelling; the benefit obtained surpasses that by hundreds of thousands of myriad times.” Hearing the deva speak these words, Sudatta’s joy increased all the more, and he reverently remembered the World-Honoured One. The darkness immediately gave way to dawn. Following the road, he arrived at the dwelling of the World-Honoured One. At that time, the World-Honoured One, knowing that Sudatta had arrived, came outside and was walking in meditation. Then Sudatta saw the World-Honoured One from afar, radiant like a mountain of gold, his majestic appearance and signs solemn and luminous, surpassing ten-thousandfold what Homī had described. Beholding him, his heart was delighted, but not knowing the proper etiquette, he straightforwardly asked the World-Honoured One: “I wonder how Gautama fares in rising and resting?” The World-Honoured One immediately bade him take a seat. At that time, the Śuddhāvāsa devas saw from afar.