釋迦譜 4.21

4.21

時諸比丘。竟夜達曉講法語已。阿那律告阿難言。汝可入城語諸末羅。佛已滅度。所欲施作宜及時為。是時阿難起禮佛足已。將一比丘涕泣入城。遙見五百末羅集在一處。諸末羅奉迎禮足。白言今來何早。阿難答言。汝等當知。如來昨夜已取滅度。汝欲施作宜及時為。諸末羅聞是語已。莫不悲慟捫淚而言。一何駛哉佛般涅槃。一何疾哉世間眼滅。時諸末羅各自還家。辦諸香花及眾妓樂。詣雙樹間供養舍利。竟一日已。以佛舍利置於床上。諸末羅童子等來舉輿床皆不能勝。時阿那律語末羅。汝等且止勿空疲勞。今者諸天欲來舉床。汝等欲使末羅童子。舉床四角。入東城門遍諸里巷。使國人民皆得供養。然後出西城門。詣高顯處而闍維之。而諸天意欲留舍利。七日之中。使國人民皆得供養。然後出城北門。渡熙連禪河。於天冠寺而闍維之。是上天意使床不動。末羅曰諾。快哉斯言。隨諸天意。時諸末羅即共入城。平治道路掃灑燒香。已出雙樹間。以香花伎樂供養舍利。訖七日已時日向暮。舉佛舍利置於床上。末羅童子捧舉四角。擎持幡蓋燒香散花。作眾伎樂前後導從。安詳而行。時忉利諸天。雨文陀羅花。優鉢羅花等。天末栴檀散舍利上。充滿街路諸天作樂。鬼神歌詠供養舍利。於是末羅捧床漸進。入東城門止。諸街巷設供養已。出城北門渡熙連禪河。到天冠寺告阿難曰。我等復應以何供養。阿難報曰。我親從佛聞。欲葬舍利當如轉輪聖王葬法。生獲福死得上天。時末羅即共入城。供辦葬具已。還到天冠寺。以淨香湯洗浴佛身。以新劫貝周匝纏身。五百張㲲次如纏之。內身金棺灌以香油置於第二大鐵槨中。栴檀木槨重衣其外。以眾名香而積其上。末羅大臣名曰路幾。執大炬火欲燃佛𧂐。而火不燃。又諸大末羅次前燃𧂐。火又不燃。時阿那律語末羅言。止止諸賢。非汝所能火滅不燃。是諸天意。以大迦葉將五百弟子。從波波國來欲見佛身。天知其意使火不燃。爾時大迦葉。從波波國遇一尼乾子。手執文陀羅花問言。汝知我師在乎。答曰。滅度以來已經七日。迦葉聞之悵然不悅。五百比丘。婉轉號咷不能自勝。迦葉詣拘尸城。渡尼連禪河到天冠寺。至阿難所語阿難言。我等欲一面覲舍利。及未闍維寧可見不。阿難答言。雖未闍維以劫貝五百張㲲次如纏之。藏於金棺置鐵槨中。以為佛身難復可覩。迦葉三請。阿難答如初。時大迦葉適向香𧂐。於時佛身從重棺內。雙出兩足足有異色。迦葉見已怪問阿難。佛身金色足何故異。阿難報曰。向有一老母悲哀而前。淚墮其上故色異耳。迦葉即向香𧂐禮佛舍利。時四部眾及上諸天。同時俱禮。於是佛足忽然不現。時大迦葉遶𧂐三匝而作偈頌。時彼佛𧂐不燒自燃。諸末羅等各相謂言。今火燭熾炎盛難止。闍維舍利或能消盡。當於何所求水滅之。時有娑羅樹神。尋以神力滅佛𧂐火。時諸末羅指拘尸城側。取諸香花以用供養。

When the monks had finished discussing the Dharma teachings throughout the night until dawn, Aniruddha addressed Ānanda: 'You may enter the city and tell the Mallas: "The Buddha has entered extinction; what you wish to perform should be done in good time."' At that time Ānanda arose, bowed to the Buddha’s feet, and, taking a monk along, weeping entered the city. From afar he saw five hundred Mallas assembled in one place. The Mallas welcomed him and bowed to his feet, saying: 'Why have you come so early today?' Ānanda replied: 'You should know that last night the Tathāgata entered extinction. What you wish to perform should be done in good time.' Hearing these words, none of the Mallas failed to grieve, and wiping their tears, they said: 'How swift is the Buddha's parinirvāṇa! How fast is the eye of the world extinguished!' Then the Mallas each returned home, prepared incense, flowers, and various kinds of music, and went to the twin trees to make offerings to the relics. When a full day had passed, they placed the Buddha’s relics upon a bier. The young Malla men and others came to lift the bier, but none could lift it. Then Aniruddha addressed the Mallas: 'Stop for now; do not fatigue yourselves in vain. The devas now wish to come and lift the bier. You intended to have the young Malla men lift the four corners of the bier, enter the eastern city gate, pass through all the streets and lanes so that the people of the state could all make offerings, and then go out the western city gate to a high and prominent place to cremate it. But the intent of the devas is to retain the relics for seven days, so that the people of the state can all make offerings, and then go out the northern city gate, cross the Hiraṇyavatī River, and cremate it at the Makuṭabandhana Caitya. It is the intent of the devas above that causes the bier not to move.' The Mallas said: 'Agreed! Excellent are these words. We will follow the intent of the devas.' Then the Mallas entered the city together, leveled the roads, swept, sprinkled, and burned incense. Then they came out to the twin trees and made offerings to the relics with incense, flowers, and music. When seven days had passed and the day was drawing to a close, they raised the Buddha’s relics and placed them upon the bier. The young Malla men held and lifted its four corners, carrying banners and parasols, burning incense, scattering flowers, and playing various kinds of music, leading and following, proceeding with dignified composure. At that time, the gods of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven rained down māndārava flowers, utpala flowers, and the like, and scattered celestial powdered sandalwood upon the relics, filling the streets. The devas played music, and ghosts and spirits sang hymns, making offerings to the relics. Thereupon the Mallas, bearing the bier, gradually advanced, entering the eastern city gate and halting in the various streets and lanes; having made offerings, they went out the northern city gate, crossed the Hiraṇyavatī River, and reached the Makuṭabandhana Caitya. They addressed Ānanda, saying: 'How further should we make offerings?' Ānanda replied: 'I personally heard from the Buddha that if one wishes to entomb his relics, it should be done according to the funeral rites for a wheel-turning sage king: while alive one obtains blessings, and at death one ascends to heaven.' The Mallas then went together into the city, prepared the funeral requisites, and returned to the Makuṭabandhana Caitya. They bathed the Buddha’s body with pure scented water and wrapped the body all around with new karpāsa cotton, followed by five hundred layers of fine cotton cloth wrapped in the same manner. They placed the body within a golden coffin, poured in scented oil, placed it inside a second large iron outer coffin, covered the outside again with a sandalwood outer coffin, and piled various renowned perfumes upon it. A Malla minister named Luoji held a great torch, wishing to ignite the Buddha’s pyre, but the fire would not burn. Other leading Mallas then came forward to ignite the pyre, but the fire again would not burn. At that time Aniruddha said to the Mallas: 'Stop, stop, worthy sirs! It is not within your power; that the fire goes out and does not burn is the intent of the devas. Because Mahākāśyapa is bringing five hundred disciples from the state of Pāvā, wishing to see the Buddha’s body, the devas, knowing his intent, cause the fire not to burn.' At that time, Mahākāśyapa, coming from the state of Pāvā, encountered a Nirgrantha holding a māndārava flower in his hand, and asked him: 'Do you know if my teacher is alive?' He answered: 'Seven days have already passed since his extinction.' Hearing this, Kāśyapa was distressed and sorrowful; the five hundred monks writhed and wailed, unable to control themselves. Kāśyapa went to the city of Kuśinagara, crossed the Nairañjanā River, reached the Makuṭabandhana Caitya, came to Ānanda, and said to Ānanda: 'We wish to see the relics face-to-face; before the cremation takes place, might we be allowed to see them?' Ānanda replied: 'Although the cremation has not taken place, he is wrapped in karpāsa cotton followed by five hundred layers of fine cotton cloth, enclosed in a golden coffin, and placed in an iron outer coffin. Thus the Buddha’s body can hardly be seen again.' Kāśyapa requested three times, and Ānanda answered as before. Then Mahākāśyapa approached the incense pyre. At that moment, from within the double coffins, the Buddha’s body put forth both feet, and the feet were of an unusual colour. Seeing this, Kāśyapa wondered and asked Ānanda: 'The Buddha’s body is golden; why are the feet of an unusual colour?' Ānanda replied: 'Just now an old woman came forward in sorrow, and her tears fell upon them; that is why the colour is unusual.' Kāśyapa then bowed towards the incense pyre before the Buddha’s relics. At that time, the fourfold assembly and the devas above all bowed together. Thereupon the Buddha’s feet suddenly disappeared. Then Mahākāśyapa circumambulated the pyre three times and recited verses. At that time, the Buddha’s pyre caught fire spontaneously without being lit. The Mallas said to one another: 'Now the fire blazes so furiously that it is difficult to quench. The cremation of the relics might consume them entirely; where should we seek water to extinguish it?' At that time, a śāla tree deity immediately used spiritual power to extinguish the fire of the Buddha’s pyre. The Mallas then went to the vicinity of the city of Kuśinagara and gathered various fragrant flowers to make offerings.