釋迦譜 4

English (machine translation) 4

Language: English

4.1

Compiled by the monk Shi Sengyou of the Liang

4.2

27. Record of Śākya's Parinirvāṇa between the Twin Trees

4.3

28. Record of the Division of Śākya's Relics among Eight Countries

4.4

29. Record of the Relic Stūpas of Śākya in the Heavens and Dragon Palaces

4.5

30. Record of the Stūpa for Śākya's Hair in the Dragon Palace

4.6

27. Record of Śākya's Parinirvāṇa between the Twin Trees (drawn from the Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra)

The Buddha was in the city of Kuśinagara, at the place where the Mallas were born, beside the river Airāvatī between the twin śāla trees, together with a great assembly of eighty hundred-thousand nayutas of bhikṣus surrounding him before and behind. On the fifteenth day of the second month, when the time of nirvāṇa was imminent, he produced a great sound through the Buddha's supernatural power, reaching even to the peak of existence according to their kinds of sounds, universally announcing to sentient beings: "Today the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, who pities sentient beings as if they were Rāhula, serving as their refuge—the Great Awakened World-Honoured One is about to enter nirvāṇa. If any sentient beings have doubts, they may now ask everything; let it be their final questioning."

4.8

The Dīrghāgama says: The Buddha sat alone with Ānanda in Vaiśālī. During the latter summer retreat, an illness arose in the Buddha's body, and his whole person was in pain. The Buddha told Ānanda, "Whoever cultivates the four bases of supernatural power, frequently practicing and cultivating them, always mindful without forgetting, can, if they so desire, remain alive without dying for a kalpa or more. Ānanda, the Buddha has already practiced the four bases of supernatural power extensively; the Tathāgata could stay for a kalpa or more, dispelling darkness for the world so that gods and humans obtain peace." At that time Ānanda remained silent and did not respond. Thus it happened three times. Ānanda was obscured by Māra, dim and unenlightened. The Buddha told Ānanda, "You should know that it is time." Receiving the instruction, Ānanda paid homage to the Buddha and departed. Not long thereafter, the Māra Pāpīyān came and said to the Buddha, "Does your mind not wish to enter parinirvāṇa?" The Buddha told Pāpīyān, "Stop, stop! I myself know the proper time. The Tathāgata will not take nirvāṇa now." Pāpīyān again said to the Buddha, "Formerly, when the Buddha first attained true awakening, I urged the Tathāgata at that time, saying he could enter parinirvāṇa. Then the Tathāgata replied, 'I must wait until my disciples are gathered and transformed.' Now is precisely the time; why do you not pass into extinction?" The Buddha said, "Stop, stop, Pāpīyān! The Buddha himself knows the proper time; he will not remain long. Three months from now, in the place of my origin, Kuśinagara, between the twin trees in the grove of śāla trees, I will pass into extinction." Then the demon thought that the Buddha does not speak falsely; leaping with joy, he suddenly vanished. The Buddha then, at the Cāpāla Stūpa, with his mind collected in samādhi, relinquished his lifespan and maintained his vitality. At that moment the earth shook greatly; the people were terrified and their hair stood on end. The Buddha emitted a great light, and there was no place of darkness that was not illuminated, so that all could see one another. The worthy Ānanda's heart was startled and his hair stood on end; he walked swiftly to the Buddha, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and said to the Buddha, "How strange, this earthquake! What is the cause?" The Buddha told Ānanda, "In the world, there are eight causes for an earthquake. The earth rests upon water, water rests upon wind, and wind rests upon empty space. Sometimes a great wind arises of itself in empty space; then the great water is stirred, and then the entire earth shakes. This is the first. Furthermore, sometimes a bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī who has attained the Way, or a great god of great power, contemplates the nature of water as predominant and the nature of earth as minor, and wishing to test their own power, the entire earth shakes. This is the second. When a bodhisattva descends his spirit into his mother's womb, the earth shakes greatly. This is the third. When a bodhisattva is born from the right side, the entire earth shakes. This is the fourth. When a bodhisattva first attains true awakening, this is the fifth. When he first turns the unsurpassed wheel of the Dharma, this is the sixth. When the Buddha's teachings are drawing to a close and he wishes to relinquish his lifespan, the entire earth shakes. This is the seventh. When the Tathāgata is about to enter the realm of nirvāṇa without remainder, at the time he enters parinirvāṇa the earth shakes greatly. This is the eighth." At that time the World-Honoured One told Ānanda, "Let us go together to the Fragrant Stūpa and command all the present bhikṣus to assemble. Not long from now, three months hence, the Tathāgata will enter parinirvāṇa." When the bhikṣus heard this, they were all stunned, fainting away and losing their senses, throwing themselves onto the ground and crying aloud with raised voices, "How swift it is that the Buddha passes into extinction!" Rolling on the ground and wailing, they could not contain themselves. The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "Stop, all of you! Do not cherish sorrow and grief. Among heaven, earth, humans, and things, there is none born that does not end. Wishing that conditioned things should not change—there is no such thing. The heavenly demon Pāpīyān came earlier to urge me, and I said that three months hence I will enter parinirvāṇa." At that time the worthy Ānanda placed his right knee upon the ground, pressed his palms together, and said to the Buddha, "We pray only that the World-Honoured One will remain for a kalpa and not pass into extinction." At that time the World-Honoured One remained silent and did not respond. Thus he requested three times. The Buddha told Ānanda, "You personally heard from the Buddha that the Buddha has already practiced the four bases of supernatural power extensively, practicing without forgetting, and could remain alive without dying for a kalpa or more, bringing great benefit so that gods and humans obtain peace. Why did you not urge the Tathāgata at that time to cause him not to pass into extinction? Now that you speak of it only at this time, is it not too late? I have already relinquished my lifespan, already discarded it and spat it out. Wishing to cause the Tathāgata to violate his own words—there is no such thing."

4.9

At that time, in the early morning, the World-Honoured One emitted various rays of light from his face and mouth, illuminating the trichiliocosm of the Buddha's world, extending to the sentient beings of the six destinies in the ten directions. Those who encountered this light had their sins, defilements, and afflictions completely eradicated. When these sentient beings saw and heard this, their hearts were filled with great sorrow and distress; they simultaneously raised their voices, wailing and weeping in grief. At that time, the great earth, all the mountains, and the great oceans all shook. Sentient beings then said to one another, 'We must hasten together to Kuśinagara to plead with the Tathāgata not to enter parinirvāṇa, but to remain in the world for an eon, or slightly less than an eon.' When the great disciples, the Venerable Mahākātyāyana and others, encountered the Buddha's light, their bodies trembled so that they could not support themselves, and they cried out loudly, giving rise to all kinds of bitter distress. Furthermore, there were eighty hundred thousand bhikṣus, all arhats like great dragon-kings; and sixty billion bhikṣuṇīs, who were also great arhats. At the early morning when the sun first rose, the hair on their bodies stood on end and blood seeped through their entire bodies like parāśa flowers; their eyes brimming with tears, they suffered great grief. Hurrying to the Buddha's place, they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him hundreds of thousands of times, and then withdrew to sit to one side. Furthermore, there were bodhisattva-mahāsattvas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, ranked in the ten stages, who, when the sun first rose and they encountered the Buddha's light, bled through their whole bodies, their eyes brimming with tears; hurrying to the Buddha's place, they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, circumambulated him hundreds of thousands of times, and then withdrew to sit to one side. Furthermore, there were upāsakas as numerous as the sands of two Ganges rivers; upāsikās as numerous as the sands of three Ganges rivers; Licchavis and others of Vaiśālī as numerous as the sands of four Ganges rivers; ministers and elders as numerous as the sands of five Ganges rivers; all the kings of Jambudvīpa; and the consorts of the kings as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges rivers—excepting only the consort of King Ajātaśatru—whose offerings were seven times greater than the previous ones. Furthermore, there were devanīs and other female deities as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges rivers; dragon-kings as numerous as the sands of nine Ganges rivers; kings of ghosts and spirits as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges rivers, whose offering implements were double those of the dragons. Furthermore, there were garuḍa-kings as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers; gandharva-kings as numerous as the sands of thirty Ganges rivers; kiṃnara-kings as numerous as the sands of forty Ganges rivers; mahoraga-kings as numerous as the sands of fifty Ganges rivers; asura-kings as numerous as the sands of sixty Ganges rivers; dānava-kings as numerous as the sands of seventy Ganges rivers; and rākṣasa-kings as numerous as the sands of eighty Ganges rivers, who no longer ate humans, and whose ugly forms were all made handsome through the Buddha's spiritual power. Furthermore, there were forest-spirit kings as numerous as the sands of ninety Ganges rivers; kings of spell-holders as numerous as the sands of a thousand Ganges rivers; sensual ghosts and apparitions as numerous as the sands of a hundred million Ganges rivers; heavenly maidens as numerous as the sands of ten billion Ganges rivers; earthly spirit-kings as numerous as the sands of a hundred billion Ganges rivers; devatā-kings and the Four Heavenly Kings as numerous as the sands of ten trillion Ganges rivers. Furthermore, there were wind-spirits of the four directions as numerous as the sands of ten trillion Ganges rivers, who blew upon the trees, scattering seasonal and unseasonal flowers between the twin trees; and cloud-and-rain-governing spirits as numerous as the sands of ten trillion Ganges rivers, who all thought, 'When the Tathāgata enters nirvāṇa and his body is cremated, I shall pour down rain to extinguish the fire in due time.' Furthermore, there were great fragrant elephant-kings as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers, who plucked wondrous lotus flowers and came to the Buddha's place; lion beast-kings as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers, carrying flowers and fruits to the Buddha's place; flying bird-kings as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers—wild ducks, wild geese, mandarin ducks, peacocks, kalaviṅkas, and jīvañjīvakas—bearing flowers and fruits and bowing their heads at the Buddha's feet; and water-buffalo-kings as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers, who went to the Buddha's place producing wondrous fragrant milk, which flowed and filled all the ditches and pits of Kuśinagara, fully endowed with exquisite colour, fragrance, and delicious taste. Spirits and ṛṣis throughout the four continents as numerous as the sands of twenty Ganges rivers carried fragrant flowers and sweet fruits, bowing their heads at the Buddha's feet. All the queen-bees of Jambudvīpa carried various flowers to the Buddha's place. Furthermore, all the mountain-spirits of Jambudvīpa and of intermediate spaces of immeasurable worlds, as well as the spirits of the four great oceans and of the rivers, who possessed great majestic virtue, presented offerings surpassing the previous ones twofold, scattering campaka flowers upon the Hiraṇyavatī River, bowing their heads at the Buddha's feet, and withdrawing to stand to one side. At that time, the sāla grove of Kuśinagara turned white like white swans, and naturally in the empty air there appeared halls and pavilions made of the seven jewels, exquisitely engraved and carved, with flowing springs, bathing ponds, and superior wondrous lotuses, resembling the Garden of Joy in the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. These gods, humans, asuras, and others all saw the signs of the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa and were deeply moved with grief. At that time, the offerings presented by the Four Heavenly Kings, the Trāyastriṃśa devas, up to the sixth heaven, each progressively surpassed the former. The Great Brahmā King and the other deities of the Brahmā realm emitted bodily light that pervaded the four continents, so that the light of the sun and moon and of the gods and humans of the desire realm no longer appeared. Holding precious banners and flags—the shortest of which hung from the Brahmā palace down to the sāla trees—they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet and said, 'We pray only that the Tathāgata will mercifully accept our final offering.' Knowing the time, the Tathāgata silently declined. At that time, the Asura King Vemacitra, together with an immeasurable retinue, having bodily brilliance surpassing that of Brahmā, held precious banners whose smaller canopies covered a thousand worlds, and brought superior wondrous sweet delicacies to the Buddha's place. The demon king Pāpīyān of the desire realm, together with his retinue of heavenly maidens and an asaṃkhyeya assembly, opened the gates of hell and gave pure water, declaring, 'You can do nothing today; you should only concentrate your thoughts on the Tathāgata, which will bring you peace throughout the long night.' At that time, the demon Pāpīyān completely removed all swords and blades and immeasurable bitter poisons in hell, pouring rain to extinguish the blazing fires. By the Buddha's spiritual power, he also caused his retinue to abandon their swords, blades, bows, crossbows, spears, lances, long hooks, war wheels, and lassoes; the offerings they held were twice as great as those made by all gods and humans, the smaller canopies covering a medium chiliocosm. Coming to the Buddha's place, they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet [and said], 'We pray only that the Tathāgata will mercifully accept our final offering.' Though they requested three times, he also declined. At that time, having failed to obtain his wish, the demon Pāpīyān withdrew to stand to one side with sorrow and distress in his heart. At that time, the King of Maheśvara, together with his immeasurable and boundless retinue and the heavenly hosts, presented offering implements that completely eclipsed those of Brahmā, Śakra, gods, humans, and the eight classes of beings; what Brahmā and Śakra had laid out was like a pile of black ink beside a white shell, no longer visible at all. Their smaller precious canopies could cover a trichiliocosm. Coming to the Buddha's place, they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet and circumambulated him countless times. At that time, in the eastern direction, separated from here by dust-mote-like worlds as numerous as countless asaṃkhyeyas of Ganges sands, there was a Buddha-land named Delightful Melodious Sound. The Buddha was named Gaganasama Tathāgata, fully endowed with the ten epithets. At that time, that Buddha told his foremost great disciple, 'You should now go westward to the Sahā world of Śākyamuni Tathāgata. That Buddha will soon enter parinirvāṇa. You should take the fragrant rice of this world and offer it to that Buddha. After eating it, the World-Honoured One will enter parinirvāṇa.' At that time, Bodhisattva Anantakāya received the Buddha's instruction, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and departed from that land. Immediately, the great earth of this trichiliocosm shook in six ways. Brahmā, Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, the demon king Pāpīyān, and Maheśvara, seeing this earthquake, had their bodily hairs stand on end, their throats and tongues dried up, and, trembling with fright, they each wished to scatter in all directions, seeing their own bodies devoid of brilliance. At that time, Mañjuśrī rose from his seat and addressed the great assembly, 'Do not be afraid. In the eastern direction, separated from here by dust-mote-like worlds as numerous as immeasurable asaṃkhyeyas of Ganges sands, there is a Buddha named Gaganasama Tathāgata, fully endowed with the ten epithets. There is a bodhisattva named Anantakāya who, together with immeasurable bodhisattvas, wishes to come here to make offerings to the Tathāgata. Because of that bodhisattva's majestic virtue, your bodily lights have ceased to appear.' Then the great assembly all saw that Buddha from afar, as if viewing their own bodies in a bright mirror. They saw that from every single pore of Bodhisattva Anantakāya a great lotus flower emerged, each possessing seventy-eight thousand cities inlaid with the seven jewels. The sentient beings therein heard no other words, but only the sound of the unsurpassed Great Vehicle, writing, preserving, reciting, and chanting Mahāyāna sūtras. The entire great assembly was able to see Bodhisattva Anantakāya, whose body was immensely boundless and equal to empty space; except for the Buddhas, none could see the limits of his body. Then Bodhisattva Anantakāya bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, joined his palms, and said, 'World-Honoured One, we pray only that you mercifully accept our food.' Knowing the time, the Tathāgata silently declined. In the southern, western, and northern Buddha-worlds, there were likewise immeasurable Anantakāya bodhisattvas whose offerings were twice as grand as the previous ones. At that time, the auspicious and blessed ground of the sāla trees measured thirty-two yojanas in length and breadth, and the great assembly filled it with no vacant space between them. At that time, the seating places of the Anantakāya bodhisattvas of the four directions and their retinues were as small as the tip of an awl or the point of a needle. The great bodhisattvas from dust-mote-like worlds of the ten directions all assembled, excepting only the two assemblies of the Venerable Mahākāśyapa and Ānanda, and King Ajātaśatru and his retinue; even poisonous snakes whose gaze could kill humans, dung beetles, vipers, scorpions, and those of the sixteen evil occupations all assembled. The dānava spirits, asuras, and others all cast aside evil thoughts and gave rise to compassionate hearts, excepting only the icchantikas. At that time, through the Buddha's spiritual power, the trichiliocosm became soft and adorned with all kinds of jewels, resembling the Sukhāvatī world of Amitāyus Buddha in the west. At that time, the great assembly clearly saw the dust-mote-like Buddha-worlds of the ten directions, as if viewing their own bodies in a bright mirror. Then the five-coloured light emitted from the Tathāgata's face and mouth covered the great assembly, causing their bodily lights to no longer appear; having completed what it was to do, it returned and entered into his mouth. When the gods, humans, asuras, and others saw the Buddha's light return and enter into his mouth, they were all greatly terrified, the hair on their bodies standing on end, and they said, 'The Tathāgata's light has emerged and returned within; what was to be accomplished in the ten directions must now be complete, and this is the sign of his final nirvāṇa. Alas, how painful! Great suffering in the world!' They cried and wailed, unable to contain themselves. At that time, in the assembly, there was an upāsaka, the son of an artisan in the city of Kuśinagara, named Cunda. Together with fifteen of his peers, he rose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, touched his right knee to the ground, joined his palms toward the Buddha, wept with sorrow, and bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, saying, 'We pray only that the World-Honoured One and the saṅgha of bhikṣus will mercifully accept our final offering. From now on, we have no master, no kin, no refuge, and no protection, being poor and famished; we wish to seek future food from the Tathāgata. We pray only that you will mercifully accept our meager offering and then enter nirvāṇa.' At that time, the World-Honoured One, with all-modes-knowing wisdom, said to Cunda, 'Excellent, excellent! I shall now eradicate your poverty for you, letting the rain of the unsurpassed Dharma fall upon the field of your body so that the sprouts of Dharma may grow, enabling you to fulfill the dāna-pāramitā.' Then the great assembly rejoiced and praised him with one voice, saying, 'Excellent, excellent! How rare, Cunda! The Buddha has accepted your final offering. Now, Cunda, you are truly a son of the Buddha.' The Buddha said to Cunda, 'Now is the right time for the offering you present to the Buddha and the great assembly; the Tathāgata is about to enter parinirvāṇa.' A second and a third time, he spoke likewise. When Cunda heard the Buddha's words, he wept aloud and said to the great assembly, 'We must all now throw our five limbs to the ground and plead with the Buddha with one voice not to enter parinirvāṇa.' The Buddha said to Cunda, 'Do not weep loudly and disturb your own mind. It is out of pity for you and all beings that I intend to enter nirvāṇa today. Why is that? Such is the Dharma of all Buddhas, and the same holds for all conditioned things. Quickly prepare your offering; it is not fitting to delay long.' Then the World-Honoured One emitted from his face and mouth rays of various colours—blue, yellow, red, white, pink, and purple—which illuminated Cunda's body. Having encountered it, Cunda and his retinue took various foods and delicacies and went quickly to the Buddha's place, overcome with grief, and spoke again to the Buddha, 'We pray only that the Tathāgata, taking pity on us, will remain in the world for an eon, or slightly less than an eon.' The Buddha told Cunda, 'If you wish me to dwell long in the world, you should quickly present this final, complete dāna-pāramitā.' Then all the bodhisattvas, devas, humans, and various beings exclaimed with one voice, 'Marvelous, Cunda, you have achieved great merit! We have no merit, and the offerings we prepared have come to naught.' At that time, the World-Honoured One, wishing to fulfill the hopes of all beings, manifested from every single pore of his body immeasurable Buddhas, each Buddha accompanied by an immeasurable saṅgha of bhikṣus, all showing themselves accepting their offerings, while Śākyamuni Tathāgata himself accepted the offering presented by Cunda. At that time, the cooked food of non-glutinous rice carried by Cunda amounted to full eight hu of Magadha measure, and through the Buddha's spiritual power, it completely satisfied the entire great assembly.

4.10

The Dīrghāgama says: The World-Honoured One, together with the great assembly, arrived in the city of Pāvā, in the Jātuvana. At that time, there was an artisan’s son named Cunda, who dressed himself in fine clothes and went to the World-Honoured One's place. Touching his head to [the Buddha's] feet in reverence, he invited the World-Honoured One to take a meal at his house the next day. The Buddha accepted the invitation in silence. When the time arrived the next morning, the World-Honoured One put on his robes, took his bowl, and, surrounded by the great assembly, went to his house. Cunda quickly prepared and arranged food to offer to the Buddha and the saṅgha. He separately prepared an ear of the sandalwood tree—a rare delicacy in the world—and presented it solely to the World-Honoured One. After the Buddha had gradually expounded the Dharma to him, instructing, encouraging, and delighting him, he returned, accompanied and escorted by the great assembly. Stopping mid-way under a tree, he told Ānanda: 'My back aches; you may spread a seat for me.' [Ānanda] immediately spread the seat. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: 'Cunda's offering brings no blessings. Why is this? Because after eating at his house, the Tathāgata enters nirvāṇa.' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Do not speak like this. Cunda has obtained great benefit: he will gain long life, good appearance, and strength. Why is this? The one who provides food when the Buddha first realizes the Path, and the one who provides food when the Buddha is about to pass into extinction—the merits of these two are equal and without difference.' The Two-Scroll Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: The Buddha spoke to the worthy Ānanda: 'Let us go together to the country of Pāvā.' The disciples all went along. They arrived and stayed outside the city in the Dhyāna-Manifestation Garden. Among the eminent clans of Pāvā were the Hua [Malla] clan; hearing that the Buddha had arrived, they all came out to pay homage. When their prostrations were finished, they sat to one side. A son of the Hua clan named Chun stayed behind alone, knelt on both knees, and addressed the Buddha, wishing to prepare a simple meal and requesting that [the Buddha] and the holy assembly deign to bend their majestic presence [to attend]. The Buddha consented in silence. Chun, overjoyed, bowed and returned home. He prepared sumptuous and delicious food, and in the morning laid out couch-seats. The Buddha and his disciples all went to his house and took their high seats. Chun personally served and ladled, presenting the bowl and offering broth. When the offering and washing of hands were complete, the Buddha expounded the Dharma, and Chun was delighted. The Buddha said to Ānanda: 'Let us go together to the town of Kuśīnagara.' When they were halfway along the road, the Buddha fell ill with a backache and stopped to sit under a tree. Thereupon the Buddha told the worthy Ānanda to go to the Hiraṇyavatī River to bathe. After bathing himself, he told Ānanda: 'In the morning I ate the meal of the Hua son Chun, and tonight I shall pass into extinction. In the world there are two difficult [offerings]: first, if one offers food [to one who] realizes the unsurpassed Path and becomes the supreme holy Buddha; second, if one offers food [to one who] casts off the remnants of what was received, passing into extinction with the unconditioned mind. Now that Chun has fed the Buddha, he will obtain long life, freedom from desires, great wealth, supreme nobility, and official retinues; finally, he will be born in heaven, obtaining these five blessings. Tell Chun not to grieve; he should rejoice.'

4.11

Sengyou notes: Looking into these two sūtras, they differ in many respects from what is taught in the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra regarding Cunda's final offering. This illustrates how the Mahāyāna and Hīnayāna scriptures present [the Buddha's] manifestations differently.

4.12

At that time, although the grove was narrow and small, through the Buddha’s supernatural power, within a space no larger than the point of a needle there were immeasurable Buddhas, and the food consumed by the World-Honoured Ones was likewise without distinction. At that time, gods, humans, asuras, and others wept, wailed, and sighed: 'Today the Tathāgata has accepted our final offering and is about to pass into nirvāṇa. Whom shall we ever make offerings to again?' Then the World-Honoured One, wishing to comfort the entire assembly, spoke a verse:

4.13

"If there be anyone who cannot thus clearly see / That the Three Jewels are eternal, / Such a one is a caṇḍāla. / If there be anyone who can know / That the three dharmas are ever-abiding, / Through the conditions of this true dharma / They leave suffering and attain peace and joy."

4.14

At that time, the assembly of gods, humans, asuras, and others, having heard this Dharma, felt unbounded joy and leaped about, knowing that the Buddha is ever-abiding. They scattered various kinds of flowers and sounded celestial music. Then the World-Honoured One, having conferred predictions upon Mañjuśrī, the Bodhisattva Kāśyapa, and Cunda, spoke these words: 'Good sons, cultivate your own minds and be ever vigilant. Now my back is ailing and my whole body aches. I wish to lie down, just like a small child or a chronic invalid. Mañjuśrī, you and the others should expound the Great Dharma extensively for the fourfold assembly. I now entrust this Dharma to you; when Kāśyapa, Ānanda, and the others arrive, it should be entrusted to them as well.' Having spoken these words, the Tathāgata, in order to subdue all sentient beings, manifested an illness in his body and lay down on his right side, like a sick person.

4.15

The Dīrghāgama says: At that time, the World-Honoured One entered the city of Kuśīnagara and went toward the place of his original birth, between the twin śāla trees of the Mallas. He said to Ānanda: 'Spread a bed and seat for the Tathāgata between the twin trees, with the head to the north and the face toward the west. Why is this? My Dharma shall spread abroad and long abide in the north.' Then the World-Honoured One himself folded his saṅghāṭī into four layers, rested on his right side like a lion king, and lay with his feet overlapping. Then the spirits among the twin trees scattered unseasonal flowers over the ground. Ānanda knelt on both knees, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha: 'Do not pass into extinction in this base, small city and devastated land. There are other great countries, such as Kapilavastu and Vārāṇasī, where the people are numerous and will surely be able to respectfully revere and make offerings to your relics.' The Buddha said: 'Stop, stop! Do not consider this land base and lowly. In ancient times, this country had a king named Mahāsudarśana, fully endowed with the seven treasures, possessing the four virtues and ruling the four continents. When Sudarśana died, he was born in the seventh Brahma Heaven. Seven days after the king's death, the wheel-treasure and the jewel-treasure naturally disappeared; the elephant-treasure, the horse-treasure, the woman-treasure, the householder-treasure, and the army-general-treasure all died on the same day. The city moats, the Dharma Hall, and the golden networks of groves were turned into earth and water. All conditioned phenomena are impermanent, inevitably destined to vanish and be destroyed; only by attaining the Path of the Noble Truths can one know this. I myself recall that here in this place I was a wheel-turning sage king six times, and ultimately laid my bones here. Now that I have attained unsurpassed complete awakening, I again relinquish my life and lay my body here. From now on, birth and death are forever ended; there will be no land anywhere to lay my body. This is the final boundary; I will take on no further existence.'

4.16

At that time, Bodhisattva Kāśyapa addressed the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, the Tathāgata is already free from all illnesses, having eliminated all sufferings and afflictions, with no fear remaining. World-Honoured One, all sentient beings have four poisoned arrows, which are the causes of illness. What are the four? Greed, anger, ignorance, and arrogance. If there are causes of illness, then illness arises: namely, heat-fever, lung ailments, rising breath and vomiting, skin twitching, mental confusion, diarrhea, hiccupping, urinary strangury, pain in the eyes and ears, back tension and abdominal distension, madness, wasting thirst, and possession by ghosts and sprites. Such various physical and mental illnesses no longer exist in the Buddhas, the World-Honoured Ones. For what reason does the Tathāgata today turn to Mañjuśrī and say: "My back now aches; you and the others must expound the Dharma for the great assembly"? There are two conditions under which there is no suffering of illness. What are the two? First, having pity on all sentient beings; second, bestowing medicine upon the sick. In the past, throughout immeasurable tens of thousands of millions of kalpas, the Tathāgata practiced the Bodhisattva Path, constantly using gentle speech to benefit sentient beings without causing them distress, and granting various medicines to those who were sick. For what reason does he now state that he is ill? World-Honoured One, when people of the world are sick, they either sit or stand, uneasy in their place, or they ask for food and drink, giving instructions to family members on managing their estates. Why does the Tathāgata lie down in silence, not teaching disciples, śrāvakas, and others the śīla-pāramitā, the dhyāna-liberations, samāpatti, and the cultivation of the right exertions? For what reason does he not expound such profound Mahāyāna sūtras? Why does the Tathāgata not use immeasurable skillful means to instruct Mahākāśyapa—that elephant king among men—and the other great beings so that they will not regress from anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi? Why does he not discipline the wicked monks who receive and keep all manner of impure things? The World-Honoured One is truly free of illness; why does he silently lie on his right side? All foolish people will conceive the idea of extinction, and he will be held in contempt by the ninety-five kinds of non-Buddhist traditions, [who will say] that the śramaṇa Gautama has been carried away by impermanence. The Tathāgata, the World-Honoured One, the Unsurpassed Sage, has already pulled out the poisoned arrow and attained fearlessness. Why does he now lie on his right side, causing gods and humans sorrow and anguish?' At that time, the World-Honoured One, his mind perfumed by great compassion, knew what each sentient being was thinking, and intending to comply with them for their ultimate benefit, rose from his lying posture and sat cross-legged. His countenance was serene and radiant, like a mass of molten gold, and he emitted a great light that filled empty space. The light was exceedingly brilliant, surpassing hundreds of thousands of suns, illuminating the Buddha-worlds of the east, south, west, north, the four intermediate directions, above, and below. From all the pores of his body—from each and every pore—a lotus flower emerged, each possessing a thousand petals of pure golden color and each emitting diverse multicolored lights, which reached everywhere: the Avīci Hell, the Sañjīva Hell, the Kālasūtra Hell, the Saṃghāta Hell, the Raurava Hell, the Mahāraurava Hell, the Tapana Hell, and the Mahātapana Hell. The sentient beings within these eight hells were constantly tormented by various sufferings, namely burning, boiling, roasting, chopping, piercing, flaying, and peeling, extending even to the eight cold-ice hells, namely where their bodies are cracked and shattered. Having encountered this light, such sufferings were completely extinguished without remainder. In that light, it was proclaimed that all sentient beings possess the Buddha-nature; when sentient beings heard this, they immediately ended their lives and were born among humans and gods. All the hells in this Jambudvīpa and in other worlds became completely empty, with no one undergoing punishment, except for the icchantikas. Sentient beings in the realm of hungry ghosts who were tormented by hunger and thirst had their hunger and thirst immediately dispelled upon encountering this light. In that light, it was likewise proclaimed that sentient beings possess the Buddha-nature; hearing it, their lives ended and they were born among gods and humans, so that the hungry ghosts were completely emptied, except for those who slandered the Mahāyāna. Animals that preyed upon and devoured one another had their angry minds completely extinguished upon encountering this light. In that light, it was likewise proclaimed that sentient beings possess the Buddha-nature; hearing it, their lives ended and they were born among gods and humans, so that the animals were also exhausted, except for those who slandered the True Dharma. On each and every flower there was a Buddha, whose halo measured one fathom, most supremely dignified and adorned. These World-Honoured Ones either thundered like thunder, poured down torrential rain, fanned great winds, or emitted smoke and flames; or they manifested their initial birth, leaving home, turning the wondrous Dharma wheel, or entering nirvāṇa. Sentient beings in this Jambudvīpa who encountered this light—the blind saw forms, the deaf heard sounds, the mute spoke, the lame walked, the poor gained wealth, the stingy were able to give, the angry became compassionate, and the unbelieving came to believe. Not a single sentient being practiced evil dharmas, except for the icchantikas. At that time, all the gods, dragons, ghosts, spirits, gandharvas, asuras, humans, non-humans, and others chanted with one voice: 'Excellent, excellent! The Unsurpassed Heavenly Honoured One brings abundant benefit!' Leaping with joy, some sang, some danced, and they scattered various flowers over the Buddha and the saṅgha, and celestial musicians made offerings to the Buddha. Then the Buddha told Bodhisattva Kāśyapa: 'These sentient beings do not understand the secret words of the Mahāyāna vaipulya [teachings], and so they assume the Tathāgata is truly ill. Now, between the twin śāla trees, the Tathāgata manifests lying upon the lion bed, intending to enter nirvāṇa, causing all disciples who have not yet attained the fruit of arhatship and all the Mallas to generate great sorrow, and causing gods, humans, asuras, and others to make great offerings. It is intended that people will wrap his body with a thousand lengths of fine cotton, place it in a seven-jeweled coffin filled with fragrant oil, heap up fragrant wood, and cremate it with fire—with only two lengths that cannot be burned: the first touching the body, and the second being the outermost—and that they will divide the relics for sentient beings into eight portions. All the śrāvaka disciples will say that the Tathāgata has entered into nirvāṇa; yet you should know that the Tathāgata does not definitively enter into nirvāṇa. Why is this? Because the Tathāgata is ever-abiding and unchanging.'

4.17

The Dīrghāgama says: At that time, the World-Honoured One then prophesied the fruits of the Path to be attained by his one thousand two hundred disciples. The World-Honoured One opened his uttarāsaṅga, extended his golden arm, and addressed the monks: 'You must observe that a Tathāgata appears in the world only occasionally, like the udumbara flower which appears but once in a great while.'

4.18

The two-scroll Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra says: The Buddha said to Ānanda: 'Those who have already taken joy in the Tathāgata’s correct transformation should abandon minds of craving and arrogance, follow and uphold the Buddha’s teachings, and with diligence contemplate the practice of the Path. This is the Buddha's final bequest; you must heed it together. You monks! Observe the Buddha’s appearance and demeanor: it is difficult to behold. Only after one hundred and forty million years will there again be a Maitreya Buddha. It is difficult to encounter [a Buddha] constantly. In the world there is the udumbara flower, which fruits without blossoming; if it blossoms, a Buddha is present in the world, acting as a sun for the world, ever removing the multitude of darknesses. From when I became a holy teacher until [age] seventy-nine, what was to be done has been fully accomplished. Exert yourselves! The night is already half spent.'

4.19

'Therefore, monks, do not be indolent. It was through non-indolence that I personally attained correct awakening; the measureless multitude of goods is also attained through non-indolence. Of all the myriad things, none endure permanently.' This was the final utterance spoken by the Tathāgata. Thereupon the World-Honoured One immediately entered the first dhyāna. Emerging from the first dhyāna, he entered the second dhyāna. Emerging from the second dhyāna, he entered the third dhyāna. Emerging from the third dhyāna, he entered the fourth dhyāna. Emerging from the fourth dhyāna, he entered the concentration of the sphere of empty space. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of empty space, he entered the concentration of the sphere of consciousness. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of consciousness, he entered the concentration of the sphere of nothingness. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the concentration of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he entered the concentration of the cessation of perception and feeling. At that time Ānanda asked Aniruddha: 'Has the World-Honoured One already entered parinirvāṇa?' Aniruddha said: 'Not yet, Ānanda. The World-Honoured One is now in the concentration of the cessation of perception and feeling. Formerly, I heard directly from the Buddha that only after emerging from the fourth dhyāna does [a Buddha] enter parinirvāṇa.' At that time, the World-Honoured One emerged from the concentration of the cessation of perception and feeling and entered the concentration of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, he entered the concentration of the sphere of nothingness. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the concentration of the sphere of consciousness. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of consciousness, he entered the concentration of the sphere of empty space. Emerging from the concentration of the sphere of empty space, he entered the fourth dhyāna. Emerging from the fourth dhyāna, he entered the third dhyāna. Emerging from the third dhyāna, he entered the second dhyāna. Emerging from the second dhyāna, he entered the first dhyāna. Emerging from the first dhyāna, he entered the second dhyāna. Emerging from the second dhyāna, he entered the third dhyāna. Emerging from the third dhyāna, he entered the fourth dhyāna. Emerging from the fourth dhyāna, the Buddha entered parinirvāṇa. Just at that time, the great earth shook and trembled; all the devas and people of the world were greatly terrified. All places of dark obscurity where the light of the sun and moon cannot shine received great illumination, so that each could see the other, and they said among themselves: 'People have been born over there!' The light was ubiquitous, eclipsing the lights of the heavens. At that time, the gods of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, in the midst of the sky, scattered māndārava flowers, utpala flowers, padma flowers, and others over the Tathāgata and over the great assembly. They also rained down celestial powdered sandalwood over the Buddha and the great assembly. After the Buddha attained extinction, the Brahmā king, Śakra Devānām Indra, the deity Kumbhīra, the Guhyaka vajra-bearer, the Buddha's mother Māyā, the deities of the twin trees, the deities of the śāla grove, the Four Heavenly Kings, the king of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, the king of the Yāma heaven, the king of the Tuṣita heaven, the king of the Nirmāṇarati heaven, and the king of the Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven each composed verses. The monks, grief-stricken and fainting, threw themselves to the ground, like a severed snake writhing and turning in confusion, not knowing where to go. Sobbing, they said: 'How swift is the Tathāgata's extinction! How fast is the great Dharma eclipsed! Sentient beings face long decline; the eye of the world is extinguished.' At that time, Aniruddha addressed the monks: 'Stop, stop! Do not grieve. The gods above might reprove us.' Then the monks asked Aniruddha: 'How many gods are above?' Aniruddha said: 'They fill empty space; how could they be reckoned? They are all pacing and milling about in the sky, wailing, beating their breasts, weeping, and saying: "How swift is the Tathāgata's extinction! Sentient beings face long decline; the eye of the world is extinguished."'

4.20

The account in the two-scroll Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is roughly the same as that of the Dīrghāgama.

4.21

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.

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釋迦譜 — 僧祐, Classical Chinese