釋迦氏譜 1.228

1.228

法句譬云。目連聞佛說法意猶不已。往舍夷國取知識四五千人。內鉢舉上空中。王殺三億人已。目連貢高白佛。弟子承佛。救得諸人今在空存。佛令視之皆已死盡。因為說法逮得法眼。

The Dharmapada Avadāna says: Maudgalyāyana heard the Buddha preach the Dharma, but his mind still could not rest. He went to the Śākiya country, took four to five thousand acquaintances, placed them in his alms-bowl, and raised them up into the air. After the king had killed three hundred million people, Maudgalyāyana proudly addressed the Buddha: 'Relying on the Buddha, your disciple has rescued all these people, and now they are kept safe in the sky.' The Buddha told him to look at them; all had already died. [The Buddha] then preached the Dharma for him, and he attained the Dharma-eye.