大唐故三藏玄奘法師行狀 1.2.2

1.2.2

"May the Qaghan pity the Master as he pities a slave, allowing him to reach the Brāhmaṇa country." Thereupon he took his leave. When he arrived at the encampment of the Yabghu, the Qaghan was delighted and sent men to escort him stage by stage, until he finally reached Kaśmīra (formerly called the kingdom of Jibin). These were entirely the power of the Qaghan and the aid of the King of Gaochang. The perils and hardships passed through in between—the Congling (Pamir) Snow Mountains, the Issyk-Kul (Hot Sea), and the Iron Gate—as well as the courtesies and reception by the various kings, cannot be described in full. In the kingdom of Kaśmīra, there was a venerable elder named Saṅghasūdra, who was skilled in the sūtras and śāstras. The Dharma Master went to him and studied the Abhidharmakośa, Nyāyānusāra, Hetuvidyā, Śabdavidyā, and other texts, as well as the Mahāvibhāṣā. The king of the country pitied him for learning exhaustively without copies of the texts; he accordingly provided ten scribes to transcribe them for him, and ordered that all his other needs also be supplied by royal decree. Having completed his studies, he set out to the southeast and entered the kingdom of Takka. Along with more than twenty companions, they crossed the Candrabhāgā River together and went east into a great palāśa forest. There they encountered bandits, who plundered all the clothes and provisions they carried. Leaving them with their bare lives, they reached a village, begged from the people, and each received clothes. Next, arriving at the eastern border of Takka, there was a great mango grove. In the grove was a brāhmaṇa seven hundred years of age; looking at his countenance, he seemed to be around thirty. He was clear in the Madhyamaka and Śata śāstras, as well as the Vedic texts, and was said to be a disciple of Nāgārjuna. The Dharma Master stayed with him for a month, studying the Madhyamaka and Śata śāstras. Going east again, he arrived at the kingdom of Cinabhukti, where he went to Dharma Master Vinitaprabha and studied treatises such as the Abhidharma, the Samayapradīpikā, and the Nyāyamukha. Going east again to the Tamasāvana Monastery, he went to Dharma Master Candravarmā and studied the Prakaraṇapāda Vibhāṣā. Going east again, he arrived at the kingdom of Jālandhara, where he went to the venerable elder Candragupta and studied the Sautrāntika Vibhāṣā. He also studied the Samayapradīpikā of the Sarvāstivāda with the master of treatise Mitrasena. Passing through successive places, he arrived at the kingdom of Kapitha to pay homage to the sacred traces. Formerly, when the Buddha was in Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to repay his mother's kindness, after finishing the preaching of the Dharma for one rains retreat, he descended to the world of men via a flight of triple jeweled steps. Moving northwest again, he reached the kingdom of Kanyākubja (called Qu nü cheng in Chinese). He went to the Tripiṭaka Master Vīryasena and studied the Buddhadeva Vibhāṣā and the Sūryadeva Vibhāṣā. From here, proceeding southeast, he arrived at the kingdom of Ayodhyā. Having venerated the sacred traces, he traveled eastward down the Gaṅgā River by boat together with more than eighty companions, intending to head toward the kingdom of Hayamukha. On both banks of the river were aśoka groves, lush and dense. Suddenly, more than ten pirate boats emerged all at once from the grove, rowing against the current. Turmoil broke out aboard the boat, and several people leapt into the river. The pirates forced the boat to the shore, ordered everyone to strip off their clothes, and searched for precious treasures. These bandits were accustomed to serving the goddess Durgā; every autumn, they would search for a person of handsome and fair appearance, slay them, and take their flesh and blood to sacrifice to her to seek good fortune and blessings. Seeing the Dharma Master's handsome and graceful bearing, they looked at each other with delight. Thereupon the bandits sent men to fetch water, mixed mud to smear the ground and make an altar in the flowering grove, dragged the Dharma Master up onto the altar to sit, and had several men stand by with drawn swords, about to strike. The Dharma Master told them: "I have come from afar seeking the Dharma to transmit what has not yet been heard. If this wish has not been fulfilled and you patrons kill me, I fear it will bring no merit." The bandits refused to listen. Knowing there was no escape, the Dharma Master said to the bandits: "Please grant me a short moment; do not harass me, so that I may dwell in right mindfulness, which would also be a kindness from you patrons." Thereupon he concentrated his mind single-mindedly on the palace of Tuṣita Heaven where Bodhisattva Maitreya dwells. In his mind's contemplation, it was as if he ascended Mount Sumeru, crossed the first, second, and third heavens, and saw the palace of Tuṣita, Bodhisattva Maitreya's exquisite jeweled dais, and the bodhisattvas surrounding him. At this time, his body and mind were filled with joy; he did not know he was on the altar and remembered not the bandits. His companions wept and wailed aloud. In a brief moment, a black wind arose on all sides, snapping trees and sending sand flying. The river waters surged with waves, and boats were tossed and overturned. The bandits were struck with great terror and asked the companions: "Where does this monk come from, and what is his name?" They replied: "He comes from the country of China; this is a seeker of the Dharma. If you kill him, you will incur boundless sin! Look at the state of the wind and waves: the heavenly deity is already wroth. You must repent immediately!" Terrified, the bandits led one another to repent and apologize, bowing their heads in refuge. At that time, the Dharma Master was still unaware; only when a bandit touched him with a hand did he open his eyes. He said to the bandit: "Has the time arrived?" The bandit said: "We dare not harm you, Master; we only wish to make confession." The Dharma Master accepted their homage and apologies, preached the Dharma extensively to them, and inspired them to give rise to the aspiration [for awakening]. The bandits urged one another to gather all their bandit gear and cast it entirely into the river; they returned all stripped clothes and provisions to their original owners, and all received the five precepts. The wind and waves calmed down again. Joyfully, the bandits bowed their heads to the ground in homage and departed. His companions were filled with awe and admiration far beyond the ordinary. Those near and far who heard of it marvelled in amazement. After passing through several countries, he went northeast to the kingdom of Śrāvastī (formerly called Shewei, which is erroneous). Its sacred traces were very numerous, and he was able to pay homage to them all. He also arrived at the city of Vaiśālī, viewing the residence of Vimalakīrti and the place where the Buddha consented to Māra's request for nirvāṇa, and paid homage at them all. From there, he arrived again at the kingdom of Magadha, where sacred traces were extremely numerous. The Dharma Master stayed for seven days before he had completed his worship. From there, traveling southeast for more than four hundred li, he arrived at the bodhi tree. Within an area of thirty li around it, sacred traces were especially pervasive. The Dharma Master stayed eight or nine days before he had completed his worship. On the tenth day, the assembly of Nālandā Monastery dispatched forty virtuous elders to come and welcome him to the monastery's estate, lodging at the native village of Mahāmaudgalyāyana. The next day after the meal, another two hundred monks and more than a thousand patrons came to welcome him, holding banners, canopies, flowers, and incense, and escorted him into Nālandā Monastery. After they arrived, the entire assembly gathered together, and the Dharma Master met with them. When the assembly sat down, they had the karmadāna announce that the Dharma Master was residing in the monastery and that all things within the monastery were to be shared in common. After the meeting with the assembly was concluded, twenty men of virtuous conduct were dispatched to accompany the Dharma Master to pay respects to the Treasury of the True Dharma—that is, Dharma Master Śīlabhadra.