付法藏因緣傳 2.12

2.12

爾時比丘即向其師說阿難語。師告之曰。阿難老朽智慧衰劣。言多錯謬不可信矣。汝今但當如前而誦。阿難後時聞彼比丘在竹林下猶誦前偈即問其意。答言尊者。吾師告我。阿難老朽言多虛妄。汝今但當依前誦習。阿難思惟。彼輕我言或受餘教。即入三昧。推求勝德。不見有人能迴彼意。便作是言。異哉無常甚大雄猛散壞。如是無量賢聖。令諸世間皆悉空曠。常處黑闇怖畏中行。邪見熾盛。不善增長。誹謗如來斷絕正教。永當沈沒生死大河。開惡趣門閉人天路。於無量劫受諸苦惱。哀哉世間深可矜愍。今此比丘我躬為說。返納邪言不受吾教。我當向誰說如斯事。世間眾苦不可願樂。此身不堅腐敗危脆。猶如聚沫須臾變滅。端政容貌甚可愛著。衰老既至將安所在。覆以薄皮謂為嚴飾。膿血內流惡露不淨。有為無常甚大迅速。一視息頃四百生滅。譬如虛空震雷起雲暴風卒起尋便散滅。五欲不堅亦復如是。共相恩愛安隱快樂。無常既至誰有存者。世間眾苦甚難久居。我於今日宜入涅槃。又吾大師及同梵行。如是之等皆悉滅度。我於今者豈宜久停。復作是念。阿闍世王與吾有要。我宜應當至彼語之。即詣王宮告守門者。為我白王。阿難在外。將欲涅槃故來相見。門人答曰。王今眠睡。若設覺悟罪我不少。阿難語言。王若覺者宜可為我具宣斯意。阿闍世王夢蓋莖折。即便驚悟。門人向王具宣上事。王聞是已悶絕躄地。冷水灑面良久乃穌。發聲號哭哀動天地。椎胸叫喚生大憂苦。而作是言。嗚呼怪哉世間眼滅。三界苦惱誰當免濟。昔日世尊慈悲深厚。為諸眾生作大依止。自入涅槃世間孤露。摩訶迦葉有大名稱。次補如來演法教化。而復滅度法轉衰損。瞻仰阿難猶如日月。今入涅槃更何恃怙。法水清淨洗滌塵勞。誰復頒宣饒益一切。是諸眾生常有渴愛。誰澍法雨充足之者。三界群生永當流轉。受諸苦惱何有窮竟。魔王歡喜大得眷屬。善法漸盡諸惡熾盛。即問門人阿難所在。園神白王。向毘舍離。即嚴四兵往恒河側。阿難乘船在河中流。王即直進稽首白言。三界明燈已棄我去。今相憑仰願勿涅槃。阿難默然而不許可。於時大地六種震動。時雪山中有五百仙人見斯相已咸作是念。以何因緣有此異相觀見阿難將欲滅度。即便飛空往詣其所。稽首作禮求哀出家。即化恒河變成金地。為諸仙人如應說法。鬚髮自落成阿羅漢。咸悉俱時入般涅槃。阿難念曰。佛記罽賓當有比丘名摩田提。於彼國土流布法眼。即便以法付摩田提。踊身虛空作十八變。入風奮迅三昧。分身為四。一分向忉利天與釋提桓因。一分與大海娑伽龍王。一分與彼毘舍離子。一分授與阿闍世王。如是四處各起寶塔。燒香散華供養舍利。摩訶迦葉垂涅槃時。告阿難曰。今以法寶用相委累。長老於後若入涅槃。王舍大城有一長者名商那和修。高才勇猛有大智慧。已於過去深種善根。發意入海採取珍寶。迴還願作般遮于瑟。為佛如來造經行處。復當建立高門樓屋。所為既訖。可度出家。如來法藏悉付囑之。是故阿難臨當滅度。而告之曰。佛以法眼付大迦葉。迦葉以法囑累於我。如我今者涅槃時至。以法寶藏用付於汝。汝可精勤守護斯法。令諸眾生服甘露味。商那和修答曰。奉教。我當擁護如斯妙法。普為一切作大明炬。於是次宣無上法藥。療煩惱病濟度群生。其德高遠久修願行。多聞總持辯才無盡。今當敷演彼功德聚。乃往過去阿僧祇劫。商那和修時為商主。共諸賈客五百人俱。欲入大海採取珍寶。於其前路見辟支佛。身嬰重病氣命羸惙。與諸商人即便停住。推求醫藥而療治之。盡心承給無所乏少。病遂除差體力充足。是辟支佛著商那衣。爾時商主以諸香湯浴辟支佛。上妙㲲衣而用奉獻。白言大聖。此商那衣極為弊惡。唯願受我所奉衣服。辟支佛言施主宜知。我以此衣出家成道。復當著此而入涅槃。商主聞之甚懷悲惱。白言大聖。願勿滅度宜可與我共入大海。吾當終身供給所須衣服臥具病瘦湯藥。辟支佛言。不能入海。我於今者欲般涅槃。汝於福田宜生深心。未來必當獲大果報。即飛虛空作十八變。還就本座而入涅槃。商主悲哀啼哭哽咽。積諸香木而用闍毘。收集舍利起塔供養。因發誓曰。願我來世值遇聖師。復過於是。使我所有諸功德聚。威儀法式及以衣服。如今此聖等無有異。由斯願力甚大雄猛。處於母胎著商那衣。乃至與身俱共增長。出家受戒得道涅槃。是商那衣未嘗離體。因即號曰商那和修。如來昔遊摩突羅國。見青樹林敷榮茂盛。告阿難曰。見此林不。阿難言曰。唯然已見。佛言。此是優留茶山。吾滅度後當有比丘名商那和修。於此山中起僧伽藍。說法教化多所利益。商那和修既從海還大獲珍寶。往詣竹林禮阿難足。白言大聖。我本入海願安隱還。為佛及僧設大施會。今佛世尊為在何處。阿難答曰。已入涅槃。聞是語已悶絕躄地。以水灑面方得醒悟。發聲號咷悲泣斷絕。自拔頭髮塵土坌身。椎胸大叫淚下如雨。便作是言。無常大惡壞斯寶聚。世間孤露永無恃怙。我何薄祐罪障深厚。佛日明淨而不覩見。永當沈沒三有苦海。復問阿難。摩訶迦葉大目揵連舍利弗等悉為在不。阿難答曰。皆已滅度。既聞是語倍增憂感。白言大聖。我本入海願安隱還。為佛及僧設大施會。我於今者欲為聖眾辦少微供。唯願哀愍而見聽許。阿難答言。善哉長者。能知世間不安危脆。於勝福田起堅固業。長者當知。諸法無常無我我所。譬如假借不可久保。若汝欲得無上利者。宜於福田起殷重業。此之果報不可沮壞。商那和修即便嚴辦。為般遮于瑟。種種充足。造經行處及門樓屋。其事訖已。阿難告曰。汝為財施最大希有。今復宜當作於法施。此施微妙甚為弘廣。勝於財施百千萬倍。商那問言。何名法施。阿難答曰。於佛法中出家學道。說法教化利益眾生。是名法施。商那和修答言。善哉甚適我願。於是阿難度令出家與受具戒。白言大師。我本生時著商那衣。今當盡形受持此服。作是語已得總持力。所聞之法未曾忘失。成阿羅漢有大功德。逮及阿難入涅槃後。頒宣妙法饒益眾生。阿難所持八萬四千諸法藏門。商那和修悉能憶念。譬如瀉水置之異器。彼能受持亦復如是。以真淨法遊行教化。最後次至摩突羅國。於曼陀山欲起住處。時彼山中有二龍子。毒害熾盛不可擾近。商那和修即以神力震動此山。龍大瞋怒起惡風雨。商那和修入慈三昧。以定力故龍毒消滅。即大驚怖生信敬心。問言尊者。有何教誨。商那答曰。佛記此山有僧住處。是故我欲於中建立。龍子白言。若實佛記。善哉相聽。商那和修即於彼山。營建住處。禪室經行皆悉具足。內外空閑無諸憒鬧。造住處已便作是念。佛記罽賓安隱豐樂。國土閑靜離諸妨難。清涼少病甚可經行。我今應當至彼處耶。即便飛空往罽賓國。入定歡喜而說偈言。

At that time, the bhikṣu went directly to his master and related Ānanda's words. His master said to him, 'Ānanda is old and decrepit, and his wisdom has deteriorated. His words contain many errors and are not to be trusted. Now you should simply recite as you did before.' Later, when Ānanda heard that bhikṣu beneath the bamboo grove still reciting the previous verse, he asked him about his intention. He answered, saying, 'Venerable, my master told me: "Ānanda is old and decrepit, and his words are mostly false. Now you should simply rely on how you previously recited and practiced."' Ānanda reflected: 'He disdains my words; perhaps he will accept the teaching of another.' He then entered samādhi, seeking an eminent person of virtue, but saw no one who could turn his mind back. Thereupon he said, 'How extraordinary! Impermanence is exceedingly mighty, breaking apart and destroying such immeasurable worthy and noble ones, causing all the world to become desolate and empty, constantly dwelling in darkness and walking amidst terrors. Wrong views blaze up, and unwholesomeness increases, slandering the Tathāgata and severing the true teaching. They shall perpetually sink in the great river of birth and death, opening the gates of the bad destinations and closing the path to the human and heavenly realms, enduring all kinds of suffering and afflictions for immeasurable kalpas. How mournful! The world is deeply pitiable. Now to this bhikṣu I myself spoke, yet he turns back to accept wrongful words and does not receive my instruction. To whom should I speak of such matters? The multitude of worldly sufferings is not to be wished for or enjoyed. This body is unstable, rotten, fragile, and delicate, just like a mass of foam, changing and vanishing in an instant. An upright and handsome countenance is deeply loved and attached to, but when old age and decline arrive, where will it be? It is covered with thin skin and considered an adornment, but pus and blood flow within, an unclean, foul excretion. Conditioned things are impermanent, proceeding with exceeding swiftness: in the span of a single breath there are four hundred arisings and cessations. Just as in the empty sky thunder rumbles, clouds gather, and a violent tempest suddenly arises and is soon dispersed and extinguished, so too the five desires are unstable and likewise like this. People cherish each other with love and affection, dwelling in peace and happiness; yet when impermanence arrives, who among them can remain? The multitude of worldly sufferings makes it exceedingly difficult to dwell here long. It is fitting for me to enter nirvāṇa this very day. Furthermore, my Great Master as well as those of common brahma-faring—all such as these have entered extinction. Why is it fitting for me now to linger long?' He further made this thought: 'King Ajātaśatru has an agreement with me; I ought to go to him and inform him.' He then proceeded to the royal palace and said to the gatekeeper, 'Inform the king for me: Ānanda is outside, and about to enter nirvāṇa, he has come to see you.' The gatekeeper answered, saying, 'The king is now asleep. If I were to awaken him, my offense would not be small.' Ānanda said to him, 'When the king awakes, it would be fitting for you to fully convey this intention for me.' King Ajātaśatru dreamed that the shaft of his parasol broke, and he immediately woke up in alarm. The gatekeeper fully conveyed the above matter to the king. When the king heard this, he fell to the ground unconscious. Cold water was sprinkled on his face, and only after a long while did he revive. He cried out weeping, his grief moving heaven and earth; beating his breast and wailing, he gave rise to great sorrow and suffering, saying, 'Alas, how wondrous and terrible! The eye of the world has vanished! Who will deliver and save those in the suffering and distress of the three realms? In the past, the World-Honored One had profound and vast loving-kindness and compassion, acting as a great refuge for all sentient beings. Since he entered nirvāṇa, the world has been left desolate and orphaned. Mahākāśyapa possessed great renown, second only to the Tathāgata in expounding the Dharma and converting [beings]; yet he too has entered extinction, and the Dharma has increasingly declined and deteriorated. We looked up to Ānanda just as to the sun and moon; now that he enters nirvāṇa, what further reliance is there? The water of the Dharma is pure, washing away the dust and toil [of defilements]; who will once again proclaim it to benefit all? These sentient beings constantly suffer from thirst and craving; who will pour down the Dharma rain to satisfy them? The multitudes of beings in the three realms will perpetually wander in transmigration, enduring all kinds of suffering and affliction without end. The Demon King will rejoice, gaining many retinues; the good Dharma will gradually come to an end, and all evils will blaze up.' He then asked the gatekeeper where Ānanda was. A grove deity reported to the king, 'He has gone toward Vaiśālī.' The king immediately arrayed the fourfold army and went to the bank of the Ganges. Ānanda had boarded a boat in the middle of the river. The king went straight forward, prostrated, and said, 'The bright lamp of the three realms has already abandoned me and departed; now I place my reliance and admiration upon you—may you please not enter nirvāṇa!' Ānanda remained silent and did not consent. At that time, the great earth shook in six ways. At that time in the Himālayas there were five hundred ṛṣis who, upon seeing this sign, all made this thought: 'Due to what causes and conditions is there this extraordinary sign?' When they observed and saw that Ānanda was about to enter extinction, they immediately flew through the air, went to his presence, prostrated in homage, and begged for his pity to leave household life. [Ānanda] then transformed the Ganges into golden ground, expounded the Dharma to the ṛṣis as was appropriate, and their hair and beards fell out of their own accord; they became arhats and all entered parinirvāṇa at the same time. Ānanda thought: 'The Buddha prophesied that in Kaśmīra there would be a bhikṣu named Madhyāntika who would spread the Dharma-eye in that land.' He then entrusted the Dharma to Madhyāntika, leapt into the sky, performed the eighteen miraculous transformations, and entered the wind-swifter samādhi. He divided his body into four: one portion was directed toward Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and given to Śakra Devānām Indra; one portion was given to Sāgara, the dragon king of the great ocean; one portion was given to the Licchavis of Vaiśālī; and one portion was conferred upon King Ajātaśatru. In these four places, jeweled stūpas were each erected, and incense was burned and flowers were scattered to venerate the śarīra. When Mahākāśyapa was near nirvāṇa, he said to Ānanda: 'I now entrust the Dharma-jewel to you. When you, āyusmat, enter nirvāṇa later on, in the great city of Rājagṛha there will be an elder named Śāṇakavāsa, of high talent and valor, endowed with great wisdom, who in the past deeply planted good roots. He conceived the intention to enter the great sea to collect rare gems; upon returning, he vowed to hold a Pañcavārṣika assembly, build caṅkrama places for the Buddha, the Tathāgata, and further erect high gates and storied pavilions. When his deeds are accomplished, he may be ordained. The Tathāgata's Dharma-treasury is to be entirely entrusted to him.' Therefore, when Ānanda was on the verge of entering extinction, he said to him: 'The Buddha entrusted the Dharma-eye to Mahākāśyapa, and Kāśyapa entrusted the Dharma to me. As the time of my nirvāṇa has now arrived, I entrust the Dharma-jewel treasury to you. You must diligently guard and protect this Dharma, causing all sentient beings to drink the flavor of amṛta.' Śāṇakavāsa answered, saying, 'I receive your instruction. I shall protect such wonderful Dharma and act as a great bright torch for all.' Thereupon he sequentially proclaimed the unsurpassed Dharma-medicine to cure the illnesses of affliction and rescue sentient beings. His virtue was lofty and far-reaching, having long cultivated vows and practices, possessing extensive learning, dhāraṇī, and inexhaustible eloquence. Now I shall expound the assembly of his merits: In the past, immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, Śāṇakavāsa was at that time a caravan leader together with five hundred merchants, wishing to enter the great sea to gather rare gems. On their way ahead, they saw a Pratyekabuddha stricken with a severe illness, his breath and life feeble and exhausted. Together with the merchants, he immediately stopped, sought out medicine, and treated him, serving and supplying him wholeheartedly with nothing lacking. The illness was subsequently cured, and his physical strength became fully restored. This Pratyekabuddha was wearing a hempen garment. At that time, the caravan leader bathed the Pratyekabuddha with various fragrant decoctions and presented fine cotton robes, saying, 'O Great Sage, this hempen garment is extremely worn and wretched; I only pray you accept the clothes I present.' The Pratyekabuddha said, 'Benefactor, you should know: wearing this robe I left household life and attained the path, and wearing this I shall again enter nirvāṇa.' When the caravan leader heard this, he was filled with sorrow and distress, saying, 'O Great Sage, I pray you do not enter extinction; you ought to enter the great sea with me. Throughout my life I shall supply whatever you need: clothing, bedding, and medicine for illness.' The Pratyekabuddha said, 'I cannot enter the sea; I now wish to enter parinirvāṇa. You should generate a profound mind toward this field of merit; in the future you will certainly obtain a great recompense.' He then flew into the sky, performed the eighteen miraculous transformations, returned to his original seat, and entered nirvāṇa. The caravan leader wept in grief and choked with sobs, piled up various fragrant woods, and cremated him, collecting his śarīra and erecting a stūpa to venerate them. Thereupon he made a vow, saying: 'May I in future lives encounter a holy master even surpassing this one; and may all my gatherings of merit, dignified deportment, rules, and garments be equal to and not different from this holy one today!' Due to the extremely mighty power of this vow, while dwelling in his mother's womb he wore a hempen garment, which grew together with his body. When he left household life, received the precepts, attained the path, and entered nirvāṇa, this hempen garment never left his body. Because of this, he was named Śāṇakavāsa. In the past, when the Tathāgata traveled to the country of Mathurā, he saw a grove of verdant trees blooming luxuriantly. He said to Ānanda, 'Do you see this grove?' Ānanda said, 'Yes, indeed, I have seen it.' The Buddha said, 'This is Mount Urumuṇḍa. After my extinction, there will be a bhikṣu named Śāṇakavāsa who will build a saṅghārāma on this mountain, expounding the Dharma and transforming [beings] to great benefit.' After Śāṇakavāsa returned from the sea, having obtained great treasures, he went to the Bamboo Grove and prostrated at Ānanda's feet, saying, 'O Great Sage, I originally entered the sea and vowed to return safely to hold a great assembly of giving for the Buddha and the Saṅgha. Where is the Buddha, the World-Honored One, right now?' Ānanda answered, saying, 'He has already entered nirvāṇa.' When he heard these words, he fell to the ground unconscious; only after water was sprinkled on his face was he revived. He cried aloud, weeping incessantly; he pulled out his hair, covered his body in dust, beat his breast, wailed aloud, and tears fell like rain. He then spoke these words: 'The great evil of impermanence has destroyed this mass of jewels! The world is left desolate and orphaned, forever without reliance! How slight is my merit and how heavy are my sinful obstructions, that I do not behold the bright and pure Buddha-sun! I will perpetually sink in the sea of suffering of the three realms of existence!' He further asked Ānanda, 'Are Mahākāśyapa, Mahāmaudgalyāyana, Śāriputra, and the others all present?' Ānanda answered, saying, 'They have all entered extinction.' Having heard these words, his grief and sorrow doubled. He said, 'O Great Sage, I originally entered the sea and vowed to return safely to hold a great assembly of giving for the Buddha and the Saṅgha. Now I wish to prepare a modest offering for the holy assembly; I only pray you will take pity and grant permission.' Ānanda answered, saying, 'Excellent, elder! You are able to understand that the world is unstable and fragile, and generate firm karma toward the supreme field of merit. Elder, you should know: all phenomena are impermanent, lacking self or anything belonging to a self; like borrowed goods, they cannot be kept for long. If you wish to attain unsurpassed benefit, you should generate earnest karma toward the field of merit. The retribution for this cannot be destroyed.' Śāṇakavāsa then prepared everything for the Pañcavārṣika assembly, providing an abundance of all necessities, and built caṅkrama places, gates, and storied pavilions. When these matters were completed, Ānanda said to him, 'Your material giving is exceedingly rare. Now you should also perform the giving of Dharma. This giving is subtle, wonderful, and vast, surpassing material giving by hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands of times.' Śāṇa asked, 'What is meant by the giving of Dharma?' Ānanda answered, saying, 'Leaving household life in the Buddha's Dharma to study the path, expounding the Dharma to convert and benefit sentient beings: this is called the giving of Dharma.' Śāṇakavāsa answered, saying, 'Excellent! This accords well with my wish.' Thereupon Ānanda ordained him, allowing him to leave household life, and conferred the full precepts upon him. He said to the Great Master, 'When I was originally born, I wore a hempen garment; now throughout my entire life I shall uphold this robe.' Having spoken these words, he attained the power of dhāraṇī, never forgetting any Dharma he heard. He became an arhat endowed with great merit. After Ānanda entered nirvāṇa, he proclaimed the wonderful Dharma to benefit sentient beings. Śāṇakavāsa was able to remember all eighty-four thousand gates of the Dharma-treasury held by Ānanda; just as pouring water into a different vessel, his reception and upholding was likewise like this. He traveled about teaching and converting with the true, pure Dharma, and finally came to the country of Mathurā, where he wished to build a dwelling place on Mount Mandara. At that time on that mountain were two nāga sons whose poisonous malice was blazing and unapproachable. Śāṇakavāsa immediately used his spiritual power to shake this mountain. The nāgas were enraged and raised fierce winds and rain. Śāṇakavāsa entered the maitrī-samādhi, and through the power of samādhi the nāgas' poison was extinguished. They were greatly terrified, gave rise to faith and reverence, and asked, 'Venerable, what instructions do you have?' Śāṇa answered, saying, 'The Buddha prophesied that this mountain would have a dwelling place for the Saṅgha; therefore I wish to establish it here.' The nāga sons said, 'If it is truly the Buddha's prophecy, excellent, we grant permission.' Śāṇakavāsa then built a dwelling place on that mountain, complete with meditation chambers and caṅkrama paths, quiet inside and outside without any disturbance. Having built the dwelling place, he then made this thought: 'The Buddha prophesied that Kaśmīra is peaceful, abundant, joyful, tranquil, and free from obstructions and difficulties, cool, with few illnesses, and very pleasant for caṅkrama. Should I now go to that place?' He then flew through the air to the country of Kaśmīra, entered absorption, and joyfully spoke a verse: