[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [付法藏因緣傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058) › 3.2 # 付法藏因緣傳 3.2 付法藏因緣傳 3.2 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3.2) 尊者阿難以法付囑商那和修。而告之曰。世尊昔遊摩突羅國。顧命我言。於此國中當有長者。名為毱多。其子號曰憂波毱多。於禪法中最為第一。雖無相好化度如我。我滅度後興大饒益。其所教化無量眾生。皆悉解脫得阿羅漢。汝當於後度令出家。若涅槃者付其法藏。商那和修臨涅槃時。告毱多曰。佛以正法付大迦葉。迦葉次付吾師阿難。阿難以法囑累於我。我當滅度以付於汝。汝可精勤擁護世眼。憂波毱言。唯然受教。於是演暢無上妙法。光宣正化濟諸群生。其德淵廣難可限量。過去久修無上勝行。雖為禽獸常化眾生。摧伏外道。建大法幢。以慈悲雲普覆一切。如是功德今當略說。昔婆伽婆。在舍衛國。給孤獨園。憂波毱多時為尼乾。名曰薩遮。智慧淵妙論議絕倫。深生貢高擅步天下。銅鍱纏腹首戴盛火。而作是言。吾智盈滿恐出於外。由是事故以鍱自纏。世間昏闇無所覩見。欲以光明照其盲冥。聞佛世尊住舍衛國。便欲造詣諍捔言辯。有人語曰。汝若見佛。智當虧減光明自滅。便至佛所。白言瞿曇。我欲出家。智慧若與舍利弗等心則甘樂。設不及者吾當還家。世尊告曰。假使汝積百千萬身。欲望得及舍利弗者。終無是處。梵志聞已辭佛而退。其去未久。佛告眾會。我滅度後滿一百年。此人爾時得羅漢道。三明六通具八解脫。慧燭獨照廣化眾生。其所度脫不可稱數。眾會聞已生希有心。又復尊者於過去世那由他劫憂留茶山有辟支佛。與其同類五百人俱。諸仙人眾亦住山側。五百獼猴處在一面。時獼猴主。發生大信深修善本。常採花果施辟支佛。復於一時緣覺之眾端坐思微入于三昧。獼猴學之結加趺坐。後辟支佛俱入涅槃。獼猴過花都無取相。挽衣推排亦不動搖。便知滅度深生悲惱。向山一面見諸仙人。修大苦行眠臥棘上。翹足倒懸五熱炙身投巖起火。獼猴即時收其灰棘除棄糞土牽足令舒。便於其前加趺而坐。仙人見之怪其若此。尋學獼猴端坐繫念。無師自覺成辟支佛。便作是念。今我得道由此獼猴。即以香花而用供養。時獼猴主憂波毱多是。為畜生時尚能覺悟。志甚黠慧利智辯才。逮至商那欲付其法。觀察毱多為生子耶。入定思惟知未出世。與諸比丘詣毱多舍。乃至漸少單己獨往。毱多問曰。何獨無侶。答言長者。我無俸祿有信出家乃見隨耳。毱多復言。吾樂世俗不能出家。若後生子當相奉給。商那和修答曰。善哉。後生一子名阿失波毱多。年漸長大。往從索之。毱多答言。唯有一子理無相與。若更生者必相奉給。後復生子名難陀毱多。便往從索。答言尊者。我今二子仰理生業。小者守護大子聚斂家業。如是可得大富。以斯因緣不得相與。若生第三然後奉給。商那和修知其二子與道無緣。亦不慇懃而往求索。後生一子容貌端政。即字名曰憂波毱多。柔和善順性好慈愍。聰慧辯才其心弘廣。厥年十二巧於市易。有來買者常多與之。商那和修觀其生未知優波毱。出世已久。即往其所而問之言。汝今入市。為當淨心。不淨心耶。憂波毱言。何名淨心不淨心乎。答言。若心與貪癡合。名為不淨。若不與俱。是則名淨。漸以方便教令繫念。若起惡心當下黑石。設生善念下白石子。即便如教攝念不散。善惡之起輒便投石。初黑偏多白者尠少。漸漸修習白黑正等。至滿七日心轉純淨。黑石都盡唯有白者。商那和修作是念言。今此善心皆已滿足。觀道時至可為說法。即為宣說四聖真諦。應時逮得須陀洹道。時摩突羅城有一婬女。名婆須達。多諸邪媚妖幻姦諂。遣使詣市求買妙花。使人尋往憂波毱所。大得好花奉婆須達。女怪華多問使人曰。汝將不盜得是花耶。使人答言。我不盜得。從市買之。有人名曰憂波毱多。仁慈寬惠性好平均。以斯因緣得多花耳。又復此人形容姿麗。大家若見死終無恨。時婆須達遣人迎召。憂波毱多都不許可。慇懃求請終不移操。有長者子共婬女宿。值有估客從遠方來。大齎珍寶求女交通。時彼女人貪其寶故。殺長者子埋置舍內。其家眷屬遍行推求。至婬女舍掘地得之。向其國王具陳斯事。即取婬女斬截手足。劓其耳鼻棄於塜間。憂波毱多作是念曰。彼以榮色本來召我。以是因緣止而不去。今為解脫宜往化之。即將侍者至婬女所。婆須達言。我本端妙顏容姿瑋。爾時相召不能臨顧。今既殘毀何用來為。答言姊妹我為觀汝實相故來。不為欲也。汝本以色誑惑眾生。凡夫無智橫起倒想。今自應當諦觀此色。無常危脆猶如聚沫。覆以薄皮外現嚴飾。筋骨相連涕唾不淨。譬如畫瓶盛滿臭穢。愚不覺知深生染愛。智者了之終不樂著。假以香華澡浴衣服。外現莊嚴內實不淨。大海淵廣可知渧數。此身過患甚難窮盡。是故諸佛恒常呵責。未曾一念生願樂想。婬女於時心漸開悟。於佛法中深生敬信。白言仁者。所說誠諦唯願為我廣敷演之。優波毱多即為宣暢。一切有為眾苦積聚。如癰如瘡如箭入心。生老病死輪轉無際。無常敗壞不堅速朽。如臨死囚命不云遠。譬如牢獄人無愛樂。猶路上果眾所共擲。此身可惡會歸磨滅。烏鵲狐狼競共噉食。風吹日曝青爛臭處。髮毛牙齒狼藉在地。如此之身豈可愛樂。宜勤方便而求解脫。婬女開解得法眼淨。命終即生三十三天。優波毱多因觀諸法苦空無常。應時逮成阿那含果。商那和修復詣毱多。而告之言。汝本有要期與我子。今已成長與我可乎。優波毱多性能市肆。貪其若此復不肯與。尊者語言。佛記此人。於百年後大作佛事饒益眾生。汝可開心與我此子。毱多聞已便聽出家。商那和修將至僧坊。度令出家與受具戒。羯磨已訖得羅漢道。三明六通具八解脫。巧於言辭所演無盡。心自念曰。我於今者已覩法身。未見如來相好之體。思惟是已深生哀戀。爾時有一老比丘尼。年百二十。曾見如來。優波毱多知彼見佛。欲至其所。尋遣使者告比丘尼。尊者毱多欲來相見。時比丘尼即以一鉢盛滿中油。置戶扇後。憂波毱多到其所止。當入房時棄油數渧。共相慰問然後就坐。問言大姊。世尊在時諸比丘輩。威儀進止其事云何。比丘尼言。昔佛在世六群比丘。最為麁暴。雖入此房未曾遺我一渧之水。大德今者智慧高勝。世人號為無相好佛。然入吾房棄油數渧。以是觀之。佛在時人定為奇妙。憂波毱多聞是語已。甚自悔責極懷慚愧。比丘尼言。大德不應自生恥恨。如佛言曰。我滅度後初日眾生勝二日者。三日之人益復卑劣。如是展轉福德衰耗。愚癡闇鈍善法羸損。況今大德去佛百年。雖復為作非威儀事。正得其宜何足為怪。爾時毱多而問之言。姊見如來。其事云何。比丘尼曰。昔佛在世我年二十始欲行嫁。失一金釵墮深草中。求之不得。復以燈燭遍照推覓。求之至疲了無髣髴。正值如來遊行而過。金光晃耀如百千日。幽闇之處普皆大明。微細諸物而悉顯現。尋見我釵因即取之。以斯緣故吾得見佛。憂波毱多聞是事已。倍生悲戀歎未曾有。商那和修即告之曰。佛記於汝在百年後。坐禪第一大化眾生。今正是時。宜作饒益令諸群生服甘露味。憂波毱言。唯然受教。於摩突國雲集眾會。如半月坐而為說法。所謂施論戒論生天之論。欲為不淨出要最善。魔王波旬便生愁怖。而作是念。優波毱多大集眾會。必當教令出吾境界。我今當往壞其眾意。於說法時雨真金寶。或雨華瓔光色明淨。化作白象七寶莊嚴。現為女人端政奇特。舉會觀視無聽法心。於三日中演深法味。乃至無有一人得道。魔王歡喜深自慶幸。憂波毱多即入三昧。觀察思惟是誰所作。魔王復以真珠花瓔著其頸上。尊者即觀知魔所為。便作是念。惡魔妬弊壞亂正法。如來何故而不調伏。即觀佛心使已化之。便以三屍。謂蛇狗人。化作華鬘感魔令至。而謂之曰。汝與我鬘深識厚施。今還以此用相酬遺。魔大歡喜舒頸受之。至其頸已還見死屍虫蛆欲出臭爛難近。魔見是事深生厭惡。語憂波毱多。汝今云何以斯死屍繫吾頸耶。尊者答言。比丘不應華鬘莊嚴汝。以邪惡為我著之。今還為汝著臭死屍。正得其宜。不應瞋恨。魔以神力欲去此屍。如須彌山不可移動。生大瞋恚踊身虛空。向諸天眾求解死屍。諸天皆言。此是大聖之所為作。吾等庸劣豈能除去。復詣梵王求脫屍縛。梵王答言。十力弟子所作神力。吾今凡陋豈能解之。假使劫燒旋藍猛風。不能得脫此死屍縛。寧以藕絲懸須彌山欲脫此屍。無有是處。如因地倒還扶而起。汝若歸依憂波毱多。此死屍縛容可得解。爾時波旬受梵王教。除憍慢心深生敬信。往尊者所五體投地。白言大德。佛初成道坐樹王下。我率官屬而往逼繞。從是惱亂不可稱數。未一惡言而見輕辱。大悲淵廣如須彌山。汝阿羅漢少慈忍力。於天人前而見𣣋毀憂波毱多答言。波旬。汝大愚癡無有智慧。以聲聞人用比如來。欲以芥子等須彌山。螢燭之光齊暉日月。牛跡之水同大海量。如來大悲二乘所無。以是緣故不相加報。今我狹劣少悲忍心。由斯因緣故相毀辱。又復如來欲使我後降伏於汝。汝因斯故敬信於佛。由此善心不墮三惡。洗滌塵勞破諸罪業。魔聞是已生大歡喜。舉身毛竪生希有心。白言仁者。我由汝故起敬信心。汝便於我作大饒益。今可見為解是三屍。尊者答言。汝於正法更莫擾害。然後乃當為汝解之。魔言受教。尊者又言。我不得見如來色身。汝昔曾覩宜為我現。魔言。仁者。我現佛身勿為吾禮。憂波毱言。當如所說。即便為解三種死屍。魔入林中變形如佛。三十二相八十種好。形貌奇特如融金聚。光明照耀儀相安詳。化為比丘前後圍繞。若鵝王趨從林而出。憂波毱多見便歡喜。一心觀察而說偈言。 > The venerable Ānanda entrusted the Dharma to Śāṇakavāsin and told him: "Formerly, when the World-Honored One was traveling in the country of Mathurā, he turned to me and gave his command, saying: 'In this country there will be an elder named Gupta, whose son will be called Upagupta. In the method of dhyāna he will be the foremost. Although he will not have the physical marks, he will transform and save \[beings\] just like me. After my extinction he will bring about great benefit; the countless sentient beings taught and transformed by him will all attain liberation and become arhats. You should later deliver him and cause him to go forth from the household life. When you are about to enter nirvāṇa, entrust the Dharma-treasury to him.'" When Śāṇakavāsin was approaching nirvāṇa, he told Upagupta: "The Buddha entrusted the true Dharma to Mahākāśyapa; Kāśyapa next entrusted it to my master Ānanda; Ānanda bequeathed the Dharma to me; and now that I am about to pass into extinction, I entrust it to you. You should exert yourself vigorously to protect and uphold the eye of the world." Upagupta said: "I respectfully accept your instruction." Thereupon he expounded and made clear the unsurpassable wondrous Dharma, broadly proclaiming the true teaching to rescue all living beings. His virtue was profound and vast, difficult to measure. In the past he had long cultivated unsurpassable, supreme practices; even when born as a beast, he constantly transformed sentient beings, crushing and subduing the non-Buddhists, establishing the great banner of Dharma, and sheltering all under the cloud of loving-kindness and compassion. Merits such as these shall now be briefly explained. > > Formerly, the Bhagavat was dwelling in the country of Śrāvastī, in the park of Anāthapiṇḍada. At that time, Upagupta was a Nirgrantha named Satyaka. His wisdom was profound and wondrous, his skill in debate peerless. He conceived deep arrogance and strode proudly throughout the world, binding his belly with copper plates and bearing a blazing fire atop his head, saying: "My wisdom is so full that I fear it will burst forth; for this reason I bind myself with plates. The world is dark and dim, seeing nothing; I wish to illuminate its blindness with my radiance." Hearing that the Buddha, the World-Honored One, was staying in the country of Śrāvastī, he wished to visit him to contend in eloquence. Someone told him: "If you see the Buddha, your wisdom will surely diminish and your light will naturally be extinguished." He then went to where the Buddha was and said to him: "Gautama, I wish to go forth from the household life. If my wisdom is equal to that of Śāriputra, my mind will be content and joyful; if I fall short of him, I shall return home." The World-Honored One told him: "Even if you were to accumulate hundreds of thousands of myriads of bodies, desiring to match Śāriputra, there is no such possibility." Having heard this, the brāhmaṇa took his leave of the Buddha and withdrew. Not long after he had left, the Buddha told the great assembly: "One hundred years after my extinction, this man will at that time attain the path of the arhat, possessing the threefold vision, the six supernormal knowledges, and fully endowed with the eight liberations. The lamp of his wisdom will shine uniquely, broadly transforming sentient beings, and those delivered by him will be countless." When the assembly heard this, they marveled at its rarity. > > Furthermore, in a past life nayutas of kalpas ago, on Mount Urumuṇḍa, there was a pratyekabuddha together with five hundred of his kind. A community of ṛṣis also dwelt on the side of the mountain, while five hundred macaques lived on another side. At that time, the king of the macaques produced great faith and deeply cultivated the roots of goodness; he constantly gathered flowers and fruit to offer to the pratyekabuddhas. On another occasion, the assembly of pratyekabuddhas sat upright in subtle contemplation and entered into samādhi; the macaque imitated them, sitting cross-legged. Later, when the pratyekabuddhas all entered into nirvāṇa, the macaque offered flowers, but none \[of the pratyekabuddhas\] took notice of them; he pulled at their robes and pushed them, yet they remained motionless. He then knew they had entered extinction, and felt deep sorrow and anguish. Going to the other side of the mountain, he saw the ṛṣis practicing severe austerities: sleeping on thorns, standing on one foot or hanging upside down, scorching their bodies with the five fires, and leaping off cliffs to build fires. The macaque immediately gathered their ashes and thorns, cast away the filth, pulled down their feet to let them stretch out, and sat cross-legged before them. The ṛṣis, seeing this, were astonished at his actions, and promptly imitated the macaque by sitting upright and focusing their mindfulness; awakening by themselves without a master, they became pratyekabuddhas. They then thought: "Now that we have attained the path, it is due to this macaque." They immediately made offerings to him with incense and flowers. The king of the macaques at that time was Upagupta. Even when he was an animal, he could already awaken others; his intent was extremely clever, endowed with sharp wisdom and eloquence. > > When the time came for Śāṇakavāsin to entrust the Dharma to him, he observed whether Gupta had fathered a son. Entering meditative concentration to contemplate, he knew he had not yet appeared in the world. He went with the monks to Gupta's house, and eventually, reducing his company, went alone by himself. Gupta asked: "Why are you alone with no companions?" He replied: "Elder, I have no wealth or salary; only those with faith who have gone forth accompany me." Gupta said again: "I enjoy worldly life and cannot go forth from the household. If I have a son later, I shall offer him to you." Śāṇakavāsin replied: "Excellent." Later a son was born, named Aśvagupta. When he grew older, \[the venerable one\] went to ask for him, but Gupta replied: "I have only one son; in principle I cannot give him to you. If another is born, I will certainly offer him to you." Later another son was born, named Nandagupta. When \[the venerable one\] went to ask for him, \[Gupta\] replied: "Venerable one, I now rely on these two sons to manage my livelihoods: the younger one protects, and the elder amasses the family business. In this way we can attain great wealth. For this reason I cannot give him to you. If a third is born, I shall then offer him to you." Śāṇakavāsin knew that these two sons had no karmic affinity with the path, so he did not persistently go to seek them. > > Later a son was born whose countenance was upright and handsome; he was named Upagupta. He was gentle and compliant, by nature fond of kindness and pity, intelligent, eloquent, and vast-minded. At the age of twelve he was skilled at trading in the marketplace; whenever buyers came, he would always give them extra. Śāṇakavāsin, observing whether he had been born, knew that Upagupta had already appeared in the world. He immediately went to his place and asked him: "Now as you enter the market, is your mind pure or impure?" Upagupta asked: "What is meant by a pure mind and an impure mind?" He replied: "If the mind is united with greed and delusion, it is called impure; if it is not united with them, it is called pure." Gradually, using skillful means, he taught him to focus his mindfulness: whenever an unwholesome thought arose, he should put down a black pebble; whenever a wholesome thought arose, he should put down a white pebble. Thereupon, in accordance with the teaching, he gathered his mindfulness without distraction. At every arising of good or evil, he threw down a pebble. At first, the black ones were far more numerous and the white ones were few. Gradually practicing and training, the white and black became equal. When seven days were fulfilled, his mind became increasingly pure; the black pebbles were completely gone, and there were only white ones. Śāṇakavāsin thought: "Now this wholesome mind has been fully perfected; observing that the time for the path has arrived, I can expound the Dharma for him." He then proclaimed the four noble truths for him, and on that very spot \[Upagupta\] attained the fruit of srotāpanna. > > At that time, in the city of Mathurā, there was a courtesan named Vāsavadattā, full of depraved seductiveness, bewitching arts, and deceitful flatteries. She sent a messenger to the market to purchase exquisite flowers. The messenger promptly went to Upagupta's place, obtained a great quantity of fine flowers, and presented them to Vāsavadattā. The woman was astonished at the abundance of flowers and asked the messenger: "Did you perhaps steal these flowers?" The messenger replied: "I did not steal them; I bought them in the market. There is a man named Upagupta who is humane, compassionate, broad-minded, and by nature fond of fairness. For this reason I obtained many flowers. Furthermore, this man's appearance is exquisitely handsome; if my lady were to see him, she would have no regrets even in death." Vāsavadattā then sent a person to invite him, but Upagupta refused completely; though she entreatingly pleaded with him, he never altered his resolve. > > A son of an elder stayed the night with the courtesan. It happened that a merchant came from afar carrying great treasures and sought intimacy with the woman. At that time, the woman, coveting his treasures, killed the elder's son and buried him inside her house. The family relatives searched everywhere for him, reached the courtesan's house, and dug him out of the ground. They reported this matter fully to the king of the country, who immediately seized the courtesan, severed her hands and feet, cut off her ears and nose, and cast her away among the graves. Upagupta thought: "She originally invited me on account of her blooming beauty; for that reason I refrained from going. Now, for the sake of liberation, it is fitting that I go to transform her." He then took an attendant and went to where the courtesan was. Vāsavadattā said: "Originally, I was delicate and wondrous, with a captivating countenance, but at that time when I invited you, you would not grace me with a visit. Now that I am mutilated and ruined, what is the use of coming?" He answered: "Sister, I came in order to contemplate your true reality, not out of desire. Formerly, you used beauty to deceive and delude sentient beings, and foolish ordinary persons falsely gave rise to inverted thoughts. Now you yourself ought to contemplate this form attentively: it is impermanent, fragile, and dangerous, just like a mass of foam, covered with a thin skin and outwardly showing adornment, but with sinews and bones linked together, full of impure mucus and saliva. It is like a painted jar filled with stinking filth; fools do not realize it and give rise to deep attachment, whereas the wise understand it and never take delight in it. Though outwardly adorned with incense, flowers, baths, and clothing, inside it is truly impure. The profound vastness of the great ocean can have its drops counted, but the faults and perils of this body are very hard to fathom. For this reason the Buddhas constantly reproached it, never for a single moment producing thoughts of desiring or enjoying it." The courtesan's mind was gradually awakened at that time, and she conceived deep reverent faith in the Buddha's Dharma. She said: "Humane one, what you say is true and real; I pray only that you will explain it to me extensively." Upagupta then expounded for her: "All conditioned things are an accumulation of many sufferings, like a boil, like a sore, like an arrow piercing the heart. Birth, old age, sickness, and death revolve without bound; they are impermanent, perishable, unstable, and quickly decaying, like a condemned prisoner whose death is not far off; like a prison house in which no one takes delight; like fruit beside the road that is pelted by all. This body is loathsome and must eventually return to destruction, eagerly devoured by crows, magpies, foxes, and wolves; blown by the wind and scorched by the sun, it turns blue, putrid, and foul; hair, teeth, and bones lie scattered about in disorder. How could such a body be loved or desired? You ought to diligently apply skillful means to seek liberation." The courtesan attained understanding, acquiring the pure Dharma-eye, and upon the end of her life was reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. Upagupta, through contemplating the suffering, emptiness, and impermanence of all phenomena, immediately achieved the fruit of anāgāmin. > > Śāṇakavāsin again went to Gupta and said to him: "You originally had an agreement to give me your son. Now that he is grown, can you give him to me?" Because Upagupta was naturally skilled in business, \[Gupta\] coveted him so much that he was again unwilling to give him up. The venerable one said: "The Buddha prophesied that this person, one hundred years after \[his extinction\], would perform great Buddha-deeds and bring benefit to sentient beings. You should open your heart and give me this son." When Gupta heard this, he permitted him to go forth from the household. Śāṇakavāsin took him to the monastery, caused him to go forth, and conferred the full precepts upon him. When the karmavācanā was concluded, he attained the path of the arhat, endowed with the threefold vision, the six supernormal knowledges, and complete in the eight liberations; he was skilled in words, and his exposition was inexhaustible. > > He thought to himself: "I have now beheld the Dharma-body, but have not yet seen the Tathāgata's physical form with its marks and signs." Having thought this, he gave rise to deep sorrowful yearning. At that time there was an old bhikṣuṇī, one hundred and twenty years of age, who had once seen the Tathāgata. Upagupta, knowing that she had seen the Buddha, wished to go to her place. He immediately sent a messenger to tell the bhikṣuṇī: "The venerable Upagupta wishes to come see you." At that time the bhikṣuṇī filled a bowl to the brim with oil and placed it behind the door leaf. When Upagupta arrived at her dwelling, as he was entering the room, he spilled a few drops of oil. After exchanging greetings, they sat down. He asked: "Elder sister, when the World-Honored One was in the world, what were the deportment and conduct of the bhikṣus like?" The bhikṣuṇī said: "Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, the group-of-six bhikṣus were the most crude and reckless, yet when they entered this room, they never spilled a single drop of water. Bhadanta, your wisdom is now lofty and supreme, and the people of the world call you the 'Buddha without marks'; yet when you entered my room, you spilled a few drops of oil. Judging from this, the people when the Buddha was present were truly marvelous." When Upagupta heard these words, he deeply reproached himself and felt extreme shame. The bhikṣuṇī said: "Bhadanta should not give rise to shame or regret. As the Buddha said: 'After my extinction, sentient beings on the first day will be superior to those on the second day; the people on the third day will be still baser and lowlier.' In this way, merits gradually decline and decay, stupidity and darkness grow, and wholesome dharmas become weak and diminished. How much more so now, when bhadanta is a hundred years removed from the Buddha! Even though you committed an act lacking in deportment, it was entirely fitting; why should it be considered strange?" At that time Upagupta asked her: "Sister, what was it like when you saw the Tathāgata?" The bhikṣuṇī said: "Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, I was twenty years old and about to be married. I lost a golden hairpin that fell into the deep grass. I searched for it but could not find it; I then used a lamp to search everywhere, but grew exhausted without catching any glimpse of it. Just then, the Tathāgata happened to pass by; his golden radiance was as dazzling as a hundred thousand suns, and the dark places were all made brightly luminous, so that even the finest things were completely revealed. I immediately saw my hairpin and picked it up. For this reason I was able to see the Buddha." When Upagupta heard this matter, his sorrowful yearning doubled, and he sighed at its unprecedented wonder. > > Śāṇakavāsin then told him: "The Buddha prophesied that a hundred years after \[his extinction\], you would be foremost in sitting in meditation and would extensively transform sentient beings. Now is the right time; you should bring benefit to them and cause all living beings to drink the taste of amṛta." Upagupta said: "I respectfully accept your instruction." In the country of Mathurā, he gathered a great assembly like a half-moon seating, and preached the Dharma for them: namely, discourses on generosity, discourses on morality, discourses on rebirth in heaven, explaining that desires are impure and that renunciation is supreme. Māra Pāpīyas then became sorrowful and frightened, thinking: "Upagupta has gathered a great assembly; he will certainly teach them to escape my realm. I must now go and ruin the minds of his assembly." When \[Upagupta\] was preaching the Dharma, \[Māra\] rained down genuine gold and treasures, or rained down flowers and necklaces of bright, pure luster; he manifested a white elephant adorned with the seven treasures, or appeared as an exceptionally beautiful woman. The entire assembly looked and watched, having no mind to listen to the Dharma. During three days of expounding the profound flavor of the Dharma, not a single person attained the path. The demon king was delighted and congratulated himself deeply. Upagupta immediately entered samādhi, contemplating and considering who had done this. The demon king also placed a garland of pearls and flowers around his neck. The venerable one, observing, knew it was the work of Māra, and thought: "The evil demon is jealous and corrupt, ruining the true Dharma. Why did the Tathāgata not subdue him?" He then contemplated the Buddha's intention, which was to have him transform him. He then took three corpses—namely, a snake, a dog, and a human—transformed them into a flower garland, and influenced Māra to come, saying to him: "You gave me a garland, showing great generosity; now I return this to repay you." Māra was overjoyed, stretched out his neck, and received it. When it reached his neck, it turned back into dead corpses, with worms and maggots about to crawl forth, stinking, rotting, and unbearable to approach. Seeing this, Māra felt deep revulsion and disgust, and said to Upagupta: "Why have you tied these dead corpses around my neck?" The venerable one answered: "A bhikṣu should not be adorned with a flower garland; you maliciously put it on me, and now I have put rotten corpses back on you. It is entirely fitting; you should not be angry." Māra used his supernormal power, wishing to remove the corpses, but they were unshakeable like Mount Sumeru. Feeling great rage, he sprang into the sky, begging the hosts of gods to untie the dead corpses. The gods all said: "This was done by a great sage; how could we lowly ones be able to remove it?" He went again to King Brahmā, begging to be freed from the binding of the corpses. King Brahmā answered: "This is the supernormal power wrought by a disciple of the Ten Powers; how could I, ordinary and base, untie it? Even the fierce wind of the kalpa-conflagration could not loosen the binding of these dead corpses. One might sooner suspend Mount Sumeru by a lotus fiber than untie these corpses; there is no such possibility. Just as one who falls to the ground must rely on the ground to rise again, if you take refuge in Upagupta, the binding of these dead corpses may perhaps be undone." At that time, Pāpīyas accepted King Brahmā's instruction, cast aside his pride, and gave rise to deep reverent faith. He went to the venerable one's place, threw his five limbs to the ground, and said: "Bhadanta, when the Buddha first attained the path and sat beneath the king of trees, I led my hosts to press upon and surround him; my harassments and disturbances of him were countless, yet he never uttered a single harsh word to slight or humiliate me. His great compassion was profound and vast like Mount Sumeru. You are an arhat, lacking the power of compassion and patience, and have humiliated me before gods and humans." Upagupta replied: "Pāpīyas, you are greatly foolish and without wisdom, comparing the person of a hearer (śrāvaka) to the Tathāgata! You seek to equate a mustard seed with Mount Sumeru, the glow of a firefly with the brilliance of the sun and moon, and water in a cow's footprint with the capacity of the great ocean. The Tathāgata's great compassion is something the two vehicles do not possess; for this reason he did not retaliate against you. Now I am narrow and base, lacking a mind of compassion and patience, and for this reason I humiliated you. Furthermore, the Tathāgata wished for me to subdue you later, so that through this you might conceive reverent faith in the Buddha, and by virtue of this wholesome mind not fall into the three evil destinies, washing away the defilements and destroying all sinful karmas." Hearing this, the demon felt great joy; his body hairs bristled and he gave rise to a thought of rare wonder. He said: "Humane one, through you I have given rise to reverent faith, and you have brought great benefit to me. Please now untie these three corpses for me." The venerable one answered: "Do not harass the true Dharma any more; only then will I untie them for you." Māra said: "I accept your instruction." The venerable one further said: "I was not able to see the Tathāgata's physical body; you once beheld it, so you should manifest it for me." Māra said: "Humane one, when I manifest the Buddha's body, do not prostrate to me." Upagupta said: "It shall be as you say." He then untied the three kinds of corpses. Māra entered the forest and transformed his shape to resemble the Buddha, with the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs, his appearance marvelous like a mass of molten gold, radiant and shining, his demeanor dignified and serene. He transformed \[other figures\] into bhikṣus surrounding him front and back, walking forth from the forest like the king of geese. Seeing him, Upagupta was overjoyed, and attentively contemplating him, spoke in verse: > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 3.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3.1) - [Next: 3.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3.3) - [Up: 3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058~en-mt.3.2) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (1) - [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.5.11) — 志磐, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.3.2) · Pramāṇa