[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) › 6.6 # 付法藏因緣傳 6.6 付法藏因緣傳 6.6 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6.6) 是時舍主即出奉迎。敷置茵褥請入就坐。僧伽耶舍見其家內有二餓鬼。裸形黑瘦飢虛羸乏。鎖其身首各著一床。復有一鉢滿中香飯。以瓶盛水安置其側。爾時舍主即取此食奉施比丘。語言大德。慎勿以食與此餓鬼。爾時比丘見其飢困。即以少飯而施與之。鬼得食已即吐膿血。遍流在地污其宮殿。爾時比丘怪而問之。此鬼何緣受斯罪報。舍主答曰。斯鬼前世一是吾息一是兒婦。我昔布施作諸功德。而彼夫妻恒懷恚惜。我數教誨都不納受。因立誓曰。如此罪業必獲惡報。若受罪時我當看汝。由是因緣得斯苦惱。小復前行至一住處。堂閣嚴飾種種奇妙。滿中眾僧經行禪思。日時已到鳴椎集食。食將欲訖。爾時餚饍變成膿血。便以鉢器共相打擲頭面破壞。血流污身而作是言。何為惜食今受此苦。僧伽耶舍前問其意。答言長老。我等先世迦葉佛時同止一處。客比丘來。咸共瞋恚藏惜飲食而不共分。以此緣故今受斯苦。如是尊者僧伽耶舍。周遊大海遍行觀察。見于地獄凡有五百。即生厭惡深患三有呵責五欲。甚生怖畏便作是念。世間造業終不敗亡。如影隨形誰能捨離。我今應當方便求免。觀察情至得羅漢道。六通無礙三明清徹。於一山林有五百仙。勤修苦行欲望梵福。僧伽耶舍往至其所。為宣三偈讚佛法僧。五百仙人俱得道迹。如是尊者廣為佛事。教化已訖便入涅槃。收集舍利起塔供養。僧伽耶舍未滅度時。以法付囑鳩摩羅馱。而告之曰。佛以正法付大迦葉。如是展轉乃至於我。我欲涅槃持用相付。汝宜至心勤加守護。鳩摩羅馱答言受教。於是次宣深法寶藏。彼之功德甚深淵遠。發大弘誓行菩薩道。智慧辯才猶如大海。少有名稱國人宗仰。鳩摩羅馱秦言童子。少有美名。以何緣故號美名耶。有一長者緣事餘行。以二瓮金寄其親友。一瓮金大。二者金小語親友言。吾欲他行持此相寄。我子意若有欲得者必當與之。後長者子往從索金。親友爾時還其小者。彼即瞋恚不肯取金。遂共相將詣斷事所。具陳上意以求理決。眾斷事官莫能分了。鳩摩羅馱時為童子。於路遊戲聞其訟音。即作是言。兒得金矣何勞苦諍。其父本言隨子所欲。今樂大者理自屬之。爾時斷事便用其語。於是名聞馳布四遠。因即號為美名童子。出家學道才慧超世。至一國土人多頑嚚。雖聞法教都不信受。鳩摩羅馱即語之言。汝今可集鐵馬萬騎。遣人乘之在吾前過。便如其言即為嚴辦。鳩摩羅馱暫一見已。盡皆分別人名馬色衣服相貌。具足宣說無一錯謬。彼國人民方皆信伏。造諸經論遊化世間。所為已訖即便捨壽。鳩摩羅馱臨捨命時。告一比丘名闍夜多。長老當知。如人渡海必由船栰。眾生如是。欲離三界修行善法然後得出。故我今者欲付汝法。宜好習學利益人天。闍夜多言。善哉受教。遂演深法廣化世間。彼闍夜多有大功德。精進勇猛勤修苦行。善持禁戒無有漏失。世尊所記最後律師。曾於眾中有一比丘。其嫂至寺持食餉之。婬火熾盛便共交通。犯重禁已尋自悔責極生慚恥。我大愚癡造斯惡業。吾今定非沙門釋子。衣鉢盡置三奇杖上。處處遊行高聲唱言。我是罪人不應復著佛法染衣。為釁既重必入地獄。當於何處而得救護。時闍夜多語比丘言。汝今若能隨順我語。當令汝罪尋得消滅。比丘歡喜白言受教。時闍夜多。即以神力。化作火坑其焰猛盛。令此比丘自投其中。爾時比丘為滅罪故。舉身投入大火坑內。於時猛焰轉成清流。纔齊其膝都不傷害。時闍夜多告比丘曰。汝以善心至誠悔過。所有諸罪今悉摧滅。即為說法得羅漢道。由是緣故世皆號為清淨持律。復於一時將諸弟子。圍遶往詣德叉尸羅城。至其城已時闍夜多慘然嚬蹙。弟子疑怪問其師意。答言且止。後當宣說。小復前行路見一烏。爾時尊者欣然微笑。諸弟子眾重白師言。唯願哀愍說其因緣。時闍夜多告眾人曰。我初至城。於其門下見餓鬼子。飢急羸困前白我言。母生吾已入城求食。自與別來滿五百年。飢虛窮乏命不云遠。尊若入城見我母者。為吾具宣辛苦之事。我始入城便見彼母。即為具說其子飢乏。爾時鬼母前白我言。吾入城來經五百年。未曾能得一人㖒唾。何以故。我既新產氣力羸惙。設得少唾為諸鬼神之所欺奪。始於今日值一人唾。邊無餘鬼會遇得之。欲出城外共子分食。門下多有大力鬼神。畏其侵奪復不敢出。唯願尊者垂哀矜愍。將我出城與子相見。我於爾時將此鬼母出於城外。令共子食。即問彼言。汝生已來為幾時耶。鬼答我曰。吾見此城七返成壞。國土豐樂人民熾盛。又見毀敗殄滅無遺。我聞彼言。深歎生死受苦長遠無有邊際。以是緣故慘然嚬蹙。彼烏因緣。善聽當說。乃往過去九十一劫。毘婆尸佛在世教化。我於爾時為長者子。志厭五欲常念出家。我若爾時作沙門者。必斷眾結得羅漢道。吾之父母不見從志。強為娉妻欲遮斷我。我不違命便即娶妻。娶妻已訖。復欲出家。父母語言。為汝娉妻正求繼嗣。若生一子乃當相放。我尋受教與共交會生一男兒。年始六歲。爾時父母即教此兒。汝父若出欲作沙門。當抱其足而語之曰。父若捨我誰見養活。先當見殺然後可去。爾時此兒如父母教。啼泣抱我甚生悲戀。我於爾時以愛染心即語子言。吾當為汝不復出家。由彼兒故不得道證。九十一劫流轉生死。於五道中未曾得見。今以道眼觀察彼烏。乃我前世所生之子。愍其嬰愚久處生死。以斯因緣是故微笑。如是尊者善說法要。以辯才力遊化世間。所為已訖入般涅槃。尊者闍夜多臨當滅度。告一比丘名婆修槃陀。汝今善聽。昔天人師於無量劫勤修苦行。為上妙法。今已滿足利安眾生。我受囑累至心護持。今欲委汝當深憶念。婆修槃陀白言受教。從是以後宣通經藏。以多聞力智慧辯才。如是功德而自莊嚴。善解一切修多羅義。分別宣說廣化眾生。所應作已便捨命行。次付比丘名摩奴羅。令其流布無上勝法。彼摩奴羅智慧超勝少欲知足勤修苦行言辭要妙悅可眾心。善能通達三藏之義。於南天竺興大饒益。時有尊者號曰夜奢。辯慧聰敏甚深淵博。與摩奴羅功德同等。亦能解了三藏之義。流布名聞咸為宗仰。曾於一時彼摩奴羅至北天竺。尊者夜奢而語之言。恒河以南二天竺國。人多邪見聰辯利智。長老善解音聲之論。可於彼土遊行教化。我當於此利安眾生。時摩奴羅即如其語至二天竺。廣宣毘羅無我之論。摧伏一切異道邪見。所為既辦捨身命終。於是已後次有尊者名鶴勒那。夜奢出興於世。受付囑法廣宣流布。福德深遠才明淵博。化世迷惑令就正路。所作已訖然後捨身。復有比丘名曰師子。於罽賓國大作佛事。時彼國王名彌羅掘。邪見熾盛心無敬信。於罽賓國毀壞塔寺殺害眾僧。即以利劍用斬師子。項中無血唯乳流出。相付法人於是便絕。如此之法為大明燈。能照世間愚癡黑闇。是故如上諸賢聖人。皆共頂戴受持守護。更相付囑常轉法輪。為諸眾生起大饒益。斷塞惡道開人天路。逮至最後斯法衰殄。賢聖隱沒無能建立。世間闇冥永失大明。造作惡業行十不善。命終多墮三惡八難。是故智者宜當觀察。無上勝法有大功德。微妙淵遠不可思議。譬如賈人欲過大海。必乘船舫然後得度。一切眾生亦復如是。欲出三界生死大海。必假法船方得度脫。法為清涼除煩惱熱。法是妙藥能愈結病。即是眾生真善知識。為大利益濟諸苦惱。何以故。一切眾生性無定相。隨所染習起善惡業。若有習近外道邪見受其教誡。永即流轉無有邊際。是則不名善知識也。若有人能起信敬心。親近賢聖聽受妙法。由聽斯法功德因緣。出欲淤泥受最勝樂。是故此人名善知識。宜應勤心習近供養。必能令人離三惡苦。如昔往日華氏國王有一白象。氣力勇壯能滅怨敵。若有罪人令象蹈殺。後時象厩為火所燒。移在異處近一精舍。聞有比丘誦法句曰。為善生天為惡入淵。心便柔和起慈悲意。後付罪人都不殺害。但以鼻嗅舐之而去。王見斯已心大惶怖。召諸智臣共謀此事。時有一臣即白王言。此象繫處近在精舍。必聞妙法是故爾耳。今可移繫令近屠肆。彼覩殺害惡心當盛。王用其計繫象屠所。象見殺戮剝皮斬截。惡心猛熾殘害增甚。以是當知。眾生之類其性不定。所以者何。畜生猶尚聞法生慈。見有屠殺便為殘害。況復於人。而不染習起善惡業。是故智者宜應覺知。邪見惡法多所損害。棄而離之勤作方便。習近聖法受持流布起大師想。由是微妙功德因緣。永當超越三惡道苦。度生死海受涅槃樂。又此法者為得道利全分因緣。是故復名真善知識。如昔阿難白佛言。世尊。善知識者。於得道利作半因緣。佛言不也。善知識者。即是得道全分因緣。阿難當知。此閻浮提除大迦葉舍利弗等。其餘眾生若不遇我。恒當流轉無解脫期。是故我言。善知識者能大利益。以此緣故當知。佛法最尊最妙為無有上。無量功德之所成就。是故世尊初成正覺。於樹王下端坐思惟。一切世間若使無有父母師長。單獨孤露永無恃怙。我今應當依誰而立。復作是念過去未來現在諸佛。悉以勝法用為師範。我亦應當如三世佛深妙勝法用以為師。由是緣故佛常恭敬如斯妙法。至心禮拜懃加守護。當知此法甚為希有。是故智者宜應受持。又於往昔有婆羅門。持人髑髏其數甚多。詣華氏城遍行衒賣。經歷多時都無買者。便極瞋恚高聲唱言。此城中人若不就我買髑髏者。吾當相為作惡名聞言。汝諸人愚癡闇鈍。爾時城中諸優婆塞聞是語已。畏其毀謗。便持錢物至彼買之。即以銅筯貫穿其耳。若徹之者便與多價。其半徹者與價漸少。都不通者全不與直。時婆羅門問優婆塞。我此髑髏皆悉無異。何故與價而有差別。優婆塞言。如前髑髏有通徹者。斯人生時聽受妙法。智慧高勝貴其若此。相與多價。其半徹者雖聽妙法未善分別。以是因緣與汝少直。全不通者此人往昔都不聽法。吾以是故不相與直。時優婆塞持此髑髏。往至城外起塔供養。命終皆得生于天中。以是因緣當知。妙法有大功德能建立人。何以故。此優婆塞以聽法人髑髏起塔尚生天上。況能至心聽受斯法供養恭敬持經人者。此之福報甚難窮盡。未來必當成無上道。是故諸有欲得無上安隱快樂。為化眾生作大饒益。皆應受持如是勝法。 > At that time, the master of the house came out to welcome him. He spread out rugs and cushions and invited him inside to sit down. Saṅghayaśas saw two pretas inside the house, naked, black, and emaciated, starved and exhausted. Their bodies and heads were shackled, each tied to a bed. There was also a bowl filled with fragrant rice, with a pitcher containing water placed beside it. Then the master took this food and offered it to the monk, saying: “Bhadanta, take care not to give this food to these pretas.” The monk, seeing their starvation and distress, then gave them a little rice. Having received the food, the spirits immediately vomited pus and blood, which flowed all over the ground and soiled the palace. Surprised, the monk asked him: “For what reason do these spirits undergo such retribution for their misdeeds?” The master replied: “In a past life, one of these spirits was my son, and the other was my daughter-in-law. When I formerly practiced generosity and performed merits, that couple was constantly harboring anger and stinginess. Though I admonished them many times, they would not accept it at all. Thereupon I made a vow, saying: ‘For such evil karma you will surely incur bad retribution! When you undergo your punishment, I shall watch you.’ Because of this cause and condition, they suffer this distress.” / Walking forward a little further, he reached another dwelling. The halls and pavilions were adorned with various wondrous things, filled with an assembly of monks walking in caṅkrama and meditating in dhyāna. When the time came, the mallet was struck to assemble for the meal. Just as the meal was about to finish, the delicacies turned into pus and blood. They then struck and hurled their bowls at one another, smashing their heads and faces. Blood flowed, soiling their bodies, and they cried out: “Why were we stingy with food, so that now we suffer this agony?” Saṅghayaśas stepped forward and asked them the reason. They answered: “Āyusmat, in our previous lives at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, we dwelt together in one place. When visiting monks arrived, we all grew angry, hid and begrudged food and drink, and would not share it with them. Because of this cause, we now suffer this agony.” / Thus the venerable Saṅghayaśas traveled across the great ocean, observing everywhere. He saw five hundred hells in all. He thereupon gave rise to revulsion, deeply detesting the three realms of existence and reproaching the five desires. Overcome with dread, he thought: “The karma created in the world never perishes. Like a shadow following a form, who can escape it? I must now seek deliverance by skillful means.” Through the earnestness of his contemplation, he attained the path of the arhat, with the six supernormal knowledges unobstructed and the threefold vision clear and penetrating. / In a mountain forest there were five hundred ṛṣis diligently cultivating ascetic practices, aspiring to the blessings of Brahmā. Saṅghayaśas went to their place and proclaimed three verses for them, praising the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. All five hundred ṛṣis attained stream-entry. Having thus extensively performed the Buddha's work and completed his converting of beings, the venerable one entered nirvāṇa. They gathered his śarīra and erected a stūpa to make offerings. / Before Saṅghayaśas passed into extinction, he entrusted the Dharma to Kumāralāta, saying to him: “The Buddha entrusted the true Dharma to Mahākāśyapa, and thus it was handed down until it reached me. Now, being about to enter nirvāṇa, I take it and entrust it to you. You should sincerely and diligently guard and preserve it.” Kumāralāta answered: “I receive your instruction.” / Thereupon he successively proclaimed the treasure-trove of the profound Dharma. His merits were profound and far-reaching; he made a great, vast vow to practice the bodhisattva path. His wisdom and eloquence were like the great ocean. In his youth, he already had fame, and the people of his state revered him. “Kumāralāta” means “Youth” (Tongzi) in the language of Qin. In his youth, he had a fine reputation. For what reason was he called “Fine Reputation”? An elder, traveling abroad on business, deposited two jars of gold with a relative and friend. One jar of gold was large, and the second was small. He told his relative and friend: “I wish to go abroad and leave these in your care. If my son desires either, you must surely give it to him.” Later, the elder's son went to ask for the gold. The relative and friend then returned the smaller one to him. The son became furious and refused to take the gold. Consequently, they brought the case before the magistrate, fully stating their intentions to seek a verdict. None of the judges could decide it. At that time Kumāralāta was still a youth. Playing along the road, he heard their dispute and said: “The son has obtained the gold; why toil in bitter strife? His father originally said to grant whatever the son desired. Now that he prefers the large one, it naturally belongs to him by principle.” The judges then followed his words. Thereupon his fame spread far and wide, and so he was called the “Youth of Fine Reputation.” / He left the household to study the path, his talent and wisdom surpassing the worldly. He reached a realm where the people were mostly stubborn and foolish; although they heard the Dharma teachings, they did not believe or accept them. Kumāralāta said to them: “You may now assemble ten thousand riders on iron-armored horses and have them ride past me.” In accordance with his words, they made full preparations. After Kumāralāta glanced at them for only an instant, he fully distinguished the names of the men, the colors of the horses, their clothing, and their appearances, reciting them all without a single error. Only then did the people of that realm submit with faith. He composed various sūtras and treatises, traveling and converting the world. Having completed what was to be done, he relinquished his life. / When Kumāralāta was on the verge of death, he addressed a monk named Jayata: “Āyusmat, you should know that just as a person crossing the ocean must rely on a boat or raft, so it is with sentient beings: wishing to leave the three realms, they must cultivate wholesome dharmas before they can escape. Therefore, I now wish to entrust the Dharma to you. You should study it well and bring benefit to humans and devas.” Jayata said: “Excellent! I receive your instruction.” He then expounded the profound Dharma, widely converting the world. / That Jayata had great merit. He was vigorous and courageous, diligently practicing austerities. He kept the prohibitive precepts well, without any fault. He was the final Vinaya master prophesied by the World-Honored One. / Once, there was a monk among the assembly whose sister-in-law came to the monastery bringing food to feed him. Flaring with lustful fire, they engaged in sexual intercourse. Having broken the grave precept, he immediately repented and reproached himself, giving rise to extreme shame and remorse: “Being exceedingly foolish, I committed this evil deed. I am certainly no longer a Śramaṇa or son of the Śākya.” He placed all his robes and bowl on a three-pronged staff, traveled everywhere, and cried out in a loud voice: “I am a sinful man; I should no longer wear the dyed robes of the Buddha's Dharma! My transgression is so heavy that I must enter hell. Where can I find rescue and protection?” Then Jayata spoke to the monk: “If you can now comply with my words, I shall cause your sin to be eradicated immediately.” The monk rejoiced and said: “I receive your instruction.” / Then Jayata, through his supernormal power, magically produced a fiery pit whose flames blazed fiercely, and instructed the monk to cast himself into it. At that time, to eradicate his sin, the monk threw his whole body into the great fiery pit. At that moment, the fierce flames turned into a clear stream, reaching only to his knees and causing him no harm at all. Then Jayata said to the monk: “Because of your wholesome mind and sincere repentance, all your sins are now destroyed.” He then preached the Dharma for him, and he attained the path of the arhat. For this reason, the world all called him the “Pure Precept-Keeper.” / At another time, leading his disciples, he traveled toward the city of Takṣaśilā. Upon arriving at that city, Jayata's expression grew sorrowful and his brow furrowed. The disciples wondered and asked their master the reason. He replied: “Wait a while; I shall explain it later.” / Advancing a little further along the road, they saw a crow. At that moment, the venerable one smiled with joy. The disciples asked their master again: “We pray that out of pity you will explain the cause and condition.” / Then Jayata told the assembly: “When I first arrived at the city, under the gate I saw a child of a preta, starved and emaciated, who came forward and said to me: ‘After my mother gave birth to me, she went into the city to seek food. Since we parted, full five hundred years have passed. Starved and destitute, my life will not last much longer. If you, Venerable One, enter the city and see my mother, please describe in full to her my hardships.’ / As soon as I entered the city, I saw the mother, and I described in full her son's starvation. Then the mother preta came forward and said to me: ‘Since entering the city, five hundred years have passed, yet I have never been able to obtain even a single person's phlegm or spittle. Why? Because having newly given birth, my strength was exhausted; even if I got a little spittle, other spirits would bully and snatch it from me. Only today did I happen upon one person's spittle; with no other spirits nearby, I managed to get it. I wish to go out of the city to share it with my son to eat, but under the gate there are many powerful spirits; fearing they will snatch it, I dare not go out. I pray only that the Venerable One will have pity and take me out of the city to meet my son.’ / At that time, I led the mother preta out of the city and let her eat with her son. I then asked her: ‘How long has it been since you were born?’ The spirit replied to me: ‘I have seen this city form and disintegrate seven times; the land was prosperous and joyful, its people thriving, and then I saw it ruined and completely destroyed without a trace.’ Hearing her words, I sighed deeply over how long and boundless the suffering of saṃsāra is. For this reason, my expression grew sorrowful and my brow furrowed. / As for the cause and condition of that crow, listen carefully, and I shall explain: Ninety-one kalpas ago in the past, Vipaśyin Buddha was in the world teaching and converting. At that time, I was the son of an elder; my mind was disgusted with the five desires, and I constantly thought of leaving the household. If I had become a Śramaṇa at that time, I would surely have severed all fetters and attained the path of the arhat. But my parents would not comply with my wish, forcibly arranging a marriage to cut off my intention. Not wishing to disobey their command, I took a wife. Having married, I wished to leave the household again. My parents said: ‘We arranged a marriage for you precisely to seek an heir. If you produce a son, only then will we let you go.’ I soon complied with their instruction, united with her, and had a boy. When he was six years old, the parents instructed the child: ‘If your father goes out wishing to become a Śramaṇa, you must embrace his feet and say to him: “If father abandons me, who will raise me? You must kill me first before you can go!”’ Then the child acted as his grandparents had taught, weeping and embracing me with great grief and attachment. At that time, out of affection and attachment, I said to the child: ‘For your sake, I shall no longer leave the household.’ / Because of that child, I failed to attain realization of the path, and for ninety-one kalpas I transmigrated through birth and death, never encountering him in the five paths of rebirth. Now, observing with the eye of the path, that crow was the son born to me in a previous life. Pitying his ignorance and long stay in saṃsāra, for this reason I smiled.” / Thus the venerable one was skilled at preaching the essentials of the Dharma, traveling and converting the world through the power of his eloquence. Having completed what was to be done, he entered parinirvāṇa. / When the venerable Jayata was about to pass into extinction, he addressed a monk named Vasubandhu: “Listen carefully now! Formerly, the Teacher of Gods and Humans, throughout immeasurable kalpas, diligently practiced austerities for the sake of the supreme, wondrous Dharma; now it has been fulfilled to benefit and bring peace to sentient beings. Having received the entrustment, I have guarded and upheld it with a sincere mind. Now I wish to commit it to you; you should deeply bear it in mind.” Vasubandhu said: “I receive your instruction.” / From then on, he propagated and illuminated the sūtra collection, adorning himself with such merits as the power of extensive learning, wisdom, and eloquence. Skilled at understanding the meaning of all sūtras, he explained and expounded them, widely converting sentient beings. Having completed what was to be done, he relinquished his life-faculties. / Next, it was entrusted to a monk named Manorhita, ordering him to spread the unsurpassed, supreme Dharma. That Manorhita had superior wisdom, had few desires, knew contentment, diligently practiced austerities, and his words were pithy and wondrous, pleasing to all minds. He was well able to comprehend the meaning of the Tripiṭaka, and brought great benefit to South India. / At that time there was a venerable one named Yaśas, whose eloquence and wisdom were sharp and penetrating, profound and vast; his merits were equal to those of Manorhita, and he too could comprehend the meaning of the Tripiṭaka. His renown spread abroad, and all revered him. Once, Manorhita went to North India. The venerable Yaśas said to him: “In the two Indian realms south of the Ganges, people hold many wrong views, but their intellects are sharp and eloquent. Āyusmat, you are well versed in treatises on phonology and debate; you may travel and convert in that land, while I shall bring benefit and peace to sentient beings here.” Manorhita then acted according to his words, going to the two Indian realms, where he widely proclaimed the treatise on the selflessness of the skandhas, subduing all heretical and wrong views. Having accomplished what was to be done, he relinquished his body and passed away. / After this, there was next a venerable one named Haklenayaśas who appeared in the world. Receiving the entrusted Dharma, he proclaimed and spread it widely. His blessings and merits were profound and far-reaching, his talent and insight vast and comprehensive, converting those bewildered in the world and guiding them toward the correct path. Having completed what was to be done, he then relinquished his body. / There was also a monk named Siṃha, who performed great Buddha-work in the kingdom of Kaśmīra. At that time, the king of that country was named Mihirakula. His wrong views were rampant, and his mind held no reverence or faith. In Kaśmīra, he destroyed stūpas and monasteries, and murdered monks. He then cut off Siṃha's head with a sharp sword. From his neck there was no blood, only milk flowing forth. With this, the succession of those entrusted with the Dharma came to an end. / Such Dharma is a great, bright lamp, capable of illuminating the darkness of worldly ignorance. Therefore, the worthy and holy ones above all carried it on their heads, received, kept, and guarded it, entrusting it to one another and constantly turning the wheel of the Dharma, producing great benefit for sentient beings, blocking the evil paths and opening the way to human and heavenly rebirths. When it finally arrived at the end, this Dharma declined and was destroyed; the worthy and holy ones disappeared, and none could establish it. The world grew dark and benighted, permanently losing the great light. Creating evil karma and practicing the ten unwholesome actions, at the end of their lives most fall into the three evil paths and eight difficulties. / Therefore, the wise should observe: The unsurpassed, supreme Dharma possesses great merits, wondrous, profound, and inconceivable. Just as a merchant wishing to cross the ocean must board a ship before he can cross, so it is with all sentient beings: wishing to escape the ocean of birth and death in the three realms, they must rely on the ship of the Dharma before they can attain deliverance. The Dharma is a cooling refreshment that eliminates the fever of afflictions; the Dharma is a wondrous medicine that can cure the sickness of fetters. It is the true good friend of sentient beings, bringing great benefit and rescuing them from all distress. / Why? The nature of all sentient beings has no fixed character; following what they absorb and habituate themselves to, they generate good or bad karma. If one associates with non-Buddhists of wrong views and receives their instructions, one will transmigrate forever without limit; this is not called a good friend. If someone can generate faith and reverence, draw near to the worthy and holy ones, and listen to and accept the wondrous Dharma, by the cause and condition of the merit of listening to this Dharma, they will emerge from the mire of desires and receive the most supreme joy. Therefore, this person is called a good friend; one should diligently draw near and make offerings to them, for they can surely cause people to leave the suffering of the three evil paths. / As in the past, the King of Pāṭaliputra had a white elephant, brave and strong in strength, able to destroy foes and enemies. When there were criminals, he had the elephant trample them to death. Later, the elephant stable was burned by fire and moved to another place near a monastery. Hearing a monk recite the Dharma verses: “Doing good leads to birth in heaven; doing evil leads to falling into the abyss,” its mind became gentle and gave rise to thoughts of loving-kindness and compassion. Later, when criminals were delivered to it, it would not kill them at all, but merely sniffed them with its trunk, licked them, and walked away. Seeing this, the king was terrified, and summoned his wise ministers to deliberate on the matter. Then a minister said to the king: “The place where this elephant was tied was close to a monastery; it must have heard the wondrous Dharma, and that is why it is so. Now you may move and tie it near a slaughterhouse; when it beholds the slaughter, its evil mind will flare up.” The king followed his plan and tied the elephant at the slaughterhouse. Seeing the slaughter, flaying, and dismemberment, the elephant's evil mind grew fierce and its cruelty increased greatly. / By this you should know that the nature of sentient beings is not fixed. Why? Even beasts, hearing the Dharma, give rise to compassion, and seeing slaughter, turn to cruelty; how much more so with humans—how could they not absorb habits and produce good or bad karma? Therefore, the wise should realize: Wrong views and evil teachings bring much harm; cast them off, abandon them, and diligently apply skillful means. Draw near to the holy Dharma, uphold and spread it, and regard it as the Great Master. By the cause and condition of this wondrous merit, one will forever transcend the suffering of the three evil paths, cross the ocean of birth and death, and receive the joy of nirvāṇa. / Furthermore, this Dharma is the complete cause and condition for attaining the benefits of the path; therefore it is also called the true good friend. As Ānanda formerly addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One, a good friend is half the cause and condition for attaining the benefits of the path.” The Buddha said: “Not so! A good friend is the complete cause and condition for attaining the path. Ānanda, you should know: In this Jambudvīpa, with the exception of Mahākāśyapa, Śāriputra, and their like, if other sentient beings do not meet me, they will constantly transmigrate without any period of liberation. Therefore I say: A good friend can bring great benefit.” / For this reason, you should know that the Buddha's Dharma is the most venerable, the most wondrous, and without superior, accomplished through immeasurable merits. Therefore, when the World-Honored One first achieved correct enlightenment, sitting upright beneath the king of trees, he contemplated: “If all the world had no father, mother, teachers, or elders, being solitary, exposed, and forever without support, upon whom should I now rely and stand?” He further thought: “The Buddhas of the past, future, and present all take the supreme Dharma as their model and teacher. I, too, should follow the Buddhas of the three periods of time and take the profound, wondrous, and supreme Dharma as my teacher.” For this reason, the Buddha constantly revere such wondrous Dharma, wholeheartedly bowing down to it and diligently guarding it. You should know that this Dharma is extremely rare; therefore, the wise should uphold it. / Furthermore, in the past there was a brāhmaṇa who possessed many human skulls, and went to Pāṭaliputra hawking them everywhere. After a long time, no one bought them. He became furious and shouted in a loud voice: “If the people in this city do not buy the skulls from me, I will spread an evil reputation about you, saying that you are all foolish, ignorant, and dull!” Then the upāsakas in the city, hearing these words and fearing his slander, took money and went to buy them from him. They probed the ears with a copper chopstick: if it passed completely through, they paid a high price; if it passed halfway through, they paid a lower price; if it did not pass through at all, they gave no price whatsoever. Then the brāhmaṇa asked the upāsakas: “My skulls are all alike; why are the prices different?” The upāsakas said: “The skulls that were fully penetrated belonged to people who, when alive, heard and accepted the wondrous Dharma; their wisdom was lofty and superior, and because we value this, we gave a high price. Those that penetrated halfway, although they heard the wondrous Dharma, had not fully discerned it; for this reason we gave you a low price. As for those that did not pass through at all, those people never heard the Dharma in the past; for this reason we gave you no price.” Then the upāsakas took these skulls, went outside the city, and erected stūpas to make offerings to them. When their lives ended, they were all born in heaven. / By this cause and condition you should know that the wondrous Dharma possesses great merit and can establish people. Why? If these upāsakas, merely by erecting stūpas for the skulls of people who heard the Dharma, were still born in heaven, how much more so for those who sincerely listen to and accept this Dharma, and make offerings to and revere those who uphold the sūtras? The reward of this blessing is extremely difficult to exhaust; in the future they will surely attain the unsurpassed path. Therefore, all who wish to attain unsurpassed peace and joy, and to perform great benefit in converting sentient beings, should uphold such supreme Dharma. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6.5) - [Next: 6.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6.7) - [Up: 6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058~en-mt.6.6) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.5.26) — 志磐, Classical Chinese - [諸經要集](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2123.15.47) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.6.6) · Pramāṇa