法華傳記 9.40

9.40

昔西域有大論師。名毘末羅密多。秦言無垢友。罽賓國人也。於薩婆多部而出家。博學多聞。兼括三藏奧義。巡遊五竺。聞華嚴法華般若等甚深奧理。心生不忍。歎曰。天親論主。恣挫小義。顯大乘法。製十地法華等論。隱蔽薩婆多本宗。吾逝五竺。究本宗源盡所知。當製作眾論斷絕大乘經典滅天親名。薩婆多一宗。閻浮盛行。四海歸潮。說是語已。頓發狂亂。五舌重出熱血流面。論師知壽已盡悔過曰。大乘者究竟教。理味幽遠難信解。我以愚癡故。起邪智心。抑挫大乘滅身。宜矣。敢告學人。厥鑒斯在。各慎爾志。無懷疑謗。即時地震烈。身壞命終。其死處地。陷為深坑。賢聖見者歎曰。哀哉。論師三寸舌毀呰大乘。現生五舌。情執隆盛。當墮無間。焉異調達。弟子等為懺悔設齋。讚大乘義。論師示夢云。吾欲滅大乘墮阿鼻。然聞芬陀利等大義故。熱火如人間溫泉。在地獄說法義。如陀羅尼菩薩等。聞者離苦。閻魔天子。勸請出獄故留說法。若聞大乘種在藏識。即入即出。更不重入故也。汝等精勤修習大乘。莫自疑悔。弟子為建塔。安法舍利矣。

In the past, there was a great master of treatises in the Western Regions named Vimalamitra, which the Qin language translates as Wugouyou ('Stainless Friend'). He was a native of Kaśmīra. He left home in the Sarvāstivāda school. Broadly learned and widely heard, he encompassed the profound meanings of the Tripiṭaka. Traveling throughout the five regions of India, he heard the extremely profound and sublime doctrines of the Avataṃsaka, Lotus, and Prajñā sūtras. His mind could not bear it, and he sighed, saying: 'The treatise master Vasubandhu indulged in belittling the Lesser [Vehicle's] tenets and making manifest the Great Vehicle teachings, composing treatises on the Daśabhūmika, the Lotus, and others, thereby obscuring the original tenets of our Sarvāstivāda school. When I go to the five regions of India, I shall exhaustively examine the original source of our school to the limits of what I know, and compose treatises to sever the Mahāyāna scriptures and erase the name of Vasubandhu, so that the single school of Sarvāstivāda will flourish in Jambudvīpa and the four seas will return to it like a tide.' Having spoken these words, he suddenly fell into mad confusion. Five tongues sprouted from his mouth, and hot blood streamed down his face. The treatise master knew his lifespan was at an end and repented, saying: 'The Great Vehicle is the ultimate teaching; its flavor of principle is deep and far-reaching, difficult to believe and understand. Due to my foolishness, I gave rise to a mind of deviant intellect, suppressed the Great Vehicle, and destroyed my body; it is only just! I venture to admonish students: here is your mirror of warning. Let each of you guard your aspirations and harbor no doubts or slander!' At that very moment, the earth shook and split open, and his body broke apart as his life ended. The place of his death caved in to form a deep pit. Sages and worthies who saw this sighed, saying: 'How lamentable! The treatise master used his three-inch tongue to revile the Great Vehicle, so in this life he sprouted five tongues; his obstinate clinging was so intense that he must fall into the Avīci Hell. How does he differ from Devadatta?' His disciples held a vegetarian feast for repentance on his behalf and praised the meaning of the Great Vehicle. The treatise master appeared in a dream, saying: 'I intended to destroy the Great Vehicle and fell into Avīci. However, because I heard the great doctrine of the Puṇḍarīka and other sūtras, the searing flames are like hot springs in the human realm. I preach the meaning of the Dharma in hell, like a dhāraṇī-bodhisattva and the like; those who hear it are freed from suffering. King Yama urged me to leave the hell, but I have stayed behind to preach the Dharma. If the Great Vehicle has been heard and planted in the storehouse consciousness, one enters and immediately leaves, never to enter again. Strive diligently to cultivate and learn the Great Vehicle; do not doubt or regret!' His disciples built a stūpa for him and enshrined the Dharma-śarīra.