雜譬喻經 1.4

1.4

昔雀離寺，有一長老比丘得羅漢道，將一沙彌時復來下入城遊觀，衣鉢大重，令沙彌擔隨從其後。沙彌道中便作是念：「人生世間無不受苦，欲免此苦當興何等道？」作是思惟：「佛常讚歎菩薩為勝，我今當發菩薩心。」適作是念，其師即以知他心通照其所念，語沙彌言：「持衣鉢來。」沙彌持衣鉢授與其師，師語沙彌：「汝在前行。」沙彌適在前行，復作是念：「菩薩之道甚大勤苦，求頭與頭求眼與眼，此事極難非我所辦，不如早取羅漢疾得離苦。」師復知其所念，語沙彌言：「汝擔衣鉢還從我後。」如是三反，沙彌怪愕不知何意。前至所止處，叉手白師請問其意。其師答曰：「汝於菩薩道三進故，我亦三反推汝在前；汝心三退故推汝在後。所以爾者，發菩薩心，其功德勝滿三千世界成就羅漢故也。」

Formerly, at Cauri monastery, there was a senior bhikṣu who had attained arhatship. From time to time he would take a śrāmaṇera downhill to enter the city and wander about sightseeing. Because the robes and bowl were very heavy, he had the śrāmaṇera carry them and follow behind him. On the road, the śrāmaṇera thought to himself: "In living beings' existence in the world, there are none who do not suffer. If one wishes to be free of this suffering, what kind of Way should one cultivate?" He reflected: "The Buddha always praises the bodhisattva as superior. I must now arouse the mind of a bodhisattva." As soon as he had this thought, his master, using his knowledge of the minds of others, illuminated what he had thought and said to the śrāmaṇera: "Bring me the robes and bowl." The śrāmaṇera brought the robes and bowl and handed them to his master. The master said to the śrāmaṇera: "Walk in front of me." Just as the śrāmaṇera was walking in front, he thought again: "The Way of a bodhisattva is exceedingly arduous. If someone asks for one's head, one must give one's head; if someone asks for one's eyes, one must give one's eyes. This matter is extremely difficult and beyond my capacity. It would be better to attain arhatship early and swiftly be free from suffering." The master again knew what he had thought and said to the śrāmaṇera: "Carry the robes and bowl and return to follow behind me." This happened three times, and the śrāmaṇera was bewildered, not understanding what this meant. Going forward until they reached the place where they were staying, he clasped his hands, addressed his master, and respectfully asked the reason. His master replied: "Because you advanced thrice toward the bodhisattva path, I also thrice yielded to you to go ahead. Because your mind thrice retreated, I yielded to you to go behind. Why so? Because the merit of arousing the mind of a bodhisattva surpasses that of a three-thousand-world full of perfected arhats."