景德傳燈錄 2.6

2.6

Hearing the verse, the elder admired and submitted even more, and said, "Your disciple is decrepit and old, unable to serve the master. I wish to give up my second son to follow the master and leave the household." The Venerable said, "Formerly, the Tathāgata prophesied that this boy would become a great religious leader during the second five hundred years. Our meeting today accords with past causes." He then shaved his head and took him as an attendant. They arrived at the city of Pāṭaliputra. Hearing that various outsiders had long plotted to obstruct the Buddha Dharma, the Venerable held a long banner and walked into their assembly. They asked the Venerable, "Why do you not advance?" The Venerable said, "Why do you not retreat?" They said again, "You resemble a base person." The Venerable said, "You resemble a fine person." They said again, "What dharma do you understand?" The Venerable said, "You understand nothing whatsoever." They said again, "I wish to attain Buddhahood." The Venerable said, "I certainly attain Buddhahood." They said again, "You ought not attain it." The Venerable said, "You say originally that I attain it; you truly do not attain it." They said again, "Since you do not attain it, why do you speak of attaining it?" The Venerable said, "Because you have a self, therefore you do not attain it. Because I am without self and 'mine', I naturally ought to attain it." Their words having been defeated, they asked the master, "What is your name?" The Venerable said, "My name is Kāṇadeva." Since they had long heard of the master's name, they repented of their transgressions and expressed their apologies. At that time, members of the assembly still raised questions and challenges with one another. The Venerable resolved them with unhindered eloquence, and through this they submitted. He then addressed his senior disciple Rāhulata and entrusted the Dharma eye to him, with a verse saying: