傳法正宗記 2.12

2.12

彼師弟子視大士神奇。乃稟其言。即誦尊者所說。遂以之得第二果。尊者既得見證。而益自警。謂身危脆猶若聚沫。況其衰老何堪久乎。欲趣泥洹。復以阿闍世王嘗慨不見如來迦葉二尊聖所般涅槃。因約阿難。若當寂滅。願示其期。而尊者故往告之。及王之門。而閽者詞之。以王方寢。不敢以聞。然王於其夢。適見一蓋七寶飾之。千萬億眾繞而瞻之。俄有風雨暴至。遂吹折其柄。寶皆委地。王驚。及寤會閽者以阿難事奏。王聞之遂失聲號慟。哀感天地即詣毘舍離城。方見尊者坐恒河中流。王遽禮之。而說偈曰。

That master and disciple, seeing the mahāsattva's wondrous marvel, received his words and immediately recited what the Venerable One had spoken, whereupon they attained the second fruit. Having obtained this confirmation, the Venerable One was all the more self-vigilant, considering that the body is fragile like a cluster of foam, let alone in frail old age—how could it endure long? Wishing to proceed to nirvāṇa, and because King Ajātaśatru had once lamented not witnessing the parinirvāṇa of the two venerable sages, the Buddha and Kāśyapa, and had therefore made a pact with Ānanda that when he was to pass into extinction, he hoped he would indicate the appointed time, the Venerable One accordingly went to inform him. Reaching the king's gate, the gatekeeper declined him, saying that because the king was asleep, he dared not report it. However, the king in his dream happened to see a parasol adorned with the seven jewels, with tens of millions of people surrounding and gazing up at it; suddenly a violent wind and rain arrived, blowing and snapping its handle, and the jewels all fell to the ground. The king was startled awake, just as the gatekeeper reported Ānanda's arrival. Hearing this, the king cried out and wept bitterly, his grief moving heaven and earth. He immediately went to the city of Vaiśālī, where he saw the Venerable One sitting in the middle of the Ganges. The king hurried to pay homage to him and recited a verse: