傳法正宗記 3.12

3.12

迦毘摩羅者。花氏國人也。未詳其姓。初為外道。有大幻術。因詣馬鳴大士。較法不勝。遂與其徒皆求出家。既證聖道。馬鳴即以大法眼付之。已而遊化至西天竺。會其國太子有曰雲自在者。德於大士。乃欲請往其宮中供養。大士辭之曰。佛制。沙門不得親於王臣勢家。此不敢從命。太子曰。然則吾國其城之北有一大山。山有石窟。清靜絕俗。亦可禪棲。雖龍蛇異物所護。而尊者至德。其必順化。大士曰諾。從之而往。方至其山。果有大蟒。長可一里。瞋目相視。大士即直進不顧。至山之南方坐於坦處。蟒復盤繞其身。亦不之顧。蟒須臾遂去。大士視其所隨之眾。已皆逃散無一在者。尋獨進將至其石窟。俄然有一老人。素服而出。合掌致敬。大士問曰。汝何所居。曰我昔嘗為比丘。甚好寂靜。煩於初學所問。因起瞋心。以故命終墮為蟒身。止於此窟。今已千載。適值尊者聖德。故來敬之。大士因問曰。是山復有何人所居。其務道乎汝示我知之。老人曰。此北去十里有巨樹焉。能蔭五百大龍。其樹之王號龍樹者。常為龍眾說法。而我亦預聽。大士又集其徒相將而前。及至巨樹。龍樹果出迎之。忻然致禮而問之曰。深山孤寂龍蛇所居。大德至尊何屈至此。大士曰。吾非至尊來訪賢者。龍樹即默而計之曰。此尊者其得決定性明道眼耶。是大聖人繼真宗乎。大士曰。汝雖心念。吾已意知。但能出家。何慮我之非聖。龍樹於是悔謝。大士即與度之。未幾乃命之曰。今以如來大法眼藏付囑汝傳之。汝聽吾偈曰。

Kapimala was a native of the kingdom of Pāṭaliputra. His original surname is not known. At first he was an outsider ascetic possessing great illusory arts. When he visited the Great Being Aśvaghoṣa and debated the Dharma with him, he was unsuccessful; consequently, together with his disciples, he sought renunciation. Once he had realised the noble path, Aśvaghoṣa entrusted the great Dharma-eye to him. Afterward, he wandered and converted beings until he reached Western India. It happened that the crown prince of that country, who was named Cloud of Sovereign Ease, felt great gratitude for the Great Being and wished to invite him to stay in his palace and receive offerings. The Great Being declined, saying, "The Buddha ordained that a śramaṇa may not become close to kings, ministers, or powerful families; I dare not comply with your command." The crown prince said, "If that is so, to the north of our city in this country there is a great mountain. On the mountain is a stone cave, pure and secluded from the worldly dust, where you may take dhyāna dwelling. Although it is guarded by monstrous dragons and serpents, with your utmost virtue, Venerable, they will surely be subdued and transformed." The Great Being assented and went along with him. Just as he reached the mountain, there indeed was a great python, about a li in length, glaring with angry eyes. The Great Being went straight forward without looking back, reached the south side of the mountain, and sat down on a flat clearing. The python then coiled around his body, but he still paid no heed to it. In a moment, the python left. When the Great Being looked back at the followers who had accompanied him, all had already scattered and fled; not a single one remained. Thereupon he went on alone, and as he was about to reach the stone cave, suddenly an old man in white garments came out, joined his palms, and paid homage. The Great Being asked, "Where do you dwell?" He replied, "Long ago I was once a monk (bhikṣu). I loved tranquility very much, and became annoyed by the questions of beginners. Because of this, I gave rise to anger; for that reason, upon dying I fell into the body of a python, dwelling in this cave, where it has now been a thousand years. Just now I encountered the Venerable One's noble virtue, and so I have come to pay respect." The Great Being then asked, "Who else dwells on this mountain? Is there anyone striving for the Path? Point him out so that I may know." The old man said, "Ten li north of here there is a gigantic tree, capable of sheltering five hundred great nāgas under its shade. The king of that tree, named Nāgārjuna, constantly preaches the Dharma for the host of nāgas, and I also attend to listen." The Great Being again assembled his disciples and led them forward. When they arrived at the gigantic tree, Nāgārjuna indeed came out to welcome him. Joyfully offering salutations, he asked, "In this deep mountain and lonely seclusion where dragons and serpents dwell, why has the Greatly Virtuous and Utmost Venerable One condescended to come here?" The Great Being said, "I am no utmost venerable one; I have come to visit a worthy." Nāgārjuna then silently calculated to himself, "Has this venerable one attained the definitive nature and clarified the eye of the Path? Is he a great sage carrying on the true lineage?" The Great Being said, "Though you merely conceived this in your mind, I already know it with my thought. If you can only renounce the household life, why worry whether I am a sage or not?" Thereupon Nāgārjuna repented and apologised, and the Great Being immediately conferred ordination on him. Before long, he commanded him, saying, "I now entrust the Tathāgata's great Dharma-eye treasury to you to transmit. Listen to my verse:"