傳法正宗記 2.28

2.28

The Venerable Upagupta was a native of the country of Caṭi. He was also called Youbo-jueduo, or Wupo-jueduo. His family name was Śūdra, and his father was named Shanyi. When he was just seventeen, he encountered the Venerable Śāṇavāsa coming to his house to convert and guide him, and consequently left the household under him. When he reached twenty, he realized the Way and became an arhat. He then traveled widely to convert others. At first he arrived in Mathurā to preach the Dharma; the multitude gathered in great numbers, and all who heard it attained realization of the Way. Just as the Venerable One was preaching the Dharma, the devas rained down flowers and the earth spirits all appeared; even the palace of Māra was shaken by it. Pāpīyān became anxious about this, and came to cause trouble. Using his demonic powers, he repeatedly manifested flowers and jade maidens, wishing to confound those who were listening to the Dharma. The Venerable One immediately entered samādhi to examine the cause. Māra took advantage of his being in samādhi to take a necklace of jewels and bind it around his neck. When the Venerable One arose from samādhi, he knew what Māra had done; he then took the corpses of a human, a dog, and a snake, transformed them into a garland of flowers, and addressed Pāpīyān with soft words to comfort him, saying, 'The necklace of jewels you gave me was a most precious gift; I have a garland of flowers to offer in return.' Māra was overjoyed, stretched out his neck to receive it, and it immediately reverted to the three putrid, foul corpses. Māra detested it greatly and spoke to the Venerable One, saying, 'Why do you use corpses against me?' The Venerable One said, 'You used unwholesome things wishing to confound my assembly of the Way; I have matched your intention with this object—why do you loathe it?' Māra then exhausted his own supernatural powers but could not remove it. He ascended to the six heavens of desire to inform the lords of the heavens, and also visited the Brahmā King seeking release. The deities each said, 'The transformations wrought by that disciple of the Ten Powers—how could those belonging to our heavens be able to remove them?' Pāpīyān said, 'What shall I do?' The Brahmā King said, 'You may take refuge in the Venerable One; you will surely be able to eliminate it.' He then spoke a verse to instruct his conversion, saying: