[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [傳法正宗記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078) › [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt) › 2.4 # 傳法正宗記 2.4 English (machine translation) 2.4 - **Language:** English ### [2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2.4) The Venerable Mahākāśyapa was a native of Magadha and belonged to the brāhmaṇa caste. His father was named Yinze, and his mother was named Xiangzhi. When he was born, his appearance was exceptionally handsome, and his body was golden in color, casting a radiance to a great distance. A physiognomist said, 'This boy's past virtue is pure and preeminent; according to the Dharma, he ought to leave the household life.' His parents were worried and plotted together, saying, 'Only a beautiful wife can tie down his heart.' When he grew slightly older, they earnestly sought a match for him, but the Venerable One declined. Pressed without alternative, he deceived them, saying, 'Unless you obtain a maiden whose body is golden like mine, she cannot be my partner.' His parents then employed a brāhmaṇa's scheme: they cast a golden statue of a woman and had it carried around the kingdom in a carriage, seeking one among the onlookers. As it turned out, they indeed found a golden maiden like Kāśyapa, and thereupon took her as his wife. Previously, after the parinirvāṇa of Vipaśyin Buddha, the assembly built a stūpa with his relics. On the image of that stūpa, the golden color on the face was chipped and damaged. At that time, Kāśyapa happened to be a goldsmith. There was a poor woman holding a single gold coin who asked to have it beaten into leaf, wishing to repair it. When Kāśyapa heard this, he was delighted to repair it for her; they thereupon made a mutual vow to be husband and wife without sexual desire life after life. By virtue of this reward, for ninety-one kalpas their bodies were always golden. Later, they were reborn in the Brahma heaven. When their lifespans in that heaven ended, he was born into this wealthy brāhmaṇa family, and when they became husband and wife here, their bodies were still like this. Thus he was originally named Kāśyapa, which means 'Drinker of Light,' taken from the meaning of his golden color. (Translations in this record where the meaning of the Sanskrit term corresponds to the Chinese words are like this. There are many instances like Kāśyapa; or they have already been transmitted in our country's earlier catalogues, so I do not venture to check them lightly against Sanskrit philology.) Yet both were pure; though wedded, they never had the intention of man and woman. In the end, he also earnestly requested to leave the household life. His parents consented, and he thereupon became a śramaṇa, entering the mountains to cultivate himself through dhūta practices. By chance, a voice in midair announced to him, saying, 'The Buddha has already appeared in the world; please go and take him as master.' The Venerable One at once hurried to the Bamboo Grove Monastery (Veṇuvana) and paid homage with earnest reverence. The Tathāgata then shared his seat and bade him sit, at which the great assembly was astonished, wondering why he was granted this. The Tathāgata knew this, so he explained their past karmic connections to resolve the assembly's doubts. Soon after, he preached the Dharma to him, and the Venerable One attained the Way right on his seat. Because he had accumulated superior virtues and his wisdom was lofty and far-reaching, the Tathāgata once said, 'With all the great kindness, great compassion, four dhyānas, samādhis, and immeasurable merits that I now possess to adorn myself, the monk Kāśyapa is likewise adorned.' One morning, the Buddha entrusted the True Dharma to him, enjoining him to transmit it from one to another and not let it be severed; he also conferred the golden-threaded kāṣāya robe upon him, bidding him pass it on to Maitreya. When the Tathāgata entered Mahāparinirvāṇa, the Venerable One happened to be on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. At that time the earth quaked and light shone forth; knowing it immediately through the divine eye, he said to the assembly, 'Alas, the Buddha has entered nirvāṇa! The eye of the True Dharma is extinguished; the world is empty and void.' Together with his disciples, he hastened to the city of Kuśinagara. When he reached the twin sāla trees, the Tathāgata had already manifested passing and had been placed in a golden coffin. The Venerable One wept bitterly, whereupon his sincerity moved the Tathāgata's feet to emerge from the coffin to console his sorrowful longing. Soon after, he brought sandalwood and white cotton fabric to aid in the cremation. Afterward, the Venerable One said, 'The adamantine relics should be given to gods and humans as their field of merit. We monks ought to devote ourselves to compiling \[the teachings\] so as to benefit future generations and serve as their great light.' Thereupon, by spiritual powers he ascended to the summit of Mount Sumeru and recited a verse: 'Let the disciples of the Tathāgata not yet enter nirvāṇa; Those who have attained spiritual powers should go to the compilation.' He then struck a golden bell. The verse was heard everywhere by means of the bell's sound, so five hundred arhats (some say one thousand) all gathered at Pippala Cave. Only Ānanda, because his defilements were not yet exhausted, was not permitted to participate immediately. He stayed outside the door, contemplating all night; at dawn he attained true realization. He then knocked on the door to inform them. The Venerable One said, 'If that is so, you may enter through the keyhole by your spiritual powers.' Ānanda arrived as he had said. At that time they discussed among themselves: 'Which of the three Piṭakas should come first?' The Venerable One said, 'The sūtras should come first.' He then addressed the noble ones, saying, 'This monk Ānanda is foremost in retention and constantly attended upon the Tathāgata. The Dharma he heard was like water poured from one vessel to another without anything left behind. He should be instructed to compile the Sūtrapiṭaka.' Next he instructed Upāli to compile the Vinayapiṭaka, and again instructed Ānanda to compile the Abhidharmapiṭaka (other traditions say he instructed Katyāyana). Afterward, the Venerable One entered the samādhi of knowledge based on vows to examine what was compiled, and indeed there were no errors. However, the Venerable One had lived in the world for only forty-five years \[after ordination\]. In the end, since the compilation was completed and his preaching of the Dharma to deliver people was immeasurable, he reflected that he was growing frail and old, and that it was fitting to enter meditative absorption on Mount Kukkuṭapāda to await Maitreya. Therefore he instructed Ānanda, saying, 'Formerly, when the Tathāgata was about to enter parinirvāṇa, he entrusted the eye of the True Dharma to me in advance. I am about to withdraw; I now entrust it to you again. Transmit and maintain it well; do not let it be severed.' He then recited a verse: - [Previous: 2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2.3) - [Next: 2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2.5) - [Up: 2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2) ## Linked texts (1) - [傳法正宗記](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078.2.4) — Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2078~en-mt.2.4) · Pramāṇa