傳法正宗定祖圖 1.27

1.27

第十二祖馬鳴。波羅奈國人。未詳其姓氏。初從富那夜奢。出家得戒。其師為說夙緣曰。汝昔嘗化彼一國之人。裸形如馬而其人悲鳴。戀汝之德。因是號汝馬鳴也。遊化至花氏國。遂降迦毘摩羅大魔。即攝伏為之弟子。垂般涅槃。乃以法付之。說偈曰。

The Twelfth Patriarch, Aśvaghoṣa, was a man of the country of Vārāṇasī; his clan and surname are not known. He initially followed Puṇyayaśas, left home, and received the precepts. His master explained to him his past karmic connections, saying: "In the past, you once transformed the people of a certain country who were naked like horses, and those people neighed sorrowfully, yearning for your virtue; because of this, you are called Aśvaghoṣa (Horse Neigh)." Traveling and transforming, he reached the country of Pāṭaliputra, where he subdued the great demon Kapimala, subjugating him and taking him as a disciple. When about to enter parinirvāṇa, he transmitted the Dharma to him, speaking a verse, saying: