雜譬喻經 1.22

1.22

Thereupon his parents summoned brahmans and ordered them to tour the country: only if there were a woman whose body was golden and endowed with matchless, exquisite beauty would they take her. The brahmans then devised a clever plan: they cast a golden goddess of beautiful countenance and wondrously subtle radiance, and carried the divine statue around, shouting aloud from country to country: "Any woman who sees the golden goddess, bows, and makes offerings shall obtain a fine husband when she marries, with a body of golden color, extraordinary countenance, and peerless wisdom!" Hearing this proclamation, not one woman in the villages, towns, and cities failed to set her heart upon it; all came out to welcome, bow, and make offerings. Only one woman, whose body was golden and exceedingly beautiful, remained alone in a quiet room, refusing to come out to welcome it. The other women advised her, "Anyone who sees the golden goddess has her wish granted; why do you alone not come out to welcome her?" She replied, "My aspiration is for quietude and purity; I have no fondness for other wishes." The women said further, "Even if you have no wish, what harm is there in taking a look together?" The women then took this woman along to the front of the golden goddess. When she arrived, her radiance was so bright and pure that it outshone the golden goddess, and the statue's gold no longer appeared [bright]. Seeing this, the brahmans returned and reported the matter in full to the śreṣṭhin. The śreṣṭhin then sent a matchmaker to the woman's home to declare his intentions. The woman's parents had previously heard of Kāśyapa's name, so they respectfully accepted the proposal and consented. Hearing this, the woman was filled with deep grief and confusion, but being pressured by her parents, she had no choice and was wed into the śreṣṭhin's household. When she arrived and met Kāśyapa, the two faced each other, each with aspirations of pristine purity; though husband and wife, they had no worldly affection at all. The wife then made a covenant with Kāśyapa: "You and I shall each live in separate rooms and pledge never to touch one another." The husband and wife then dwelt in separate rooms. Watching for when Kāśyapa was away, his father secretly sent people to tear down one room, forcing them to share a single chamber. Though they shared a single chamber, they still had separate beds. The father soon sent people to take away one bed. Husband and wife were now forced to share a single bed, so the wife made another pledge with her husband: "When I sleep, you shall do walking meditation; when you sleep, I shall do walking meditation." Once, while the wife was asleep, one of her arms hung down to the ground. A venomous serpent was about to bite it. Seeing this, Kāśyapa gave rise to a mind of compassion: wrapping his hand with clothing, he lifted [her arm] back onto the bed. She awoke with a start and, filled with anger, said to Kāśyapa, "We had an agreement; how could you violate it?" Kāśyapa answered, "Your arm had fallen to the ground and a venomous serpent was about to bite it. I saved you for that reason; I did not touch you deliberately." The venomous serpent was still lingering beside them; he pointed to show it to her, and the wife realized [the truth]. Thereupon husband and wife conferred together: "Why should we not leave home to cultivate the Way?" Husband and wife then took leave of their parents and together left home to practice the Way in the mountains and marshes.