三寶感應要略錄 2.19

2.19

昔佛在世。舍衛國中有五百商人。入於大海。共求珍寶。請僧護比丘。以為聞法師。未至寶所。龍王至船住持。商人怖仰問。是何神祇而投船住。爾時龍王。現身請僧護比丘。商人恐威。捨與而去。龍王歡喜。將詣宮中。龍有四子。聰明智惠。作僧護弟子白言。為我教此四龍。各有一阿含。第一龍者。教增一阿含。第二龍者教中阿含第三龍者。教雜阿含。第四龍者。教長阿含。僧護即便教之。第一龍者。默然聽受。第二龍者。眠目口誦。第三龍者。迴顧聽受。第四龍者。遠住聽受。此四龍子。聰明智惠。於六月中。誦四阿含。顧在心懷。盡無遺餘。爾時大龍。問訊不愁悶也。僧護答云。甚大愁悶。何以故。受持法者。要須軌則。此諸龍子。在畜生道。無軌則心。不如佛法受持誦習。龍王白言。大德不應呵予。護師命故。龍有四毒。不得如法受持誦習。何以故。默然受者。以聲毒故。若出聲者。必害師命。是故默受。眠目受者。以見毒故。迴顧受者。以取毒故。遠住受者。以觸毒故。時諸商人。迴至失師處。龍知商心。還即將僧護付之云云。龍尚要誦。況人倫乎。

Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, there were five hundred merchants in the country of Śrāvastī who went out into the great ocean to seek rare gems together. They invited the monk Saṅgharakṣita to serve as their Dharma master. Before they reached the place of treasures, a dragon king came and held the ship fast. The merchants, terrified, looked up and asked, "What spirit is this that has made our ship halt?" At that time, the dragon king manifested his form and invited the monk Saṅgharakṣita. Overawed by his might, the merchants gave him up and departed. The dragon king was delighted and led him to his palace. The dragon had four sons, all intelligent and wise. Becoming Saṅgharakṣita's disciples, they said, "Teach these four dragons for my sake, one Āgama for each. Teach the first dragon the Ekottarika-āgama; teach the second dragon the Madhyama-āgama; teach the third dragon the Saṃyukta-āgama; teach the fourth dragon the Dīrgha-āgama." Saṅgharakṣita then taught them. The first dragon listened and received it in silence. The second dragon closed his eyes and recited it with his mouth. The third dragon turned his head away as he listened and received it. The fourth dragon stood far off as he listened and received it. These four dragon sons were intelligent and wise; within six months, they recited the four Āgamas, retaining them completely in their minds without any omission. At that time, the great dragon inquired, "Are you not grieved and weary?" Saṅgharakṣita replied, "I am exceedingly grieved and weary. Why? Those who receive and uphold the Dharma must observe proper deportment. These dragon sons belong to the animal realm and have no mind for deportment, failing to receive, uphold, recite, and practice in accordance with the Buddha's Dharma." The dragon king said, "The Venerable One should not scold them. It was to protect the Master's life. Dragons possess four kinds of poison, so they could not receive, uphold, recite, and practice in the usual manner. Why? He who received it in silence did so because of his vocal poison: had he made a sound, it would surely have taken the Master's life; therefore he received it in silence. He who received it with closed eyes did so because of his gaze poison. He who received it with averted head did so because of his grasping poison. He who received it standing far off did so because of his contact poison." At that time, the merchants returned to the place where they had lost their master. The dragon, knowing the merchants' minds, immediately returned Saṅgharakṣita to them, and so forth. Even dragons strive to recite it; how much more should human beings!