三寶感應要略錄 1.13

1.13

He immediately reported to Bimbisāra in a letter, saying, "Relying on your grace, I have seen the true reality. I wish to see bhikṣus; please have them come here." Bimbisāra read the letter and informed the Buddha. The Buddha, looking and knowing that Kātyāyana had an affinity with that place, thereupon commanded him to go and instruct them. At that time, five hundred bhikṣus went to the city of Roruka. At that time, Bimbisāra replied to Rudrāyaṇa, saying, "Hearing that you have realized conditioned arising and attained the first fruit, you wish to meet bhikṣus. The Buddha said: 'The five hundred bhikṣus have arisen from afar at your prayer and petition; you should go in person to welcome them, build a great monastery, and construct five hundred rooms, thereby obtaining immeasurable merit.'" When Rudrāyaṇa had read the letter, he acted according to these words. The venerable one preached the Dharma according to their capacities, and some attained arhatship or even resolved to aspire to the Great Vehicle. At that time, the women in the palace invited the venerable one, but he was not permitted to enter among women to preach the Dharma. There being a nun, she could preach the Dharma to them. Rudrāyaṇa wrote a letter informing Bimbisāra, and Bimbisāra informed the Buddha. [The Buddha] dispatched Śailā and other five hundred nuns to receive his instruction and go preach the Dharma to them. At that time, Queen Candraprabhā (Yueguang) died and was born in the heavens; she came down to awaken the great king. With mingled grief and joy, the king had this thought: "I should install Crown Prince Śikhī as king, and I shall leave the household life." He informed the two ministers of this state of affairs. When the ministers heard it, their tears flowed. They summoned Śikhī to tell him, and the crown prince wept with sorrow. The king beat drums and rang bells to proclaim it universally to the people of the country. At that time, grateful for his kindness, they wept and cried out, as he gave away much wealth and treasures and broadly held an unrestricted assembly. Taking a single attendant, the king set out on foot toward the city of Rājagṛha. The crown prince and the people of the realm all followed behind, escorting him a distance before returning. The king went on gradually and arrived at the city of Rājagṛha. Resting in a park, he informed Bimbisāra. When [Bimbisāra] heard it, he repaired the roads and led the fourfold army to where King Rudrāyaṇa was. They comforted each other, rode a single horse into the city, and asked the reason for his coming. [Rudrāyaṇa] replied, "I wish to seek to leave the household life in the presence of the World-Honoured One." They then went together to the Buddha's place. The Buddha said, "Welcome!" and his topknot and hair fell off of their own accord, [leaving him] like a hundred-year-old bhikṣu. Bimbisāra bowed to the Buddha and departed. The bhikṣu Rudrāyaṇa relied on the assembly and excelled among them. (Abridged to extract the essential meaning.)