大唐西域記 1.112

1.112

王城西北二百餘里至大雪山。山頂有池，請雨祈晴，隨求果願。聞諸先志曰：昔健馱邏國有阿羅漢，常受此池龍王供養。每至中食，以神通力，并坐繩床，凌虛而往。侍者沙彌密於繩床之下，攀援潛隱，而阿羅漢時至便往，至龍宮乃見沙彌，龍王因請留食。龍王以天甘露飯阿羅漢，以人間味而饌沙彌。阿羅漢飯食已訖，便為龍王說諸法要。沙彌如常為師滌器，器有餘粒，駭其香味，即起惡願，恨師忿龍：「願諸福力，於今悉現，斷此龍命，我自為王。」沙彌發是願時，龍王已覺頭痛矣。羅漢說法誨喻，龍王謝咎責躬；沙彌懷忿，未從誨謝。既還伽藍，至誠發願，福力所致，是夜命終，為大龍王，威猛奮發，遂來入池，殺龍王，居龍宮，有其部屬，總其統命。以宿願故，興暴風雨，摧拔樹木，欲壞伽藍。時迦膩色迦王怪而發問，其阿羅漢具以白王。王即為龍於雪山下立僧伽藍，建窣堵波，高百餘尺。龍懷宿忿，遂發風雨。王以弘濟為心，龍乘瞋毒作暴，僧伽藍、窣堵波六壞七成。迦膩色迦王恥功不成，欲填龍池，毀其居室，即興兵眾，至雪山下。時彼龍王深懷震懼，變作老婆羅門，叩王象而諫曰：「大王宿殖善本，多種勝因，得為人王，無思不服。今日何故與龍交爭？夫龍者，畜也，卑下惡類，然有大威，不可力競。乘雲馭風，蹈虛履水，非人力所制，豈王心所怒哉？王今舉國興兵，與一龍鬪，勝則王無伏遠之威，敗則王有非敵之恥。為王計者，宜可歸兵。」迦膩色迦王未之從也。龍即還池，聲震雷動，暴風拔木，沙石如雨，雲霧晦冥，軍馬驚駭。王乃歸命三寶，請求加護，曰：「宿殖多福，得為人王，威懾強敵，統贍部洲，今為龍畜所屈，誠乃我之薄福也。願諸福力，於今現前。」即於兩肩起大煙焰，龍退風靜，霧卷雲開。王令軍眾人擔一石，用填龍池。龍王還作婆羅門，重請王曰：「我是彼池龍王，懼威歸命，唯王悲愍，赦其前過。王以含育，覆燾生靈，如何於我獨加惡害？王若殺我，我之與王，俱墮惡道，王有斷命之罪，我懷怨讎之心，業報皎然，善惡明矣。」王遂與龍明設要契，後更有犯，必不相赦。龍曰：「我以惡業，受身為龍，龍性猛惡，不能自持，瞋心或起，當忘所制。王今更立伽藍，不敢摧毀。每遣一人候望山嶺，黑雲若起，急擊揵槌，我聞其聲，惡心當息。」其王於是更修伽藍，建窣堵波，候望雲氣，於今不絕。

Tradition says in old time there was an Arhat (Lo-han) belonging to Gandhara (Kien-t'o-lo) who constantly received the religious offerings of the Naga king of this lake. On the arrival of the time for the mid-day meal, by his spiritual power he rose with the mat on which he sat into the air, and went (to the place where the Naga dwelt). His attendant, a Sramanera (novice), secretly catching hold of the under part of the mat, when the time came for the Arhat to go, was transported in a moment with him (to the palace of the Naga). On arriving at the palace, the Naga saw the Sramanera. The Naga-raja asking them to partake of his hospitality, he provided the Arhat with "immortal food," but gave to the Sramanera food used by men. The Arhat having finished his meal, began then to preach for the good of the Naga, whilst he desired the Sramanera, as was his custom, to wash out his alms-bowl. Now the bowl happened to have in it some fragments of (the heavenly) food. Startled at the fragrance of this food, forthwith there arose in him an evil determination (vow). Irritated with his master, and hating the Naga, he uttered the prayer (vow) that the force of all his religious merit might now be brought into operation with a view to deprive the Naga of life, and, "May I," he said, "myself become a Naga-king." No sooner had the Sramanera made this vow than the Naga perceived his head to be in pain.

The Arhat having finished his preaching concerning the duty of repentance, the Naga-raja confessed his sins, condemning himself. But the Sramanera still cherishing hatred in his heart, confessed not. And now having returned to the sangharama, in very truth the prayer he had put up in consequence of the power of his religious merit was accomplished, and that very night he died and became a Naga-raja. Then filled with rage, he entered the lake and killed the other Naga king, and took possession of his palace; moreover, he attached to himself the whole fraternity of his class (i.e., all the Nagas) to enable him to carry out his original purpose. Then fiercely raising the winds and tempests, he rooted up the trees and aimed at the destruction of the convent. At this time Kanishka-raja, surprised at the ravages, inquired of the Arhat as to the cause, on which he told the whole circumstance. The king therefore, for the sake of the Naga, founded a sangharama at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, and raised a stupa about 100 feet in height. The Naga, cherishing his former hatred, raised the wind and rain. The king persevering in his purpose of charity, the Naga redoubled his fury (angry poison), and became exceedingly fierce. Six times he destroyed the sangharama and the stupa, and on the seventh occasion Kanishka, confused by his failure, determined to fill the Naga's lake and overthrow his palace. He came therefore with his soldiers to the foot of the Snowy Mountains.

Then the Naga-raja, being terrified and shaken with apprehension, changed himself into an aged Brahman, and bowing down before the king's elephant, he remonstrated with the king, and said, "Maharaja, because of your accumulated merit in former births, you have now been born a king of men, and you have no wish which is not gratified. Why then to-day are you seeking a quarrel with a Naga? Nagas are only brutish creatures. Nevertheless amongst lower creatures the Naga possesses great power, which cannot be resisted. He rides on the clouds, drives the winds, passes through space, and glides over the waters; no human power can conquer him. Why then is the king's heart so angry? You have now raised the army of your country to fight with a single dragon; if you conquer, your renown will not spread very far; but if you are conquered, then you will suffer the humiliation of defeat. Let me advise the king to withdraw his troops."

The king Kanishka hesitating to comply, the dragon returned to his lake. His voice, like the thunderclap, shook the earth, and the fierce winds tore up the trees, whilst stones and sand pelted down like rain; the sombre clouds obscured the air, so that the army and the horses were filled with terror. The king then paid his adoration to the Three Precious ones, and sought their help, saying, "My abounding merit during former births has brought about my state as king of men. By my power I have restrained the strong and conquered the world (Jambudvipa). But now (as it appears), by the onslaught of a dragon-beast overcome, this, verily, is proof of my poor merit! Let the full power of all my merit now appear!" Then from both his shoulders there arose a great flame and smoke. The dragon fled, the winds hushed, the mists were melted, and the clouds were scattered. Then the king commanded each man of his army to take a stone and thus to fill up the dragon lake.

Again the dragon king changed himself into a Brahman, and asked the king once more, "I am the Naga king of yonder lake. Affrighted by your power, I tender my submission. Would that the king in pity might forgive my former faults! The king indeed loves to defend and cherish all animated beings, why then alone against me is he incensed? If the king kill me, then we both shall fall into an 'evil way'—the king, for killing; I, for cherishing an angry mind. Deeds and their consequences will be plainly manifested when the good and evil are brought to light." The king then agreed with the Naga that if hereafter he should again be rebellious there should be no forgiveness. The Naga said, "Because of my evil deeds I have received a dragon form. The nature of Nagas is fierce and wicked, so that they are unable to control themselves; if by chance an angry heart rises in me, it will be from forgetfulness of our present compact. The king may now build the sangharama once more; I will not venture to destroy it again. Each day let the king send a man to observe the mountain top; if it is black with clouds, then let him sound the ghanta (drum or cymbal) loudly; when I hear the sound of it, my evil purpose will subside." Forthwith the king renewed his work in raising the sangharama and stupa. People look out for the clouds and mists on the mountain top down to the present day.

Thirty li or so to the south of the town of Si-po-to-fa-la-sse we come to a mountain called 'O-lu-no (Aruna). The crags and precipices of this mountain are of a vast height, its caverns and valleys are dark and deep. Each year the peak increases in height several hundred feet, until it approaches the height of Mount Tsu-na-hi-lo (Sunagir) in the kingdom of Tsu-ku-cha (Tsaukûta); then when it thus faces it, suddenly it falls down again. I have heard this story in neighbouring countries. When first the heavenly spirit Suna came from far to this mountain desiring to rest, the spirit of the mountain, affrighted, shook the surrounding valleys. The heavenly spirit said, "Because you have no wish to entertain me, therefore this tumult and confusion; if you had but entertained me for a little while, I should have conferred on you great riches and treasure; but now I go to Tsu-ku-cha to the mountain Tsu-na-hi-lo, and I will visit it every year. On these occasions, when the king and his ministers offer me their tribute, then you shall stand face to face with me." Therefore Mount 'O-lu-no having increased to the height (aforesaid), suddenly falls down again at the top. About 200 li to the north-west of the royal city we come to a great snowy mountain, on the summit of which is a lake. Here whoever asks for rain or prays for fine weather, according to his request so he receives.