大唐西域記 10.17

10.17

大城側有絡多未知僧伽藍（唐言赤泥）。庭宇顯敞，臺閣崇峻。國中高才達學、聰敏有聞者，咸集其中，警誡相成，琢磨道德。初，此國未信佛法時，南印度有一外道，腹錮銅鍱，首戴明炬，杖策高步，來入此城，振擊論鼓，求欲談議。或者問曰：「首腹何異？」曰：「吾學藝多能，恐腹拆裂；悲諸愚闇，所以持照。」時經旬日，人無問者，詢訪髦彥，莫有異人。王曰：「合境之內，豈無明哲？客難不酬，為國深恥。宜更營求，訪諸幽隱。」或曰：「大林中有異人，其自稱曰沙門，強學是務，今屏居幽寂，久矣于茲，非夫體法合德，何能若此者乎？」王聞之，躬往請焉。沙門對曰：「我，南印度人也，客遊止此，學業膚淺，恐黜所聞。敢承來旨，不復固辭。論議無負，請建伽藍，招集僧徒，光讚佛法。」王曰：「敬聞，不敢忘德。」沙門受請，往赴論場。外道於是誦其宗致，三萬餘言。其義遠，其文約，苞含名相，網羅視聽。沙門一聞究覽，辭義無謬，以數百言，辯而釋之，因問宗致。外道辭窮理屈，杜口不酬。既折其名，負恥而退。王深敬德，建此伽藍，自時厥後，方弘法教。

By the side of the capital is the sanghārāma called Loto-wei-chi (Raktaviti), the halls of which are light and spacious, the storeyed towers very lofty. In this establishment congregate all the most distinguished, learned, and celebrated men of the kingdom. They strive to promote each other's advancement by exhortations, and to perfect their character. At first the people of this country did not believe in Buddha; at this time there was a heretic of Southern India who wore over his belly copper-plates and on his head a lighted torch. With lofty steps, staff in hand, he came to this country. Sounding aloud the drum of discussion, he sought an adversary in controversy. Then a man said to him, "Why are your head and your body so strangely (arrayed)?" He said, "My wisdom is so great, I fear my belly will burst, and because I am moved with pity for the ignorant multitude who live in darkness, therefore I carry this light on my head." After ten days, no one was found to question him. Among all the learned and professed scholars there was not a single person to discuss with him. The king said, "Alas! what ignorance prevails in my territories, that no one should be able to challenge the difficult propositions of this stranger. What a disgrace to the country! We must scheme and seek through the most obscure retreats."

Then one said to him, "In the forest there is a strange man who names himself a Sramana, he is most diligent in study. He is now living apart in silence and obscurity, and so he has lived for a long time; who so well able by his united virtue to controvert this irreligious man as he?" The king hearing this, went himself to invite him to come. The Sramana replying, said, "I am a man of South India; I stop here on my travels merely as a stranger. My abilities are small and commonplace; I fear lest you should not know it, but yet I will come according to your wish, though I am by no means certain as to the character of the discussion. If, however, I am not defeated, I will ask you to erect a sangharama, and summon the fraternity to glorify and extol the law of Buddha." The king said, "I accept your terms, nor could I dare to forget your virtue." Then the Sramana, having accepted the king's invitation, proceeded to the arena of controversy. Then the heretic went through (chanted) some 30,000 words of his school. His arguments were profound, his illustrations (figures or writing) ample; his whole discourse, both as to names and qualities, was captivating to sight and hearing.

The Sramana, after listening, at once fathomed his meaning; no word or argument deceived him. With a few hundred words he discriminated and explained every difficulty, and then he asked (the heretic) as to the teaching (the principles) of his school. The words of the heretic were confused and his arguments devoid of force, and so his lips were closed and he could not reply. Thus he lost his reputation, and, covered with confusion, retired. The king, deeply reverencing the priest, founded this convent; and from that time and afterwards the teaching of the law widely extended (through the kingdom). By the side of the sanghārāma, and not far off, is a stūpa which was built by Aśōka-rāja. When Tathāgata was alive in the world he preached here for seven days, explaining (the law) and guiding (men). By the side of it is a vihāra; here there are traces where the four past Buddhas sat down and walked. There are several other stūpas in places where Buddha explained the excellent law. These were built by Aśōka-rāja. Going from this 700 li or so in a south-westerly direction, we come to the country of U-cha.