大唐西域記 2.52

2.52

世親室南五十餘步，第二重閣，末笯曷剌他（唐言如意）論師於此製《毘婆沙論》。論師以佛涅槃之後一千年中利見也。少好學，有才辯，聲問遐被，法俗歸心。時室羅伐悉底國毘訖羅摩阿迭多王（唐言超日），威風遠洽，臣諸印度，日以五億金錢周給貧窶孤獨。主藏臣懼國用乏匱也，乃諷諫曰：「大王威被殊俗，澤及昆蟲，請增五億金錢，以賑四方匱乏。府庫既空，更稅有土，重斂不已，怨聲載揚，則君上有周給之恩，臣下被不恭之責。」王曰：「聚有餘，給不足，非苟為身侈靡國用。」遂加五億，惠諸貧乏。其後畋遊，逐豕失蹤，有尋知迹者，賞一億金錢。如意論師一使人剃髮，輒賜一億金錢，其國史臣依即書記。王恥見高，心常怏怏，欲眾辱如意論師。乃招集異學德業高深者百人，而下令曰：「欲收視聽，遊諸真境，異道紛雜，歸心靡措，今考優劣，專精遵奉。」洎乎集論，重下令曰：「外道論師並英俊也，沙門法眾宜善宗義，勝則崇敬佛法，負則誅戮僧徒。」於是如意詰諸外道，九十九人已退飛矣。下席一人，視之蔑如也，因而劇談，論及火煙。王與外道咸諠言曰：「如意論師辭義有失！夫先煙而後及火，此事理之常也。」如意雖欲釋難，無聽覽者。恥見眾辱，齰斷其舌，乃書誡告門人世親曰：「黨援之眾，無競大義；群迷之中，無辯正論。」言畢而死。居未久，超日王失國，興王膺運，表式英賢。世親菩薩欲雪前恥，來白王曰：「大王以聖德君臨，為含識主命。先師如意學窮玄奧，前王宿憾，眾挫高名，我承導誘，欲復先怨。」其王知如意哲人也，美世親雅操焉，乃召諸外道與如意論者。世親重述先旨，外道謝屈而退。

His fame was wide spread with the religious, and laymen sought to do him hearty reverence. At that time Vikramâditya, king of the country of Sravasti, was of wide renown. He ordered his ministers to distribute daily throughout India five lakhs of gold coin ; he largely (everywhere) supplied the wants of the poor, the orphan, and the bereaved. His treasurer, fearing that the resources of the kingdom would be exhausted, represented the case to the king, and said, "Maharaja ! your fame has reached to the very lowest of your subjects, and extends to the brute creation. You bid me add (to your expenditure) five lakhs of gold to succour the poor throughout the world. Your treasury will thus be emptied, and then fresh imposts will have to be laid (on the land cultivators), until the resources of the land be also exhausted ; then the voice of complaint will be heard and hostility be provoked. Your majesty, indeed, will get credit for charity, but your minister will lose the respect of all." The king answered, " But of my own surplus I (wish to) relieve the poor. I would on no account, for my own advantage, thoughtlessly burthen (grind down) the country." Accordingly he added five lakhs for the good of the poor. Some time after this the king was engaged chasing a boar. Having lost the track, he gave a man a lakh for putting him on the scent again. Now Manorhita, the doctor of Sâstras, once engaged a man to shave his head, and gave him offhand a lakh of gold for so doing.

This munificent act was recorded in the annals by the chief historian. The king reading of it, was filled with shame, and his proud heart continually fretted about it, and so he desired to bring some fault against Manorhita and punish him. So he summoned an assembly of different religious persons whose talents were most noted, to the number of one hundred, and issued the following decree : " I wish to put a check to the various opinions (wanderings) and to settle the true limits (of inquiry) ; the opinions of different religious sects are so various that the mind knows not what to believe. Exert your utmost ability, therefore, to-day in following out my directions." On meeting for discussion he made a second decree: "The doctors of law belonging to the heretics are distinguished for their ability. The Shamans and the followers of the law (of Buddha) ought to look well to the principles of their sect; if they prevail, then they will bring reverence to the law of Buddha; but if they fail, then they shall be exterminated." On this, Manorhita questioned the heretics and silenced ninety-nine of them. And now a man was placed (sat on the mat to dispute with him) of no ability whatever, and for the sake of a trifling discussion (Manorhita) proposed the subject of fire and smoke. On this the king and the heretics cried out, saying, "Manorhita, the doctor of Sastras, has lost the sense of right connection (mistaken the order or sense of the phrase);

Doubtless you know how to eat (and that is all)!" Then Pars'vika, hearing such railing speeches, gave up the world and made this vow, "Until I thoroughly penetrate the wisdom of the three Pitakas and get rid of the evil desire of the three worlds, till I obtain the six miraculous powers and reach the eight deliverances (vimokshas), I will not lie down to rest (my side shall not touch the sleeping mat)." From that day forth the day was not enough for him to walk in meditation or to sit upright in deep thought. In the daytime he studied incessantly the doctrine of the sublime principles (of Buddhism), and at night he sat silently meditating in unbroken thought. After three years he obtained insight into the three pitakas, and shook off all worldly desires, and obtained the threefold knowledge. Then people called him the honourable Parsvika and paid him reverence. To the east of Parsvika's chamber is an old building in which Vasubandhu Bodhisattva prepared the 'O-pi-ta-mo-ku-she-lun (Abhidharmakosha sastra); men, out of respect to him, have placed here a commemorative tablet to this effect. To the south of Vasubandhu's house, about fifty paces or so, is a second storied-pavilion in which Manorhita, a master of sastras, composed the Vibhasha sastra. This learned doctor flourished in the midst of the thousand years after the Nirvdna of Buddha. In his youth he was devoted to study and had distinguished talent.

he should have named smoke first and fire afterwards: this order of things is constant." Manorhita wishing to explain the difficulty, was not allowed a hearing; on which, ashamed to see himself thus treated by the people, he bit out his tongue and wrote a warning to his disciple Vasubandhu, saying, "In the multitude of partisans there is no justice; among persons deceived there is no discernment." Having written this, he died. A little afterwards Vikramaditya-raja lost his kingdom and was succeeded by a monarch who widely patronised those distinguished for literary merit. Vasubandhu, wishing to wash out the former disgrace, came to the king and said, "Maharaja, by your sacred qualities you rule the empire and govern with wisdom. My old master, Manorhita, was deeply versed in the mysterious doctrine. The former king, from an old resentment, deprived him of his high renown. I now wish to avenge the injury done to my master." The king, knowing that Manorhita was a man of superior intelligence, approved of the noble project of Vasubandhu; he summoned the heretics who had discussed with Manorhita. Vasubandhu having exhibited afresh the former conclusions of his master, the heretics were abashed and retired. To the north-east of the sanghārāma of Kanishka-rāja about 50 li, we cross a great river and arrive at the town of Pushkalavatī (Po-shi-kie-lo-fa-ti). It is about 14 or 15 li in circuit; the population is large; the inner gates are connected by a hollow (tunnel?).