大唐西域記 2.67

2.67

婆羅覩邏邑中有窣堵波，羅漢化波爾尼仙後進之處。如來去世，垂五百年，有大阿羅漢自迦濕彌羅國遊化至此，乃見梵志捶訓稚童。時阿羅漢謂梵志曰：「何苦此兒？」梵志曰：「令學《聲明論》，業不時進。」阿羅漢逌爾而笑。老梵志曰：「夫沙門者，慈悲為情，愍傷物類。仁今所笑，願聞其說。」阿羅漢曰：「談不容易，恐致深疑。汝頗甞聞波爾尼仙製《聲明論》，垂訓於世乎？」婆羅門曰：「此邑之子，後進仰德，像設猶在。」阿羅漢曰：「今汝此子，即是彼仙。猶以強識，翫習世典，唯談異論，不究真理。神智唐捐，流轉未息，尚乘餘善，為汝愛子。然則世典文辭，徒疲功績；豈若如來聖教，福智冥滋？曩者南海之濱有一枯樹，五百蝙蝠於中穴居。有諸商侶止此樹下，時屬風寒，人皆飢凍，聚積樵蘇，蘊火其下，煙焰漸熾，枯樹遂燃。時商侶中有一賈客，夜分已後，誦《阿毘達磨藏》。彼諸蝙蝠雖為火困，愛好法音，忍而不去，於此命終。隨業受生，俱得人身，捨家修學，乘聞法聲，聰明利智，並證聖果，為世福田。近迦膩色迦王與脇尊者招集五百賢聖，於迦濕彌羅國作《毘婆沙論》，斯並枯樹之中五百蝙蝠也。余雖不肖，是其一數。斯則優劣良異，飛伏懸殊。仁今愛子，可許出家；出家功德，言不能述。」時阿羅漢說此語已，示神通事，因忽不現。婆羅門深生敬異，歎善久之，具告隣里，遂放其子出家修學，因即迴信，崇重三寶，鄉人從化，於今彌篤。從烏鐸迦漢荼城北踰山涉川，行六百餘里，至烏仗那國（唐言苑，昔輪王之苑囿也。舊云烏場，或曰烏茶，皆訛。北印度境）。

The Arhat replied, "Light words are not becoming, and I fear to cause in you incredulous thoughts and unbelief. No doubt you have heard of the Rishi Pânini, who compiled the Śabdavidyâ śâstra, which he has left for the instruction of the world." The Brahman replied, "The children of this town, who are his disciples, revere his eminent qualities, and a statue erected to his memory still exists." The Arhat continued: "This little boy whom you are instructing was that very (Pânini) Rishi. As he devoted his vigorous mind to investigate worldly literature, he only produced heretical treatises without any power of true reason in them. His spirit and his wisdom were dispersed, and he has run through the cycles of continued birth from then till now. Thanks to some remnant of true virtue, he has been now born as your attached child; but the literature of the world and these treatises on letters are only cause of useless efforts to him, and are as nothing compared to the holy teaching of Tathagata, which, by its mysterious influences, procures both happiness and wisdom. On the shores of the southern sea there was an old decayed tree, in the hollows of which five hundred bats had taken up their abodes. Once some merchants took their seats beneath this tree, and as a cold wind was blowing, these men, cold and hungry, gathered together a heap of fuel and lit a fire at the tree-foot. The flames catching hold of the tree, by degrees it was burnt down.

At this time amongst the merchant troop there was one who, after the turn of the night, began to recite a portion of the Abhidharma Pitaka. The bats, notwithstanding the flames, because of the beauty of the sound of the law patiently endured the pain, and did not come forth After this they died, and, according to their works, they all received birth as men. They became ascetics, practised wisdom, and by the power of the sounds of the law they had heard they grew in wisdom and became Arhats as the result of merit acquired in the world. Lately the king, Kanishka, with the honourable Parsvika, summoning a council of five hundred saints and sages in the country of Kasmir, they drew up the Vibasha Sastra. These were the five hundred bats who formerly dwelt in that decayed tree. I myself, though of poor ability, am one of the number. It is thus men differ in their superior or inferior abilities. Some rise, others live in obscurity. But now, O virtuous one! permit your pupil (attached child) to leave his home. Becoming a disciple of Buddha, the merits we secure are not to be told."

The Arhat having spoken thus, proved his spiritual capabilities by instantly disappearing. The Brahmin, deeply affected by what he saw, and moved to believe. He noised abroad through the town and neighbourhood what had happened, and permitted the child to become a disciple of Buddha and acquire wisdom. Moreover, he himself changed his belief, and mightily reverenced the three precious ones. The people of the village, following his example, became disciples, and till now they have remained earnest in their profession. From U-to-kia-han-ch'a, going north, we pass over some mountains, cross a river, and travelling 600 li or so, we arrive at the kingdom of U-chang-na (Udyana).

It contained everything known from the first till then, without exception, respecting letters and words. He then closed it and sent it to the king (supreme ruler), who exceedingly prized it, and issued an edict that throughout the kingdom it should be used and taught to others; and he added that whoever should learn it from beginning to end should receive as his reward a thousand pieces of gold. And so from that time masters have received it and handed it down in its completeness for the good of the world. Hence the Brahmans of this town are well grounded in their literary work, and are of high renown for their talents, well informed as to things (men and things), and of a vigorous understanding (memory). In the town of So-lo-tu-lo is a stupa. This is the spot where an Arhat converted a disciple of Pânini. Tathâgata had left the world some five hundred years, when there was a great Arhat who came to the country of Kas'mîr, and went about converting men. Coming to this place, he saw a Brahmachârin occupied in chastising a boy whom he was instructing in letters. Then the Arhat spake to the Brahman thus : "Why do you cause pain to this child?" The Brahman replied, "I am teaching him the Shing-ming (Śabdavidyâ), but he makes no proper progress." The Arhat smiled significantly, on which the Brahman said, "Shamans are of a pitiful and loving disposition, and well disposed to men and creatures generally; why did you smile, honoured sir? Pray let me know!"