大唐西域記 3.48

3.48

小伽藍中有石窣堵波，高五十餘尺，是阿羅漢遺身舍利也。先有羅漢，形量偉大，凡所飲食，與象同等。時人譏曰：「徒知飽食，安識是非？」羅漢將入寂滅也，告諸人曰：「吾今不久當取無餘，欲說自身所證妙法。」眾人聞之，相更譏笑，咸來集會，共觀得失。時阿羅漢告諸人曰：「吾今為汝說本因緣。此身之前，報受象身，在東印度，居王內廐。是時此國有一沙門，遠遊印度，尋訪聖教諸經典論。時王持我，施與沙門，載負佛經，而至於此。是後不久，尋即命終。乘其載經福力所致，遂得為人，復鍾餘慶，早服染衣，勤求出離，不遑寧居，得六神通，斷三界欲。然其所食，餘習尚然，每自節身，三分食一。」雖有此說，人猶未信。即昇虛空，入火光定，身出煙焰，而入寂滅，餘骸墜下，起窣堵波。

Ten li to the east of the sanghārāma of Buddha's tooth, between the crags of a mountain to the north, is a small sanghārāma. In old days the great master of śāstras called So-kin-ta-lo (Skandhila) composed here the treatise called Chung-sse-făn-pi-po-sha. In the little convent is a stūpa of stone about 50 feet high, where are preserved the śarīras of the bequeathed body of an Arhat. In former times there was an Arhat whose bodily size was very great, and he eat and drank as an elephant. People said in raillery, "He knows well enough how to eat like a glutton, but what does he know of truth or error?" The Arhat, when about to pass to Nirvāṇa, addressing the people round him, said, "Not long hence I shall reach a condition of anupadhiśeṣa (without a remnant). I wish to explain how I have attained to the excellent law." The people hearing him again laughed together in ridicule. They all came together in an assembly to see him put to shame. Then the Arhat spoke thus to the people: "I will tell you how, for your advantage, my previous conditions of life and the causes thereof. In my former birth I received, because of my desert, the body of an elephant, and I dwelt in Eastern India, in the stable of a king. At this time this country possessed a Shaman who went forth to wander through India in search of the holy doctrine of Buddha, the various sūtras and śāstras. Then the king gave me to the Shaman. I arrived in this country carrying on my back the books of Buddha.

Not long after this I died suddenly. The merit I had obtained by carrying these sacred books eventuated in my being born a man, and then again I died as a mortal. But, [...] thanks to the merit I possessed, I soon (was born in the same condition, and) assumed the coloured clothes of a hermit. I diligently set after the means of putting off (the shackles of existence], and gave myself no repose. Thus I obtained the six supernatural powers and cut off my connection with the three worlds. However, when I eat I have preserved my old habits, but every day I moderate my appetite, and only take one-third of what my body requires as nourishment." Although he thus spoke, men were still incredulous. Forthwith he ascended into the air and entered on the Samâdhi called the brilliancy of flame. From his body proceeded smoke and fire, and thus he entered Nirvâna; his remains (bones) fell to the earth, and they raised a stûpa over them. Going north-west 200 li or so of the royal city, we come to the sanghârâma called "Mai-lin." It was here the master of sâstras called Pûrṇa composed a commentary on the Vibhâshâ Sâstra. To the west of the city 140 or 150 li there is a great river, on the borders of which, to the north, resting on the southern slope of a mountain, is a sanghârâma belonging to the Mahâsaṅghika (Ta-chong-pu) school, with about 100 priests. It was here in old time that Fo-ti-la (Bodhila), a master of sâstras, composed the treatise Tsih-chin-lun.