大唐西域記 6.56

6.56

鹿拯溺西不遠，有窣堵波，是蘇跋陀羅（唐言善賢。舊曰須跋陀羅，訛也）入寂滅之處。善賢者，本梵志師也。年百二十，耆舊多智。聞佛寂滅，至雙樹間，問阿難曰：「佛世尊將寂滅，我懷疑滯，願欲請問。」阿難曰：「佛將涅槃，幸無擾也。」曰：「吾聞佛世難遇，正法難聞，我有深疑，恐無所請。」善賢遂入，先問佛言：「有諸別眾，自稱為師，各有異法，垂訓導俗，喬答摩（舊曰瞿曇，訛略也）能盡知耶？」佛言：「吾悉深究。」乃為演說。善賢聞已，心淨信解，求入法中，受具足戒。如來告曰：「汝豈能耶？外道異學修梵行者，當試四歲，觀其行，察其性，威儀寂靜，辭語誠實，則可於我法中淨修梵行。在人行耳，斯何難哉！」善賢曰：「世尊悲愍，含濟無私，四歲試學，三業方順。」佛言：「我先已說，在人行耳！」於是善賢出家，即受具戒，勤勵修習，身心勇猛。已而於法無疑，自身作證。夜分未久，果證羅漢，諸漏已盡，梵行已立。不忍見佛入大涅槃，即於眾中入火界定，現神通事，而先寂滅。是為如來最後弟子，乃先滅度，即昔後渡蹇兔是也。

To the west of this place, not far off, is a stūpa. This is where Subhadra (Shen-hien) died (entered Nirvāṇa). Subhadra was originally a Brahman teacher. He was 120 years of age; being so old, he had acquired in consequence much wisdom. Hearing that Buddha was about to die, he came to the two (śāla) trees, and asked Ānanda, saying, "The Lord is about to die; pray let me ask him respecting some doubts I have, which still hamper me." Ānanda replied, "The Lord is about to die; pray do not trouble him." He said, "I hear that Buddha is difficult to meet in the world, and that the true law is difficult to hear. I have some grave doubts; there is no ground for fear." On being invited, Subhadra at once entered, and first asked Buddha, "There are many different persons who call themselves masters, each having a different system of doctrine, and pretending therewith to guide the people. Is Gautama (Kiu-ta-mo) able to fathom their doctrine?" Buddha said, "I know their doctrine thoroughly;" and then for Subhadra's sake he preached the law.

Subhadra having heard (the sermon), his mind, pure and faithful, found deliverance, and he asked to be received into the church as a fully ordained disciple. Then Tathāgata addressed him saying, "Are you able to do so? Unbelievers and other sectaries who prepare themselves for a pure mode of life ought to pass a four years' novitiate, to exhibit their conduct and test their disposition; if their characters and words be unexceptionable, then such persons may enter my profession; but in your case, whilst living amongst men, you have observed their discipline. There should be no difficulty, then, to prevent your full ordination?" Subhadra said, "The Lord is very pitiful and very gracious, without any partiality. Is he then willing to forego in my case the four years of the threefold preparatory discipline?" Buddha said, "As I before stated, this has been done whilst living among men."

Then Subhadra, leaving his home immediately, took full orders as a priest. Then applying himself with all diligence, he vigorously disciplined both body and mind, and so being freed from all doubt, in the middle of the night (of Buddha's Nirvana), not long after (the interview), he obtained the fruit, and became an Arhat without any imperfection. Being thus perfected in purity, he could not bear to await Buddha's death (great Nirvana), but in the midst of the congregation, entering the samadhi of "fire-limit" (Agni-dhatu), and after displaying his spiritual capabilities, he first entered Nirvana. He was thus the very last convert of Tathagata, and the first to enter Nirvana. This is the same as the hare who was last saved in the story that has just been told.