大唐西域記 8.19

8.19

初，此城內伽藍百數，僧徒肅穆，學業清高，外道學人，銷聲緘口。其後僧徒相次徂落，而諸後進莫繼前修。外道師資傅訓成藝，於是命儔召侶，千計萬數，來集僧坊，揚言唱曰：「夫擊揵稚，招集學人！」群愚同止，謬有扣擊。遂白王，請挍優劣。外道諸師高才達學，僧徒雖眾，辭論膚淺。外道曰：「我論勝。自今已後，諸僧伽藍不得擊揵稚以集眾也。」王允其請，依先論制。僧徒受恥，忍詬而退，十二年間不擊揵稚。時南印度那伽閼剌樹那菩薩（唐言龍猛。舊譯曰龍樹，非也），幼傳雅譽，長擅高名，捨離欲愛，出家修學，深究妙理，位登初地。有大弟子提婆者，智慧明敏，機神警悟，白其師曰：「波吒釐城諸學人等辭屈外道，不擊揵稚，日月驟移，十二年矣。敢欲摧邪見山，然正法炬。」龍猛曰：「波吒釐城外道博學，爾非其儔，吾今行矣。」提婆曰：「欲摧腐草，詎必傾山？敢承指誨，黜諸異學。大師立外道義，而我隨文破析，詳其優劣，然後圖行。」龍猛乃扶立外義，提婆隨破其理，七日之後，龍猛失宗，已而歎曰：「謬辭易失，邪義難扶。爾其行矣，摧彼必矣！」提婆菩薩夙擅高名，波吒釐城外道之聞也，即相召集，馳白王曰：「大王昔紆聽覽，制諸沙門不擊揵稚。願垂告命。令諸門候，隣境異僧勿使入城，恐相黨援，輕改先制。」王允其言，嚴加伺候。提婆既至，不得入城。聞其制令，便易衣服，疊僧加胝，置草束中，褰裳疾驅，負戴而入。既至城中，棄草披衣，至此伽藍，欲求止息。知人既寡，莫有相舍，遂宿揵稚臺上。於晨朝時，便大振擊。眾聞伺察，乃客遊比丘。諸僧伽藍傳聲響應。王聞究問，莫得其先，至此伽藍，咸推提婆。提婆曰：「夫揵稚者，擊以集眾。有而不用，懸之何為？」王人報曰：「先時僧眾論議墮負，制之不擊，已十二年。」提婆曰：「有是乎？吾於今日，重聲法鼓。」使報王曰：「有異沙門欲雪前恥。」王乃召集學人，而定制曰：「論失本宗，殺身以謝。」於是外道競陳旗鼓，諠談異義，各曜辭鋒。提婆菩薩既昇論座，聽其先說，隨義析破，曾不浹辰，摧諸異道。國王大臣莫不慶悅，建此靈基，以旌至德。

At this time lived (Na-kia-'o-la-chu-na) Nâgârjuna Bodhisattva in Southern India, as a youth of high renown for scholarship. When grown up he assumed a lofty title. Giving up his home and its pleasures, he practised himself in the acquisition of the deepest and most excellent principle of learning, and arrived at the first earth (the first degree). He had a great disciple called (Ti-po) Dêva, a man illustrious for wisdom and spiritual energy. This man, arousing himself to action, said, "At Vaisâlî the followers of learning (Buddhist learners) have been defeated in argument by the heretics, and now for twelve years, days, and months together, they have not sounded the ghanta. I am bold enough to wish to overturn the mountain of heresy and to light the torch of true religion." Nagarjuna replied, "The heretics of Vaisali are singularly learned; you are no match for them. I will go myself." Deva said, "In order to trample down some rotten stems why should we overthrow a mountain? I am bold enough to think that by the instructions I have received I can silence all the heretics. But let my master assume the side of the heretics, and I will refute you according to the points of the thesis; and according as the question is decided, let my purpose to go or not be settled."

Then Nagarjuna took the side of the heretics, and Deva set himself to overthrow his arguments. After seven days Nagarjuna lost his superiority (was defeated), and said with a sigh, "False positions are easily lost; erroneous doctrines are defended with difficulty. You yourself can go; you will overthrow those men." Deva Bodhisattva's early reputation being known to the heretics of Vaisali, they forthwith called an assembly, and went at once to the king, saying, "Maharaja! you formerly condescended to attend to us and bind the Sramanas, not to sound the ghanta. We pray you issue an order that no foreign Sramana be allowed to enter the city, lest they should combine together to bring about an alteration in the former law." The king consented to their request, and gave strict orders to his officers to carry it out (to spy narrowly). Deva having come to the city, was not able to enter it; having understood the order, he made arrangements to change his garments, and wrapped up his kashdya robe in a bundle of grass (shrubs); then tucking up his garments, he went straight on with his bundle on his back, and entered the city. Having come to the middle of the city, he threw away his grass bundle, put on his robes, and came to this sangharama, intending to stop there. Knowing few people there, he had no place to lodge, and so he took up his night's rest in the Ghanta Tower, and at early dawn he struck it (the ghanta) with all his might.

The people hearing it, on investigating the matter, found that the stranger of yesternight was a travelling Bhikshu. Forthwith all the sangharamas repeated the sounds (of the ghanta). The king hearing the noise, and inquiring about it closely, could not ascertain the origin of it all; coming to this sangharama, they at length charged Deva with the deed. Deva answering said, "The ghanta is struck to assemble the congregation; if it is not used for that purpose, what use is it?" The king's people answered, "In former days the congregation of priests having been defeated in argument, it was decided the ghanta should not be sounded any more, and this is twelve years since." Deva said, "Is it so? Nevertheless, I venture to sound afresh the drum of the law." The messenger told the king saying, "There is a strange Sramana who wishes to wipe out the former disgrace (of the priests)." Then the king assembled the men of learning (the Buddhists), and said, by way of decree, "Whoever is defeated shall die, as a proof of his inferiority."

To the north-west of Amalaka stupa, in the middle of an old sangharama, is a stupa; it is called "establishing the sound of the ghanta (Kin-t'i)." At first there were about 100 sangharamas in this city; the priests were grave and learned, and of high moral character. The scholars among the heretics were silent and dumb. But afterwards, when that generation of priests had died out, their successors were not equal to those gone before. Then the teachers of the heretics, during the interval, gave themselves to earnest study with a view to the mastery. Whereupon they summoned their partisans, numbering 1000 to 10,000, to assemble together within the priest's precincts, and then they addressed them saying, with a loud voice, "Strike loudly the ghantâ and summon all the learned men; let the foolish ones also stop and dispute; if we are wrong, let them overthrow us" (or, to overthrow their errors). They then addressed the king and asked him to decide between the weak and the strong. And now the heretical masters were men of high talent and marked learning; the priests, although numerous, were weak in their points of verbal discussion. The heretics said, "We have got the victory; from this time forth let no sanghârâma dare to sound the ghantâ to call together a congregation." The king confirmed this result of the discussion, and, in agreement with it, bound the priests to the penalty. They on their part retired with shame and chagrin. For twelve years the ghantâ was not sounded.

Then the heretics came together with their flags and drums, and began to discuss together with respect to their opinions; each displayed the point of his argument to his best ability. Then Deva Bodhisattva, having mounted the preaching-throne, attending to their former arguments, and following each point, refuted them one by one. In less than one hour he refuted the sectaries, and the king and his ministers being satisfied, raised this venerable monument in honour of his extreme virtue (reverence). To the north of the stupa built where the ghanta was sounded is an old foundation. This was the dwelling-place of a Brahman that was inspired by demons. At the beginning there was in this city a Brahman who had constructed for himself a hut in a wild and desert spot far from the haunts of men ; he sacrificed to demons, seeking religious merit. By the assistance of such spiritual connection he discoursed in a high tone and disputed with eagerness. The report (echo) of his eloquent discourses resounded through the world. If any one came to propose a difficult question, he answered him after letting down a curtain. Old men of learning and of high talent could not wrest from him his precedence. Officers and people were silenced in his presence, and looked on him as a saint. At this time lived Asvaghosha Bodhisattva (O-shi-po-kiu-sha-pu-sa). His wisdom embraced all subjects, and in his career he had traversed the arguments of the three Vehicles (Little, Great, and Middle Vehicle ? ).