經律異相 14.45

14.45

佛命長老阿難邠坻。當行布施。即起長跪叉手白佛。願佛眾僧。明日降神到舍。欲設麁飯。佛默然受。佛告諸比丘。明旦當上天投日中下會邠坻舍飯。佛以明旦與諸比丘。如彈指頃即昇虛空。時有羅漢。名曰弘檀。即正衣服於虛空中白佛言。我數上天未曾闇冥如今。佛言。有兩龍王大瞋吐霧。是故冥耳。復有羅漢名曰受彼。即白佛言。余欲止之。佛言。龍有大威神。汝往必當興惡吐水。設復殺人民蠕動之類。目連白佛。我欲往諫佛言大善。目連即到龍所。龍見目連即口出烟須臾出火。圍目連一重。目連以道意亦化出火圍龍三重。復變身入龍目中。左入右出右入左出。如是次第從耳鼻入出或飛入其口。龍謂目連在其腹中矣。目連復變身圍龍十四重以身勅兩龍。龍大恐怖尾扇海水動須彌山。佛遙告目連。此龍尚能吐水沒殺天下。汝且慎之。目連白佛。我有四禪神足常信行之。我能取是須彌山及兩龍。著掌中拋擲他方。又能以手撮磨須彌山令碎如塵。使諸天人無覺知者。兩龍聞之即便降伏。目連還復沙門。龍化為人稽首作禮悔過目連。愚迷狂惑不識尊神。觸犯雲霧乞哀原罪。兩龍懺悔前受五戒。稽首佛足作禮而去（出降龍經）。

The Buddha instructed the elder Anāthapiṇḍada to practice giving. [Anāthapiṇḍada] immediately arose, knelt on both knees, pressed his palms together, and addressed the Buddha: "I pray that the Buddha and the saṅgha will descend with their spiritual presence to my house tomorrow, where I wish to provide coarse food." The Buddha accepted in silence. The Buddha told the monks: "Tomorrow morning we shall ascend to the heavens, and around midday descend to assemble at Piṇḍada's house for the meal." The next morning, in the time of a finger-snap, the Buddha and the monks ascended into empty space. At that time there was an arhat named Hongtan who adjusted his robes and, while in empty space, addressed the Buddha: "I have ascended to the heavens many times, but it has never been dark like this." The Buddha said: "There are two nāga kings who are furious and breathing out mist; that is why it is dark." There was another arhat named Shoubi who addressed the Buddha: "I wish to stop them." The Buddha said: "The nāgas possess great transcendent majesty; if you go, they will surely give rise to malice and spout water, perhaps killing people and creeping, crawling creatures." Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha: "I wish to go and admonish them." The Buddha said: "Very good." Maudgalyāyana immediately went to the nāgas' place. When the nāgas saw Maudgalyāyana, smoke immediately came out of their mouths, and in an instant fire issued forth, encircling Maudgalyāyana once. Maudgalyāyana, by means of his mental power of the Path, also transformed fire that encircled the nāgas three times. Furthermore, he transformed his body to enter into the nāgas' eyes, entering through the left and exiting through the right, entering through the right and exiting through the left. In this order he entered and exited their ears and nostrils, or flew into their mouths. The nāgas thought that Maudgalyāyana was inside their bellies. Maudgalyāyana again transformed his body, encircling the nāgas fourteen times, and reprimanded the two nāgas with his body. The nāgas were terrified; their tails stirred the seawater, shaking Mount Sumeru. From afar, the Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: "These nāgas are still able to spout water to submerge and kill all under heaven. You should be cautious." Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha: "I possess the supernormal powers of the four dhyānas, which I always faithfully practice. I am able to take this Mount Sumeru and the two nāgas, place them in the palm of my hand, and toss them to another realm. I can also crush and grind Mount Sumeru with my hand, turning it into dust, without the devas and humans noticing it." When the two nāgas heard this, they immediately submitted. Maudgalyāyana returned to the form of a śramaṇa. The nāgas transformed into humans, bowed their heads in homage, and repented their faults to Maudgalyāyana: "We were foolish, deluded, and raving, failing to recognise the honoured spirit, and offended you with clouds and mist. We beg for mercy and pardon for our crime." The two nāgas repented, came forward to receive the five precepts, bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet, made obeisance, and departed (taken from the Jianglong jing).