經律異相 20.11

20.11

摩頭羅國。尼拘類園中。有一比丘。靜處坐禪。復有毒蛇。床下蟠臥。比丘睡眠。或低或仰。毒蛇自念。此人見恐必欲殺我。即舉身擲。比丘命終生忉利天。諸天玉女各來衛侍。天子告曰。汝等諸妹莫近我身。設當近者必犯於戒。諸女自念。此天前身必是沙門。故生此間受天之福。時諸天女各執鏡前照天子面。見天衣冠。方覺生天。即從坐起。見諸衛從。行至園中。坐一樹下。端坐思惟求定三昧。池水之中有異類鳥。相對悲鳴。聲哀響和。欲求成道。不能得辦。是時天子。從三十三天至閻浮提。到世尊所。白言。受天福盡。下入泰山地獄。如是流轉無有窮已。當見愍濟令得度脫。佛為說法。即於坐上諸塵垢盡得法眼淨（出比丘坐禪命過生天經）。

In the kingdom of Mathurā, within the Nyagrodha park, there was a monk sitting in meditation in a quiet place. There was also a venomous snake coiled beneath his seat. As the monk dozed, his head lowered and raised. The venomous snake thought to itself: “This man, seeing me, must surely intend to kill me.” It immediately sprang with its whole body [and bit him]. The monk died and was reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. The heavenly maidens came to attend and serve him. The devaputra told them, “Sisters, do not approach my body; if you approach, you will surely cause me to violate the precepts.” The maidens thought to themselves: “This deity must have been a śramaṇa in his past life, which is why he was reborn here to enjoy heavenly blessings.” The heavenly maidens then held mirrors before the devaputra’s face. Seeing his heavenly robes and headdress, he only then realized he had been reborn in heaven. He immediately rose from his seat, saw his attendants, and walked into the garden, sitting down beneath a tree. Sitting upright, he contemplated, seeking samādhi. In the pond there were birds of various kinds, calling out to one another in sorrowful tones, their cries plaintive yet harmonious. He wished to attain the path, but was unable to accomplish it. At that time, the devaputra descended from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven to Jambudvīpa, arrived at the Bhagavat's place, and said: “When my heavenly blessings are exhausted, I shall fall into Mount Tai and the hells; thus wandering in saṃsāra without end. Pray have pity and deliver me, that I may attain liberation.” The Buddha expounded the Dharma for him, and right on his seat, all dust and defilement were eliminated, and he attained the purification of the Dharma-eye (extracted from the Sūtra on the Monk Sitting in Meditation Who Died and Was Reborn in Heaven).