經律異相 22.18

22.18

舍利弗有一沙彌。名曰純頭。年八歲得六神通。飛騰虛空至阿耨泉。有五通梵志。名曰須拔。亦至彼泉。時彼泉上。有守泉青衣鬼。驅逐五通梵志。瓦石打擲不使逼近神泉。純頭沙彌乘虛空至。彼青衣鬼數百之眾皆前迎逆。或前收攝衣者。或持淨水洗手足者。或以淨巾拂拭首面者。或以香湯沐浴身體者。須拔梵志放聲說曰。我今已得五通神德無量。力能移山住流。迴轉天地猶掌迴珠。自學道以來百二十餘年。勞形苦體形神疲極。或事五明。四處然火。日光上照。或臥灰糞。或臥荊棘嶮難之中。無道不學。然更驅逐不得至泉。然此黑衣小兒。年在七八。未離乳哺。身體穢臭待敬過重。用何等故。時青衣鬼語梵志曰。今此學士。形年雖小行過三界。得賢聖八品道。汝今無是故不興敬。有一婆羅門。名曰閱叉。興立一寺。亦名閱叉。恒供給酥油供寺然燈。時有遠方婆羅門。來至彼寺中。又聞閱叉梵志高才明德。偏信佛法建立神廟與共相見。時有一沙彌。來迎取油酥。供寺然燈。眾多梵志。語閱叉婆羅門曰。汝審向色衣人禮耶。言語未訖沙彌已至。即復禮之。眾多梵志。語此梵志曰。汝出四姓才藝過人。天文地理無不觀練。神呪感靈無事不剋。今此色衣之人。出眾多姓。種非真正。何為違本法而向恭禮。又卿梵志執行清淨。自修內藏圖讖祕記。行道成福何願不剋。文字章印無不周悉。佛行寡鮮有何可貴。捨本取末是我所疾。蓋聞沙門寒賤。巧詐繁滋幻惑世人。所行短促齊榮一身。不能延致梵福。正使相見正可擎捲而已。何為五體投地恭敬作禮耶。我等親見甚怪所以。況先學大人。豈能恕卿此罪耶。閱叉報眾多婆羅門曰。諸人靜默聽我所說。

Śāriputra had a novice named Cunda who, at the age of eight, had attained the six supernormal powers and flew through the air to Lake Anavatapta. There was a brahmacārin with five supernormal powers named Subhadra who also went to that lake. At that time, beside that lake, blue-clad ghosts guarding the lake drove away the brahmacārin of five supernormal powers, throwing tiles and stones so as not to allow him to approach the divine lake. When the novice Cunda arrived flying through the air, those blue-clad ghosts, several hundred in number, all came forward to welcome him: some came forward to hold his robes, some held pure water to wash his hands and feet, some wiped his head and face with pure cloths, and some bathed his body with fragrant warm water. The brahmacārin Subhadra raised his voice and said, "I have now attained the five supernormal powers and my spiritual virtue is immeasurable; my power can move mountains, halt flowing waters, and rotate heaven and earth like turning a pearl in my palm. Since studying the Way for over one hundred and twenty years, I have toiled my form and tormented my body, exhausted in form and spirit: sometimes serving the five fires, lighting fires in four places with the sunlight shining from above; sometimes lying in ashes and dung, or lying amid thorny and rugged perils—there is no path I have not studied. Yet I was driven away and not allowed to reach the lake. But this little black-robed boy, aged seven or eight, not yet separated from nursing, his body foul and stinking, is treated with such excessive reverence. For what reason is this?" Then the blue-clad ghosts said to the brahmacārin, "Although this scholar's form and age are small, his practice transcends the three realms, having attained the noble eightfold path. You do not have this now, which is why we do not pay reverence." There was a brāhmaṇa named Yakṣa who established a monastery, also called Yakṣa, and constantly supplied clarified butter and oil to supply the monastery for lighting lamps. At that time, a brāhmaṇa from a distant place came to that monastery; having also heard of the brahmacārin Yakṣa's eminent talent and bright virtue, and that he especially believed in the Buddha's Dharma and had established a divine shrine, he met with him. At that time, a novice came to receive the butter and oil to supply the monastery for lighting lamps. The many brahmacārins said to the brāhmaṇa Yakṣa, "Do you really bow down to this man in dyed robes?" Before the words were finished, the novice had already arrived, and [Yakṣa] immediately bowed to him again. The many brahmacārins said to this brahmacārin, "You come from the four castes with talent and skill surpassing others; there is nothing in astronomy or geography you have not mastered; your divine spells move the spirits and there is nothing you cannot accomplish. Now this person in dyed robes comes from among many castes and his lineage is not pure. Why do you violate our original tradition to reverently bow to him? Moreover, you, brahmacārin, maintain pure conduct, cultivate the inner treasury of diagrams, prognostication texts, and secret records; in practicing the Way to accomplish merit, what wish is not fulfilled? You are fully versed in texts, seals, and tallies. The Buddha's practice is scant and rare; what is there to value in it? Abandoning the root to take up the branches is what I despise. We have heard that śramaṇas are base and lowly, their deceit and artifice flourish, and they delude the people of the world; what they practice is short-lived, sufficient only for the glory of a single life, and cannot bring about brahmic blessings. Even if you meet, you should merely raise folded hands and no more; why cast your five limbs to the ground and pay homage with reverence? We have seen it ourselves and are extremely astonished at the reason. How much less could the elders of our previous tradition pardon you for this offense?" Yakṣa answered the many brāhmaṇas, "Be quiet, all of you, and listen to what I say: