經律異相 35.19

35.19

舍衛國有大長者。名須達多（賢愚經始云。大臣四部律並呼居士）常給施孤獨乞兒。人以為號。先有田業在王舍城。年年履行（大涅槃賢愚二經云為兒𨉯婦詣王舍城）寄止長者護彌家（中本起經云。迦蘭陀。大涅槃經云珊檀那）。夜起掃治宅舍辦餚饍。須達問之。答曰。迦毘羅城有釋種子。名悉達多。姓瞿曇氏。其生未久相師占之。定當作轉輪王。心不願樂。捨之出家。無師自覺得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。於諸眾生其心平等故號為佛。明受我請。又問。今在何處。答曰。在迦蘭陀竹林精舍（十誦律云寒林）須達多一心念佛所有功德。忽然大明。尋光而出至尸呵城門。佛神力故自然而開（四分律云神即開門）出門路有天祠。須達致敬尋還黑闇。心生惶怖。復欲還反城門。有大天神。告須達言。仁者見佛當獲善利。盡閻浮提所得功德。不如發心一步詣如來所。須達問曰。汝是誰耶。答曰。我是信相婆羅門子（四分律云我是私訶神）是汝往昔善知識。我因往昔見舍利弗大目揵連禮拜歡喜。捨身得作北方天王毘沙門子。專知守護此城（十誦律大同）況見如來禮拜供養。須達禮佛。佛如應說法。得須陀洹道（出大涅槃第二十七卷又出雜阿含第二十卷中本起四部律皆大同小異）。

In the country of Śrāvastī there was a great elder named Sudatta (the *Damamūka-nidāna-sūtra* first says he was a minister; the Vinayas of the four schools all call him a householder). Because he constantly gave alms to the destitute, orphans, and beggars, people used this as his epithet. Formerly he had farmland and property in Rājagṛha, which he inspected year after year (the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* and *Damamūka-nidāna-sūtra* say he went to Rājagṛha to seek a wife for his son). He lodged at the house of the elder Homi (the *Zhong benqi jing* says Kalanda; the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra* says Śaṇḍāna). In the night [his host] arose to sweep and clean the residence and prepare fine dishes. Sudatta asked him [about it], and he replied, “In the city of Kapilavastu there is a scion of the Śākyas named Siddhārtha, of the Gautama clan. Not long after he was born, a physiognomist divined his fortune [and said] he would definitely become a wheel-turning king. His mind took no delight in this, and he renounced home to become a monastic. Without a teacher, he realized by himself and attained anuttarā samyaksambodhi. Because his mind is impartial toward all sentient beings, he is called ‘Buddha.’ Tomorrow he has accepted my invitation.” He further asked, “Where is he now?” [The host] replied, “He is at the Kalandaka Bamboo Grove Monastery (the *Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya* says the Cool Grove).” Sudatta single-mindedly contemplated all the merits of the Buddha. Suddenly there was a great radiance. Following the light, he went out and reached the city gate of Śiha. Due to the Buddha’s supernatural power, it opened by itself (the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* says a spirit immediately opened the gate). Outside the gate, along the road, there was a shrine to a god. Sudatta paid homage, and suddenly darkness returned. Fear and dread arose in his heart, and he wished to turn back to the city gate. A great heavenly deity spoke to Sudatta, saying, “Noble one, seeing the Buddha you shall obtain wholesome benefits. All the merit to be gained in the whole of Jambudvīpa does not equal a single step taken with an aspiring mind to go to the Tathāgata’s dwelling.” Sudatta asked, saying, “Who are you?” He replied, “I am the son of the brāhmaṇa Xinxiang (the *Dharmaguptaka-vinaya* says, ‘I am the spirit of Sīha’), your spiritual friend of old. In the past, because I saw Śāriputra and Mahāmaudgalyāyana and joyfully bowed to them in homage, when I cast off my body I was able to become a son of Vaiśravaṇa, the Heavenly King of the North, specially charged with guarding this city (the *Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya* is largely identical). How much more so for one who sees the Tathāgata, bowing and making offerings!” Sudatta paid homage to the Buddha, and the Buddha preached the Dharma to him as appropriate. He attained the path of a srotāpanna (taken from fascicle 27 of the *Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra*, and also fascicle 20 of the *Saṃyuktāgama*; the *Zhong benqi jing* and the Vinayas of the four schools are largely identical with minor differences).