[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [經律異相](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121) › 4.15 # 經律異相 4.15 經律異相 4.15 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [4.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4.15) 佛在拘尸那城力士生地阿夷羅跋提河邊娑羅雙樹間。與大比丘八十億百千人俱。前後圍繞。二月十五日（菩薩從兜率天下經云三月八日）臨涅槃時。以佛神力出大音聲。乃至有頂。隨其音類。普告一切。今日如來。憐愍眾生。為作歸依。大覺世尊將欲涅槃。一切眾生若有所疑。今悉可問。為最後問（長阿含經云小異文多不可備載）佛晨朝時。從其面門放種種光。遍照大千世界。乃至十方。六趣眾生。遇斯光者。罪垢煩惱一切消除。眾生見聞心大憂惱。同時舉聲。悲號啼哭。大地山海皆悉震動。時人共言。疾往佛所。勸請如來。莫般涅槃。住世一劫。諸大弟子迦旃延等。遇佛光者。其身戰掉不能自持。舉聲大叫生種種苦。復有八十百千諸比丘。六十億比丘尼。皆阿羅漢。舉身毛竪遍體血現。如波羅沙華。復有一億恒河沙菩薩。位偕十住。二恒河沙優婆塞。三恒河沙優婆夷。四恒河沙離車。五恒河沙長者。六恒河沙諸王。七恒河沙王夫人。八恒河沙天女等。乃至十方佛及弟子。六道大眾。見涅槃相。悲號啼哭不能自持。會中復有拘尸城工巧之子。名曰純陀。與十五人俱禮佛而言。唯願世尊。及比丘眾。哀受我等最後供養。我等從今。無主無親無救無護。貧窮飢困。欲從如來求將來食。唯願哀受我等微供。然後涅槃。佛曰。我今為汝。除斷貧窮。無上法雨雨汝身田。令生法牙。令汝具足檀波羅蜜。時眾歡喜。同聲讚言。希有純陀。佛受汝供。汝真佛子。佛言。純陀。今正是時。如來正爾當般涅槃。第二第三亦復如是。純陀舉聲號哭。復白大眾。我等今共。五體投地。同聲勸佛。莫般涅槃。佛告純陀。莫大啼哭自亂汝心。我以哀愍汝及一切。是故今日欲入涅槃。何以故。諸佛法爾有為亦然。速辦所施。不宜久停。佛又從面門放五色光。照純陀身。純陀身持餚饍。疾往佛所。憂悲悵怏。猶願矜哀住壽一劫。佛言汝欲令我久住者。宜當奉最後具足檀波羅蜜。一切菩薩天人雜類。異口同音唱言。奇哉純陀。成就大福。我等無德。所設供具則為唐捐。世尊欲令一切眾望滿足。於自身上。一一毛孔化無量佛。一一諸佛各有無量諸比丘僧。悉皆示現受其供養。釋迦如來。自受純陀所奉設者。純陀所持粳糧成熟之食。摩伽陀國滿足八斛。以佛神力。皆悉充足一切大會（長阿含經小異文多不載）有疾右脇而臥。如他病人。告迦葉菩薩。是諸眾生。不知大乘方等密語。便謂。如來真實有疾。今於娑羅雙樹間。示現倚臥師子之床欲入涅槃。令諸未得阿羅漢果眾弟子等及諸力士生大憂苦。令天人阿修羅等大設供養。又使諸人。以千端疊。纏裹其身。七寶為棺（菩薩從兜術天下經云如來自擗三衣各取三條鋪金棺裏以襯身臥兩脚相累手以鉢鍚付授阿難）盛滿香油。積諸香木。以火焚之。唯除二端。不可得燒。一極襯身。二最在外。為諸眾生。分散舍利。以為八分。一切聲聞弟子咸言。如來入於涅槃。當知如來。亦不畢定入於涅槃。何以故。如來常住不變易故。已願聞正法。當棄貪婬。遵承我教。精進行道。是為最後佛之遺命。宜共慎之。汝諸比丘。觀佛儀容。難得覩見。却後一億四千餘歲。乃至彌勒佛耳。佛臨涅槃。地大振動。諸天世人皆悉驚怖。諸有幽冥。日月光明。所不至處。皆蒙大明。各得相見。天散華香。時佛滅度。六欲天王。金毘羅神。密迹力士。佛母摩耶。雙樹娑羅園神。各作偈頌。諸比丘悲慟。各自歔欷而言。如來滅度何其駃哉。群生長衰世間眼滅。阿那律告諸比丘。止止勿悲。諸天在上。儻有怪責。諸比丘問。上有幾天。答曰。充塞虛空豈可計量。皆於空中徘徊。搔擾悲號。擗踊歔欷而言。如來滅度何其駃哉。群生長衰世間眼滅（長阿含與雙卷泥洹大同出大涅槃第一卷）阿難比丘今何所在。文殊師利言。在娑羅林外。去此十二由旬。為六萬四千億魔之所嬈亂。是諸魔眾悉自變身。為如來像。說種種法種種示現。阿難念言。昔所未見。誰之所作。將非釋迦。欲發是語。都不從意。阿難受大苦惱。不能得來。佛說大陀羅尼呪。文殊受之。至阿難所。為魔誦說。諸魔王等發菩提心。文殊即與阿難俱還佛所（出菩薩從兜率天下經）諸末羅。集於種種供養。復竟一日以佛舍利。置於床上。諸末羅童舉床。皆不能勝。阿那律言。汝等且止。諸天欲留七日。展諸人民皆得供養。如來三從金棺裏出金色臂。問阿難至。平治道路灑掃燒香未。云何阿難。吾前後所出。方等大乘。汝悉得不。阿難對曰。唯佛知之。佛言如是。諸經今為畢竟。七日末羅童子捧舉四角擎。汝可持幡蓋。燒香散華。作眾伎樂前後導從。安詳而行。入城東門。遍諸街巷。出城北門。渡熙連禪河。到天冠寺。末羅使臣。積香木竟。火燒不然。阿那律言。諸天意以滅火。迦葉將五百弟子從波波國還。願見佛身。迦葉遇一尼乾。手執曼陀羅華。問曰。知我師在不。答曰。滅來七日。我從彼得此華。迦葉不悅。五百弟子婉轉號咷。不能自勝。悲欷言曰。善逝涅槃何其駃哉。時跋難陀言。且莫啼哭。我等於摩呵羅邊。或得解脫。迦葉催諸比丘。疾疾執持衣鉢。往拘尸城。及見舍利。問阿難曰。世尊舍利可得見不。答曰。劫貝裹。白疊纏。內金棺中。藏鐵槨內。衣以香薪。即欲焚難可得見。迦葉三請。答曰如初。前至香𧂐。佛蹋重棺現於兩足（四分律云棺槨自開出現雙足）足下輪相有諸異色。即問阿難。答云。女人心軟。前禮佛時。淚墮手捉。迦葉作禮。大眾同拜。繞樹三匝。各興偈頌。香𧂐處處不燒自然（長阿含雙卷涅槃略同文多不載）火極熾盛。難可止息。娑羅樹神以力滅之（出涅槃長阿含雙卷泥洹又出菩薩從兜術天下經）。 > The Buddha was in Kuśinagara, at the place where the Mallas were born, beside the Ajitavatī River, between the twin śāla trees, together with eighty billion hundred thousand great monks, who surrounded him before and behind. On the fifteenth day of the second month (the Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Descent from Tuṣita Heaven says the eighth day of the third month), when his nirvāṇa was drawing near, using the Buddha's spiritual power he uttered a great voice that reached up to the Peak of Existence. According to their kinds, his voice universally proclaimed to all: “Today the Tathāgata, having pity on sentient beings, acts as their refuge. The Great Awakened World-Honoured One is about to enter nirvāṇa. If any sentient beings have doubts, they may now ask everything as their final questioning.” (The Dīrghāgama differs slightly; its text is voluminous and cannot be fully recorded.) In the early morning, the Buddha emitted various rays of light from his face, universally illuminating the great trichiliocosm and extending to the ten directions. Sentient beings in the six destinies who encountered this light had their sinful defilements and afflictions entirely eradicated. Sentient beings, seeing and hearing this, became greatly anguished in mind; all at once they raised their voices, crying out in grief and weeping bitterly, and the great earth, mountains, and seas all trembled. People at that time said to one another, “Let us hurry to the Buddha's place to entreat the Tathāgata not to enter parinirvāṇa, but to remain in the world for an eon!” Great disciples such as Kātyāyana, upon encountering the Buddha's light, trembled all over and could not contain themselves, wailing aloud and giving rise to all kinds of distress. Furthermore, there were eighty hundred thousand monks and sixty billion nuns, all of them arhats, whose bodily hair stood on end and blood appeared across their entire bodies, like palāśa flowers. There were also bodhisattvas numbering as many as one hundred million Ganges sands, whose stages were equal to the ten abodes; two Ganges sands of upāsakas; three Ganges sands of upāsikās; four Ganges sands of Licchavis; five Ganges sands of elders; six Ganges sands of kings; seven Ganges sands of royal consorts; eight Ganges sands of devīs and so forth, extending to the Buddhas and disciples of the ten directions. The great assemblies of the six destinies, seeing the signs of nirvāṇa, wept and wailed in grief, unable to control themselves. In the assembly there was also an artisan's son of Kuśinagara named Cunda, who, together with fifteen persons, paid homage to the Buddha and said, “We pray only that the World-Honoured One and the assembly of monks compassionately accept our final offering. From now on, we will have no master, no kin, no savior, and no protector; poor, destitute, and hungry, we wish to seek our future food from the Tathāgata. We pray only that you compassionately accept our modest offering, and thereafter enter nirvāṇa.” The Buddha said, “I shall now eradicate your poverty for you, raining the unexcelled rain of Dharma upon the field of your person, causing the sprout of Dharma to grow, and enabling you to fulfill the dāna-pāramitā.” The assembly at that time was filled with joy, praising him in unison, “How rare, Cunda! The Buddha has accepted your offering; you are a true son of the Buddha!” The Buddha said, “Cunda, now is indeed the time; the Tathāgata is just about to enter parinirvāṇa.” The second and third times were also like this. Cunda wept and wailed aloud, and again addressed the great assembly, “Let us now throw ourselves to the ground in full prostration, and together entreat the Buddha not to enter parinirvāṇa!” The Buddha told Cunda, “Do not weep so bitterly and disturb your own mind. Because I pity you and all beings, I wish to enter nirvāṇa today. Why is this? Such is the nature of all Buddhas, and conditioned things are also like this. Quickly prepare what you are offering; it is not fitting to delay for long.” The Buddha again emitted five-colored light from his face, illuminating Cunda's body. Carrying fine food, Cunda hurried to the Buddha's place, filled with sorrow and grief, still hoping that he would take pity and prolong his life for an eon. The Buddha said, “If you wish for me to abide long, you should present your final fulfillment of the dāna-pāramitā.” All the bodhisattvas, devas, humans, and various beings exclaimed in unison with one voice, “How wondrous, Cunda! You have achieved great merit! We lack virtue, and our prepared offerings are rendered in vain.” Wishing to fulfill the hopes of all beings, the World-Honoured One manifested from each single pore of his body countless Buddhas, each of whom had countless monk-saṃghas, all appearing to accept their offerings. Śākyamuni Tathāgata himself received that which was offered and prepared by Cunda. The cooked rice food brought by Cunda amounted to a full eight hu in Magadha, and through the Buddha's spiritual power it completely satisfied the entire great assembly. (The Dīrghāgama differs slightly; its text is voluminous and not recorded.) Manifesting illness, he lay on his right side like other sick people, and said to the Bodhisattva Kāśyapa, “These sentient beings do not understand the esoteric words of the Mahāyāna Vaipulya, and therefore say that the Tathāgata is genuinely sick. Now, between the twin śāla trees, I manifest reclining on a lion couch, wishing to enter nirvāṇa, causing all the disciple assemblies and the Mallas who have not yet attained the fruit of arhatship to give rise to great sorrow and suffering, and causing devas, humans, asuras, and others to make extensive offerings. Moreover, I cause people to wrap my body with a thousand lengths of cotton and place it in a coffin of the seven treasures (the Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Descent from Tuṣita Heaven says that the Tathāgata personally ripped his three robes, took three strips from each, and spread them inside the golden coffin to line the bed under his body, with his two feet placed one upon the other, and with his hands handed over his bowl and staff to Ānanda), filling it with fragrant oil, piling up fragrant woods, and burning it with fire. Only two lengths cannot be burned: the innermost next to the body, and the outermost. For the sake of sentient beings, his relics are distributed into eight portions. All the śrāvaka disciples said, ‘The Tathāgata has entered nirvāṇa.’ You should know that the Tathāgata certainly does not enter nirvāṇa. Why? Because the Tathāgata is permanent and changeless. Having aspired to hear the true Dharma, you must abandon greed and lust, respect and uphold my teaching, and vigorously practice the path. This is the final bequest of the Buddha; you should together be circumspect with it. You monks, look upon the demeanor of the Buddha, for it is difficult to behold! Only after one hundred and forty million more years, until the coming of Maitreya Buddha, \[will a Buddha appear\].” As the Buddha approached nirvāṇa, the earth trembled greatly, and the devas and humans were all terrified. All the dark places, where the light of the sun and moon cannot reach, were bathed in great illumination, and beings were able to see one another. Devas scattered flowers and incense. When the Buddha passed into extinction, the kings of the six desire heavens, the spirit Kumbhīra, the Guhyapāda Malla, the Buddha's mother Māyā, and the spirits of the twin śāla grove each composed verses in praise. The monks were overwhelmed with grief, each sighing and sobbing, saying, “How swift is the Tathāgata's passing into extinction! The multitude of beings will long suffer decline; the eye of the world has been extinguished!” Aniruddha told the monks, “Cease, cease, do not grieve! Devas are above; they might reprove us.” The monks asked, “How many devas are above?” He answered, “They fill empty space—how could they be measured? They all pace back and forth in the sky, agitated, wailing, beating their breasts, leaping, and sighing, saying, ‘How swift is the Tathāgata's passing into extinction! The multitude of beings will long suffer decline; the eye of the world has been extinguished!’” (The Dīrghāgama is largely identical to the two-fascicle Nirvāṇa Sūtra; from the first fascicle of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra.) “Where is the monk Ānanda now?” Mañjuśrī said, “He is outside the śāla grove, twelve yojanas from here, harassed by sixty-four billion māras. These māra hordes all transformed their bodies into the likeness of the Tathāgata, preaching various dharmas and displaying various manifestations. Ānanda thought, ‘I have never seen such a thing before! Who has done this? Could it be Śākyamuni?’ He wished to utter these words, but his voice would not obey his will. Ānanda suffered great distress and was unable to come.” The Buddha preached a great dhāraṇī spell, which Mañjuśrī received. Going to Ānanda's place, he chanted it to the māras, and the māra kings and others all gave rise to the bodhicitta. Mañjuśrī then returned with Ānanda to the Buddha's place. (From the Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Descent from Tuṣita Heaven.) The Mallas gathered various offerings, and after a whole day had passed, they placed the Buddha's relics upon a litter. The Malla youths tried to lift the litter, but none could bear its weight. Aniruddha said, “Stop for a moment. The devas wish to keep it for seven days, so that all the people may make offerings.” Three times the Tathāgata extended his golden arm from within the golden coffin and asked, “Has Ānanda arrived? Have the roads been leveled and swept, and incense burned? How is it, Ānanda, the Vaipulya Mahāyāna scriptures that I have delivered before and after—have you mastered them all or not?” Ānanda replied, “Only the Buddha knows.” The Buddha said, “It is so. The various sūtras are now concluded.” On the seventh day, the Malla youths held up the four corners to carry it: “You may hold banners and canopies, burn incense and scatter flowers, perform various kinds of music, escorting before and behind, walking with solemn composure, entering through the eastern gate of the city, traversing all the streets and alleys, exiting through the northern gate of the city, crossing the Hiraṇyavatī River, and arriving at the Makuṭabandhana Temple.” The Malla officials had finished piling up the fragrant wood, but when set on fire, it would not burn. Aniruddha said, “The devas' intention has extinguished the fire. Kāśyapa is returning from the kingdom of Pāvā with five hundred disciples, wishing to see the Buddha's body.” Kāśyapa met a Nirgrantha holding a māndārava flower in his hand, and asked, “Do you know whether my Master is still living?” He answered, “Seven days have passed since he entered extinction. I obtained this flower from there.” Kāśyapa was distressed; his five hundred disciples rolled on the ground and wailed bitterly, unable to contain themselves, sighing in sorrow and saying, “How swift is the Sugata's nirvāṇa!” At that time Upananda said, “Stop crying for a moment! Now that we are rid of that old Mahāśramaṇa, we may find release.” Kāśyapa urged the monks, “Quickly take up your robes and bowls, and go to the city of Kuśi!” When they reached the relics, he asked Ānanda, “May the relics of the World-Honoured One be seen?” He replied, “Wrapped in karpāsa cotton, wound in white fine cloth, placed inside a golden coffin, deposited within an iron outer coffin, and covered with fragrant firewood, it is about to be cremated; it cannot be seen.” Kāśyapa requested three times, and was answered as before. Approaching the fragrant pyre, the Buddha stepped through the double coffin and manifested both of his feet (the Fourfold Vinaya says that the coffins opened of themselves and revealed both feet). Beneath his feet, the wheel marks bore unusual colors; he immediately asked Ānanda about it, who replied, “Women are soft-hearted; earlier, when paying homage to the Buddha, their tears fell and they touched them with their hands.” Kāśyapa paid homage, and the great assembly bowed together, circumambulated the trees three times, and each composed verses. The fragrant pyre spontaneously caught fire everywhere without being lit. (The Dīrghāgama and the two-fascicle Nirvāṇa Sūtra are roughly identical; its text is voluminous and not recorded.) The fire burned extremely fiercely and was difficult to quench; the spirit of the śāla tree extinguished it with its power. (From the Nirvāṇa Sūtra, the Dīrghāgama, the two-fascicle Nirvāṇa Sūtra, and also from the Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Descent from Tuṣita Heaven.) > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 4.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4.14) - [Next: 4.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4.16) - [Up: 4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121~en-mt.4.15) — English, machine translation ## Linked texts (2) - [佛祖統紀](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2035.4.18) — 志磐, Classical Chinese - [釋迦譜](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2040.4.7) — 僧祐, Classical Chinese --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2121.4.15) · Pramāṇa