經律異相 5.22

5.22

昔波羅奈國有山。去城四五十里。有五沙門。處山學道。晨旦出山人間乞食。食訖還山晚暮乃到。往還疲極不堪坐禪。思惟正定歷年如是。不能得道。佛愍念之。勞而無獲。化作一道人。往到其所。問諸道人。隱居修道得無勞倦。諸沙門言。吾等在此。去城大遠。四大之身當須飯食。日日往還。疲勞歷歲。不得修道。為當正爾畢命而已。道人語曰。夫為道者以戒為本。攝心為行。賤形貴真。朽棄軀命。食以支形。守意正定。內學止觀。滅意得道。養身從情。安得免苦。願諸道人。明日莫行。吾當供養。諸道人休息一日。時五沙門意大歡喜。怪未曾有。安心定意。不復憂行。明日中此化道人送食。食訖安和心意恬惔。理化道人為說偈已顯現佛身相光之容。是五沙門精神震疊。咸思惟戒。即得阿羅漢道（出法句譬經第三）。

Long ago, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, there was a mountain forty to fifty li from the city. Five śramaṇas dwelled in the mountain practicing the Way. In the early morning they would leave the mountain to beg for food among the people; when the meal was finished, they returned to the mountain, arriving only at nightfall. Going back and forth, they were utterly exhausted and unable to sit in meditation. They contemplated right concentration in this way for years, yet could not attain the Way. The Buddha, pitying them for their toil without gain, transformed into a practitioner and went to their place. He asked the practitioners: “Living in seclusion to cultivate the Way, are you not exhausted?” The śramaṇas said: “We reside here, very far from the city. The body of the four great elements requires food. Going back and forth day after day, we have been fatigued for years and unable to cultivate the Way; we can only end our lives just like this.” The practitioner told them: “One who practices the Way takes the precepts as the root and restraining the mind as the practice. One holds the body cheap and values truth, casting off the decaying body and life. Food is only to sustain the body. Guard your intent in right concentration, internally cultivate calming and insight, and by extinguishing the mind attain the Way. If you nourish the body and indulge desires, how can you escape suffering? May you practitioners not go out tomorrow; I will provide for you, so that you may rest for a day.” The five śramaṇas were greatly delighted, marveling at this unprecedented offer. Settling their minds, they no longer worried about going out. At noon the next day, this transformed practitioner brought food. When they had finished eating, at peace and with minds calm and serene, the transformed practitioner spoke a verse for them and then manifested the marks, radiance, and appearance of the Buddha's body. The five śramaṇas were deeply shaken in spirit; all contemplated the precepts and immediately attained the fruit of arhatship (from the third fascicle of the Dharmapada Avadāna Sūtra).