經律異相 7.15

7.15

佛告目連。汝往迦毘羅城。問訊我父母我叔及我夷母。慰喻羅睺羅母。令割恩愛。放羅睺羅使作沙彌。母子恩愛歡樂須臾。死墮地獄各不相知。羅睺得道當還渡母。永絕生死如我今也。目連至國。具陳佛意。耶輸陀羅聞佛遣使來。取羅睺將登高樓。約勅監官好閉門閤悉令堅牢。目連飛上。耶輸陀羅不得已作禮。問曰。世尊無恙。遣上人來欲何所為。目連曰太子羅睺年已九歲。應令出家修學聖道。具陳佛意。答曰。釋迦如來為太子時娶我為妻。奉事太子如事天神。未滿三年捨五欲樂。騰越宮城。逃至王田。自約得道。誓願當歸。得道還國。都不見親。忘忽恩舊。劇於路人。使我守孤抱窮。今奪我子為其眷屬。何酷如之。太子成道自言慈悲。今別母子何慈之有。還向世尊說我所陳。目連辭退。還淨飯王所具陳上事。王聞是語即告夫人波闍波提。我子悉達。遣迎羅云修學聖法。其母女人愚癡纏著愛無縱捨。卿可往諫令其心悟。夫人反覆再三。耶輸陀羅猶故不聽。白夫人曰。我在家時。八國諸王。競來見求。父母不許。以太子才藝過人。是故父母以我與之。太子欲不住世。何故慇懃苦求我耶。夫人取婦。正為恩好。子孫相續。世之正禮。太子既去。復索羅睺。永絕國嗣。有何義哉。夫人聞是。默然無言。佛遣化人。空中言曰。汝憶往古誓不。我為菩薩。以五百銀錢從汝買五莖華上定光佛。汝求寄二華乞世世生處常為君妻。我語汝言。我為菩薩一切布施。汝即立誓。世世所生國城妻子乃至自身。隨君施與。何故今日愛惜羅睺。耶輸陀羅霍然還悟如昨所見。愛子稍歇。遣喚目連追相懺謝。捉羅睺手慇懃付囑。泣淚而別。羅睺啟母。定省世尊。願母莫愁。尋還奉覲。淨飯王告諸豪族。卿等各遣一子。隨從我孫。即有五十人。隨從往到佛所。頭面作禮。佛使阿難剃羅睺頭及五十公子。悉令出家。命舍利弗為和上。大目連作闍梨授其十戒。佛為五十沙彌。說扇提羅等宿世罪報（文多不載）皆大憂愁。咸白佛言。和上大智德受最上供養。小兒愚而無德。食人好施。後世受苦如扇提羅。是故我等實懷憂慮。願佛垂愍聽我捨道。冀免罪咎。佛言。譬如二人飢餓。忽遇主人設美飲食。貪噉過飽。一人有智。醫服吐藥。禁節消息。得免禍患終保年壽。一人無智。殺生祭祠以求濟命。宿食絞切。心痛死已。生地獄中。畏罪還家。是無智人。汝有善因。遭值於我。服藥濟苦。必得不死。羅睺聞之。心開意解。佛後還宮。人疑拘夷。大子棄國十有二年。何從生子。佛啟父王曰。拘夷守節清貞信無瑕疵。化眾比丘皆使如佛。羅云七歲問誰是汝父。羅云應時直前趣佛作禮。以母印信環。授與世尊（出未曾有經上分彌沙塞律云佛還宮羅云樓上遙見便下乞佛餘財佛使舍利弗度為沙彌）。

The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'Go to the city of Kapilavastu. Inquire after my parents, my uncle, and my aunt. Comfort and instruct Rāhula's mother, causing her to sever affectionate attachment and let Rāhula go to become a novice monk (śrāmaṇera). The affectionate joy between mother and child lasts but a moment; upon dying they fall into hell, each unaware of the other. When Rāhula attains the Way, he shall return to deliver his mother, cutting off birth and death forever, just as I have now.' Maudgalyāyana arrived in the kingdom and explained the Buddha's intent in full. When Yaśodharā heard that the Buddha had sent a messenger to take Rāhula, she was about to climb a tall tower. She instructed the guards to firmly shut the gates and doors, ordering that all be secured. Maudgalyāyana flew up. Having no choice, Yaśodharā made obeisance and asked: 'Is the Bhagavat free from illness? What does he wish by sending the venerable one here?' Maudgalyāyana said: 'The prince Rāhula is already nine years old; he should be made to leave household life and study the noble Way.' He then explained the Buddha's intent in full. She answered: 'When the Tathāgata Śākyamuni was a prince, he took me as his wife. I served the prince as though serving a heavenly deity. In less than three years, he abandoned the pleasures of the five desires, leapt over the palace walls, and fled to the royal fields, pledging that when he attained the Way he would surely return. Having attained the Way and returned to the kingdom, he did not visit his kin at all, disregarding past love and kindness worse than a stranger on the road. He made me endure solitude and embrace misery. Now he would snatch away my child to be his follower—what cruelty could match this? When the prince attained the Way, he himself spoke of kindness and compassion; now he separates mother and child—what compassion is there in this? Return to the Bhagavat and speak as I have related.' Maudgalyāyana took his leave and returned to King Śuddhodana's dwelling, where he reported these matters in full. Hearing these words, the king at once said to Lady Pajāpatī: 'My son Siddhārtha has sent for Rāhula to study the noble Dharma. His mother, being a woman, is foolish and bound by clinging, loving without letting go. You may go and admonish her, bringing her mind to awakening.' The lady reasoned with her repeatedly, yet Yaśodharā still would not listen, saying to the lady: 'When I was at home, kings of eight realms vied to seek my hand, but my parents did not consent. Because the prince's talents and arts surpassed others, my parents gave me to him. If the prince did not wish to remain in the world, why did he so earnestly and laboriously seek me? When a noblewoman marries, it is truly for affection and fondness, and to carry on the lineage of descendants—the proper conduct of the world. Since the prince has already left, and now seeks Rāhula as well, severing forever the royal succession, what justice is there in that?' Hearing this, the lady was silent and had no words. The Buddha then sent an apparition who spoke from the air: 'Do you remember your ancient vow or not? When I was a bodhisattva, I bought five stalks of flowers from you with five hundred silver coins to offer to Dīpaṅkara Buddha. You asked to contribute two stalks, requesting that in life after life wherever we were born, you would always be my wife. I said to you: "As a bodhisattva, I give all in charity." You then made a vow: "In life after life wherever we are born, realms, cities, wives, children, and even my own body—all may be given away as you wish." Why do you now begrudge Rāhula?' Yaśodharā suddenly awakened, as though seeing yesterday's events. Her clinging to her beloved son gradually subsided. She sent for Maudgalyāyana, repented and apologised to him, held Rāhula's hand, earnestly entrusted him, and parted in tears. Rāhula addressed his mother: 'I go to pay my respects to the Bhagavat. Mother, please do not grieve; I shall soon return to see you.' King Śuddhodana told the grand clans: 'Let each of you send one son to accompany my grandson.' Fifty persons thereupon accompanied him to the Buddha's presence and bowed their heads in obeisance. The Buddha had Ānanda shave the heads of Rāhula and the fifty young gentlemen, causing them all to leave household life. He commanded Śāriputra to serve as preceptor (upādhyāya) and Mahāmaudgalyāyana to serve as ācārya to confer the ten precepts upon them. The Buddha preached to the fifty novices about the past karmic retribution of Śaṇḍila and others (too lengthy to record), and they were all greatly distressed. They all addressed the Buddha: 'Our preceptor has great wisdom and virtue, so he receives the highest offerings. We boys are foolish and without virtue; eating people's generous offerings, we will suffer in future lives like Śaṇḍila. Therefore we are truly anxious. May the Buddha have pity and permit us to abandon the Way, hoping to avoid sin and fault.' The Buddha said: 'Suppose there were two starving men who suddenly met a host providing fine food and drink, and greedily ate until overly full. One had wisdom: he took emetics from a physician, observed restraint, and took care of himself, thereby escaping calamity and in the end preserving his lifespan. The other was without wisdom: he killed living beings and performed sacrifices to save his life; the retained food caused wrenching pain, and he died of agony in his heart, being born into hell. Returning home out of fear of guilt—that is the person without wisdom. You have wholesome causes and have encountered me; taking the medicine to relieve suffering, you will surely attain deathlessness.' Hearing this, Rāhula's mind opened and his thoughts understood. Later, when the Buddha returned to the palace, people suspected Gopā: 'The prince abandoned the kingdom twelve years ago; whence was this child born?' The Buddha addressed the father-king: 'Gopā maintained pure and faithful chastity, truly without blemish.' He transformed the community of monks so that all resembled the Buddha. Rāhula, aged seven, was asked: 'Who is your father?' Rāhula immediately stepped forward, went up to the Buddha, made obeisance, and handed his mother's signet ring to the Bhagavat. (From the first part of the Sūtra of What Has Never Been; the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya states that when the Buddha returned to the palace, Rāhula saw him from afar on the tower and came down to beg the Buddha for his remaining wealth, and the Buddha had Śāriputra ordain him as a novice monk).