經律異相 8.38

8.38

善男子乃昔過去佛日未出。我於爾時作婆羅門。修菩薩行。悉能通達外道經論。修寂滅行具足威儀。其心清淨不為外欲所能破壞。滅瞋恚火。受持常樂我淨之法。周遍求索大乘經典。乃至不聞方等名字。住於雪山繫心坐禪經無量歲。修難行苦行。爾時釋提桓因自變其身作羅剎像。形甚可畏。下至雪山去其不遠而便立住。是時羅剎心無所畏勇健難當。辯才次第其聲清雅。宣過去佛所說半偈。

Good son, in the distant past before the sun of the Buddha had arisen, at that time I was a brāhmaṇa cultivating the bodhisattva practice. I was able to thoroughly comprehend the sūtras and treatises of non-Buddhists, cultivated quiescent practice, and was endowed with decorous conduct. My mind was pure and could not be corrupted by external desires; I extinguished the fire of anger, and upheld the Dharma of permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Searching everywhere for the Mahāyāna scriptures, I had not yet even heard the name of Vaipulya. Residing in the snowy mountains, I focused my mind in meditation for immeasurable years, practicing difficult and austere deeds. At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra transformed his body into the likeness of a rākṣasa of extremely terrifying form. He descended to the snowy mountains, stood not far from him, and remained there. At that time, the rākṣasa was fearless in mind, valiant and formidable, eloquent in orderly succession, and of a clear and refined voice. He proclaimed half a verse spoken by a past Buddha: