經律異相 12.8

12.8

At that time, there was a bodhisattva named Shangshou, who acted as a mendicant and entered the city to beg for food. There was a monk named Gaṅgā, who said to the mendicant, 'Where have you come from?' He replied, 'I have come from the true reality.' Gaṅgā asked, 'What is meant by the true reality?' He replied, 'Because it has the characteristic of quiescent cessation, it is called the true reality.' Gaṅgā asked, 'Where should one seek the true Dharma?' He replied, 'One should seek it within the six pāramitās.' Gaṅgā rejoiced, bowed at Shangshou's feet, and asked, 'With what kind of food should one make an offering to this person?' Shangshou replied, 'You should offer the flavour of sudhā.' Gaṅgā then went to the market place and cried out, 'I wish to sell my body; who wants to buy it?' There was a householder named Vinodaka, who asked him, 'I want to buy you. What do you require?' Gaṅgā replied, 'I require sudhānara.' He said, 'How many do you want?' Gaṅgā replied, 'I want five.' The householder bought this man of the Way for five coins to employ him as a servant. Gaṅgā said to the master, 'My body belongs to you, but grant me seven days; I wish to make offerings to the monk Shangshou.' The householder said to Gaṅgā, 'I shall show you the residence, and then release you to return.' After seeing the residence, Gaṅgā set out on the road to return. Seeing that Shangshou had not yet obtained alms, he brought Shangshou to the market, bought food and drink of a hundred flavours, and brought him to a monastery named Four Kings. He arranged couches and seats, burned incense, scattered flowers, and presented various kinds of food and drink. (Extracted from the first fascicle of the Dafangdeng tuoluoni jing.)