經律異相 13.10

13.10

The sound of this gaṇḍī and Kāśyapa's words reverberated throughout the trichiliocosm, and everyone heard and knew of it. All the disciples endowed with supernormal powers assembled at Kāśyapa's location. Kāśyapa addressed them in the language of the gods, saying: 'The Buddha has entered parinirvāṇa, and the disciples who know the Dharma have all followed him into extinction. The Buddha-Dharma is on the verge of extinction. Future sentient beings are greatly to be pitied; having lost the eye of wisdom, they are foolish, blind, and benighted. We ought to inherit and carry out the Buddha's teachings. After we have compiled the canon of Dharma, we may pass into extinction at will.' Kāśyapa selected one thousand people; except for Ānanda, all had attained arhatship. King Bimbisāra, having attained the Way, had constantly ordered that one thousand people be fed in his palace; King Ajātaśatru did not discontinue this practice. Kāśyapa considered: 'If we constantly beg for food, outside sectarians will forcibly come to challenge and question us, neglecting the Dharma affairs.' He went to Rājagṛha and reported the matter to the king. The king undertook to supply food, sending it day after day. During the three months of the summer retreat, Kāśyapa observed who still had defilements; only Ānanda did. Mahākāśyapa then enumerated his offenses, saying: 'You have committed six duṣkṛta offenses. You must repent them all before the Saṅgha.' Ānanda immediately complied with the instruction; he knelt long with palms joined, bared his right shoulder, took off his leather sandals, and repented. Kāśyapa stood up amidst the Saṅgha, took him by the hand, led him out, and said to him: 'You should exhaust your taints. If your remaining fetters are not yet eliminated, do not come back.' He then shut the door himself and deliberated together with the arhats: 'Who is able to compile the Vinaya Piṭaka?' The Elder Aniruddha said: 'Śāriputra was the second Buddha; Gavāmpati is gentle and elegant, resting in secluded quietude, and fully understands the Vinaya Piṭaka. He is now in the heaven above, in the Śirīṣa-Tree Grove.' He sent a junior monk to convey Kāśyapa's intention, saying: 'The arhats whose taints are exhausted have all gathered in Jambudvīpa for a great Dharma assembly of the Saṅgha. You should come quickly now.' Gavāmpati harbored doubts and asked: 'Is there a dispute causing a schism in the Saṅgha, or has the sun of the Buddha passed into extinction?' He answered: 'The Great Master has passed into extinction.' [Gavāmpati asked:] 'Where is my upādhyāya, Śāriputra, now?' He answered: 'He entered nirvāṇa first.' Gavāmpati asked: 'What are Maudgalyāyana, Ānanda, and Rāhula doing now?' He answered: 'Maudgalyāyana has already passed into extinction. Ānanda still has the fetter of sorrow; grieved and crying in sorrow, he cannot console himself. Rāhula has already attained arhatship and has no more grief or sorrow.' Gavāmpati said: 'My upādhyāya and the Great Master have both already passed into extinction. I cannot descend again now.' Thereupon he entered nirvāṇa. Ānanda contemplated all dharmas, seeking to exhaust his remaining taints. He practiced sitting meditation and walking meditation, but because his meditative power was slight, he could not immediately attain the Way. In the latter part of the night, utterly exhausted, he wished to lie down and rest; before his head reached the pillow, he attained broad awakening and became an arhat of great power. That night he went to the Saṅgha hall, knocked on the door, and called for Mahākāśyapa. Mahākāśyapa said: 'Why have you come?' He answered: 'Tonight I have exhausted my taints.' Kāśyapa said: 'I will not open the door for you; come in through the keyhole.' Ānanda immediately entered through the keyhole and repented: 'May Mahākāśyapa scold me no more.' Kāśyapa stroked his head with his hand: 'I purposely caused you to attain the Way; do not bear any grudge. I also feel this way toward you.' Mahākāśyapa said to Ānanda: 'From the Sūtra of Turning the Wheel of the Dharma to the Mahāparinirvāṇa, compile them into the four Āgamas: the Ekottarika, Madhyama, Dīrgha, and Saṃyukta. These are called the Sūtra Piṭaka.' The arhats further asked: 'Who can clearly understand and compile the Vinaya Piṭaka?' All said: 'Elder Upāli is foremost in upholding the Vinaya among the five hundred arhats. We now invite him.' Upāli accepted the instruction, sat on the lion throne, and said: 'Where was the Buddha when he taught the Vinaya and laid down the precepts?' At that time, Sudinna, son of the elder Kalandaka, was the first to commit sexual intercourse, marking the beginning of the major offenses. The arhats reflected: 'Who can clearly understand and recite the Abhidharma Piṭaka?' They thought: 'Elder Ānanda is foremost in understanding the meaning of the sūtras among the five hundred arhats. We now invite him.' Ānanda accepted the invitation: 'When the Buddha was in the city of Śrāvastī, he spoke of the five fears, the five crimes, the five removals, and the five annihilations. Because of these causes and conditions, one experiences immeasurable joy in body and mind in this life, yet falls again into bad destinies.' Such teachings are called the Abhidharma Piṭaka (Extracted from the Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa, Fascicle 2).