經律異相 14.45

14.45

The Buddha instructed the elder Anāthapiṇḍada to practice giving. [Anāthapiṇḍada] immediately arose, knelt on both knees, pressed his palms together, and addressed the Buddha: "I pray that the Buddha and the saṅgha will descend with their spiritual presence to my house tomorrow, where I wish to provide coarse food." The Buddha accepted in silence. The Buddha told the monks: "Tomorrow morning we shall ascend to the heavens, and around midday descend to assemble at Piṇḍada's house for the meal." The next morning, in the time of a finger-snap, the Buddha and the monks ascended into empty space. At that time there was an arhat named Hongtan who adjusted his robes and, while in empty space, addressed the Buddha: "I have ascended to the heavens many times, but it has never been dark like this." The Buddha said: "There are two nāga kings who are furious and breathing out mist; that is why it is dark." There was another arhat named Shoubi who addressed the Buddha: "I wish to stop them." The Buddha said: "The nāgas possess great transcendent majesty; if you go, they will surely give rise to malice and spout water, perhaps killing people and creeping, crawling creatures." Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha: "I wish to go and admonish them." The Buddha said: "Very good." Maudgalyāyana immediately went to the nāgas' place. When the nāgas saw Maudgalyāyana, smoke immediately came out of their mouths, and in an instant fire issued forth, encircling Maudgalyāyana once. Maudgalyāyana, by means of his mental power of the Path, also transformed fire that encircled the nāgas three times. Furthermore, he transformed his body to enter into the nāgas' eyes, entering through the left and exiting through the right, entering through the right and exiting through the left. In this order he entered and exited their ears and nostrils, or flew into their mouths. The nāgas thought that Maudgalyāyana was inside their bellies. Maudgalyāyana again transformed his body, encircling the nāgas fourteen times, and reprimanded the two nāgas with his body. The nāgas were terrified; their tails stirred the seawater, shaking Mount Sumeru. From afar, the Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: "These nāgas are still able to spout water to submerge and kill all under heaven. You should be cautious." Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha: "I possess the supernormal powers of the four dhyānas, which I always faithfully practice. I am able to take this Mount Sumeru and the two nāgas, place them in the palm of my hand, and toss them to another realm. I can also crush and grind Mount Sumeru with my hand, turning it into dust, without the devas and humans noticing it." When the two nāgas heard this, they immediately submitted. Maudgalyāyana returned to the form of a śramaṇa. The nāgas transformed into humans, bowed their heads in homage, and repented their faults to Maudgalyāyana: "We were foolish, deluded, and raving, failing to recognise the honoured spirit, and offended you with clouds and mist. We beg for mercy and pardon for our crime." The two nāgas repented, came forward to receive the five precepts, bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet, made obeisance, and departed (taken from the Jianglong jing).