經律異相 14.47

14.47

At that time, Anavatapta and his retinue invited the Buddha to enter the great Lake Anavatapta for three months to receive offerings, together with the bodhisattvas who had attained supernormal powers and the disciples, and [the Buddha] agreed to half a month. Delighted, the nāga raised clouds, thundered, flashed lightning, and sent down rain everywhere under heaven. In an instant, he returned up to his palace and summoned his five hundred eldest sons, named Śubhaka, Śubhadatta, and so forth: "Five hundred eldest sons! I have now invited the Equally and Truly Enlightened One, together with the multitude of bodhisattvas and all the disciples, for a full half-month. You must be of one mind, encourage one another extensively, increase your reverence for the Bhagavat, diligently contemplate impermanence, each remain tranquil, and wait upon and serve the Tathāgata with humility, respect, and solemnity. Abandon desires and nāga play and pleasures, eliminate greed, anger, and harmfulness, and stay away from forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and delicate, smooth touches. Why? The Bhagavat is free from desires, serene, benevolent, and elegant. Discern truth, be compliant, and uphold the Buddha's essential admonitions. For half a month you must not enter the inner palace; eliminate lust, hostility, and delusion. Because the Tathāgata will proclaim the Dharma, there will surely arrive supernormal bodhisattvas from other realms, Śakra, Brahmā, the World Protectors, and the Deva Sons of Pure Abodes, all assembling together. Diligently practice extensive giving and do not slacken midway, causing all in the assembly to rejoice as they behold the transformations." Below the Snow Mountains, within Lake Anavatapta, he magically created a flawless lapis lazuli seat, seven hundred yojanas in length and breadth, surrounded by eighty-four thousand trees of various jewels and white coral. On the terraces were eighty-four thousand lion thrones, all exceedingly high and broad. There were two thousand nāga court maidens each, their beauty exquisite and their charms boundless; fragrance came from their mouths, and they held aloft various flowers, powdered incense, and unguents, playing various musical instruments to praise the Buddha's virtue and delight the gathered assembly. In the void, banners and streamers hung interspersed, and jewelled bells harmoniously chimed with sounds surpassing all others. He provided delicacies of a hundred flavours, and together with his retinue, he addressed the Bhagavat from afar. The Buddha, along with eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas all possessed of great supernormal powers, and two thousand disciples who also possessed supreme supernormal feet, arrived at King Anavatapta's palace. Maudgalyāyana, upholding the Buddha's spiritual intention, moved Lake Anavatapta and manifested it in empty space, seven zhang above the ground. He transformed his physical appearance into that of a king of garuḍas, perching above the nāga palace, and announced to the king: "The Tathāgata has arrived!" The nāga multitude was terrified, their hair standing on end, and they fled in all directions to hide. The nāga king consoled them, saying: "Stay calm and do not be afraid; this is only done by the worthy Mahāmaudgalyāyana." Music and song played in harmony as they advanced to welcome the Truly Enlightened One and his disciples to Lake Anavatapta, where an expansive arena and lion thrones were prepared. The nāga and his retinue personally served the delicacies they had prepared, which surpassed worldly sweetness and richness and possessed heavenly flavours, offering them in worship. When the meal was finished and the vessels washed, the Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and all the participants rejoiced (taken from the third fascicle of the Hongdao guangxian sanmei jing).