經律異相 15.27

15.27

As Ānanda was walking along the road, he became parched with thirst. There was a caṇḍāla maiden named Prakṛti drawing water. Ānanda approached her and begged for water. The maiden said to Ānanda, "I am of the Mātaṅga caste." Ānanda said, "I do not ask about such matters; just give me water." The maiden said, "You are born of an accomplished maternal lineage, the foremost disciple of the śramaṇa Gautama, revered by King Prasenajit, and the ācārya of Queen Mallikā. I am base and lowly, and dare not offer water to you." Ānanda said again, "I do not ask about this; just give me water." The maiden consented. Then the maiden first cupped water and poured it over Ānanda's feet, and then cupped water and poured it over Ānanda's hands, whereupon lustful thoughts arose in her. After Ānanda drank, he departed. Prakṛti returned and said to her parents, "Mother, I wish to take the śramaṇa Ānanda as my husband." Her mother said, "He is a prince of a wheel-turning sage-king, of the kṣatriya Śākya clan, a noble master and a lord of an exalted family, revered by gods and humans. How could our lowly caste obtain him as a husband?" The maiden said, "If I cannot have him, I will certainly drink poison, stab myself with a blade, or hang myself." Her mother said, "I possess a spirit-speech talismanic spell of the Mātaṅgas, which can move the sun and moon to fall to the earth, and can also summon down Indra and the gods of Brahmā; how much less can it not obtain a śramaṇa? I will make Ānanda come. Whether he is already dead or alive, he will be unable to refuse lust—unless he is protected by Gautama, then I cannot obtain him. Apart from this, all can be obtained." The maiden then arose, bathed, adorned her body, put on white garments, laid out bedding, and looked out into the distance. Her mother smeared the ground with cow dung, tied threads with cords of five colours, filled four jars with water, filled four bowls with roasted-flour broth, stuck four large knives upright in the cow dung, placed four arrows at the corners, lit eight bright lamps, took the skulls of four dead men, smeared various perfumes upon them, scattered flowers on the ground, held an incense burner, burned incense, circumambulated three times, knelt facing the east, and recited the Mātaṅga spellcraft. At that time, Ānanda was in the Jeta Grove. His mind suddenly grew dazed and confused, bound by the spell like a fish or an elephant caught by a hook. Following the spellcraft, he went to the caṇḍāla's house. The mother then said to the daughter, "Ānanda has arrived." The maiden came forward, embraced Ānanda, seated him on the bed, pulled at his robes, and stroked and gripped Ānanda, just as a strong man grabs a long-haired lamb by his hands, and the small lamb yields to his hands. Ānanda saw that the ten directions were entirely dark and murky, like the sun and moon eclipsed by Rāhu. Ānanda possessed the strength of a great person, equal to the strength of ten mighty champions, yet he was unable to move. With the power of the truth of the noble path, Ānanda regained his awareness, [thinking,] "I am now in grave distress; will not the Bhagavat of great compassion take pity on me?" The Buddha immediately knew this, and recited a verse of the Buddha's words, saying: