經律異相 16.16

16.16

In the country of southern India, there was a man who committed adultery with another's wife and constantly went to her house. His mother forbade it, so he murdered his mother. He went to another country, but being unable to secure the five desires, he was filled with profound sorrow and distress. He then left the household life within the Buddha's Dharma, thoroughly mastered the Tripiṭaka, and achieved great learning. Surrounded by his disciples, he went together with them to the Naṭabaṭa monastery in the country of Mathurā, to Upagupta's place. Upagupta saw that he had murdered his mother and could not attain the fruits of the Path, so he did not offer him any greetings. At that time the monk felt ashamed and went further away. Upagupta's disciples who had not yet attained the Path thought to themselves, "Our preceptor has little wisdom. When he sees elderly monks whose minds are dull, he preaches the Dharma to them; yet now, when this monk is intelligent and wise, well versed in the Tripiṭaka, and accompanied by a retinue, he does not preach the Dharma to him." At that time Upagupta saw that his disciples harbored anger toward him, and he also saw their capacities: "They should be converted and subdued by my preceptor Śāṇavāsa." Meanwhile, Śāṇavāsa was dwelling in the country of Kaśmīra, and he observed what Buddha deeds Upagupta was performing: "His disciples have conceived anger and blame in their minds; I also observe that they should be converted by me." He immediately used his spiritual powers to enter this monastery. His beard and hair were long, and his robes coarse and ragged. Five hundred disciples all said, "Where did this ignorant old man come from, sitting in Upagupta's sleeping place?" The disciples pulled him with their hands to drag him out, but could not move him, as if he were Mount Sumeru. They wished to scold him, but no voice came forth. Eventually they reported it to Upagupta, who replied, "Except for my preceptor, there is no one who can sit upon my seat." Upagupta returned to the monastery, served and made offerings to his preceptor with the utmost reverence, and took a small stool to sit beside his master. The disciples thought, "Even if this monk is our preceptor's master, his wisdom is still inferior to our preceptor's." Seeing their thoughts, Śāṇavāsa raised his right arm, and milk flowed from his hand. He said to Upagupta, "What samādhi is this?" He replied, "I do not yet know it; I wish to hear its name." The preceptor said, "It is called the Dragon's Stretch samādhi." In succession he entered various other samādhis; to all of them Upagupta said, "I do not know them." He also said, "When I enter nirvāṇa, the teaching of these samādhis will all be lost." When Upagupta's disciples heard these words, they thought, "This monk's wisdom surpasses our preceptor's!" and they immediately extinguished their arrogance. Śāṇavāsa taught and preached the Dharma to them, and those disciples all attained the fruit of arhat. (Taken from the ninth fascicle of the Sūtra of King Aśoka.)