經律異相 18.18

18.18

There was a man who went forth into the Buddha's Dharma who was skilled in craftsmanship. Wherever he went, the entire assembly of monks had him build monasteries and dwellings without rest day after day. Growing extremely weary, he thought to himself: 'I should sit in meditation and contemplate. When the Buddha was formerly in the world, he said that all monks should sit in meditation and cultivate the path, and must not be indolent.' He then went to Upagupta's place, made obeisance, joined his palms, and said: 'The Buddha has entered nirvāṇa; the Great Virtuous One now performs the Buddha's work. I pray that you explain the Dharma for me.' At that time, Upagupta saw that this was his final rebirth, that he feared the suffering of birth-and-death, but that his causal conditions were not yet complete; and seeing that through further craftsmanship he had grown weary and could no longer work, Upagupta said to him: 'If you follow my instruction, I will explain the Dharma for you.' He replied: 'So be it.' Upagupta said: 'If there is land where a monastery has not yet been erected, you should erect a monastery there. The Buddha formerly said that doing so obtains brahma-merit.' He replied: 'Great Virtuous One, in the country of Mathurā, I do not know who is diligent and who is not.' Upagupta said: 'Can you rise early, put on your robes, take your bowl, and enter the city?' He replied: 'I can rise early and enter the city.' He met an elder coming out whom he had never seen before; the monk now saw him, paid homage, and asked: 'Great Virtuous One, have you come from far or near?' The monk replied: 'I have come from the eastern country.' He asked again: 'For what matter?' He answered as before. The elder said: 'Great Virtuous One, you need not worry now; I shall prepare all the provisions for you, bhikṣu.' Then the monk, together with the elder, held a measuring cord to survey and search for a site. Before the cord touched the ground, he contemplated within himself: all the merits produced eliminated all defilements, and he attained the fruit of an arhat. (From the Sūtra of King Aśoka, fascicle 9)