經律異相 40.4

40.4

In the past, the World's Benefactor Dīpaṃkara appeared in the great kingdom of Paduma. The fourfold assembly, beyond reckoning, all came to make offerings and provide for his needs. At that time, there was a brahmacārin named Yajñadatta by the flank of the Snowy Mountains. He examined all the esoteric prophecies, astronomy, and geography, comprehending them entirely, and fully understood books, records, and scripts. The brahmacārin Yajñadatta had a disciple named Leiyun, who was intelligent and widely learned, with nothing he did not master. He was constantly cherished and respected by Yajñadatta, never leaving his side for a moment. The brahmacārin Leiyun thought to himself: "Everything I ought to study is now complete. I ought to repay my master's kindness, but I am poor and destitute. I should go to the frontiers of the kingdom to seek what is needed." The master thought: "He is my beloved; even if I were to die, I could not bear to part with him, how much less today when he wishes to leave me!" He composed five hundred sayings and gave them to him to recite; within a few days, he was completely fluent. At that time, the brāhmaṇa Yajñadatta said to his five hundred disciples: "This brahmacārin Leiyun has mastered all arts and skills." He thereupon gave him a name, calling him Chaoshu. After several more days, the brahmacārin Chaoshu again addressed his master: "I have understood what was to be studied. However, the books record that anyone whose learning and skills surpass others ought to repay their master's kindness." The master said: "Your knowing this is true knowledge." Chaoshu bowed and departed. At that time, in the great kingdom of Paduma, not far from the city, a crowd of brahmacārins gathered at one house, intending to hold a great sacrificial feast and engage in debate. Eighty-four thousand brahmacārins assembled together. The foremost senior seat recited and chanted texts and commentaries, with nothing he did not know. Five hundred ounces of gold, a golden staff, a golden water pitcher, and one thousand head of cattle were to be offered to the master: they were first to test skills against the foremost senior seat, and whoever surpassed him would be given them. The brahmacārin Chaoshu thought to himself: "Why should I beg from house to house now? It would be better to go to that great assembly and compete in arts and skills with them." Chaoshu went. Many brahmacārins called out to him from afar: "Splendid! Today the sacrificial host has obtained great benefit, causing the god Brahmā himself to descend in person!" Then the eighty-four thousand brahmacārins all rose together to welcome him, saying in unison: "Welcome, Great Brahmā, divine lord!" The brahmacārin Chaoshu said: "I am not the god Brahmā. Cease, cease, worthy ones! Have you not heard that north of the Snowy Mountains there is a great teacher of the brahmacārin assembly named Yajñadatta? I am his disciple, named Chaoshu." He then said to the senior seat: "If you know arts and skills, explain them to me." At that time, the foremost senior seat of that assembly immediately recited the skills of the Tripiṭaka without any omission. Then Chaoshu said to the senior seat: "A single verse of five hundred sayings—recite it now." The senior seat said: "I do not understand it." Chaoshu then recited the Tripiṭaka and the single verse of five hundred sayings on the marks of a great person. At that time, the eighty-four thousand brahmacārins praised it as unprecedented: "Truly extraordinary, truly marvelous! We had never heard of the marks of a great person before. Now the venerable one should sit in the senior seat." Chaoshu moved to take the senior seat and sat in the foremost position. At that time, the former senior seat harbored extreme wrath and made this vow: "Now this person has usurped my seat. Wherever this person is reborn and whatever he wishes to do, I will constantly ruin and destroy his achievements!" Then that donor presented offerings to the senior seat according to the rule. Chaoshu said to the host: "I now return the gold and silver coins to give to you; I will only take five hundred of each. With the golden pitcher I shall make an offering to a woman, and the one thousand head of cattle I return as a gift to the host. I do not practice desire, nor do I accumulate wealth." Having said this, he went to the great kingdom of Paduma. Its king was named Guāngmíng. At the city's eastern gate, Chaoshu saw five hundred elder brahmacārins of venerable virtue. At that time, the king of that realm had invited Dīpaṃkara Tathāgata to the scorching sun and fiery heat; he then gave one coin from the five hundred gold coins to each of them and to the assembly of monks, providing clothing and food, and had the ground swept clean so that performers would not cause dust, sand, or filth. Silken banners and canopies were suspended, the ground was smeared with scented liquid, and instrumental music was beyond measure. He saw a woman named Śrīmatī carrying seven stalks of flowers and drawing water with a pitcher. He immediately asked the woman: "I wish to buy flowers." The woman said: "I am holding them to offer to the Buddha." He then offered five hundred silver coins to ask for five stalks of flowers. Coveting the silver coins, the woman gave him five stalks of flowers. After walking several tens of paces, the woman thought to herself: "This man is handsome in appearance and does not begrudge silver coins." She ran after the man, calling out to ask what he would use them for. He replied: "To offer to the Buddha." The woman said: "Please take these two stalks of flowers and offer them together to the Buddha. I vow that in future births we will always be husband and wife." Chaoshu said: "A bodhisattva begrudges nothing. If you become my wife, you will surely ruin my intent." The brahmacārin woman said: "I will never ruin you. Even if you take me and give me away, I will endure it to the end." Dīpaṃkara Buddha said: "What a bodhisattva practices is without begrudging anything." The brahmacārin replied in verse: