經律異相 43.39

43.39

Long ago, countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas in the past, there were two groups of merchants, each of five hundred men, in Vārāṇasī. They gathered funds, fitted out ships, and set out to cross the sea. Untying the ropes and hoisting the sails, they rode the wind directly on their way. They promptly reached an isle of jewels, where there were superior, exquisite singing-girls and nothing was lacking. The leader of one group of merchants said, “It was for the sake of wealth that we toiled to reach this place; we should stay and enjoy ourselves.” The second sārthavāha said, “Although this place abounds in many treasures, we should not stay long.” At that time, a goddess took pity on them, and in the air spoke to the assembly, saying, “Although this place is pleasant, it is not worth remaining long. Seven days from now, this land will sink.” Having spoken, she vanished. There was also a demoness who wished to cause the merchants to perish entirely here; she announced from the air, “You gentlemen need not prepare to depart. There is no water in this land. Even if there were water, how could these many treasures, many women, and five kinds of music exist? What the former goddess said was all false!” Having spoken, she vanished. The first sārthavāha commanded his group, “Do not leave! Do not believe the former goddess!” The second sārthavāha turned and told his group, “Do not be greedy! Quickly equip and ready the ships. What the former goddess said was true and not false. If the water does not come, we can enjoy ourselves here and return slowly afterwards; if the water truly comes, having readied our ships, we can depart.” The Buddha said to Śāriputra: “Seven days later, just as the former goddess had said, water covered the land. The second sārthavāha led his group and boarded their ships. The first sārthavāha had not prepared beforehand. On the day the water arrived, they put on armor and took up weapons to fight one another. The second sārthavāha, from the ship, pierced the first sārthavāha’s foot with an awl; it pierced straight through, and he instantly died.” The Buddha said to Śāriputra: “Do you know who the first sārthavāha was? It was Devadatta. The second sārthavāha was myself. The five hundred merchants of the first group were what are now Devadatta’s five hundred disciples. The five hundred merchants of the second group were what are now the five hundred arhats. The first goddess was Śāriputra. The second goddess was what is now the brāhmaṇa disciple named Pūrṇamāsa Bhikṣu.” (From the Xingqi xing jing, upper scroll.)