經律異相 45.20

45.20

When the Buddha was in the kingdom of Śrāvastī, expounding the essentials of the Dharma for a countless assembly, there was at that time a disciple of the non-Buddhists, the woman Ciñcā. Her past sins were profound and heavy. Strapping a wooden bowl to her body and covering it with her clothing, she set out from the city of Śrāvastī and reached Jetavana monastery. Seeing the Bhagavat expounding the Dharma to a countless assembly from afar, she leapt with joy, unable to contain herself: "Today I will certainly revile and humiliate Gautama in this assembly, so that my master will receive offerings!" Then, in the midst of the assembly, she spoke a verse: "This Dharma-expounder has caused my body to be pregnant with a child!" At that time, in the great assembly, there were many non-Buddhists and naked brahmacārins; few had faith in the Buddha, and many followed heterodoxy. Hearing this woman's words, they all believed them together. Those who had faith in the Buddha reflected within: "Formerly, when the Buddha was in the palace, he abandoned the exalted royal position and discarded the palace maidens, leaving home to train on the Path and achieving supreme, correct awakening. How could he have the mind to associate with such a foul and ugly woman?" At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra was behind the Tathāgata holding a fan and fanning him, and reflected within: "How could this vile brāhmaṇa woman generate such an intention to defame the Buddha?" He transformed into a white mouse, gnawed through the cord of the wooden bowl, and it severed with a sound that shook the great assembly, and there was no one who did not see it. Those among them who were not firmly faithful were startled: "What sound was that, shaking the four directions so far?" Those among them who had faith in the Buddha heard this sound and leapt with joy, all rejoicing alike. Soon a person arose from the assembly, picked up the wooden bowl in his hand, and said to that woman: "Is this your child?" At that time, the earth opened of itself, and her whole body fell directly into Avīci Hell. At that time, the woman's clan wept and grieved after her, unable to tear themselves away. Those who did not believe in the Buddha immediately arose to repent. Those among them who had faith told one another: "The retribution of slander is such a sin. The manifest proof is like this in the present; how can one speak only of the future life?" (Extracted from the Sūtra on Ciñcā Bodily Entering Hell)