經律異相 5.20

5.20

In South India there was a great city named Śūrpāraka. Within the city was an elder named Ruci, who was the leader of the multitude. Under countless past Buddhas, he had already planted wholesome roots. All the people in that great city believed in and submitted to heterodox paths, revering and serving the Nirgranthas. At that time, wishing to deliver that elder, I went from Rājagṛha to that city. When the Nirgranthas heard that I was coming to the city, they thought: “If the śramaṇa Gautama comes here, these people will abandon us and no longer provide for us.” They told the people of the city: “The śramaṇa Gautama now wishes to come here. Yet that śramaṇa abandons his parents and rushes about east and west. Wherever he goes, he causes the land to yield no harvest of the five grains, and the people suffer famine and die in great numbers, with never any peace or joy.” When those people heard this, they became terrified. They said: “Great masters, what plan should we devise?” The Nirgranthas replied: “The śramaṇa Gautama by nature loves groves and pure, flowing springs. If there are any outside, they should be destroyed. You should go out of the city together and fell the trees, leaving none behind; fill the flowing springs and wells with foul filth; shut the city gates firmly; each equip weapons; defend the walls; and diligently hold your guard. If he comes, do not let him advance. We shall also employ various arts to make Gautama turn back along the road he came.” Those people reverently carried this out. At that time, I reached that city. Seeing these things, I immediately gave rise to pity and directed a mind of loving-kindness toward them. All the trees grew back as before, beyond reckoning. The rivers, ponds, and wells became filled with pure, clean water, like blue lapis lazuli, with assorted flowers blossoming and covering them. I transformed the city walls into deep-blue lapis lazuli. The people inside the city could all clearly see me and the great assembly. The gates opened of themselves, with no one able to prevent it. The weapons they had prepared turned into assorted flowers. With the elder Ruci at their head, the people followed him and came to where I was. I then expounded the essentials of the Dharma in various ways for them, causing all those people to give rise to the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi (from the fourteenth fascicle of the Nirvāṇa Sūtra).