經律異相 8.40

8.40

Having spoken it, he stopped. The appearance he manifested was extremely frightful. Looking around in all directions, he surveyed the four quarters. Hearing this half-verse, the ascetic felt joy in his heart. He immediately stood up from his seat, lifted his hair with his hands, looked around in all four directions, and spoke these words: "Who spoke the verse that was just heard?" At that time, looking in all four directions, he saw no other person, but only the rākṣasa. He then spoke these words: "Who opened such a gate of liberation? Who could thunder with the voice of the Buddhas? Who, amid the slumber of birth and death, has alone awakened and proclaimed such words? Who here can show and guide the beings famished in birth and death to the supreme taste of the Way? Immeasurable beings are sinking in the ocean of birth and death; who can act as a great helmsman among them? These beings are constantly entangled in the severe illness of defilements; who can act as a fine physician for them? Speaking this half-verse has awakened my mind, like a half-moon gradually opening a lotus blossom." At that time, I again had this thought: "Could it be this rākṣasa who spoke this verse?" Yet doubt arose again that it was not his speech: "Why so? This person's appearance is extremely terrifying. If someone gets to hear these verses and lines, all fear and ugliness are instantly removed. How could one of such appearance be able to speak this verse?" Good son, at that time I again had this thought: "This rākṣasa might have been able to see past Buddhas, and heard this half-verse spoken from those Buddhas." I then went to the rākṣasa's place and said, "Well done, Great Being! Where did you obtain this half-verse spoken by the past ones who were free of fear?" He then answered me, saying: "Great Brāhmaṇa, you should not ask me this meaning now. Why so? It has already been many days since I have eaten; I have sought everywhere but have been utterly unable to find anything. Afflicted with hunger and thirst, my mind is confused and speaking erratically; it is not known from my original mind." I then again spoke to the rākṣasa, saying: "Great Being, if you can finish speaking this verse for me, I will be your disciple for the rest of my life. What you have spoken is incomplete in words and unfinished in meaning; for what reason do you not wish to speak it? Material giving has an end, but the condition of Dharma-giving is inexhaustible. Dharma-giving is inexhaustible and brings great benefit." The rākṣasa replied, saying: "Your wisdom is excessive. You only worry about yourself and do not consider at all that I am pressed by the suffering of hunger; I truly cannot speak." I then asked, "What is the food that you eat?" The rākṣasa replied, "You need not ask. If I speak of it, it will cause many people to be terrified." I spoke again, saying: "Here we are in solitude and there is no other person. I am not afraid of you; why not speak?" The rākṣasa replied, "What I eat is only human warm flesh; what I drink is only human hot blood. Although there are many people in the world, they all possess merit and are moreover protected by the devas; I lack the strength and am unable to kill them." I spoke again, saying: "Just speak this half-verse completely, and I will offer my body as an offering. If my life ends, such a body will be of no further use; it will be eaten by tigers, wolves, kites, owls, eagles, and vultures, without obtaining a single hair's worth of merit. For the sake of seeking Buddhahood, I relinquish this unstable body in exchange for a stable body." The rākṣasa replied, "Who would believe that for the sake of eight characters you would discard the body you love?" I then replied, saying: "Just as when someone gives an earthenware vessel to another and receives a vessel of the seven treasures, I relinquish an unstable body to obtain a vajra body. The Great Brahmā Heavenly King, Śakra Devānām Indra, and the Four Heavenly Kings can bear witness to this matter. Furthermore, the bodhisattvas with the heavenly eye who, wishing to benefit immeasurable sentient beings, practice the Mahāyāna and are endowed with the six perfections, can also bear witness to and know it, up to the Buddhas of the ten directions." The rākṣasa then spoke: