經律異相 8.56

8.56

There are two kinds of bodhisattvas who arouse the thought [of awakening]: the first practices the perfections; the second merely arouses the thought in vain. One who practices the bodhisattva path, though his task is not yet accomplished, can surpass all others. Just as the kalaviṅka bird, though still inside the egg, can already produce sounds that surpass all other birds. For example, an arhat with the six superknowledges had a novice carry his robes and bowl. The novice thought to himself: "I should enter nirvāṇa by means of the Buddha vehicle." Knowing his thought, the master immediately took the robes and bowl to carry them himself and pushed the novice in front. The novice then reflected again: "The Buddha path is extremely difficult; one dwells long in birth-and-death and undergoes immeasurable suffering. Better to enter nirvāṇa early by means of the Lesser Vehicle." The master again returned the robes, bowl, and bag to the novice, had him carry them, and told him to walk behind. This happened three times. The novice said to the master: "Master, you are in old age, behaving like a child!" The master immediately replied: "When you first aroused the thought of becoming a Buddha, this thought was noble and worthy of honor, and your status was that of my teacher; even pratyekabuddhas should make offerings to you, how much more so an arhat! Therefore I pushed you in front. But your mind regretted it and wished to adopt the Lesser Vehicle; yet you have not even attained it, and you are far below me. Therefore I had you walk behind." The novice was startled into realization and immediately abided in the Great Vehicle. (Drawn from the seventy-eighth fascicle of the Da zhidu lun)