法苑珠林 16.48

16.48

又新婆沙論云。曾聞尊者大迦葉波。入王舍城最後乞食。食已未久登雞足山。山有三峯如仰雞足。尊者入中結跏趺坐。作誠言曰。願我此身并納鉢杖久住不壞。乃至經於五十七俱胝六十百千歲。慈氏如來應正等覺出現世時施作佛事。發此願已尋般涅槃。時彼三峯便合成一。掩蔽尊者儼然而住。及慈氏佛出現世時。將無量人天至此山上。告諸眾曰。汝等欲見釋迦牟尼佛杜多功德弟子眾中第一大弟子迦葉波不。舉眾咸曰。我等欲見。慈氏如來即以右手撫雞足山頂。應時峯坼還為三分。時迦葉波將磨納鉢杖。從中而出。上昇虛空。無量天人覩斯神變。歎未曾有。其心調柔。慈氏世尊如應說法皆得見諦。若無留化如此之事。云何有耶。有說。有留化事。問若爾世尊何故不留化身至涅般後住持說法。答所應作者已究竟故。謂佛所應度皆已度訖。所未度者聖弟子度之。有說。無留化事。問若爾迦葉波事云何得有。答諸信敬天神所任持故。有說。迦葉波爾時未般涅槃。慈氏佛時方取滅度。此不應理。寧可說無。不說彼默然多時。虛住如是說者。有留化事。是故大迦葉波已入涅槃。

Furthermore, the New Vibhāṣā-śāstra says: 'I have heard that the Venerable Mahākāśyapa entered Rājagṛha for his final almsround. Not long after eating, he climbed Mount Kukkuṭapāda. The mountain has three peaks like the upturned feet of a cock. The Venerable One entered within them, sat cross-legged, and made a vow of truth, saying: 'May this body of mine, together with my patchwork robe, bowl, and staff, remain for a long time without decaying, until after fifty-seven koṭis and sixty hundred thousand years have passed, when Maitreya, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, appears in the world to perform the Buddha's work.' Having made this vow, he promptly entered parinirvāṇa. At that time, those three peaks joined together into one, concealing the Venerable One as he sat dignified and motionless. When Maitreya Buddha appears in the world, he will lead immeasurable humans and devas to this mountain, and tell the assembly, saying: 'Do you wish to see Kāśyapa, the foremost great disciple among the disciples endowed with dhūta virtues of Śākyamuni Buddha?' The entire assembly will all say: 'We wish to see him.' Maitreya Tathāgata will then pat the summit of Mount Kukkuṭapāda with his right hand. Instantly the peak will split open and turn back into three parts. At that time, Kāśyapa, holding his hempen patchwork robe, bowl, and staff, will emerge from within and ascend into empty space. Immeasurable devas and humans, witnessing this miraculous transformation, will praise it as unprecedented, and their minds will become pliable and gentle. Maitreya, the World-Honoured One, will preach the Dharma according to their capacities, and all will attain sight of the truths.' If there were no such thing as leaving behind an apparitional transformation, how could this occur? Some say there is such a thing as leaving behind an apparitional transformation. Question: If so, why did the World-Honoured One not leave behind an apparitional body after nirvāṇa to maintain the Dharma and preach? Answer: Because what was to be done had already been completed—meaning all whom the Buddha was to save had already been saved, and those not yet saved are saved by the noble disciples. Some say there is no such thing as leaving behind an apparitional transformation. Question: If so, how could Kāśyapa's matter occur? Answer: Because he was sustained by devas and spirits of faith and reverence. Some say Kāśyapa had not yet entered parinirvāṇa at that time, and only attains extinction at the time of Maitreya Buddha. This is not reasonable; it is better to say it does not exist rather than to say he sat silently for a long time, dwelling in vain. Those who speak thus hold that there is such a thing as leaving behind an apparitional transformation; therefore Mahākāśyapa had already entered nirvāṇa.