法苑珠林 25.20

25.20

第十三論云。所以稱般陀比丘暗鈍然能變形第一者。良由佛教使誦掃帚得帚忘掃得掃忘帚。六年之中專心誦此。意遂解悟。而自思惟曰。帚者篲。掃者除。篲者即喻八正道。糞者喻三毒垢也。以八正道篲掃三毒垢。所謂掃帚義者。止謂此耶。深思此理心即開解得阿羅漢道。復有婆羅門。名曰梵天。亦名世典。博覽群籍圖書祕讖。天文地理無不關練。故名世典。自以德高命共論議。謂般陀曰能與我共論耶般陀曰。我尚能與汝父祖梵天共論。何況汝盲無目人乎。梵志尋言即語曰。盲與無目有何等異。般陀默然不對。無以相詶。即以神足相答騰空去地四丈九尺。結跏趺坐。梵志仰瞻敬情內發。時舍利弗知其辭匱現變相答。若不往屈梵志不度。即以神足作般陀形。便使般陀本形不現。化形問曰。汝為是天是人乎。答曰。是人。又問。人為是男子不。曰是男子。又問。男子與人有何等異。答曰。不異。又問。人者統名。男子據形。何得不異。向言盲者。謂不見今世後世善惡之報。無目者謂無智慧之眼以斷結使也。梵志心解即得法眼淨。以是因緣。般陀變形為第一也（此之羅漢且偏據一長云第一若論實德神解並皆第一也）如增一阿含經云。時世尊於十五日說戒時。諸比丘僧及五百比丘眾。從祇桓沒詣阿耨達池。時龍王至世尊所頭面禮足在一面坐。觀眾空無。舍利弗今無此坐。佛告目連言。汝速至舍利弗所以我聲告。目連承教往舍衛城。語舍利弗言。佛呼汝來。阿耨達龍王欲得相見。舍利弗自解祇支帶著目連前。謂目連曰。汝有神足舉此衣帶結。目連執帶不能移動。盡力欲舉地皆大動。舍利弗便舉目連著東弗于逮。又以帶纏須彌山。目連便舉動須彌山。舍利弗復以此帶纏如來座。目連遂不能動。捨帶還龍王所。遙見舍利弗。已在前至結跏趺坐繫念在前。目連白佛言。我不失神足耶。何以故。舍利弗後沒先至。佛曰。不退。舍利弗有大智慧。佛告目連。眾多比丘無恭敬心。於汝言。舍利弗神足勝汝。汝可於此眾中現其威力。對曰。承教。即於座起往須彌山頂。以一足蹈山頂。舉一足著梵天上。蹴須彌山使地六返震動。時諸比丘歎未曾有。目連說偈。時六十比丘因此漏盡意解。

The thirteenth thesis states: Why is the monk Panthaka called foremost in being dull-witted yet able to manifest transformations? It was truly because the Buddha taught him to recite 'sweep' and 'broom'; when he remembered 'broom', he forgot 'sweep', and when he remembered 'sweep', he forgot 'broom'. For six years, he concentrated his mind on reciting this, and his intention eventually came to an understanding. He reflected to himself: ''Broom' is a besom; 'sweep' is to remove. The besom is an analogy for the eightfold noble path; the filth is an analogy for the defilement of the three poisons. Using the besom of the eightfold noble path to sweep away the defilement of the three poisons—does the meaning of what is called 'sweep the broom' refer only to this?' Deeply contemplating this principle, his mind instantly opened into understanding, and he attained the path of an arhat. There was also a brāhmaṇa named Brahmā, also called Shidian (Secular Canons). He had read extensively through numerous texts, diagrams, books, secret prophecies, astronomy, and geography, with none of which he was not thoroughly familiar; hence he was named Shidian. Deeming himself of lofty virtue, he summoned [others] to debate together. He said to Panthaka: 'Can you debate with me?' Panthaka said: 'I can even debate with your father and grandfather Brahmā, how much more so with a blind and eyeless person like you?' Following upon these words, the brāhmaṇa immediately said: 'What difference is there between being blind and being eyeless?' Panthaka remained silent and gave no answer, having no means to respond. He then responded with his supernatural powers, ascending into the air forty-nine feet above the ground and sitting cross-legged. Looking up at him, a feeling of reverence arose within the brāhmaṇa. At that time, Śāriputra knew that his words were exhausted and that he had manifested a transformation to respond; if someone did not go to subdue the brāhmaṇa, he would not be saved. Śāriputra therefore used his supernatural powers to assume Panthaka's form and caused Panthaka's original form not to appear. The transformed form asked: 'Are you a deva or a human?' He answered: 'A human.' He asked again: 'Is a human a man or not?' He said: 'A man.' He asked again: 'What difference is there between a man and a human?' He answered: 'No difference.' He asked again: ''Human' is an overarching name, while 'man' is based on physical form. How can they not be different? What was earlier called 'blind' refers to not seeing the retribution of good and evil in the present and future lives; 'eyeless' refers to lacking the eye of wisdom to sever the defilements.' The brāhmaṇa's mind understood, and he immediately attained the purity of the Dharma eye. Due to these causes and conditions, Panthaka is foremost in transforming his body. (These arhats are each designated foremost on the basis of a single specialty; but if one speaks of their true virtues and spiritual comprehension, they are all foremost in all respects.) As the Ekottarika-āgama says: At that time, when the World-Honoured One was reciting the precepts on the fifteenth day, the saṃgha of monks and a community of five hundred monks vanished from the Jetavana and went to Lake Anavatapta. At that time, the dragon king went to the World-Honoured One's place, touched his head and face to the feet [of the Buddha], and sat to one side. Observing the assembly, an empty seat was seen; Śāriputra did not yet have this seat. The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'Go quickly to Śāriputra's place and announce [this] with my voice.' Maudgalyāyana received the instruction and went to Śrāvastī. He said to Śāriputra: 'The Buddha calls you to come; the dragon king of Anavatapta wishes to meet you.' Śāriputra untied his saṃkakṣikā sash, placed it before Maudgalyāyana, and said to Maudgalyāyana: 'You have supernatural powers; lift this sash and knot.' Maudgalyāyana grasped the sash but could not move it; exerting all his strength in attempting to lift it, the earth all shook violently. Śāriputra then lifted Maudgalyāyana and placed him in Pūrvavideha. He also wrapped the sash around Mount Sumeru, and Maudgalyāyana then shook and moved Mount Sumeru. Śāriputra then wrapped this sash around the Tathāgata's seat; Maudgalyāyana was completely unable to move it. Abandoning the sash, he returned to the dragon king's place. From afar, he saw Śāriputra, who had already arrived beforehand, sitting cross-legged and maintaining mindfulness before him. Maudgalyāyana addressed the Buddha: 'Have I not lost my supernatural powers? For what reason did Śāriputra vanish later but arrive first?' The Buddha said: 'You have not regressed. Śāriputra possesses great wisdom.' The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana: 'Many monks lack a mind of reverence toward your words, saying, 'Śāriputra's supernatural powers surpass yours.' You may manifest your majestic power amid this assembly.' He replied: 'I obey your instruction.' He then arose from his seat, went to the peak of Mount Sumeru, stepped on the summit with one foot, and placed the other foot in the Brahmā heaven. He kicked Mount Sumeru, causing the earth to shake in six ways. At that time, the monks exclaimed that it was unprecedented. Maudgalyāyana spoke a verse, and at that time, sixty monks exhausted their outflows and had their minds liberated because of this.