法苑珠林 47.14

47.14

又出曜經云。昔有梵志兄弟四人。皆得五通。自知命促七日必死。兄弟議曰。我等兄弟神通自在。能以神力翻覆天地。現極大手捫摸日月。移山住流無所不辦。寧當不能避此難也。第一兄曰。吾入大海。上下平等正處中間。無常殺鬼安知我處。第二弟言。吾入須彌山腹中間。還合其表使無際現。無常殺鬼焉知我處。第三弟言。吾處虛空隱形無跡。無常殺鬼安知我處。第四弟言。吾當隱在大市之中。眾人猥鬧各不相識。無常殺鬼趣得一人。何必取吾。四人議訖相將辭王。而白王曰。吾等計算餘命日促。各欲逃走欲求多福。王尋告曰。善進其德。於是別去。各適所至。七日期滿各從其處而皆命終。佛以天眼見四梵志避於無常各求度世皆已命終而說偈言。

Moreover, the Udāna-sūtra says: In the past there were four brothers who were brahmacārins, all of whom had attained the five supernormal knowledges. Knowing that their lifespans were short and that they would surely die within seven days, the brothers conferred, saying: "We brothers have sovereign supernormal powers; by supernormal strength we can overturn heaven and earth, manifest an immense hand to touch the sun and moon, and move mountains and halt currents—there is nothing we cannot accomplish. How could we be unable to avoid this disaster?" The first brother said: "I will enter the great ocean, right in the middle between top and bottom; how could the murderous demon of impermanence know my whereabouts?" The second brother said: "I will enter into the interior of Mount Sumeru and seal its surface so that no boundary appears; how could the murderous demon of impermanence know my whereabouts?" The third brother said: "I will dwell in empty space, concealing my form without a trace; how could the murderous demon of impermanence know my whereabouts?" The fourth brother said: "I will conceal myself in the great market among the milling crowd, where people do not know one another; the murderous demon of impermanence will just seize someone at random, why must he take me?" After the four had finished conferring, they went together to bid farewell to the king, and said to him: "We calculate that our remaining lifespan is daily growing short; we each wish to flee to seek abundant blessings." The king then told them: "Advance well in your virtue." Thereupon they took their leave, each going to his intended place. When the seven-day period was fulfilled, each died in his respective place. With his divine eye, the Buddha saw that the four brahmacārins, fleeing impermanence to seek deliverance from the world, had all passed away, and he spoke a verse, saying: