法苑珠林 59.38

59.38

於後二人投佛出家受具足戒。佛語舍利弗。爾時火鬘童子者則我身是。火鬘父者今我父王真淨是。爾時瓦師童子護喜者。我為太子在宮居婇女時。至於夜半。作瓶天子。來語我言。日時已到。可出家去。為道者是舍利弗。此護喜者頻勸我出家。是善知識也。我前向護喜作惡語道。迦葉佛禿頭沙門。何有佛道難得。以是惡言故。臨成佛時六年苦行。日食一麻一米大豆小豆。雖受辛苦於法無益。舍利弗。我六年苦行者償先緣對。畢已然後得佛。佛語舍利弗。汝觀如來眾惡已盡。諸天人神一切眾生皆欲度之。我猶不免宿對。況復愚冥未得道者。舍利弗。當護身三口四意三。當學如是。佛說先世因緣時。萬一千天子得須陀洹道。八千龍等皆受五戒。五千夜叉受三自歸。佛說是已。舍利弗及五百羅漢。阿耨大龍王八部鬼神。歡喜受行。

Afterward, the two men took refuge in the Buddha, went forth from home, and received full ordination. The Buddha told Śāriputra: "At that time, the youth Uttara was my own self. The father of Uttara was my present royal father Śuddhodana. As for the potter's son Nandipāla at that time: when I was a prince residing in the palace among the court ladies, at midnight the Ghaṭīkāra devaputra came and told me: 'The time has arrived; you may go forth from home to cultivate the Way'—that was he, Śāriputra! This Nandipāla repeatedly exhorted me to go forth from home; he is indeed a good friend. Formerly, when I spoke evil words to Nandipāla, saying: 'Kāśyapa Buddha is a bald-headed śramaṇa; how could the Buddha's Way be so hard to attain?'—because of these evil words, when I was about to attain Buddhahood, I practiced six years of asceticism, eating one hemp seed, one grain of rice, large beans, and small beans daily; though I suffered hardship, it was of no benefit to the Dharma. Śāriputra, my six years of asceticism was the paying off of that past karmic condition. Having completed it, only then did I attain Buddhahood." The Buddha told Śāriputra: "You observe that all evils in the Tathāgata have been exhausted, and he wishes to liberate all devas, humans, spirits, and all sentient beings, yet even I could not escape my past retributions; how much less can the ignorant who have not yet attained the Way! Śāriputra, one should guard the three [actions] of the body, the four of the mouth, and the three of the mind; one should train in this way." When the Buddha expounded the causes and conditions of his former lives, eleven thousand devaputras attained the path of the srotāpanna, eight thousand dragons and others all received the five precepts, and five thousand yakṣas received the three refuges. When the Buddha finished speaking this, Śāriputra, the five hundred arhats, the great dragon king Anavatapta, and the eight classes of spirits and ghosts rejoiced and practiced accordingly.