法苑珠林 92.23

92.23

爾時僧護失伴獨去。涉路未遠聞揵稚聲。尋聲向寺。路值一人。即便問曰。何因緣故打揵稚聲。其人答曰。入溫室浴。僧護念言。我從遠來可就僧浴。即入僧房見諸人等。狀似眾僧。共入溫室。見諸浴具衣瓶瓨器。浴室盡皆火然。爾時僧眾共入溫室入已火然。筋肉消盡骨如焦炷。僧護驚悑問諸比丘。汝是何人。比丘答言。閻浮提人。為性難信。汝到佛所便可問佛。即便驚悑捨寺逃走。進路未遠。復值一寺。其寺嚴博。殊麗精好。亦聞稚聲。復見比丘。即便問言。何因打稚聲。比丘答言。眾僧食飯。尋自思惟。我今遠來甚成飢乏。亦須飯食。入僧坊已。見僧和集食器敷具悉皆火然。人及房舍盡皆火然。如前不異。僧護問言。汝是何人。其人答言。更不異前。僧護驚悑更疾捨去。進路未遠復值一寺。其寺嚴麗更不異前。入僧房已。復見諸比丘坐於火床。互相抓搔。肉盡筋出。五藏骨髓亦如焦炷。僧護問曰。汝是何人。比丘答言。閻浮提人。為性難信。汝到佛所便可問佛。僧護驚悑復疾捨去。進路未遠復值一寺。如是入寺。見諸眾僧共坐而食。諸比丘言。汝今出去。僧護躇蹰未及出去。見諸比丘鉢中唯是人糞熱沸涌出。時諸比丘皆悉食噉。食已火然。咽喉五藏。皆成煙焰。流下直過。見已驚悑復疾而去。其去未遠復見一寺。其寺嚴麗如前不異。即入僧房見諸比丘手把鐵椎互相棒打。摧碎如塵。見已驚悑復更進路。其去未遠復見一寺。其寺嚴好亦不異前。於前即入僧房聞揵稚聲。僧護問曰。何故揵稚。諸比丘答言。欲飲甜漿。僧護即自念言。我今渴乏須飲甜漿。即入眾中見諸食器床臥敷具。諸比丘等互相罵辱。諸食器中盛滿融銅。諸比丘等皆共飲噉。食已火然咽喉五藏。皆成炭火。流下直過。見已驚悑進路而去。其去不遠見大肉地。其火焰熾噭聲號疼。苦楚難忍。見已驚悑進路而去。其去未遠復見大地。如前無異。復更前進見大肉甕。盡皆火然。熬疼難忍。如前無異。復更前進亦見肉甕。盡皆火然。如前無異。復更前進見一肉瓶。其火焰熾。噭聲號苦毒痛難忍。復更前進見一肉瓶。其火焰熾如前不異。復更前進見大肉泉。其火焰熾爛皮涌沸。苦聲楚毒亦不異前。見已驚悑。復更前進。進路未遠見一大肉甕。其火焰熾苦事如前。復更前進見一比丘。手捉利刀而自劓鼻。劓已復生。生已復劓。終而復始。無有休息。復更前進如前不異。復更前進見一比丘。水中獨立。口自唱言水水不息。而受苦毒。復更前進見一比丘。在鐵刺園中立鐵刺上。苦聲號噭亦不異前。復更前進見一肉廳。其火焰熾。苦聲號噭與前無異。復更前進見一肉橛。形如象牙。其火焰熾。受苦如前。復更前進見一𩥟駝。火燒身體。苦聲號噭亦不異前。復更前進見馬一匹。火燒身體。苦痛號噭亦不異前。復更前進見一白象。熾火燒身。苦不異前。復更前進見一驢身。猛火燒身苦不異前。復更前進見一羝羊。猛火燒身苦不異前。復更前進見一肉臺。大火焰熾。苦不異前。復更前進見一肉臺。如前不異。復更前進見一肉房。猛火燒身。苦聲號噭亦不異前。復更前進見一肉床。苦火燒身亦不異前。復更前進見一肉稱。火燒申縮。苦不異前。復更前進見一肉拘執。火燒申縮。苦不異前。復更前進見一肉繩床。火燒受苦。亦不異前。復更前進見一肉壁。火燒搖動苦不異前。復更前進見一廁井。屎尿涌沸苦不異前。復更前進見一高座。上有比丘攝心端坐。猛火焚燒苦聲如前。復更前進更見一高座。受苦皆上亦不異前。復更前進見肉揵稚。火燒苦聲亦不異前。復更前進見肉胡岐支。胡名拘修羅。猛火燒身受苦如前。復更前進見一肉山。火燒爛臭振動號吼。苦不異前。復更前進見須曼那華樹。火燒受苦亦不異前。復更前進見一肉華樹。火燒出聲。苦不異前。復更前進見肉果樹。火燒苦聲亦不異前。復更前進見一肉樹。火燒受苦亦不異前。復更前進見一肉柱。火燒受苦亦不異前。復更前進見一肉柱。獄卒斧斫。受苦如前。復更前進見十四肉樹。火燒受苦亦不異前。復更前進見二比丘。以拳相打頭腦破裂。膿血流出。消已還生。終而復始。苦不休息。僧護比丘出更前進見二沙彌。眠臥相抱。猛火燒身。苦不休息。僧護比丘見已驚悑。問沙彌言。汝是何人受如是苦。沙彌答言。閻浮提人受性難信。汝到世尊所便可問佛。見已驚悑。復更前進。在路遙見林樹榮茂可樂往趣。入林見五百仙人游止林間。仙人見僧護比丘馳散避去。共相謂言。釋迦弟子污我等園。僧護比丘從仙人借樹。寄止一宿。明當早去。仙人眾中第一上座。大有慈悲。勅諸小仙。借沙門樹。僧護即得一樹。於其樹下敷尼師檀。跏趺而坐。於初夜中伏滅五蓋。中夜眠息。後夜端坐。高聲作唄。時諸仙人聞作唄聲。寤解性空證不還果。見法歡喜。詣沙門所頭面作禮。請祈沙門受三歸依。於佛法中求欲出家。爾時僧護即度仙人。如法出家教修禪法。不久得定證羅漢果。如旃檀林自相圍繞。得道比丘賢聖為眾。

At that time, Saṅgharakṣita had lost his companions and proceeded alone. He had not travelled far along the road when he heard the sound of a gaṇḍī. Following the sound, he headed toward a monastery. On the way he met a person and asked, "For what reason is the gaṇḍī being sounded?" That person answered, "To enter the bathhouse to bathe." Saṅgharakṣita thought, "Having come from afar, I might join the saṅgha to bathe." He entered the monastic quarters and saw various people who looked like the community of monks, entering the bathhouse together. He saw that all the bathing utensils, robes, jars, basins, and vessels, as well as the bathhouse, were ablaze with fire. At that time, when the assembly of monks entered the bathhouse together, fire flared up as soon as they entered: their muscles and flesh melted away completely, and their bones became like charred wicks. Saṅgharakṣita, terrified, asked the monks, "Who are you?" The monks answered, "People of Jambudvīpa are by nature hard to make believe. When you reach the Buddha's place, you may ask the Buddha." Thereupon, terrified, he abandoned the monastery and fled. He had not advanced far along the road when he encountered another monastery. That monastery was majestic and spacious, extraordinarily splendid, and exquisite. He also heard the sound of a gaṇḍī and saw monks again, so he asked, "For what reason is the gaṇḍī sounded?" A monk answered, "The assembly of monks is having a meal." He immediately thought to himself, "Having come from afar, I am now very famished and exhausted; I also need food." Having entered the monastic quarters, he saw the monks gathering in harmony, but the food vessels and mats were all ablaze with fire. The people and the buildings were all ablaze with fire, no different from before. Saṅgharakṣita asked, "Who are you?" That person answered, "No different from before." Terrified, Saṅgharakṣita fled even more swiftly. He had not advanced far along the road when he encountered another monastery. That monastery was majestic and beautiful, no different from before. After entering the monastic quarters, he saw monks sitting on flaming beds, scratching one another; their flesh peeled away and their sinews protruded, and their five viscera, bones, and marrow were also like charred wicks. Saṅgharakṣita asked, "Who are you?" The monks answered, "People of Jambudvīpa are by nature hard to make believe. When you reach the Buddha's place, you may ask the Buddha." Terrified, Saṅgharakṣita fled swiftly again. He had not advanced far along the road when he encountered another monastery. Entering the monastery in this manner, he saw the community of monks sitting together and eating. The monks said, "You must go out now!" Saṅgharakṣita hesitated and had not yet gone out when he saw that within the bowls of the monks there was only boiling-hot human dung gushing forth. The monks all consumed it. After they consumed it, fire flared up: their throats and five viscera all turned to smoke and flame, pouring straight down and passing through. Having seen this, terrified, he departed swiftly again. Not far from there, he saw yet another monastery. That monastery was majestic and beautiful, no different from before. He went into the monastic quarters and heard the sound of a gaṇḍī. Saṅgharakṣita asked, "Why is the gaṇḍī sounded?" The monks answered, "We wish to drink sweet syrup." Saṅgharakṣita thought to himself, "I am now thirsty and exhausted; I need to drink sweet syrup." He went among the assembly and saw the food vessels, beds, and mats; the monks were reviling and abusing one another. The food vessels were filled with molten copper, and the monks all drank it together. After they consumed it, fire flared up: their throats and five viscera all turned to glowing charcoal, pouring straight down and passing through. Having seen this, terrified, he proceeded along the road. Not far away, he saw a great ground of flesh, where flames blazed fiercely, with wailing cries of agony, suffering distress hard to endure. Having seen this, terrified, he proceeded along the road. Not far away, he saw another great ground, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a great vat of flesh, all ablaze with fire, enduring searing agony hard to bear, no different from before. Advancing further, he also saw a vat of flesh, all ablaze with fire, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a jar of flesh, its flames blazing fiercely, wailing in agony and suffering severe pain hard to endure. Advancing further, he saw another jar of flesh, its flames blazing fiercely, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a great spring of flesh, its flames blazing fiercely, boiling up with rotten skin, the agonizing cries and severe pain no different from before. Having seen this, terrified, he advanced further. He had not advanced far along the road when he saw a great vat of flesh, its flames blazing fiercely and the suffering as before. Advancing further, he saw a monk holding a sharp knife in his hand and cutting off his own nose; after cutting it off it grew again, and after growing it was cut off again, ending and beginning anew without cessation. Advancing further, it was no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a monk standing alone in water, his mouth constantly crying out, "Water! Water!" without cessation, enduring bitter torment. Advancing further, he saw a monk in an iron-thorn park standing upon iron thorns, his agonizing wailing cries no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a hall of flesh, its flames blazing fiercely, the agonizing wailing cries no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a flesh peg shaped like an elephant's tusk, its flames blazing fiercely, enduring suffering as before. Advancing further, he saw a camel, its body burned by fire, its agonizing wailing cries no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a horse, its body burned by fire, its agonizing wailing cries no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a white elephant, fierce fire burning its body, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a donkey's body, fierce fire burning its body, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a ram, fierce fire burning its body, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a terrace of flesh, great flames blazing fiercely, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw another terrace of flesh, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a room of flesh, fierce fire burning its body, its agonizing wailing cries no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a bed of flesh, bitter fire burning its body, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a steelyard balance of flesh, burned by fire, extending and contracting, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a measuring container of flesh, burned by fire, extending and contracting, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a rope-bed of flesh, burned by fire and enduring suffering, no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a wall of flesh, burned by fire and shaking, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a privy pit, faeces and urine boiling up, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a high seat upon which a monk collected his mind and sat upright, while fierce fire burned him, the agonizing cries as before. Advancing further, he saw another high seat where the suffering borne above was also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a gaṇḍī of flesh, burned by fire, the agonizing cries also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a granary of flesh—in the western language called a kuśūla—fierce fire burning its body, enduring suffering as before. Advancing further, he saw a mountain of flesh, burned by fire, rotting and foul, shaking and roaring, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a sumanā flower tree, burned by fire and enduring suffering, also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a flower tree of flesh, burned by fire and emitting cries, its suffering no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a fruit tree of flesh, burned by fire, the agonizing cries also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a tree of flesh, burned by fire and enduring suffering, also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a pillar of flesh, burned by fire and enduring suffering, also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw a pillar of flesh being chopped with axes by hell wardens, enduring suffering as before. Advancing further, he saw fourteen trees of flesh, burned by fire and enduring suffering, also no different from before. Advancing further, he saw two monks striking each other with their fists, their heads and brains split open, pus and blood flowing forth; having perished, they were reborn, ending and beginning anew, their suffering never ceasing. The monk Saṅgharakṣita went out and advanced further, where he saw two novices lying down embracing each other, fierce fire burning their bodies, their suffering never ceasing. The monk Saṅgharakṣita, having seen this, was terrified and asked the novices, "Who are you to suffer such agony?" The novices answered, "People of Jambudvīpa are by nature hard to make believe. When you reach the World-Honoured One's place, you may ask the Buddha." Having seen this, terrified, he advanced further. Along the road, he saw from afar a forest of lush and luxuriant trees, pleasant to approach. Entering the forest, he saw five hundred ṛṣis living and resting in the forest. When the ṛṣis saw the monk Saṅgharakṣita, they ran away and scattered to avoid him, saying to one another, "A disciple of Śākya has defiled our park!" The monk Saṅgharakṣita asked the ṛṣis to lend him a tree under which to lodge for one night, saying he would leave early the next morning. Among the assembly of ṛṣis, the foremost elder, who had great compassion, ordered the junior ṛṣis, "Lend a tree to the śramaṇa." Saṅgharakṣita then obtained a tree; beneath that tree he spread his niṣīdana and sat cross-legged. In the first watch of the night he subdued and extinguished the five hindrances; in the middle watch of the night he rested in sleep; in the final watch of the night he sat upright and chanted pāṭha in a loud voice. At that time, when the ṛṣis heard the sound of chanting, they awakened to the emptiness of nature and attained the fruit of a non-returner. Rejoicing at seeing the Dharma, they went to the śramaṇa's place, bowed their heads in homage, and implored the śramaṇa to grant them the three refuges, seeking to go forth within the Buddha's Dharma. At that time, Saṅgharakṣita immediately brought the ṛṣis across, having them go forth according to the Dharma and instructing them in cultivating meditation methods. Before long they attained concentration and realized the fruit of an arhat. Just as a sandalwood grove surrounds itself, monks who had attained the Way and who were worthy and noble constituted the assembly.