法苑珠林 12.35

12.35

According to the *Pusa chutai jing*, at that time, after the Buddha had entered extinction, seven days and seven nights had passed. Mahākāśyapa addressed five hundred arhats: 'Beat the ghaṇṭā to assemble the congregation. You five hundred people should go to the Buddha-worlds of the ten directions. All who have attained arhatship and the six supernatural knowledges should assemble entirely in this Jambudvīpa and go between the twin trees. Śākyamuni Buddha has now cast off his lifespan and erected a seven-jeweled stūpa. This assembly now desires to bring forth the true nature and Dharmakāya. Assemble swiftly to listen and gather his subtle and wondrous words.' At that time the five hundred arhats received Mahākāśyapa's instruction, and in the time it takes a person to bend or stretch an arm, they reached Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, gathering arhats to the number of eight hundred and eight thousand. The congregation came and assembled in the Sahā world to hear and receive the words of the Dharma.
Also, according to the *Mahāsaṃghika-vinaya*, at that time Mahākāśyapa spoke to the monks: 'Let us compile the Dharma-piṭaka so that the Dharma does not disappear.' The people wished to go elsewhere to compile it. Kāśyapa said: 'We should stay in Rājagṛha, where there is bedding for five hundred people.' The congregation all agreed. He ordered Aniruddha to guard the Buddha's relics, not letting the devas take them away. When the past Buddha Kāśyapa entered extinction, his disciples only knew distress and did not realize that the devas had carried off the relics, so that none of the people of the world were able to make offerings. At that time Ānanda did not go. Kāśyapa and a thousand persons went to Mount Kṣatriya to bestow the World-Honoured One's relics. Maudgalyāyana sat next to Kāśyapa. For the four-month compilation, cutting off external conditions, they were short of two people to make five hundred. Aniruddha came again, but they were still short of one person. Kāśyapa sent Maudgalyāyana together with the elder arhat disciple Revata: 'Go to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and call the arhat Tina.' The arhat Tina, hearing of the Buddha's nirvāṇa, could not bear to see where the Buddha had walked, and had already entered extinction. Later they were sent to the Śirīṣaka Palace to summon the arhat Gavāmpati, and even to the palace of Vaiśravaṇa Deva to summon the arhat Sumitra; both had already attained nirvāṇa.