法苑珠林 25.7

25.7

First, the bhikṣu Kauṇḍinya: being the foremost of those originally converted who received the Dharma with 'Ehi bhikṣu' ('Come!'), he is called the foremost. As for the bhikṣu Gavāmpati: skillfully guarding against criticism and suspicion, he hid his body in the heavens, and is therefore called the foremost. Hence, the Gongde Lun states: The bhikṣu with cow feet could not reside in the world on account of two matters. What are they? This bhikṣu's feet were like cattle hooves, and when satiated with food, he would ruminate. On account of these two matters he could not reside in the world. If outsiders saw him, they would say that śramaṇas eat without regular times, giving rise to slanderous thoughts. Therefore, the Buddha sent him up to heaven to practice dhyāna in the Sudharmā Lecture Hall. The bhikṣu Subuddhi regularly acted as an envoy for the Saṃgha, traveling to heaven. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, Kāśyapa struck the bell, gathering the vast saṃgha. He commanded Aniruddha to survey the world universally to see who had not arrived. Aniruddha then surveyed the worlds and found everyone had arrived, except the bhikṣu Gavāmpati, who was currently in heaven. He then dispatched Subuddhi to summon him. Reaching the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven, Subuddhi saw him entering the cessation attainment in the Sudharmā Lecture Hall. Snapping his fingers to awaken him, he said: 'The World-Honoured One entered nirvāṇa fourteen days ago. Kāśyapa has assembled the saṃgha, and sent me to summon you to descend to the world to attend the gathering.' Gavāmpati replied: 'The world is now empty, how could I bear to return? I wish to enter nirvāṇa.' He then handed his robes and bowl to Subuddhi to bring back to the saṃgha, and thereupon entered nirvāṇa. Because of these reasons, he skillfully guarded his body and dwelt peacefully in the heavens; hence he is called foremost.