法苑珠林 45.17

45.17

Furthermore, the Mātaṅgī-sūtra says: At that time, Ānanda, carrying his alms bowl, having finished begging for food, walked along the water's edge. He saw a woman carrying water by the water's edge, and Ānanda begged water from the woman. The woman then gave him water. The woman followed Ānanda, watching where he stayed. The woman returned and told her mother; her mother's name was Mātaṅgī. The woman then threw herself down in the house, lying down and weeping. The mother asked why she was crying sorrowfully. The girl said, "If Mother wishes to marry me off, do not give me to another. By the water's edge I saw a śramaṇa who begged water from me. I asked who he was, and he answered that his name was Ānanda. Only if I get Ānanda can I marry; if I do not get him, I will not marry." The mother went out to inquire about Ānanda, and learned that Ānanda was one who served the Buddha. Having found out, the mother returned and told her daughter, "Ānanda is a man of the Way who serves the Buddha; he will not agree to be your husband." The girl wept and would not eat. The mother knew black magic (gu). She invited Ānanda to a meal. The girl was then overjoyed. The mother said to Ānanda, "My daughter wishes to be your wife." Ānanda said, "I uphold the precepts and do not keep a wife." She said again, "If my daughter cannot have you as a husband, she will commit suicide." Ānanda said, "My teacher is the Buddha; I do not have sexual relations with women." The mother went in and told the daughter, recounting this intention in full. The daughter wept before her mother, saying, "Just shut the door for me and do not let him get out; in the evening he will naturally become my husband." The mother then shut the door and, using the arts of black magic, bound Ānanda until late afternoon. The mother spread mats and prepared a sleeping place for the daughter. The daughter was then overjoyed and adorned herself. Ānanda would not comply. The mother caused fire to emerge from the ground in the courtyard, pulled Ānanda's robe, and said, "If you do not become my daughter's husband, I will throw you into the fire." Ānanda reproached himself: "Having become a śramaṇa for the Buddha, now contrary [to my vows] I cannot escape!" The Buddha then used spiritual powers, knowing Ānanda's mind, and rescued him. Ānanda returned to the Buddha's place and reported in full what had happened before. Seeing Ānanda leave, the girl wept incessantly in the house, continuously longing for Ānanda. The next day, the girl sought Ānanda on her own. She saw Ānanda walking again to beg for food; she followed behind Ānanda, gazing at Ānanda's feet and looking at Ānanda's face. Ānanda felt ashamed and avoided her, but the girl followed him without stopping. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, "The Mātaṅgī girl is again following behind me today." The Buddha sent someone to pursue and call her. The Buddha asked the girl, saying, "You chase after Ānanda; what is it that you seek?" The girl said, "I heard that Ānanda has no wife, and I also have no husband. I wish to be his wife." The Buddha told the girl, "Ānanda has no hair, but now you have hair. If you can shave your hair, I will make Ānanda your husband." The girl said, "I can shave it." The Buddha said, "Return and inform your mother; when you have finished shaving your head, come back." The girl returned and fully informed her mother. The mother said, "I gave birth to you and protected your hair; why do you wish to have a śramaṇa as a husband? There are plenty of wealthy and noble people in this country; I will marry you off myself." The girl said, "Whether I live or die, I would rather be Ānanda's wife." The mother said, "You bring shame upon my clan." The mother applied the razor and shaved her head. The girl returned to the Buddha's place and said, "I have shaved my hair." The Buddha said, "What do you love about Ānanda?" The girl said, "I love Ānanda's eyes, I love Ānanda's nose, I love Ānanda's mouth, I love Ānanda's ears, I love Ānanda's voice, and I love Ānanda's gait." The Buddha said, "In the eyes there are only tears; in the nose there is only mucus; in the mouth there is only saliva; in the ears there is only earwax; in the body there are only feces and urine, a foul and impure place. When there is husband and wife, there is filthy fluid. From filthy fluid children are born. Once there are children, there is death. Once there is death, there is weeping. What benefit is there in this body?" The girl then contemplated the filthy fluids within the body, straightened her mind, and immediately attained the state of an arhat. The Buddha, knowing she had attained the Way, told the girl, "Rise and go to Ānanda's place." The girl was then ashamed, bowed her head, knelt upright before the Buddha, and said, "I was truly foolish, which is why I pursued Ānanda. Now my mind has opened, like having a lamp in the dark, like a person riding a boat which breaks, relying on the shore, like a blind person receiving support, like an old person holding a staff. Now the Buddha has granted me the Way, causing my mind to open." Thereupon the bhikṣus together asked the Buddha, "By what cause did this woman attain the Way?" The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "In past lives, this Mātaṅgī girl was Ānanda's wife for five hundred lives, and they always loved and respected each other. Therefore, within my Dharma, she attained the Way. Now when husband and wife meet, they are like elder and younger brothers. When the Buddha's Way is like this, what can it not accomplish?" The Buddha spoke this sūtra, and having heard it, all the bhikṣus were greatly delighted.