法苑珠林 47.22

47.22

At that time, after Ānanda struck the gaṇḍī, he went to the World-Honoured One's place and said to the World-Honoured One: "Now is the right time. I pray only to know what the World-Honoured One commands." At this time, the World-Honoured One told Ānanda: "Take your seat according to rank; you should sit on a grass seat." Then all the monks sat on their grass seats. At this time, after silently observing all the monks, the World-Honoured One instructed the monks: "I now wish to receive the year. Have I no fault toward the assembly? And have I not offended in body, speech, or mind?" After the Tathāgata spoke these words, all the monks remained silent and did not reply. After this was announced a second and third time to the monks, the venerable Śāriputra rose from his seat, knelt on his right knee, and said to the World-Honoured One: "The assembly of monks observes that the Tathāgata has no fault of body, speech, or mind. World-Honoured One, today you deliver those not yet delivered, liberate those not yet liberated, bring those not yet in parinirvāṇa to enter parinirvāṇa, act as a refuge and protection for the helpless, provide eyes for the blind, and act as a great king of physicians for the sick. You are uniquely supreme in the three realms, and none can equal you. By reason of this, the Tathāgata has no fault toward the assembly, nor has he any fault of body, speech, or mind." At this time, Śāriputra said to the World-Honoured One: "May I now state of myself whether I have any fault toward the Tathāgata and the assembly of monks?" The World-Honoured One told him: "You, Śāriputra, have entirely no wrongful deeds committed by body, speech, or mind. None can equal your wisdom now. What you say now is always in accord with the meaning of the Dharma and has never transgressed reason." At this time, Śāriputra said to the Buddha: "Are all these five hundred monks to receive the year? Do they all have no fault toward the Tathāgata?" The World-Honoured One told him: "I also do not blame the body, speech, or mind of these five hundred monks. Śāriputra, within this great assembly it is exceedingly pure and free from blemish. The lowest and most junior in this assembly now has attained the fruit of stream-enterer (srotaāpanna), and will certainly advance upward to the stage of non-retrogression (avaivartika). For this reason, I do not reprove or blame this assembly."