法苑珠林 55.9

55.9

Furthermore, the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra states: There was a brahmacārin named Dīrghanakha (another sūtra gives his Sanskrit name as Laodouyou), who was a great debater in Jambudvīpa. He claimed that all doctrines could be refuted, all words could be dismantled, and all attachments could be overturned; there was no real phenomenon that could be believed or revered. He was the maternal uncle of Śāriputra, Mahākoṣṭhila. Having lost a debate to his elder sister, Śāri, Koṣṭhila reflected: “This is not my sister's own ability. She must be carrying a wise man, borrowing words through the mother's mouth. If it is already like this before he is born, what will it be like when he is born and grown up?” Having reflected thus, arrogance arose in his mind. In order to broaden his dialectical skills, he renounced home to become a brahmacārin. Entering South India, he began studying the scriptures. People asked him, “What is your goal?” Dīrghanakha replied, “I wish to read all of the eighteen great treatises.” The people told him, “Even if you exhaust your entire lifespan, you will not be able to know even one, let alone exhaust them all.” Dīrghanakha thought to himself, “Formerly I was arrogant and was bested by my sister; now these people slight and humiliate me again.” For these two reasons, he made a vow: “I will not cut my fingernails until I have read all of the eighteen kinds of treatises.” Seeing his long nails, people accordingly called him the Dīrghanakha Brahmacārin (Long-nailed Brahmacārin). With various scriptures, this man criticized and dissected right and wrong, breaking down the arguments of others, like a crazed elephant of great strength charging and trampling, whom no one could restrain. Having subdued all the debaters in this way, the Dīrghanakha Brahmacārin returned to the village of Nārada in Rājagṛha of Magadha, arriving at his birthplace. He asked the people, “Where is my sister's son now?” Someone told him, “Your sister's son had read all scriptures when he was only eight years old, and by age sixteen his debates surpassed all men. There is a renunciant of the Śākya clan, surnamed Gautama, and he has become his disciple.” Hearing this, Dīrghanakha immediately gave rise to arrogance, lacked faith, and said, “My sister's son is as brilliant as this; with what trick did he lure and deceive him into shaving his head to become a disciple?” Having spoken thus, he went straight to the Buddha's place.