法苑珠林 58.28

58.28

Furthermore, the Mahāyāna Upāyakauśalya Sūtra states: At that time, the Venerable Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying, 'World-Honoured One, this morning I entered the city of Śrāvastī to beg for food in succession. I saw the Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana sitting on the same couch with a woman.' After Ānanda spoke these words, the great earth immediately shook in six ways. The Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana ascended into the sky amidst the great assembly to the height of a tāla tree, and addressed Ānanda, saying, 'Venerable sir, could one who has committed an offense abide in empty space? You may ask the World-Honoured One about this matter: what constitutes an offense, and what does not?' At that time, Ānanda, filled with sorrow, repented before the Buddha: 'Regarding such a great nāga, I spoke of his committing an offense, and I sought his fault. World-Honoured One, I now repent; I only pray that you will grant your permission.' The Buddha told Ānanda, 'You should not seek faults in a Mahāyāna great being. Ānanda, all you śrāvakas cultivate the concentration of cessation in places free of obstacles; without encountering hindrances, you sever all fetters. The bodhisattva accomplishes the mind of omniscience; though he remains in the palace and disports himself with palace women, he does not give rise to māra's deeds or any hindrances, yet attains bodhi.' The Buddha told Ānanda, 'That woman, in five hundred past lifetimes, was the wife of the Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana. Owing to her past habitual tendencies, upon seeing him, she gave rise to love, attachment, and bondage from which she would not part, [thinking,] "If the Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana can sit on the same couch with me, I will give rise to the mind of anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi." At that time, the Bodhisattva knew what was in the woman's mind. He immediately entered her house and right then contemplated such a Dharma teaching: "Whether it is the internal earth element or the external earth element, it is all one earth element." In his mind he took the woman's hand and sat on the same couch, and immediately upon the seat spoke a verse:'