法苑珠林 77.36

77.36

Furthermore, the Ekottarika-āgama says: At that time, there was an old woman named Nandā, who was making cakes with her own hands. At that time, the hour having arrived, the Venerable Piṇḍola put on his robes, held his bowl, and entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for food. Gradually he came to the house of the old woman Nandā. He welled up from the ground, outstretched his hands, held his bowl, and begged for food from the old woman Nandā. When the old woman saw Piṇḍola, she was filled with rage and spoke these harsh words: "Bhikṣu, you should know that even if your eyes fell out, I would never give you food!" At that time, Piṇḍola immediately entered samādhi, and both of his eyes fell out. At that time, the old woman became doubly enraged: "Even if the śramaṇa were suspended upside down in mid-air, I would never give you food!" At that time, the Venerable was suspended upside down in mid-air. The old woman became doubly enraged: "Even if smoke came from the śramaṇa's whole body, I would never give you food!" At that time, smoke came from the Venerable's whole body. The old woman became doubly enraged and spoke these words: "Even if the śramaṇa's whole body caught fire, I would never give you food!" At that time, Piṇḍola made his whole body catch fire. When the old woman saw this, she spoke these words again: "Even if water poured from the śramaṇa's whole body, I would never give you food!" Piṇḍola then made water pour from his whole body. When the old woman saw this, she spoke these words again: "Even if the śramaṇa died before me, I would never give you food!" At that time, Piṇḍola ceased breathing in or out, and died before the old woman. Seeing that he neither breathed in nor out, the old woman was terrified and her hair stood on end. She spoke these words: "This śramaṇa is widely known and respected by the king. If it is heard that he died in my house, I will surely face legal troubles and fear I cannot escape. If he revives, I will give him food." At that time, Piṇḍola immediately arose from samādhi. Then the old woman thought: "This cake is very large; I should make a smaller one to give him." The old woman took a little flour to make a cake, but the cake grew larger. Seeing this, the old woman [thought]: "This cake is very large; I should make a smaller one." Yet the cake grew even larger. [She thought]: "I shall take the one I made earlier and give it to him." Yet all the cakes stuck together. The old woman said to Piṇḍola: "Bhikṣu, if you need food, take it yourself. Why do you harass me like this?" Piṇḍola replied: "Elder sister, I do not need food; I only need you, mother, to listen to what is said." The old woman replied: "What instructions are there?" Piṇḍola replied: "Now take these cakes and go to the World-Honoured One. If he has instructions, let us follow them together." The old woman replied: "This matter is very good." At that time, the old woman personally carried these cakes and followed Piṇḍola to the World-Honoured One. She bowed her head to his feet and stood to one side. [Piṇḍola] addressed the World-Honoured One: "This mother Nandā is the elder Bhadrika's sister. Greedy, stingy, and eating alone, she was unwilling to give to others. We pray that the World-Honoured One expound the Dharma of firm faith for her, so that she may become awakened and enlightened." At that time, the World-Honoured One said to the old woman: "Now take the cakes and give them to the Buddha, the other monks, nuns, upāsakas, upāsikās, and the poor." Yet there were still cakes left. "You may take them and discard them on clean ground and into water without insects." She immediately distributed these cakes in order; and when she placed them into the clean water, flames immediately flared up. Seeing this, the old woman was struck with fear. The World-Honoured One gradually taught her the Dharma, delivering discourses on giving, moral discipline, and rebirth in heaven, and on suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Right on her seat, she attained the pure Dharma eye; she revered the Three Jewels, received and upheld the five precepts, was filled with joy, bowed to the Buddha, and departed.