法苑珠林 99.49

99.49

According to Vinaya Master Xuan's *Zhuchi ganying ji*: Inside the Vinaya Precepts Courtyard of Jetavana Temple there was a bronze bell weighing three hundred thousand catties. The Four Heavenly Kings had jointly made it, intending to assemble the noble multitude of the great chiliocosm. Maudgalyāyana struck it with his spiritual power, and its sound resonated far and wide. The platform was seventy feet high. The shape of the bell was like those of the Wu region. On its four sides were many images of the sun, moon, stars, constellations, mountains, streams, rivers, and seas, along with representations of peck measures, bushel measures, scales, and rulers. When struck by Maudgalyāyana, according to whatever was signified, a sound came forth to announce it. When struck by ordinary monks, it only produced a sound and nothing more. Inside its Ordination Platform Courtyard there was another great bell; the platform was four hundred feet high. Upon it was a gold bell weighing one hundred thousand catties, shaped like a cup. Upon it were images of a thousand cakravartins, each accompanied by their thousand sons, all completely depicted. There were also nine dragons, waters of the eight virtues, and various adorned features. This great bell was made by a cakravartin at the beginning of the kalpa. When noble persons received the precepts, those who had already attained spiritual penetrations would strike it, its sound shaking the three thousand [worlds]; all noble persons who heard it realized the fruit [of arhatship], and those in the evil destinies who heard it remembered their past lives. Jetavana had a separate Courtyard of the Masters of the Treatises, where there was a bronze bell shaped like an hourglass drum, which had been made by the king of the gandharvas. Upon it were images of King Brahmā, Śakra, King Māra, the Four Heavenly Kings, the eight classes of beings, and men. If non-Buddhist masters of other teachings wished to come and challenge in debate, an arhat of spiritual penetrations would be sent to strike it. Its sound shook the three thousand [worlds]. When the non-Buddhists were about to debate, upon hearing this bell sound, their faculties became dull and muted, and none dared speak. If someone came with a good mind to resolve doubts, hearing this bell sound caused bodhi to unfold and they attained non-retrogression.