諸經要集 3.85

3.85

第三念僧者。謂四雙八輩十二賢士。捨世貪諍開導天人。則是眾生良福田故。昔有薄福比丘。名梵摩達（律名羅旬喻比丘也）在千二百五十眾中。令眾僧不得食。莫知誰咎。佛使分為二部。一部得。一部不得。復分為二部。半得。半不得。如是展轉乃至二人。一得食。一不得食。乃知無福。雖得至鉢自然消化。佛愍其厄。自手授食在於鉢中。福力所制不能化去。佛欲令現身得福故。令二滅盡比丘以食飽此。即時得福。時波斯匿王。聞此薄福佛愍與食。我今亦當為其設福。即遣𥹁米。時有一烏飛來銜一粒米去。使人呵曰。王為梵摩達設福。汝何以持去耶。烏即持還本處。所以然者。此比丘蒙僧福力。烏獸不侵害也。用是證知為良福田。既自度度人。至三乘道。念眾之法其義如此。

Third, mindfulness of the Saṃgha: this refers to the four pairs and eight stages, the twelve worthy masters. Relinquishing worldly greed and disputation, they guide gods and humans; thus they are truly an excellent puṇyakṣetra for sentient beings. Formerly, there was a bhikṣu of meager merit named Brahmadatta (in the Vinaya named the bhikṣu Raśmi-upamā). Being among the assembly of one thousand two hundred and fifty, he caused the monks to receive no food, and no one knew whose fault it was. The Buddha had them divide into two groups: one group received [food], and one group did not. They divided again into two groups: half received, half did not. Proceeding in this manner until there were only two people, one received food and one did not; thus it was known that he lacked merit. Even when food reached his bowl, it would spontaneously disintegrate. The Buddha pitied his plight and personally placed food into his bowl with his own hand; constrained by the power of [the Buddha's] merit, it could not disintegrate. Because the Buddha wished to cause him to gain merit in his present life, he had two bhikṣus [who had attained the concentration] of cessation satisfy him with food, whereupon he immediately gained merit. At that time, King Prasenajit heard that the Buddha had pitied this man of meager merit and given him food, [and thought:] 'I should also establish merit for him now.' He immediately sent unhusked and polished rice. At that time a crow flew down, took a grain of rice in its beak, and flew away. The king's messenger scolded it, saying: 'The king is establishing merit for Brahmadatta; why do you carry it off?' The crow immediately brought it back to its original place. Why was this so? Because this bhikṣu was covered by the power of the Saṃgha's merit, birds and beasts would not harm or violate him. By this it is proven and known that they are an excellent puṇyakṣetra. Having crossed over themselves, they cross over others, leading them to the path of the three vehicles. Such is the meaning of the method of mindfulness of the Saṃgha.