諸經要集 5.52

5.52

Furthermore, the Daśabhāṇavāra-vinaya states: At that time, in the city of Rājagṛha, there was a householder named Śrīgupta, exceedingly rich and wealthy, who was a disciple of non-Buddhists. This man constantly doubted whether the śramaṇa Gautama possessed omniscience or not. He went to where the Buddha was and addressed him: 'Śramaṇa Gautama, eat at my house tomorrow.' Because he was someone who should be delivered, the Buddha accepted the invitation silently. The householder then went outside his house gate and dug a great fire-pit, causing the fire to have neither smoke nor flame, and covered it with sand. He then entered the house and spread unthreaded sitting couches, and further blended poison into the food. He thought in his mind and spoke with his mouth: 'If Gautama is an omniscient person, he will know this matter. If he is not an omniscient person, he will fall into this pit and die of poison.' He sent a messenger to inform the Buddha: 'The food and drink are now prepared.' The Buddha said to Ānanda: 'Order the monks that none may walk ahead of the Buddha.' Then the Buddha walked in front and the monks entered behind him. At the fire-pit of Śrīgupta’s house, the Buddha transformed it into a lotus pond, filled with pure water, both sweet and cool. The Buddha and the Saṅgha walked on the flowers and leaves and entered the house. When they sat on the unthreaded couches, he transformed them into woven ones. The Buddha told Śrīgupta: 'You should remove the doubt in your mind; I am truly an omniscient person.' Seeing these two spiritual powers, the householder immediately gave rise to faith and revered the Buddha. Crossing his hands, he addressed the Buddha: 'This food is poisoned; it is unfit for the Buddha to eat.' The Buddha said: 'Simply give this food; the Saṅgha will not fall ill.' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Proclaim an order among the Saṅgha that until the equal offering is chanted, no one may eat.' This was the Buddha’s benediction: 'Lust, hatred, and delusion are the poisons in this world. The Buddha has the true Dharma, which removes all poisons. By virtue of these true words, the poisons are all removed.' The food was then purified. When the Saṅgha had eaten their fill, the householder sat before the Buddha to listen, and right on his seat he attained the purity of the Dharma-eye. When the Buddha returned, he assembled the Saṅgha and told them: 'From this day forth, you must not walk ahead of the Buddha, nor ahead of the upādhyāya, the ācārya, or the elders of the Saṅgha. Before the equal offering is chanted, you must not eat.' Furthermore, the Mātṛkā-śāstra states: 'When the Saṅgha distributes food, the elder should say, "All are equal", and have the chant of the saṃbaddha performed, after which all eat together.' (This is what is called the 'equal offering').