諸經要集 6.8

6.8

Furthermore, the Madhyama-āgama states: At that time, Viśākhā, mother of Mṛgāra, bathed at dawn, put on clean white garments, and taking her daughters-in-law and other kin, went to the Buddha's dwelling. She bowed her head in worship and said to the Bhagavat: "I now wish to observe the wholesome fast." The Bhagavat asked: "Laywoman, what kind of fast do you now observe? There are three kinds of fasts. What are the three? The first is the cowherd's fast; the second is the Nirgrantha fast; the third is the noble eight-limbed fast. What is called the cowherd's fast? If a cowherd grazes cattle in the marsh in the morning and gathers them back to the village at dusk, when he returns to the village he thinks thus: 'Today I grazed the cattle here; tomorrow I will graze the cattle there. Today I watered the cattle here; tomorrow I will water the cattle there. Today my cattle lodged here; tomorrow they will lodge there.' In this way, if when observing the fast a person reflects like this: 'Today I ate such food; tomorrow I will eat such food. Today I drank such drink; tomorrow I will drink such drink. Today I digested such food; tomorrow I will digest such food'—if that person spends this day and night clinging in craving, this is called the cowherd's fast. If one observes the fast like this, one does not obtain great benefit, does not attain great fruit, has no great merit, and it is not widely diffused. What is called the Nirgrantha fast? If an ordained Nirgrantha urges people, saying: 'Toward the east, beyond a hundred yojanas, if there are sentient beings, cast away knives and clubs to protect them'—and likewise for the south, west, and north; or stripping off clothes and going naked, they say: 'I have no parents, wife, or children,' encouraging falsehood and taking it to be the true reality; or holding to ascetic practices, starving themselves, and other false practices—this is called the Nirgrantha fast. If one observes the fast like this, one also does not obtain great benefit, does not attain great fruit, has no great merit, and it is not widely diffused. What is called the noble eight-limbed fast? A learned noble disciple, when observing the fast, reflects thus: 'For the rest of their lives, the arhats, the true persons, abandon killing and cease killing, casting away knives and clubs; they have shame and remorse, possess loving-kindness and compassion, and benefit all beings down to insects; their minds are purified regarding killing; up to: for the rest of their lives they abandon improper-time eating and cease improper-time eating, eating one meal and not eating at night, taking pleasure in proper-time eating. By this limb, I am equal to and no different from the arhats.' Therefore it is called a fast. Having abided in this noble eight-limbed fast, above this they should further recollect the Tathāgata, the One Without Attachment, and the other ten epithets and the worldly-transcending pure Dharma, relinquishing defilements and bad, unwholesome phenomena. This is called the noble eight-limbed fast. If a woman of noble family observes the noble eight-limbed fast, when her body breaks up and life ends, she will be born in the six desire heavens, and ultimately attain the four fruits of a śramaṇa."