翻譯名義集 1.78

1.78

[Mahānāga] The Dazhidu lun says: "Nāga is sometimes called dragon and sometimes elephant. These five thousand arhats possessed the greatest strength among all arhats; therefore they are said to be like dragons and like elephants. Among water-dwellers the dragon has the greatest strength, and among land-dwellers the elephant has great strength." The Madhyama-āgama says: "The Buddha addressed Udāyin: 'If śramaṇas and the like, from humans up to devas, do not harm with body, speech, or mind, I say that they are dragons and elephants.'" The Jingming shu says: "If an arhat attains transcendence, he is called a mahānāga; his mind is subdued and supple, and the matters of the three vehicles are settled. This is the utmost limit." The Ji says: "As when the Nirvāṇa Sūtra praises their virtue, saying: 'Dragons among humans.'"