出三藏記集 1.11

1.11

At that time, Mahākāśyapa addressed the assembly, saying: “The Buddha's Dharma is about to perish. The Buddha, out of compassion for sentient beings, practiced various austerities through three asaṃkhyeya-kalpas to learn and attain this Dharma. Now that the Buddha has entered nirvāṇa, those among his disciples who knew the Dharma, upheld the Dharma, and recited the Dharma are all likewise following him into parinirvāṇa. The Dharma is now on the verge of extinction. Sentient beings of the future are deeply to be pitied, deprived of the eye of wisdom, foolish, blind, and in darkness. The Buddha's great benevolence and compassion grieved for sentient beings. We ought to obey and comply with the Buddha's teachings: we must wait until the Tripiṭaka has been compiled before passing into extinction at will.” The assembled throng that had arrived all accepted his instruction and remained.

Then Mahākāśyapa selected one thousand persons. With the exception of Ānanda, all were arhats who had obtained the six supernormal powers, were endowed with the three knowledges, could freely enter and emerge from the various dhyānas and samādhis in direct and reverse order and by skipping levels, recited the Tripiṭaka, were versed in both inner and outer scriptures, were also well read in and knowledgeable of the eighteen great treatises of the non-Buddhists, and were all capable of debating and subduing those of heterodox traditions. Formerly, when King Bimbisāra attained the Way, eighty-four thousand officials and dependents also each attained the Way; at that time, the king gave orders that within the palace, food offerings should constantly be provided for one thousand persons. King Ajātaśatru did not discontinue this practice.

Mahākāśyapa then reflected: “If we constantly beg for food, non-Buddhists will forcibly come to cross-examine and challenge us, causing the Dharma proceedings to be neglected. Currently, food offerings are constantly prepared in Rājagṛha to provide for one thousand persons. There we can abide and compile the Dharma repository. For this reason, I shall select one thousand persons and must not take more.”

Thereupon, Mahākāśyapa, accompanied by the one thousand persons, arrived at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in Rājagṛha. He addressed King Ajātaśatru: “Supply us with food, sending it daily. Now we are compiling the Dharma repository and cannot go elsewhere.”

During the summer retreat there, on the initial fifteenth day when the precepts were recited, Mahākāśyapa entered meditative concentration and, viewing with the divine eye, inspected who in this assembly still had afflictions and ought to be expelled. Only Ānanda alone had not exhausted them. Mahākāśyapa arose from concentration, took Ānanda by the hand in the midst of the assembly, led him out, and said: “Now the pure assembly is compiling the Dharma repository. Your fetters are not yet exhausted; you cannot stay here.”

At that time, Ānanda felt ashamed, wept sorrowfully, and thought to himself: “For twenty-five years I attended upon the World-Honoured One, serving at his side, and never once did I experience such distress. The Buddha was truly of great virtue, compassionate and forbearing.” Having thus reflected, he addressed [Mahākāśyapa]: “I had the capability and could have attained the Way long ago. But according to the rules of all Buddhas, an arhat may not attend upon them at their side or run errands. For this reason, I kept the residual fetters and did not completely sever them.”

[Mahākāśyapa] further said: “You have yet other offenses. The Buddha's intention was not to allow women to leave home; you earnestly urged and requested the Buddha to permit them to pursue the Way. Because of this, the Buddha's True Dharma declined and waned after five hundred years. This is your offense.”

Ānanda said: “I took pity on Gautamī. Furthermore, the Dharma of the Buddhas of the three periods of time all possess the four assemblies; why should my World-Honoured One alone lack them?”

[Mahākāśyapa] further said: “When the Buddha was about to enter nirvāṇa near the city of Kuśinagara, the Buddha suffered from back pain; having folded the uttarāsaṅga fourfold and spread it to lie down, he said to you: ‘I need water.’ You did not supply it. This is your offense.”

Ānanda said: “At that time, five hundred carts crossed the stream and muddied the water, which is why I did not draw it.”

[Mahākāśyapa] further said: “Even if the water was turbid, the Buddha possessed great supernormal power, capable of making even the turbid water of the great ocean clear and pure. Why did you not give it to him?”

[Mahākāśyapa] further said: “The Buddha asked you: ‘If a person has well cultivated the four bases of supernormal power, he may remain in the world for an eon, or slightly less than an eon.’ The Buddha's cultivation of the four bases of supernormal power was foremost, and he wished to remain in the world for an eon, or slightly less than an eon. You remained silent and did not reply. This happened up to three times, and you were likewise silent. Had you replied to the Buddha that, having well cultivated the bases of supernormal power, he ought to remain in the world for an eon or slightly less than an eon, [he would have remained]. It was precisely because of you that the World-Honoured One entered nirvāṇa early. This is your offense.”

Ānanda said: “Māra obscured my mind; therefore I spoke no words. It was not out of ill intent that I did not answer the Buddha.”

Mahākāśyapa further said: “When folding the saṃghāṭī for the Buddha, you stepped upon it with your foot. This is your offense.”

Ānanda said: “At that time a great wind suddenly arose, and there was no one to assist me. The wind blew it so that it fell under my feet. It was not out of disrespect that I stepped on the Buddha's robe.”

[Mahākāśyapa] further said: “After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, you showed the Buddha's concealed organ to women. How shameful that is! This is your offense.”

Ānanda said: “At that time I thought: ‘If women see the mark of the Buddha's concealed organ, they will feel ashamed of their female form, vow to seek the body of a man, cultivate the Buddha's marks, and plant the karmic roots of merit.’ Therefore I showed it to them; it was not out of shamelessness that I violated the precepts.”

Mahākāśyapa said: “You have six offenses; you should repent of them in the midst of the saṃgha.”

Ānanda agreed, saying: “I respectfully follow the instructions of Mahākāśyapa and the saṃgha.” Thereupon, Ānanda knelt upright with palms joined, bared his right shoulder, took off his leather sandals, and repented of the six offenses. After the repentance was completed, Mahākāśyapa again took Ānanda by the hand in the midst of the saṃgha, led him outside, and said to Ānanda: “Sever your outflows until none remain, and only then may you come in. As long as your residual fetters are not yet exhausted, do not come!” Having spoken thus, he shut the door.

At that time, the arhats discussed, saying: “Who can compile the Dharma repository?”

Aniruddha said: “Śāriputra was the second Buddha and had an excellent disciple named Gavāmpati. He is gentle, harmonious, and elegant, always dwells in seclusion, and is well-versed in the Dharma repository. He is now in heaven, in the Śirīṣaka Grove; we can send an envoy to invite him to come.”

Mahākāśyapa said to a junior monk: “It is your turn to act as the saṃgha's envoy to the heaven, to the Śirīṣaka Grove where Gavāmpati dwells. Having arrived, say to Gavāmpati: ‘Mahākāśyapa and all the arhats whose outflows are exhausted have assembled in Jambudvīpa. The saṃgha has a great Dharma affair; you should come quickly.’”

This monk joyfully and respectfully agreed, receiving the command of the saṃgha. He bowed his head and face to the saṃgha's feet, circumambulated them three times to the right, and soared into the sky like a garuḍa. Having arrived, he prostrated at [Gavāmpati's] feet and said: “Mahākāśyapa has sent word: ‘Now the saṃgha has a great Dharma affair; you should come quickly to behold the assembly of many jewels.’”

At that time, Gavāmpati felt doubt in his mind and said to the monk: “Is the saṃgha calling me over some dispute? Is there someone attempting a schism in the saṃgha? Has the sun of the Buddha not entered extinction?”

The monk said: “It is indeed as you say: the Great Master, the World-Honoured One, has already entered extinction.”

Gavāmpati said: “The Buddha entered extinction too swiftly; the eye of the world is extinguished! Where is my preceptor Śāriputra now, the great general who turned the wheel of the Dharma following the Buddha?”

[The monk] answered: “He entered nirvāṇa beforehand.”

Gavāmpati said: “The Great Master and the Dharma general have parted from each other; what can be done? Where is Mahāmaudgalyāyana now?”

[The monk] answered: “He too has entered extinction.”

Gavāmpati said: “The Buddha's Dharma is about to scatter; the great men have passed away; sentient beings are to be pitied! What is Venerable Ānanda doing now?”

[The monk] answered: “The monk Ānanda weeps in sorrow and grief, unable to console himself.”

Gavāmpati said: “Ānanda's anguish arises from the fetters of affection; separation engenders suffering. How about Rāhula?”

[The monk] answered: “Because he has attained arhatship, he is free of grief and sorrow; he merely reflects upon the impermanent characteristics of all conditioned phenomena.”

Gavāmpati said: “Because he has already been able to sever the affection that is difficult to sever.” He further said: “Now that I have lost the Great Master, the World-Honoured One, what purpose is there in staying here? My preceptor and the Great Master have both passed into extinction; I cannot go down to Jambudvīpa now. I shall enter parinirvāṇa right here.”

Having uttered these words, he entered meditative absorption, rose into the air, emitted light from his body, and manifested various supernormal transformations. Fire issued from his own body and consumed it, while water flowed down in four streams from within his body, reaching Mahākāśyapa's location. A voice within the water spoke this verse: