出三藏記集 1.6

1.6

The Buddha entered parinirvāṇa in the country of Kuśinagara between the twin śāla trees, lying on a couch with his head to the north. Heaven and earth shook; lions and the hundred beasts all roared loudly; the devas and humans wailed and wept; the mountains, forests, and trees all broke and split. Limitless hundreds of thousands of goddesses and human women wept profusely, unable to contain themselves. Those still in training were all displeased and dejected; those beyond training merely contemplated all dharmas as impermanent. Only Ānanda, whose affection was not yet eradicated and who had not yet separated from desire, had his mind submerged in an ocean of grief and could not pull himself out. At that time, Aniruddha said to Ānanda: 'You guard the Buddha's treasury of Dharma; you should not submerge yourself in an ocean of grief like an ordinary person. All conditioned things bear the mark of impermanence. Furthermore, the Buddha entrusted the Dharma to you, yet now in your sorrow and dejection you will lose what you have received. You must ask the Buddha: "After the Buddha's nirvāṇa, how shall we practice the Way? Who shall be our master? How shall we dwell together with foul-mouthed Channa? What words shall be placed at the very beginning of the Buddha's sūtras?" Various future matters like these—you must ask.' Hearing these things, Ānanda's dejected mind slightly awoke and obtained the power of mindfulness of the Way. Beside the Buddha's couch, he asked the Buddha about these matters. The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Whether while I am present or after my extinction, rely upon the Dharma and rely upon nothing else. How does a monk rely upon the Dharma and rely upon nothing else? He contemplates the body internally, constantly mindful, one-pointed in mind, with wisdom present, striving diligently in vigor, removing worldly greed and sorrow. So too does he contemplate the external body, and internal-and-external body. Contemplating internal feelings, mind, and dharmas in the applications of mindfulness is also like this. This is called relying upon the Dharma and relying upon nothing else. From now on, the Prātimokṣa Sūtra shall be your great master. In accordance with what is spoken in the Vinaya Sūtra, physical actions and verbal actions should be practiced in this way. The monk Channa should be punished according to the Brahmadaṇḍa. If his mind becomes gentle and subdued, one should teach him the Kātyāyanāvavāda-sūtra, and he will immediately attain the Way. At the beginning of the treasury of the Dharma jewel that I have gathered for three asaṃkhyeya-kalpas, one should speak thus: "Thus have I heard: at one time, the Buddha was in such-and-such direction, in such-and-such country, in such-and-such place in a forest." Why is that? At the beginning of the sūtras of past and future Buddhas, these words are also declared. The present Buddhas, when approaching nirvāṇa, also instruct that such words be declared. Now after my nirvāṇa, the beginning of the sūtras should likewise declare the words "Thus have I heard".' After the Buddha had passed into extinction, the great arhats each followed their own intent: in various mountain forests, flowing springs, ravines, and valleys, they cast off their bodies and entered parinirvāṇa in various places. Some flew up into empty space, departing like geese in flight, displaying various spiritual transformations so as to cause the multitude to attain pure faith, and entered parinirvāṇa. At that time, the devas of the six desire heavens up to the devas of the Śubhakṛtsna form realm, having witnessed these events, each thought to themselves: 'Now that the Buddha-sun has set, the disciples of dhyāna, samādhi, and liberation whose radiance [shone] have also passed into extinction. These sentient beings have the sicknesses of manifold defilements, lust, anger, and delusion; this physician of the Dharma has now swiftly passed into extinction—who shall treat them? The wondrous lotus flowers among the disciples born within the limitless ocean of wisdom are now dried up again; the Dharma tree is broken down, and the Dharma cloud has dispersed. The bull elephant king of great wisdom has already departed, and the young elephants also follow. The Dharma merchant has already gone; from whom shall we seek the Dharma jewel?' Together they assembled and went to Mahākāśyapa. Having made obeisance, they praised him in verse, and having praised him, they said: 'Does the Venerable, Kind One know or not? The Dharma boat is about to break; the Dharma city is about to collapse; the Dharma ocean is about to dry up; the Dharma banner is about to fall; the Dharma lamp is about to go out. Those who practice the Way gradually diminish, and the power of evil grows ever stronger. You should, with great compassion, establish the Buddha-dharma!'