毘婆尸佛經

At that time, after the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

After attaining the Way, the Buddha Vipaśyin reflected:

“In what place should I first teach the Dharma so as to bring benefit and ease to sentient beings? He considered carefully and saw the great city where King Maṇḍuma reigned, where the people were prosperous and the causes and conditions were ripe and mature. Having reflected thus, he at once rose from his seat, adjusted his robes, took up his bowl in hand, and, going in turn to beg for alms, came to the city of Maṇḍuma. He entered the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park and dwelt there for a time, his mind sovereign and free, without fear.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

The Buddha Vipaśyin said to the gatekeeper:

“I wish to meet Prince Khaṇḍa and the close minister Tiṣya. I am now in the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park, and I wish to meet these two.”

The gatekeeper, hearing this, went to Prince Khaṇḍa and the close minister Tiṣya and reported the matter:

“The Buddha Vipaśyin, having attained the Way of perfect enlightenment, has come to the city of Maṇḍuma and dwells in the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park, wishing to meet you.”

“Prince Khaṇḍa, hearing this report, together with Tiṣya mounted a carriage and left the city of Maṇḍuma, entered the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park, and came before the Buddha Vipaśyin. Lowering their heads, they bowed in reverence at the Buddha’s feet, gazing intently with their eyes upon the honored countenance of the Buddha, never turning away.

At that time, the Buddha Vipaśyin, wishing to gladden Khaṇḍa and arouse in him faith, revealed the wondrous Dharma. The Buddha taught:

“As the Buddhas of the past have taught: if one gives, upholds the precepts, practices with diligence, and removes oneself far from the faults and afflictions of desire and form, one will be born in the pure heavenly realms.”

Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya, hearing this teaching, their minds became pure, like the mind of the Buddha Vipaśyin, the Perfectly Enlightened One. There arose in them a mind of right understanding, a mind without doubt, a wholesome mind, a gentle and harmonious mind, a vast and great mind, an unobstructed mind, a boundless mind, a pure mind. The Buddha further expounded and revealed the practices of the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

At that time, Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya penetrated the Four Noble Truths. They saw the Dharma, knew the Dharma, attained the Dharma, gained firmness in the Dharma, took refuge in the Dharma, abided in the Dharma, were unmoved in the Dharma, did not abandon the Dharma, and were not vain or empty in the Dharma. Just as a piece of white cloth without any stains, so too was their mind, awakened to the Dharma.

At this point, Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya addressed the Buddha Vipaśyin:

“Reverently we beseech the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One: we wish to go forth and receive the precepts of the Well-Gone One.”

The Buddha said:

“Excellent! Now the time has come.”

“The Buddha had their hair shaved and conferred upon the two the full precepts. Thereafter, for the sake of these two he manifested three kinds of supernatural power, causing them to arouse a diligent mind directed toward the wisdom of the Buddha. First, he manifested the supernatural power of transformation. Second, he manifested the supernatural power of teaching the Dharma. Third, he manifested the supernatural power of taming and subduing. Seeing such manifestations, Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya grew ever more courageous and diligent, and before long they were in accord with true wisdom, exhausted all the defilements, and became Arhats. The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

Lowering their heads, they bowed in reverence at his feet,
Single-mindedly gazing upon him.
The Buddha taught giving and the upholding of precepts,
The Dharma of suffering, origin, cessation, and path.

Hearing it, they grew the more in faith and acceptance,
Understanding the Dharma of no arising and no ceasing;
Both begged to go forth from home,
To receive the precepts of the Well-Gone One.

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

“Listen well, all of you! The people of the city of Maṇḍuma were prosperous, and among them were eighty thousand who had planted wholesome roots in former lives. Hearing that Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya had, out of true faith, gone forth from home; that the Buddha had taught the Dharma and manifested supernatural powers; and that both had realized the holy fruit, they all reflected: ‘Truly there is such a going-forth, such a holy life, such a teaching of the Dharma, such a taming and subduing.

This is a rare event in the world; we have heard what has never before been heard. We too should vow to go forth from home.’ Having reflected thus, the eighty thousand all forsook their families and worldly affairs, left the city of Maṇḍuma, entered the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park, came to the Buddha Vipaśyin, lowered their heads and bowed in reverence at the Buddha’s feet, stood to one side, and with palms joined gazed intently upon the Buddha.

So as to arouse faith in them, the Buddha said:

“The wondrous Dharma that the Buddhas of the past have taught: one who gives, upholds the precepts, is diligent, and practices the Way, freeing oneself from desire and form, from afflictions and all faults, is born in the pure heavenly realms.”

The eighty thousand, hearing this teaching, their minds became pure, like the mind of the Buddha Vipaśyin, the Perfectly Enlightened One. There arose in them a mind of right understanding, a mind without doubt, a wholesome mind, a gentle and harmonious mind, a vast and great mind, an unobstructed mind, a boundless mind, a pure mind. The Buddha further expounded and revealed the practices of the Four Noble Truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path.

Those eighty thousand penetrated the Four Noble Truths. They saw the Dharma, knew the Dharma, attained the Dharma, were firm in the Dharma, took refuge in the Dharma, were indestructible in the Dharma, abided in the Dharma, did not waver in the Dharma, did not abandon the Dharma, and were not vain or empty in the Dharma. Just as a piece of white cloth bearing no stain, so too were their minds.

The eighty thousand together addressed the Buddha:

“We beseech the Tathāgata, the Worthy of Offerings, the Perfectly Enlightened One to receive us and grant us leave to go forth from home and to uphold the precepts of the Well-Gone One.”

The Buddha permitted them to shave their hair and receive the precepts. He again manifested three kinds of supernatural power to rouse their diligence. First, the supernatural power of transformation. Second, the supernatural power of teaching the Dharma. Third, the supernatural power of taming and subduing. After the Buddha had manifested these, the eighty thousand were courageous and diligent, and before long they cut off all afflictions, their minds and intentions were liberated, and they realized Arhatship.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

When the Buddha Vipaśyin had liberated that great assembly, he left the Garden of Tranquil Joy in the Deer Park and went to the city of Maṇḍuma. The eighty thousand bhikṣus also came to the city of Maṇḍuma, approached the World-Honored One, lowered their heads and bowed in reverence at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side. The Buddha fully expounded the causes and conditions for attaining the Way, making them all the more firm.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

The Buddha Vipaśyin reflected: ‘I should reduce the great number of bhikṣus now residing in the city of Maṇḍuma. Let sixty-two thousand bhikṣus go everywhere, wandering and converting from village to village, practicing as they wish. After six years let them return again to the city of Maṇḍuma to uphold and keep the Prātimokṣa.’ When the Buddha was reflecting thus, there was in the open sky a heavenly son who, knowing the Buddha’s thought, said:

“Excellent! Now is the right time to direct the sixty-two thousand bhikṣus to wander and convert among the villages, practicing as they wish, and after six years to return again to their former land to uphold and keep the Prātimokṣa.”

The Buddha taught:

“O bhikṣus, sixty-two thousand of you should be sent to wander and convert among the villages, practicing as you wish, and after six years to return again to the former land to uphold and keep the Prātimokṣa.”

Then the sixty-two thousand, hearing the teaching, left the city of Maṇḍuma and wandered and converted in all directions.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

“Those sixty-two thousand bhikṣus left the city and went to the villages, practicing as they wished. After one year, two years, and on until six years, those bhikṣus said to one another:

“The six years are now ended; we should return to our former land.”

“When they spoke thus, the heavenly beings in the open sky raised their voices:

“Now is the right time to return to the city of Maṇḍuma to uphold and keep the Prātimokṣa. The sixty-two thousand bhikṣus, using their own supernatural power and the majestic virtue of the devas, in but a moment returned to the city of Maṇḍuma.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

Those sixty-two thousand bhikṣus entered the city of Maṇḍuma, came before the Buddha Vipaśyin, lowered their heads and bowed in reverence at the Buddha’s feet, and sat to one side. The Buddha taught:

“Listen well! I shall expound the Prātimokṣa:

When the World-Honored One was setting forth this discipline, there were devas and heavenly sons who, using the majestic power of the devas, departed from their heavenly palaces, came before the Buddha Vipaśyin, bowed in reverence with palms joined, and listened to the Prātimokṣa.

The World-Honored One spoke a verse:

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

“One day, in a quiet chamber beside the Cave of the Seven Leaves at the city of Rājagṛha, I sat in reflection: ‘When the past Buddha Vipaśyin proclaimed the Vinaya treasury, I fear there were devas who did not come to hear the precepts of the Great Sage. Now I shall go to the heavenly realms to ask the host of Brahmā.’ Having reflected thus, I entered right concentration and went to the Heaven of Good Manifestation as swiftly as a strong man bends and stretches his arm.

The heavenly son of that place, lowering his head, bowed in reverence at the Buddha’s feet and said: ‘Excellent, World-Honored One! For a long time you have not come here. I am a Śrāvaka disciple of the Buddha Vipaśyin, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

He was of the Kṣatriya caste, of the Kauṇḍinya clan, who went forth from home out of faith and lived eighty thousand years. His royal father was named Maṇḍuma, and his queen mother was named Maṇḍumatī. Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya went forth and received the precepts and realized Arhatship.

His foremost virtuous and worthy attendant was named Aśoka. The Buddha taught the Dharma in three assemblies, delivering many Śrāvakas. In the first great assembly, sixty-two thousand persons attained the fruit of Arhatship.

In the second great assembly, one hundred thousand persons attained the fruit of Arhatship. In the third great assembly, eighty thousand persons attained the fruit of Arhatship. The Buddha Vipaśyin had such supremacy, such a going-forth, such a realization of Bodhi, such a teaching of the Dharma, such taming and subduing, causing his disciples to wear the robe and bear the bowl in this way, to practice the holy life, to remove themselves far from the five desires, to cut off the afflictions and attain liberation, to realize the Dharma of non-arising, to realize the fruit of Anāgāmin... and so it was likewise.

Thereafter, the Buddha Śikhin, the Buddha Viśvabhū, the Buddha Krakucchanda, the Buddha Kanakamuni, and the Buddha Kāśyapa expounded the Dharma of taming and subduing, wore the robe and bore the bowl, practiced the various holy practices, removed themselves far from the five desires, cut off the afflictions and realized the Dharma of non-arising, realized the fruit of Anāgāmin... and so it was likewise.

At that time, innumerable hundreds of thousands of heavenly sons, reverently surrounding the World-Honored One, went together to the Heaven of Good Sight. The devas of the Heaven of Good Sight, seeing the Buddha, bowed their heads and faces in reverence at the Buddha’s feet, and then, together with innumerable hundreds of thousands of heavenly sons, reverently surrounded the Buddha and went to the Akaniṣṭha Heaven. The heavenly king there saw the World-Honored One from afar, bowed in reverence at the World-Honored One’s feet, and said:

“Excellent, World-Honored One! For a long time you have not come here. I am a Śrāvaka disciple of the Buddha Vipaśyin, the Perfectly Enlightened One.

He was of the Kṣatriya caste, of the Kauṇḍinya clan, and lived eighty thousand years. His royal father was named Maṇḍuma, and his mother was named Maṇḍumatī. The capital city was also named Maṇḍuma.

Prince Khaṇḍa and Tiṣya went forth and received the precepts and realized Arhatship. His foremost virtuous and worthy attendant was named Aśoka. The Buddha taught the Dharma in three assemblies, delivering many Śrāvakas.

In the first great assembly he delivered sixty-two thousand persons who attained the fruit of Arhatship. In the second great assembly he delivered one hundred thousand persons who attained the fruit of Arhatship. In the third great assembly he delivered eighty thousand persons who attained the fruit of Arhatship.

The Buddha Vipaśyin had such supremacy, such a going-forth, such a holy life, such a realization of Bodhi, such a teaching of the Dharma, such taming and subduing, ordaining that his disciples wear the robe and bear the bowl, practice the various holy practices, remove themselves far from the five desires, cut off the afflictions, realize the Dharma of non-arising, and realize the fruit of Anāgāmin...

“Thereafter, the Buddha Śikhin, the Buddha Viśvabhū, the Buddha Krakucchanda, the Buddha Kanakamuni, and the Buddha Kāśyapa wore the robe and bore the bowl, expounded the Dharma of taming and subduing, practiced the various holy practices, removed themselves far from the five desires, realized the Dharma of non-arising, and realized the fruit of Anāgāmin...

“Now, the Great Muni who expounds the Dharma of holy practice and tames and subdues sentient beings is likewise so.”

The heavenly son spoke a verse:

Having no afflictions,
They ever cultivated the seven factors of enlightenment;
Practicing the Noble Eightfold Path,
Removing themselves far from the faults of the five desires.

Opening forth the various skillful means,
Their guidance is all the same.

When the World-Honored One had finished speaking the verse, he addressed the bhikṣus:

“I went to that place of the devas and heard this matter, and I knew that the heavenly beings, with regard to the Dharma-assemblies of the Buddhas, all rejoiced. Some delighted in upholding and keeping it; walking, standing, lying, and sitting, contemplating and reciting, they had no delusions, forever cut off the cycle of birth-and-death, and attained the peace and bliss of liberation.

When the Buddha had finished teaching this sūtra, everyone rejoiced, and with faith received it and respectfully put it into practice.

THE END OF THE LOWER FASCICLE