佛為阿支羅迦葉自化作苦經

Thus indeed have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling on Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa near the city of Rājagṛha. Early one morning, the World-Honored One put on his robe, took up his bowl, and left Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa to enter the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms. At that time, Acela Kāśyapa had some private business of his own, and so he went out of the city, heading toward Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa. Seeing the Buddha from afar, Kāśyapa hurried up before him and said:

"Reverend Gautama! I have something I wish to ask. Have you the leisure to explain it to me?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"This is not the time for discussion. I am entering the city to beg for alms; when I return, I will explain it to you!"

Acela Kāśyapa entreated him a second time, and the Buddha spoke as before. The third time, Acela Kāśyapa said:

"Reverend Gautama! Why do you make it difficult for me? Why does such a strange thing happen? Now I have something I wish to ask; please, for my sake, explain it to me!"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"Then ask as you please!"

Acela Kāśyapa said:

"Reverend Gautama! Is suffering caused by oneself?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"I do not say that suffering is caused by oneself."

Acela Kāśyapa said again:

"Reverend Gautama! Is suffering caused by another?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"Neither do I say that suffering is caused by another."

Acela Kāśyapa said again:

"Reverend Gautama! Is suffering caused by both oneself and another?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"Neither do I say that suffering is caused by oneself and another."

Acela Kāśyapa said again:

"Reverend Gautama! If suffering is not caused by oneself and not caused by another, then is suffering produced without a cause?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"Neither do I say that suffering is not caused by oneself, not caused by another, and produced without a cause!"

Acela Kāśyapa said again:

"Reverend Gautama! I asked, 'Is suffering caused by oneself?' and you answered that you do not say this. I asked, 'Is suffering caused by another; by oneself and another; not by oneself and not by another, produced without a cause?' and you also answered that you do not say this. Then is there now no such suffering?"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"It is not that there is no such suffering; rather, this suffering most certainly exists."

"Excellent! Reverend Gautama! You say that this suffering exists. Then please, for my sake, expound the Dharma so that I may clearly know suffering and clearly see suffering!"

The Buddha said to Acela Kāśyapa:

"If feeling were felt by oneself, then I should say that suffering is caused by oneself. If another felt it, so that another were the one who feels, then I should say that suffering is caused by another. If feeling were both felt by oneself and also felt and undergone by another, then it would be caused by oneself and another, and I do not say this either.

If, not by oneself and not by another, suffering arose without a cause, then I do not say this either. Apart from such extremes, the Tathāgata expounds the Middle Way, which is: because this exists, that exists; because this arises, that arises. That is to say, conditioned by ignorance there arise volitional formations, and so on, until the whole great mass of suffering comes together and arises; when ignorance ceases, volitional formations cease, and so on, until the whole great mass of suffering comes together and ceases."

When the Buddha had spoken this sūtra, Acela Kāśyapa at once departed from the dust and defilement and attained the pure Dharma-eye. Acela Kāśyapa had seen the Dharma, attained the Dharma, known the Dharma, penetrated deep into the Dharma, cut off all doubts, did not come to know through another and was not liberated through another, and toward the true Dharma and discipline his mind no longer harbored fear. So he joined his palms and said to the Buddha:

"Reverend World-Honored One! Now I have been delivered by you. From this day forth I take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma, and take refuge in the Saṅgha, and for the rest of my life I will be an upāsaka. Please bear witness for me!"

When Acela Kāśyapa had heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoicing, he bowed his head at the Buddha's feet and departed.

Not long after taking leave of the Buddha, Acela Kāśyapa was gored to death by a mother cow protecting her calf. At the moment of death, his faculties were pure and his countenance was bright and radiant.

At that time, the World-Honored One entered the city to beg for alms. At that time too, many bhikṣus had entered the city of Rājagṛha to beg for alms, and they heard it said that Acela Kāśyapa, after hearing the Dharma from the World-Honored One and taking his leave, had not long afterward been gored to death by a mother cow. At the moment of death his faculties were pure and his countenance was bright and radiant. When the bhikṣus had finished begging for alms, they returned, put away their robes and bowls, washed their feet, went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, then sat to one side and said:

"Reverend World-Honored One! Early this morning, we and many bhikṣus entered the city to beg for alms, and we heard about Acela Kāśyapa, who, after hearing the World-Honored One expound the Dharma and discipline, set off home and, not long afterward, was gored to death by a mother cow protecting her calf. When he passed away, his faculties were pure and his countenance was bright and radiant. World-Honored One! Into what realm has Acela Kāśyapa been born, where has he taken rebirth, and what attainment does he have?"

The Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

"He had seen the Dharma, known the Dharma, and, dwelling in the Dharma, did not grasp at the Dharma; he has attained parinirvāṇa. You should go and make offerings to the body of Acela Kāśyapa!"

Thereupon, the World-Honored One affirmed Acela Kāśyapa to be the foremost among lay disciples.