佛說長者女菴提遮師子吼了義經

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha, together with an immeasurable number of bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upāsakas, upāsikās, and the assembly of great Bodhisattvas, was dwelling in the Jeta Grove, the Garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, more than twenty li to the west of the city of Śrāvastī, there was a village called Caṇḍa. In that village lived a brāhmaṇa named Vasiṣṭha. He was profoundly learned, had deep faith in the Dharma, and practiced the teachings of the Buddha. Wishing to hold a great assembly, this brāhmaṇa went to the Jeta Grove to invite the Buddha and the assembly of monks. The Buddha accepted his invitation. The brāhmaṇa returned home to make preparations. When the time had come, the Buddha together with the great assembly arrived at the brāhmaṇa's house.

Seeing the Buddha arrive, he was filled with boundless joy. He immediately led his kinsfolk to where the Buddha was, all together paid homage to the Buddha, and stood reverently in attendance. The brāhmaṇa had a daughter named Amradārikā, who had earlier gone to live with her husband and had now just returned to visit and attend upon her parents.

Her appearance was beautiful, her bearing noble, her mind gentle and humble, her heart broad and magnanimous; she and her husband lived in harmony. She served and supported her kinsfolk and attended upon her husband according to propriety, virtuous and gentle beyond compare. Her parents and kinsfolk all came out to welcome the Buddha; only this daughter remained alone in her room and would not come out.

From the time she was born, this girl had been like this; her parents did not know the reason, so they named her Amradārikā.

The Tathāgata knew that the elder had a daughter who was within the house and had not yet come out, and he also knew why she did not come out. If she were to come out, she would bring immeasurable benefit to the great assembly and to the devas and humans.

The Buddha then said to the elder:

"Have all your kinsfolk now come out?"

The brāhmaṇa knelt down and joined his palms before the Buddha. Because his daughter would not come out, he was ashamed and remained silent, giving no reply.

Knowing his thoughts, the Buddha said:

"The noon hour has arrived; let the offering be prepared."

Obeying the Buddha, the brāhmaṇa set out the offering. When the great assembly and the kinsfolk of the brāhmaṇa had finished eating, only that girl had not yet eaten. The Tathāgata deliberately kept some food remaining in his bowl and sent a conjured woman to bring that food into the room and give it to Amradārikā.

At that time, the conjured woman spoke a verse:

This food left over by the Buddha,

Bestowed by the Unsurpassed One —

I, obeying the Buddha's instruction,

Pray that you, pure one, will receive it.

Amradārikā spoke a verse:

Excellent! The Greatly Compassionate One,

Knowing that I am within the room,

Bestows upon me this food —

I respectfully receive the sacred command.

And she spoke a verse in reply to the conjured woman:

I always constantly reflect upon

The deeds of the Great Sage.

I too am just like you —

How could I not be pure?

Hearing Amradārikā speak the verse, the conjured woman vanished. Then Amradārikā, contemplating in her mind, spoke a verse:

Where is my husband now?

May he come out to welcome the World-Honored One.

He should know that my mind is pure —

Come quickly, that together we may listen.

Through the power of Amradārikā's pure mind, her husband, in accord with that thought, came at once. Seeing her husband arrive, Amradārikā was greatly joyful and spoke a verse of praise:

Excellent! O Great Sage,

Following my vow, you have come to deliver me.

Not having transgressed even a minor precept,

I feared I would not be able to listen.

Seeing Amradārikā speak the verse thus, her husband replied with a verse of reproach:

Alas! You are too foolish,

Not knowing how to discipline yourself.

In vain has the Buddha given the leftover food —

What is the use of keeping the precepts?

Then Amradārikā followed her husband to where the Buddha was. The two of them bowed to the Buddha and the great assembly and then stood reverently.

Thereupon, Amradārikā spoke a verse of praise:

I contemplate the great loving-kindness and compassion

Of the One who delivers all in the ten directions,

Who wishing to establish the secret treasury

Gave me the surplus food, refined.

The Great Sage is most difficult to meet.

Whoever in the world has doubt

May come and inquire about the Dharma,

Opening the gate of Bodhi.

At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

"World-Honored One! Who is this girl, that she comes here so naturally to inquire about the Dharma? And she spoke a verse to receive the leftover food?"

The Buddha said:

"Śāriputra! This is the daughter of the elder."

Śāriputra asked:

"Where does this girl come from? Why has she come here?"

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

"This girl has not come from afar but is right here within this house. Although she has parents and kinsfolk, her husband was not present. She restrained herself, out of respect and obedience toward her husband, and so she did not follow her parents and appear carelessly among the crowd."

Śāriputra addressed the Buddha:

"What wholesome cause did this girl have, that she was born into the house of this elder and has such a beautiful appearance? Through what cause and condition is she so restrained by her husband, that she cannot freely behold the Buddha and the assembly of monks?"

The Buddha said:

"Śāriputra! Go and ask her yourself."

Śāriputra asked her:

"Through what cause and condition were you born into the house of this elder? And through what cause and condition are you thus restrained by your husband, so that you would not come out to behold the Buddha and the monks?"

Amradārikā spoke a verse:

Because I have done no evil,

I was born into the elder's house.

Moreover, not grasping at the marks of a woman,

I obtained that pure husband.

I always dwell within my room

And took this to be self-mastery,

But this matter I have not transcended —

The Buddha, knowing, gave me food.

Alas! O venerable one,

Not knowing the true cause,

Not having transcended in the slightest,

Yet calling it great self-mastery.

Though I dwell within the room,

I think of the Buddha before me.

He is one who is an Arhat,

Yet following the Buddha, one does not see.

The Great Sage is not form,

Nor is he apart from the body of form.

The Śrāvakas see Pāpīyas

And take him to be one of great power.

Alas! O venerable one,

Without any of the Buddha's skillful means,

Not knowing the true cause,

You hold an inverted view about me.

At that time, Śāriputra silently reflected: "Who is this girl, that she is so skilled? Even I cannot equal her."

Knowing Śāriputra's thoughts, the Buddha asked:

"Do not question and answer in a way that gives rise to a discriminating mind. This girl has met immeasurable buddhas who expounded the Dharma. This is great medicine — do not doubt it."

Mañjuśrī asked Amradārikā:

"Do you know the meaning of birth and death?"

She replied:

"By the majestic power of the Buddha, I know it."

Mañjuśrī asked:

"If you know it, then what is birth?"

She replied:

"Birth means that without birth there is birth."

He asked:

"What does it mean that without birth there is birth?"

She replied:

"If one clearly knows that the four conditions — earth, water, fire, and wind — are utterly without reality in themselves, then through their coming together and in accord with their suitability, this is called birth."

He asked:

"If earth, water, fire, and wind are utterly without reality in themselves, and through their coming together this is called the mark of birth, then why is it called birth?"

She replied:

"Although there is the place of birth, there is no birth. This is true birth, and therefore it is said to exist."

Mañjuśrī asked again:

"What does death mean?"

She replied:

"Death is that without death there is death."

He asked:

"What does it mean that death is without death yet there is death?"

She replied:

"If one clearly knows that earth, water, fire, and wind do not by themselves disperse, yet, speaking in accord with their suitability, this is death."

He asked:

"If one knows that earth, water, fire, and wind do not by themselves disperse and there is no mark of death, then why is it called death?"

She replied:

"Although one is within death, that mind is not lost. This is true death, and therefore it is said to exist."

Mañjuśrī asked:

"What does permanence mean?"

She replied:

"If one clearly understands that all dharmas are entirely arising and ceasing, changing, indeterminate, their marks like an illusion, yet one can speak in accord with their suitability, then this is permanence."

He asked:

"If one clearly understands that all dharmas are entirely arising and ceasing, changing, indeterminate, like an illusion, then this is impermanence — why is it called permanence?"

She replied:

"All dharmas arise but do not arise of themselves, cease but do not cease of themselves, and likewise even as to their changing. Because they are not done by themselves, it is called permanence."

He asked:

"What does impermanence mean?"

She replied:

"If one knows that all dharmas are entirely without arising and ceasing, according to such a mark, yet one speaks in accord with their suitability, then this is impermanence."

He asked:

"If one knows that all dharmas are entirely without arising and without ceasing, then this is permanence — why is it called impermanence?"

She replied:

"Because all dharmas freely change, their marks are indeterminate and not done by themselves. Whoever knows this, therefore it is said there is impermanence."

He asked:

"What is the meaning of emptiness?"

She replied:

"If one knows that the marks of all dharmas have never been empty of themselves, undestroyed yet now existing — yet empty and not empty, existing yet not existing — therefore it is called Existence-Emptiness."

He asked:

"If it is empty yet not empty, existing yet not existing, then there is no such thing. Why then is it called the meaning of emptiness?"

Amradārikā spoke a verse:

Alas! O true venerable one,

You do not know the meaning of true emptiness.

Form has no mark of its own —

How is it not like emptiness?

If emptiness did not of itself possess emptiness,

Then it could not contain form.

Because emptiness is not empty of itself,

It therefore gives rise to all forms.

At that time, Mañjuśrī asked:

"If there is someone who clearly knows that birth is without the mark of birth, can the life that is born still continue to exist?"

She replied:

"Yes! Although one clearly knows it oneself, one's strength is not yet complete. Therefore life still continues to exist."

He asked:

"As for a person who does not know and does not understand the nature of birth, can their life ultimately continue to exist?"

She replied:

"No! Why? Because if one sees the nature of birth, although through subduing it one is little at peace — the mark of that birth which is not at peace is always opposed.

If one sees the nature of birth, although one is in a place of unrest, the mark of peace is always present. If one does not know in this way, although one has much eloquence and expounds profound scriptures, this is the mind of arising and ceasing. To speak the profound words of true reality in this way is like a blind person speaking of colors: because they rely on the words of others, they can know blue, yellow, red, white, and black, but in truth they themselves cannot see the true marks of the colors.

One who does not see the dharmas is likewise. But now, speaking of birth, this birth is death. Death, for such a person — is this not without the meaning of birth and death?

If anyone is bound by permanence and impermanence, it is likewise.

"Venerable one, you should know! That emptiness is itself also not emptiness. Therefore it is said there is the meaning of emptiness."

At that time, the Buddha said to Mañjuśrī:

"So it is! So it is! It is just as Amradārikā has said; these are true words, without error. The sun may grow cold and the moon may grow hot, but what Amradārikā has said cannot be changed."

Śāriputra asked Amradārikā:

"Your wisdom and eloquence are such that you are praised by the Buddha, which is something that we of the Śrāvaka rank cannot equal. How then are you to depart from the form and mark of this female body?"

She replied:

"I shall ask you, venerable one. Please answer me. Venerable one! Are you now a man, or not?"

Śāriputra replied:

"Although my body is that of a man, my mind is not that of a man."

She said:

"Venerable one! I too am thus. You have spoken rightly. Although I have the marks of a woman, my mind is not that of a woman."

Śāriputra asked:

"Now you are restrained by your husband. Why is this?"

She replied:

"Venerable one! Can you trust the words you yourself have spoken?"

Śāriputra said:

"I trust myself. Why should I not trust?"

She replied:

"Venerable one! If you trust yourself, then just now you said that your form is that of a man but your mind is not that of a man. Thus mind and form have two activities. If you, venerable one, trust those words, then with regard to me you should not give rise to an evil view concerning my husband. You, venerable one, are a man, and you take me to have the marks of a woman. Because my female body has destroyed your mind, venerable one — if a man, upon seeing that female body, then has no faith in the Dharma."

Śāriputra said:

"I dare not give rise to an evil view concerning you."

She replied:

"Because you are facing the World-Honored One, you dare not speak the true word. If you truly do not give rise to an evil view, why then did you say to me: 'Now you are restrained by your husband'? On what basis did you speak thus?"

Śāriputra said:

"Because I have long departed from such latent tendencies, I spoke thus; it is not my true mind."

The girl asked:

"Venerable one! Please answer me. Venerable one! You say that you long ago departed from the marks of male and female. So then, venerable one, did your form depart long ago, or did your mind depart long ago?"

At that time, Śāriputra was silent and did not answer. Then Amradārikā spoke a verse:

If the mind departed long ago,

It is entirely without arising of views.

Who is made into a woman,

With form giving rise to impurity?

If you say form departed long ago,

Dharmas are originally without self-existence,

Entirely without being defiled —

Then how could evil be created?

Alas! O venerable one,

In vain have you studied, unable to know.

Being a man, you think me a woman —

Is this not delusive thought?

I pray you, venerable one, repent;

Toward the Dharma do not give rise to doubt.

The words I have spoken above

Are through the spiritual power of the Buddha.

After Amradārikā spoke the verse, in the assembly more than one thousand bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, upāsakas, upāsikās, devas, and humans gave rise to the mind of Unsurpassed Bodhi. There were five thousand people, among whom some attained the Forbearance of the Non-Arising of Dharmas, some attained the Dharma-eye, and some attained liberation of mind. There were immeasurable Śrāvakas who, with regard to the Buddha-Dharma, gave rise to boundless shame.

The Buddha said to Śāriputra:

"That girl is not an ordinary person; she has met immeasurable buddhas. It may be said that this Sūtra of Definitive Meaning, the Lion's Roar, brings benefit to immeasurable sentient beings. I too have, together with that girl, served immeasurable buddhas. Before long she will realize and accomplish perfect enlightenment. When they heard her expound the Dharma of liberation, true faith arose within that assembly. Because they have long heard the Dharma she expounds, they are now able to believe rightly. Therefore one must believe this Sūtra of Definitive Meaning, the Lion's Roar, and not doubt it."

The Buddha said to Ānanda:

"You should uphold these questions and answers within the Sūtra of Definitive Meaning, the Lion's Roar, of this Amradārikā, daughter of the elder. I entrust it to you. Guard it carefully."

Ānanda said:

"Yes, World-Honored One! I shall accept and uphold it."

After hearing Amradārikā expound the Dharma, the great assembly was filled with boundless joy. Each and every one of them practiced in accordance with the Dharma.

THE SŪTRA SPOKEN BY THE BUDDHA: THE LION'S ROAR OF DEFINITIVE MEANING OF AMRADĀRIKĀ, DAUGHTER OF THE ELDER