Chapter 143: Becoming Disciples and Attaining Arhatship

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0878a03] At that time, the two men gradually approached the forest. From a distance, they saw the elder Aśvajit (長老阿濕波踰祇多 [zhang lao a shi bo yu qi duo]) walking on the ground under a tree. They went to him, prostrated themselves before him, and then stood to one side. Then Kauṇḍinya (憍陳如 [jiao chen ru]) said to the Buddha (佛 [fu]), "It is rare, World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])! How can these two, Upatiṣya (優波低沙 [you bo di sha]) and the ascetics (波離婆闍迦 [bo li po du jia]), leave that place of supreme birth, ease, and great learning, and yet have the most inferior mind towards the elder Aśvajit (長老阿濕波踰祇多 [zhang lao a shi bo yu qi duo]), with the most superior mind?" After he said this, the Buddha (佛 [fu]) said to the elder, the venerable Kauṇḍinya (長老慧命憍陳如 [zhang lao hui ming jiao chen ru]), "A wise person always feels gratitude and does not forget it wherever they attain wisdom. If they receive a small kindness, they always remember it without fail, let alone a great kindness? Kauṇḍinya (憍陳如 [jiao chen ru])! These ascetics (波離婆闍迦 [bo li po du jia]), Upatiṣya (優波低沙 [you bo di sha]) and others, attained the pure Dharma-eye from Aśvajit (阿濕波踰祇多 [a shi bo yu qi duo])." Because of this, he spoke this Dharma-verse:

"When one hears and understands
the Dharma taught by the Buddhas (諸佛 [zhu fu]),
one should be respectful to that place,
like a Brahmin worshipping fire."

[0878a03] yú shí èr rén jiàn jìn ér lái, yù dào bǐ lín, yáo jiàn zhǎng lǎo ā shī bō yú qí duō, zài yī shù xià, shì de jīng xíng, jí yì bǐ suǒ, dào yǐ dǐng lǐ, què zhù yī miàn. shí jiāo chén rú ér bái fú yán: “xī yǒu shì zūn! yún hé jīn cǐ yōu bō dī shā,, bō lí pó dū jiā děng, shě bǐ shèng shēng fàng dàng zhī chù jí duō wén chù, fā zuì shàng xīn, yú zhǎng lǎo ā shī bō yú qí duō suǒ, qǐ zuì xià xīn.” zuò shì yǔ yǐ, fú gào zhǎng lǎo huì mìng jiāo chén rú: “fū yǒu zhì zhě, suí dé zhì chù, cháng qǐ bào ēn, xì niàn bù wàng, ruò shǎo dé ēn, cháng yì wú shī, kuàng duō dé yě? jiāo chén rú! shì yōu bō dī shā,, bō lí pó dū jiā děng, yú ā shī bō yú qí duō suǒ, dé fǎ yǎn jìng.” yǐ shì yīn yuán, shuō cǐ fǎ jù:

“zhū fú suǒ shuō fǎ,　　shuí biān tīng jiě zhī,
　shì chù qǐ gōng jìng,　　rú fàn zhì shì huǒ.”

[0878a03] yu shi er ren jian jin er lai, yu dao bi lin, yao jian zhang lao a shi bo yu qi duo, zai yi shu xia, shi de jing xing, ji yi bi suo, dao yi ding li, que zhu yi mian. shi jiao chen ru er bai fu yan: "xi you shi zun! yun he jin ci you bo di sha,, bo li po du jia deng, she bi sheng sheng fang dang zhi chu ji duo wen chu, fa zui shang xin, yu zhang lao a shi bo yu qi duo suo, qi zui xia xin." zuo shi yu yi, fu gao zhang lao hui ming jiao chen ru: "fu you zhi zhe, sui de zhi chu, chang qi bao en, xi nian bu wang, ruo shao de en, chang yi wu shi, kuang duo de ye? jiao chen ru! shi you bo di sha,, bo li po du jia deng, yu a shi bo yu qi duo suo, de fa yan jing." yi shi yin yuan, shuo ci fa ju:

"zhu fu suo shuo fa, shui bian ting jie zhi,
shi chu qi gong jing, ru fan zhi shi huo."

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0878a16] At that time, the ascetic (波離婆闍迦 [bo li po du jia]) Upatiṣya (優波低沙 [you bo di sha]) and the other ascetics (波離婆闍迦 [bo li po du jia]) went to the Buddha (佛 [fu]), prostrated themselves at the Buddha's (佛 [fu]) feet, and knelt down and said, "Excellent, World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun])! We now wish to leave home and practice the path before the World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]). We only ask, World-Honored One (世尊 [shi zun]), to allow us to leave home and receive the full precepts." The Buddha (佛 [fu]) said to them, "Come, bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu])! Now come and enter my self-realized Dharma, practice the holy life, and exhaust all suffering." After he said this, the bhikṣus (比丘 [bi qiu]) naturally received the three robes on their bodies, each held an earthen bowl, and their beards and hair fell off by themselves, looking like young boys who had just had their hair shaved seven days ago. At that time, the elders became monks and received all the precepts.

[0878a16] ěr shí, yōu bō dī shā bō lí pó dū jiā děng, yǔ zhū bō lí pó dū jiā děng, yì xiàng fú suǒ, dǐng lǐ fú zú, zhǎng guì bái yán: “shàn zāi! shì zūn! wǒ děng jīn zhě, yù shì zūn qián chū jiā xiū dào. wéi yuàn shì zūn! tīng wǒ chū jiā, shòu jù zú jiè.” fú gào bǐ yán: “shàn lái bǐ qiū! jīn lái rù wǒ zì zhèng fǎ zhōng, xíng yú fàn xíng, jǐn zhū kǔ gù.” zuò shì yǔ yǐ, bǐ zhū bǐ qiū, zì rán jí dé sān yī zhe shēn, gè zhí wǎ bō, xū fà zì luò, zhuàng rú tóng ér chū tì qí fà shǐ jīng qī rì. shí zhū zhǎng lǎo, jí chéng chū jiā, jù zú zhòng jiè.

[0878a16] er shi, you bo di sha bo li po du jia deng, yu zhu bo li po du jia deng, yi xiang fu suo, ding li fu zu, zhang gui bai yan: "shan zai! shi zun! wo deng jin zhe, yu shi zun qian chu jia xiu dao. wei yuan shi zun! ting wo chu jia, shou ju zu jie." fu gao bi yan: "shan lai bi qiu! jin lai ru wo zi zheng fa zhong, xing yu fan xing, jin zhu ku gu." zuo shi yu yi, bi zhu bi qiu, zi ran ji de san yi zhe shen, ge zhi wa bo, xu fa zi luo, zhuang ru tong er chu ti qi fa shi jing qi ri. shi zhu zhang lao, ji cheng chu jia, ju zu zhong jie.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0878a24] At that time, the elder Upatiṣya (長老優波低沙 [zhang lao you bo di sha]) sat on the right side of the Buddha (佛 [fu]), and the elder Kolita (長老拘離多 [zhang lao ju li duo]) sat on the left side of the Buddha (佛 [fu]), each sitting on one side. The elder Upatiṣya (長老優波低沙 [zhang lao you bo di sha]), after leaving home, in just half a month, had exhausted all his defilements, manifested supernormal powers, and attained the pāramitā of supernormal wisdom, and became an Arhat (羅漢果 [luo han guo]). Kolita (拘離多 [ju li duo]), in just seven days, exhausted all his defilements, manifested supernormal powers, and attained the pāramitā of supernormal wisdom, and became an Arhat (羅漢果 [luo han guo]).

[0878a24] ěr shí, zhǎng lǎo yōu bō dī shā zài fú yòu biān, zhǎng lǎo jū lí duō zài fú zuǒ biān, gè zuò yī miàn. ér shì zhǎng lǎo yōu bō dī shā, cóng chū jiā hòu, shǐ jīng bàn yuè, jǐn zhū jié lòu, xiàn shén tōng lì, jí dé shén tōng zhì bō luó mì, zhèng luó hàn guǒ. shí jū lí duō, zhǐ jīng qī rì, jí jǐn jié lòu, xiàn shén tōng lì, jí dé shén tōng zhì bō luó mì, zhèng luó hàn guǒ.

[0878a24] er shi, zhang lao you bo di sha zai fu you bian, zhang lao ju li duo zai fu zuo bian, ge zuo yi mian. er shi zhang lao you bo di sha, cong chu jia hou, shi jing ban yue, jin zhu jie lou, xian shen tong li, ji de shen tong zhi bo luo mi, zheng luo han guo. shi ju li duo, zhi jing qi ri, ji jin jie lou, xian shen tong li, ji de shen tong zhi bo luo mi, zheng luo han guo.

[The following represents an unverified English translation. For all purposes consult the original Chinese text.]

[0878b01] At that time, the elders Upatiṣya (優波低沙 [you bo di sha]) and Kolita (拘離多 [ju li duo]), and in this way, gradually, their five hundred followers all left home and received the full precepts.

[0878b01] shí, bǐ zhǎng lǎo yōu bō dī shā jí jū lí duō děng, rú shì yīn yuán jiàn cì ér yǒu wǔ bǎi juàn shǔ, xī dé chū jiā, chéng jù zú jiè.

[0878b01] shi, bi zhang lao you bo di sha ji ju li duo deng, ru shi yin yuan jian ci er you wu bai juan shu, xi de chu jia, cheng ju zu jie.