無著菩薩
Bodhisattva Asaṅga
健䭾邏國人也。佛去世後一千年中。誕靈利見。承風悟道。出家修學。其弟世親菩薩。出家受業。博聞強識。達學研機。無著弟子師子覺。密行莫測。高才有聞。二三賢哲。每相謂曰。凡修行業。願覩慈氏。若先捨壽。得遂宿心。當相報語。以知所至。其後師子覺先捨壽命。三年不報。世親菩薩。尋亦捨命。時經六月。亦無報命。時諸外道。咸皆譏誚。謂世親及師子覺。流轉惡趣。遂無靈鑒。其後無著菩薩。於夜初分。方為門人。教授定法。燈光忽翳。空中大明。有一天人。乘虗下降。即進階庭。敬禮無著。無著曰。爾來何暮。今名何謂。對曰。從此捨壽。往覩史多天。慈氏內眾。蓮華中生。蓮華纔開。慈氏讚曰。善來廣慧。善來廣慧。旋繞纔周。即來報命。無著菩薩曰。師子覺者。今何所在。答曰。我旋繞時。見師子覺。在外眾中。耽著天樂。無暇相顧。詎能來報。無著菩薩曰。斯事已矣。慈氏何相。演說何法。答曰。慈氏相好。言莫能宣。演說妙法。義不異此。然菩薩妙音。清暢和雅。聞者忘倦。受者無厭。云云(出西域記。覩史多。舊曰兜率。慈氏。即彌勒也。佛經律論三藏。所載人生六道中。或從六道中來者甚多。茲僅錄一二。以彰其餘。即如此土所共見聞者。亦不能盡錄惟錄其要。俱見如下)。
He was a native of Gandhāra. One thousand years after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, he manifested his spiritual wisdom, received the teachings, awakened to the Way, left home, and pursued his studies. His younger brother, the Bodhisattva Vasubandhu, also left home to receive instruction. He was widely learned and possessed a strong memory, thoroughly mastering the teachings and investigating their subtleties. Asaṅga's disciple, Buddhasimha, cultivated secret practices beyond measure, and his lofty talents were well-known. These two or three wise sages often said to one another, "In all our cultivation and practice, we aspire to behold Maitreya. Should any of us pass away first and fulfill this long-held wish, we must report back to inform the others of our destination."
Later, Buddhasimha was the first to pass away. For three years, there was no report. The Bodhisattva Vasubandhu soon also passed away. After six months, still there was no message. At that time, various non-Buddhists all ridiculed them, saying that Vasubandhu and Buddhasimha had fallen into the evil destinies and thus had no spiritual awareness.
Afterward, the Bodhisattva Asaṅga, during the first watch of the night, was instructing his disciples in the methods of meditation when the lamplight suddenly dimmed and a great radiance appeared in the sky. A deva descended through the air, approached the steps of the courtyard, and reverently paid homage to Asaṅga. Asaṅga said, "Why have you come so late? What is your name now?"
He replied, "After leaving this life, I was reborn in the Tuṣita Heaven among the inner assembly of Maitreya, born from a lotus. As soon as the lotus bloomed, Maitreya praised, 'Welcome, O One of Vast Wisdom! Welcome, O One of Vast Wisdom!' After completing just one circumambulation, I came immediately to report."
The Bodhisattva Asaṅga asked, "Where is Buddhasimha now?"
He answered, "While I was circumambulating, I saw Buddhasimha among the outer assembly, immersed in heavenly pleasures, with no leisure to look back. How could he come to report?"
The Bodhisattva Asaṅga said, "That matter is settled. What are the marks of Maitreya? What Dharma does he expound?"
He replied, "The sublime marks of Maitreya cannot be described in words. The wondrous Dharma he expounds is no different in meaning from what is taught here. However, the Bodhisattva's marvelous voice is pure, resonant, harmonious, and elegant. Those who hear it forget their weariness; those who receive it never grow weary."(From the *Records of the Western Regions*. Tuṣita was formerly called "Tosotsu." Maitreya is the same as Miroku. The Tripiṭaka—the Sūtras, Vinaya, and Śāstras—contain many accounts of beings born into the six destinies or coming from among them. Here, only one or two are recorded to illustrate the rest. Even the cases commonly seen and heard in this land cannot all be recorded; only the essential ones are noted below.)