龍樹菩薩傳
Biography of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna
姚秦三藏鳩摩羅什譯
Translated by the Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of the Later Qin Dynasty
龍樹菩薩者。出南天竺梵志種也。天聰奇悟事不再告。在乳餔之中。聞諸梵志誦四圍陀典各四萬偈。偈有三十二字。皆諷其文而領其義。弱冠馳名獨步諸國。天文地理圖緯祕讖。及諸道術無不悉綜。契友三人亦是一時之傑。相與議曰。天下理義可以開神明悟幽旨者。吾等盡之矣。復欲何以自娛。騁情極欲最是一生之樂。然諸梵志道士勢。非王公何由得之。唯有隱身之術斯樂可辦。四人相視莫逆於心。俱至術家求隱身法。術師念曰。此四梵志擅名一世草芥群生。今以術故屈辱就我。此諸梵志才明絕世。所不知者唯此賤法。我若授之。得必棄我不可復屈。且與其藥使用。而不知藥盡必來永當師我。各與青藥一丸告之曰。汝在靜處以水磨之。用塗眼瞼汝形當隱。無人見者。龍樹磨此藥時聞其氣即皆識之。分數多少錙銖無失。還告藥師向所得藥有七十種分數。多少皆如其方。藥師問曰汝何由知之。答曰。藥自有氣何以不知。師即歎伏。若斯人者聞之猶難。而況相遇。我之賤術何足惜耶。即具授之。四人得術縱意自在。常入王宮。宮中美人皆被侵淩。百餘日後宮中人有懷姙者。懅以白王庶免罪咎。王大不悅。此何不祥為怪乃爾。召諸智臣以謀此事。有舊老者言。凡如此事應有二種。或是鬼魅或是方術。可以細土置諸門中。令有司守之斷諸行者。若是術人其跡自現。可以兵除。若是鬼魅入而無跡。可以術滅。即勅門者備法試之。見四人跡驟以聞王。王將力士數百人入宮。悉閉諸門。令諸力士揮刀空斬三人即死。唯有龍樹斂身屏氣依王頭側。王頭側七尺刀所不至。是時始悟欲為苦本眾禍之根。敗德危身皆由此起。即自誓曰。我若得脫當詣沙門受出家法。既出入山詣一佛塔出家受戒。九十日中誦三藏盡。更求異經都無得處。遂入雪山山中有塔。塔中有一老比丘。以摩訶衍經典與之。誦受愛樂雖知實義未得通利。周遊諸國更求餘經。於閻浮提中遍求不得。外道論師沙門義宗咸皆摧伏。外道弟子白之言。師為一切智人。今為佛弟子。弟子之道諮承不足將未足耶。未足一事非一切智也。辭窮情屈即起邪慢心。自念言。世界法中津塗甚多。佛經雖妙以理推之故有未盡。未盡之中可推而演之。以悟後學於理不違。於事無失斯有何咎。思此事已即欲行之。立師教戒更造衣服。令附佛法而有小異。欲以除眾人情示不受學擇日選時當與。諸弟子受新戒著新衣。獨在靜處水精房中。大龍菩薩見其如是惜而愍之。即接之入海。於宮殿中開七寶藏。發七寶華函。以諸方等深奧經典無量妙法授之。龍樹受讀九十日中通解甚多。其心深入體得實利。龍知其心而問之曰。看經遍未。答言。汝諸函中經多無量不可盡也。我可讀者已十倍閻浮提。龍言。如我宮中所有經典。諸處此比復不可數。龍樹既得諸經一相深入無生二忍具足。龍還送出於南天竺。大弘佛法摧伏外道。廣明摩訶衍作優波提舍十萬偈。又作莊嚴佛道論五千偈。大慈方便論五千偈。中論五百偈。令摩訶衍教大行於天竺。又造無畏論十萬偈。中論出其中。時有婆羅門。善知呪術欲以所能與龍樹諍勝。告天竺國王。我能伏此比丘。王當驗之。王言。汝大愚癡。此菩薩者。明與日月爭光智與聖心並照。汝何不遜敢不宗敬。婆羅門言。王為智人何不以理驗之。而見抑挫。王見其言至為請龍樹。清旦共坐政聽殿上。婆羅門後至。便於殿前呪作大池廣長清淨。中有千葉蓮華。自坐其上而誇龍樹。汝在地坐與畜生無異。而欲與我清淨華上大德智人抗言論議。爾時龍樹亦用呪術化作六牙白象。行池水上趣其華座。以鼻絞拔高舉擲地。婆羅門傷腰。委頓歸命龍樹。我不自量毀辱大師。願哀受我啟其愚蒙。又南天竺王總御諸國信用邪道。沙門釋子一不得見。國人遠近皆化其道。龍樹念曰。樹不伐本則條不傾。人主不化則道不行。其國政法王家出錢雇人宿衛。龍樹乃應募為其將。荷戟前驅整行伍勒部曲威不嚴而令行。法不彰而物隨。王甚嘉之。問是何人。侍者答言。此人應募既不食廩又不取錢。而在事恭謹閑習如此。不知其意何求何欲。王召問之。汝是何人。答言。我是一切智人。王大驚愕而問言。一切智人曠代一有。汝自言是何以驗之。答言。欲知智在說王當見問。王即自念。我為智主大論議師問之能屈。猶不足名一旦不如此非小事。若其不問便是一屈。遲疑良久不得已而問之。天今何為耶。龍樹言。天今與阿修羅戰。王聞此言。譬如人噎既不得吐。又不得咽。欲非其言復無以證之。欲是其事無事可明。未言之間。龍樹復言。此非虛論求勝之談。王小待之。須臾有驗言訖。空中便有干戈兵器相係而落。王言。干戈矛戟雖是戰器。汝何必知是天與阿修羅戰。龍樹言。搆之虛言不如校以實事。言已阿修羅手足指。及其耳鼻從空而下。又令王及臣民婆羅門眾見空中清除兩陣相對。王乃稽首伏其法化。殿上有萬婆羅門。皆棄束髮受成就戒。是時有一小乘法師。常懷忿疾。龍樹將去此世。而問之曰。汝樂我久住此世不。答言。實所不願也。退入閑室經日不出。弟子破戶看之。遂蟬蛻而去。去此世已來至今。始過百歲。南天竺諸國為其立廟敬奉如佛。其母樹下生之。因字阿周陀那。阿周陀那樹名也。以龍成其道。故以龍配字。號曰龍樹也(依付法藏傳。即第十三祖師也。假餌仙藥現住長壽二百餘年。住持佛法。其所度人不可稱數。如法藏說)。
The Bodhisattva Nagarjuna was born in South India into a Brahmin family. He possessed extraordinary natural intelligence, grasping things without needing to be told twice. While still a nursing infant, he heard Brahmins reciting the four Vedas, each consisting of forty thousand verses of thirty-two syllables each. He could chant the texts and comprehend their meaning. By the time he reached adulthood, his fame had spread far and wide, and he was unmatched throughout the land. He mastered astronomy, geography, esoteric charts and prophecies, and all manner of arts and techniques.
He had three close friends, also outstanding men of their time. They discussed among themselves: "We have exhausted all the principles and doctrines in the world that can illuminate the spirit and reveal profound truths. How shall we now amuse ourselves? Indulging our passions and desires to the utmost seems the greatest pleasure in life. Yet we Brahmins and ascetics lack the power and status of kings and nobles—how can we obtain such pleasures? Only the art of invisibility could make this enjoyment possible." The four looked at each other, their minds in perfect agreement, and went together to a master of such arts to seek the method of invisibility.
The master thought to himself: "These four Brahmins are renowned throughout the world and look down upon ordinary people. Now they humbly come to me for this art. These Brahmins possess brilliance and knowledge surpassing the age; the only thing they lack is this lowly technique. If I teach them, once they obtain it, they will surely abandon me and never submit to me again. I shall give them the medicine to use, but not the knowledge of it. Once the medicine is exhausted, they will have to return and forever regard me as their teacher." He gave each of them a green pill, instructing them: "Go to a quiet place, grind this with water, and apply it to your eyelids. Your forms will then become invisible, and no one will see you."
While grinding the medicine, Nagarjuna smelled its aroma and immediately recognized all its components. He could discern the exact proportions and measurements without the slightest error. He returned to the master and said, "The medicine you gave me contains seventy ingredients. The amounts and proportions are exactly as specified in the formula." The master asked, "How did you know this?" He replied, "The medicine itself has its own characteristics; how could I not know?" The master sighed in admiration: "For such a man, even hearing of him is difficult, let alone meeting him. Why should I begrudge him my humble art?" He then fully instructed them in the method.
Having obtained the art, the four indulged their desires freely. They often entered the royal palace and violated the women there. After more than a hundred days, some women in the palace became pregnant. In fear, they reported this to the king, hoping to avoid punishment. The king was greatly displeased. "What ill omen is this, that such a strange event has occurred?" He summoned his wise ministers to discuss the matter. An elder among them said, "In such cases, there are usually two possibilities: either ghosts and spirits, or magical arts. Place fine soil at the gates, have guards watch them, and stop all passersby. If it is practitioners of arts, their footprints will appear, and they can be eliminated by soldiers. If it is ghosts and spirits, they will enter without leaving traces and can be subdued by spells." The king ordered the gatekeepers to prepare and test this method.
They saw the footprints of four men and immediately reported to the king. The king entered the palace with several hundred warriors, closed all the gates, and ordered the warriors to slash through the empty air. Three of the men were killed. Only Nagarjuna, holding his breath and shrinking his form, stayed close to the king's side—within seven feet, where the blades could not reach.
At that moment, he realized for the first time that desire is the root of suffering and the source of all calamities. Virtue is destroyed and life endangered, all arising from this. He then made a vow: "If I escape, I shall go to the monastic community and receive the teachings of renunciation."
After leaving the palace, he went into the mountains, approached a Buddhist stupa, and renounced the household life to receive the precepts. Within ninety days, he had completely memorized the Tripitaka. Seeking other scriptures but finding none, he entered the Snow Mountains. In a stupa there, an old monk gave him the Mahayana sutras. He recited, received, and delighted in them. Although he understood their true meaning, he had not yet mastered them thoroughly. Traveling through various countries in search of other scriptures, he scoured the entire Jambudvipa but could not find them. He refuted all non-Buddhist teachers and sectarian masters.
Disciples of non-Buddhist schools said to him: "Master, you are considered omniscient. Now you are a disciple of the Buddha. If you still seek instruction, does that mean your knowledge is incomplete? If one thing is lacking, you are not omniscient." Cornered and embarrassed, he gave rise to arrogant and perverse thoughts. He reflected: "In the world's teachings, there are many paths. Although the Buddhist sutras are wonderful, upon logical examination, they still have gaps. Within these gaps, one can extrapolate and expand upon them to enlighten later learners. This does not violate principle nor err in practical matters—what fault is there in this?"
Having thought this, he decided to act. He established his own teachings and precepts, designed new robes, intending them to be affiliated with Buddhism yet slightly different, hoping to sway people's sentiments and show that he did not need to learn from others. He chose an auspicious day and time to confer his new precepts upon his disciples and have them wear the new robes. Alone in a quiet crystal chamber, the great dragon bodhisattva, seeing him thus, took pity on him and brought him into the ocean. In the palace there, he opened the seven treasure repositories and the seven jeweled boxes, bestowing upon him the profound Mahayana sutras and innumerable wonderful teachings. Nagarjuna studied them for ninety days, comprehending a great deal. His mind penetrated deeply, and he attained true benefit. The dragon asked him: "Have you finished reading all the sutras?" He replied, "The texts in your boxes are immeasurable and inexhaustible. What I have read is already ten times more than what exists in Jambudvipa." The dragon said, "Compared to all the scriptures in my palace, what you have elsewhere is again beyond counting."
Having obtained these sutras, Nagarjuna fully realized the single mark and attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas. The dragon then returned him to South India, where he greatly propagated the Buddha's teachings, subduing non-Buddhist schools. He extensively elucidated the Mahayana, composing the *Upadesha* in one hundred thousand verses, the *Ornament of Enlightenment* in five thousand verses, the *Great Compassion and Skillful Means* in five thousand verses, and the *Middle Treatise* in five hundred verses, causing the Mahayana teachings to flourish widely in India. He also composed the *Fearless Treatise* in one hundred thousand verses, from which the *Middle Treatise* was extracted.
At that time, there was a Brahmin skilled in incantations who wished to challenge Nagarjuna with his abilities. He told the king of India: "I can subdue this monk. Your Majesty should witness it." The king said, "You are greatly foolish and deluded. This bodhisattva's brightness rivals the sun and moon; his wisdom shines alongside the sage's mind. How dare you not revere him?" The Brahmin said, "Your Majesty is a wise man. Why not test him with reason instead of suppressing me?" Seeing the Brahmin's insistence, the king invited Nagarjuna. In the early morning, they sat together in the audience hall. The Brahmin arrived later and, before the hall, chanted a spell to create a vast, clear, and pure pond with a thousand-petaled lotus, upon which he seated himself. He boasted to Nagarjuna: "You sit on the ground, no different from an animal, yet you dare to debate with me, a great virtuous and wise man seated upon a pure lotus."
At that moment, Nagarjuna also used a spell to transform into a six-tusked white elephant. It walked on the pond's surface, approached the lotus seat, wrapped its trunk around it, lifted it high, and hurled it to the ground. The Brahmin injured his back and, utterly defeated, submitted to Nagarjuna: "I overestimated myself and insulted the great master. I beg for your compassion to accept me and enlighten my foolish ignorance."
Also, the king of South India, who ruled over various states, believed in heretical paths. Not a single Buddhist monk was allowed to see him, and people far and wide were converted to his doctrines. Nagarjuna thought: "If the tree's root is not cut, its branches will not fall. If the ruler is not transformed, the true path will not prevail." According to that country's laws, the royal family hired people for guard duty. Nagarjuna enlisted and became an officer. Carrying a halberd, he led the march, organized the ranks, and disciplined the troops. His authority required no severity, yet his orders were followed; the law was not proclaimed, yet people complied. The king greatly praised him and asked, "Who is this man?" Attendants replied, "This man enlisted. He neither takes provisions nor accepts payment, yet he serves with such diligence and skill. We do not know what he seeks or desires." The king summoned and asked him: "Who are you?" He replied, "I am one who knows all things." The king, astonished, asked: "An omniscient person appears only once in many ages. You claim to be one—how can this be verified?" He replied, "If you wish to know whether I am wise, Your Majesty should ask me a question."
The king thought to himself: "I am a ruler of wisdom and a great debater. If I question him and he is defeated, it is still not enough to prove his claim. But if I do not ask, it would be a defeat." After hesitating for a long time, he finally asked: "What are the heavens doing now?" Nagarjuna said, "The heavens are now battling the asuras." Hearing this, the king felt as if choking—unable to spit it out or swallow it. He wanted to deny the statement but had no way to disprove it; he wanted to affirm it but had no evidence. Before he could speak, Nagarjuna added: "This is not an empty claim made to win an argument. Wait a moment, and there will be proof." As soon as he finished speaking, weapons of war—spears, halberds, and blades—fell from the sky, clashing together. The king said, "Though these are weapons of war, how do you know it is the heavens fighting the asuras?" Nagarjuna said, "Rather than argue with empty words, let us verify with actual events." As he spoke, fingers, toes, ears, and noses of asuras fell from the sky. He then made the king, his ministers, the people, and the Brahmins see the sky clear, revealing two armies facing each other. The king then bowed in reverence, submitting to his teachings. Ten thousand Brahmins in the hall abandoned their topknots and received the complete precepts.
At that time, there was a monk of the Lesser Vehicle who often harbored resentment and jealousy. When Nagarjuna was about to leave this world, he asked him: "Do you wish for me to remain long in this world?" The monk replied, "I truly do not wish it." Nagarjuna withdrew into a quiet room and did not emerge for days. His disciples broke down the door to look and found that he had shed his mortal form like a cicada and departed. From the time he left this world until now, barely a hundred years have passed. The various countries of South India built temples in his honor, revering him as they would a Buddha. He was born under a tree, so he was named Arjuna (meaning "tree"). Because a dragon aided his attainment of the Way, "dragon" was added to his name, and he was called Nagarjuna ("Dragon Tree").
(According to the *Record of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury*, he is the thirteenth patriarch. By taking an immortal elixir, he manifested a life span of over two hundred years, upholding the Buddha's teachings. The number of people he guided is beyond reckoning, as recorded in the Dharma Treasury.)
龍樹菩薩傳
Biography of Bodhisattva Nagarjuna