龍樹菩薩傳
Biography of Nagarjuna Bodhisattva
姚秦三藏法師鳩摩羅什譯
Translated by Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva of the Later Qin
大師名龍樹菩薩者。出南天竺梵志種也。天聰奇悟事不再告。在乳哺之中。聞諸梵志誦四韋陀典各四萬偈。偈有四十二字。背誦其文而領其義。弱冠馳名獨步諸國。世學藝能天文地理圖緯祕讖。及諸道術無不悉練。契友三人亦是一時之傑。相與議曰天下義理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。我若呪法授之。此人才明絕世所不知者唯此賤法。若得之便去不復可屈。且與其藥使日用而不知。藥盡必來求。可以術屈為我弟子。各與青藥一丸告之曰。汝於靜處用水磨之以塗眼瞼。則無有人能見汝形者。龍樹菩薩磨藥聞氣。便盡知藥名分數。多少錙銖無失。隨其氣勢龍樹識之。還語術師此藥有七十種。分數多少盡如其方。藥師問曰汝何由知。答曰藥自有氣何以不知。師即歎伏。顧斯人者聞之猶難。而況相學。我之賤術何足惜耶。即具授。其四人得術隱身自在入王宮中。宮中美人皆被侵陵百餘日。後宮中人有懷妊者以事白王。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。或鬼或術。可以細土置諸門中。令有司守之斷諸術者。若是術人足跡自現可以兵除。若其是鬼則無跡也。鬼可呪除人可刀殺。備法試之見四人跡。即閉諸門令數百力士。揮刀空斫斫殺三人。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。厭欲心生發出家願。若我得脫。當詣沙門求出家法。既而得出入山詣佛塔出家受戒。九十日中誦三藏。盡通諸深義。更求諸經都無得處。雪山中深遠處有佛塔。塔中有一老比丘。以摩訶衍經與之。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。即起憍慢心。自念言世界法中津塗甚多。佛經雖妙以理推之故未盡。未盡之中可推。而說之以悟後學。於理不違於事無失。斯有何咎。思此事已。即欲行之立師教誡更造衣服。今附佛法所別為異。方欲以無所推屈表一切智相。擇日選時當與諸弟子。受新戒著新衣便欲行之。獨在靜室水精地房。大龍菩薩見其如此。惜而愍之即接入海。於宮殿中開七寶藏發七寶函。以諸方等深奧經典無上妙法授之龍樹。龍樹受讀九十日中通練甚多。其心深入體得實利。龍知其心而問之曰。看經遍未。答言汝諸函中經甚多無量不可盡也。我所讀者已十倍閻浮提。龍言如我宮中所有經典。諸處此比復不可知。龍樹即得諸經一箱。深入無生三忍具足。龍還送出。時南天竺王甚邪見承事外道毀謗正法。龍樹菩薩為化彼故躬持赤旛在王前行。經歷七年王始怪問。此是何人在我前行。答曰我是一切智人。王聞是已甚大驚愕而問之言。一切智人曠代不有。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。龍樹言天今與阿脩羅戰。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。汝何必知是天與阿脩羅戰。龍樹言搆之虛言不如校以實事。言已阿脩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。是時龍樹．於南天竺大弘佛教。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。大慈方便論五十偈。令摩訶衍教大行於天竺。又造無畏論十萬偈。於無畏中出中論也。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。王言汝大愚人。此菩薩者明與日月爭光。智與聖心並照。汝何不遜敢不推敬。婆羅門言。王為智人何不以理驗之。而抑斷一切。王見言至為請龍樹。清旦共坐政德殿上。婆羅門後至便於殿前呪作大池。廣長清淨中有千葉蓮華。自坐其上而訶龍樹。汝在地坐如畜生無異。而欲與我清淨華上大德智人抗言論議。爾時龍樹亦以呪術化作一六牙白象。行池水上趣其華坐以鼻繳拔高舉擲地。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。有一小乘法師。常懷忿嫉。龍樹問之言汝樂我久住世不。答言實不願也。退入閑室經日不出。弟子破戶看之遂蟬蛻而去。去世已來始過百歲。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(依付法藏經即第十三祖三百餘年任持佛法)。
The great master known as Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva was born in South India into a family of Brahmins. He possessed extraordinary natural intelligence, grasping things after hearing them only once. Even as an infant being breastfed, he listened to the Brahmins reciting the four Vedas, each containing forty thousand verses, with each verse having forty-two syllables. He could recite the texts and understand their meanings from memory. By the time he came of age, his reputation spread far and wide, and he was unmatched across all kingdoms. He mastered all worldly learning, skills, astronomy, geography, occult diagrams, secret prophecies, and various arts and techniques.
He had three close friends, also outstanding figures of their time. They discussed together, "We have fully grasped all the principles in the world that can enlighten the spirit and reveal profound mysteries. What else can we do to amuse ourselves and indulge our desires to the fullest? This should be the greatest joy in life. However, being Brahmins, we lack the power of kings and nobles to pursue such pleasures. Only with the art of invisibility can we achieve this happiness." The four of them, united in heart, went to a magician to learn the art of invisibility.
The magician thought, "These four Brahmins are renowned across the world, looking down on all others. Now, for the sake of this art, they humbly come to me. If I teach them the secret spells, these brilliant men, lacking only this lowly skill, will leave once they have it, and I can no longer control them. Instead, I will give them a drug they can use daily without knowing its true nature. When it runs out, they will have to come back, and through this art, I can make them my disciples." He gave each of them a blue pill, saying, "Grind this with water in a quiet place and apply it to your eyelids. Then no one will be able to see your form."
Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva, when grinding the pill, smelled its aroma and immediately knew all the ingredients and their exact proportions, without missing even a grain. Recognizing the pill's scent, he told the magician, "This pill contains seventy ingredients, all in the exact amounts specified in the recipe." The magician asked, "How do you know this?" Nāgārjuna replied, "The pill has its own scent; how could I not know?" The magician sighed in admiration, thinking, "For others, just hearing this would be difficult, let alone learning it. Why should I begrudge my lowly art?" So he fully taught them.
Having mastered the art of invisibility, the four entered the king's palace. They harassed the palace beauties for over a hundred days. When some palace women became pregnant, the matter was reported to the king. The king was extremely displeased, asking, "What inauspicious mischief is this?" He summoned his wise ministers to discuss the matter. An elder said, "Such incidents may arise from one of two causes: spirits or magic. Spread fine dust at the doorways and have guards watch for any trace. If it is magic, footprints will appear, and we can deal with it with weapons. If it is spirits, there will be no footprints. Spirits can be expelled by spells, humans by swords." When they tested this, they saw four sets of footprints. The king ordered the gates closed and had hundreds of strong warriors swing their swords into the air, killing three of the four. Only Nāgārjuna, shrinking his body and holding his breath, pressed close to the king's head. The area within seven feet of the king's head was beyond the reach of the swords. At that moment, he realized that desire is the root of suffering. Aweary of desire, he made a wish to renounce the world: "If I escape, I will go to a monk and seek ordination."
After escaping, he entered the mountains, went to a Buddhist shrine, and was ordained. Within ninety days, he had learned the entire Tripitaka and fully comprehended all its profound meanings. Seeking further scriptures, he found none. In the deep mountains of the Himalayas, there was a Buddhist shrine. An elderly monk there gave him the Mahāyāna scriptures. He studied and delighted in them, and though he understood their true meaning, he had not yet mastered them completely. He traveled through various countries seeking other scriptures, but found none throughout the whole of Jambudvīpa. He defeated all heretical philosophers and Buddhist scholars in debate. Then pride arose in his heart.
He thought to himself, "In worldly teachings, there are many paths. Although the Buddhist scriptures are wondrous, on rational analysis they seem incomplete. Within what is incomplete, I can reason and explain things to enlighten later students. This would not violate principle, nor would it be wrong in practice. What fault is there?" Having considered this, he decided to act. He established his own teachings and created new robes, differentiating himself while nominally following Buddhism. He planned to assert his all-knowing wisdom without any opposition. He chose an auspicious day to give his disciples new precepts and new robes. Alone in a quiet room with a crystal floor, he was observed by the Nāga King Bodhisattva, who pitied and felt compassion for him. The Nāga King took him into the sea.
In his palace, the Nāga King opened seven treasure chambers and seven jeweled boxes, bestowing upon Nāgārjuna various profound scriptures and the supreme sublime Dharma. Nāgārjuna studied them, and within ninety days, he thoroughly understood a great many. His mind delved deep, and he realized the essential truth. The Nāga King, knowing his state of mind, asked him, "Have you read through all the scriptures?" Nāgārjuna replied, "The scriptures in your boxes are immeasurable and inexhaustible. What I have already read is ten times more than what exists in all of Jambudvīpa." The Nāga King said, "The scriptures in my palace are nothing compared to the ones elsewhere, which are beyond knowing." Nāgārjuna obtained a chest of scriptures and deeply realized the threefold patience in non-arising, attaining full realization. The Nāga King then sent him back.
At that time, the king of South India was deeply heretical, serving non-Buddhist teachers and slandering the true Dharma. To convert him, Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva personally carried a red banner and walked before the king. This went on for seven years before the king, puzzled, asked, "Who is this walking before me?" The reply came, "I am the all-knowing one." Startled, the king asked, "An all-knowing one has not appeared for ages. How can you prove your claim?" Nāgārjuna said, "To know wisdom, just ask me a question." The king thought, "I am the lord of wisdom and a great debater. If I ask and he falters, it would not be to my credit. However, if I don't ask, it will be an admission of defeat." After long hesitation, he reluctantly asked, "What is heaven doing now?" Nāgārjuna replied, "Now heaven is warring with the Asuras." Hearing this, the king felt as if he were choking—unable to spit or swallow. He wanted to refute it but had no proof. Before he could speak, Nāgārjuna added, "This is not empty talk meant to win a debate. Wait a moment, and there will be proof." As soon as he finished, weapons and armor began falling from the sky in succession. The king said, "Though weapons suggest warfare, how do you know it is a battle between heaven and Asuras?" Nāgārjuna said, "Empty talk is less convincing than factual evidence." Then the hands, feet, ears, and noses of Asuras fell from the sky. Nāgārjuna also made the king, his ministers, and all the Brahmins witness the two armies facing each other in the sky. The king bowed in submission to his Dharma. Ten thousand Brahmins in the hall let down their hair and received the precepts.
Thus, Nāgārjuna greatly propagated Buddhism in South India, overcoming heretics and widely clarifying the Mahāyāna. He composed the *Upadeśa* in one hundred thousand verses, *The Adornment of Buddhahood Treatise* in five thousand verses, and *The Treatise on Great Compassion and Skillful Means* in fifty verses. The teachings of the Mahāyāna spread widely throughout India. He also wrote *The Treatise Without Fear* in one hundred thousand verses, from which the *Mūlamadhyamakakārikā* (Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way) was extracted.
At that time, a Brahmin skilled in magic sought to defeat Nāgārjuna. He told the king of India, "I can subdue this monk. You shall see proof." The king said, "You are a great fool. This Bodhisattva's brilliance rivals the sun and moon; his wisdom matches the enlightened mind. How dare you be so disrespectful?" The Brahmin replied, "You are a wise man. Why not test him with reason instead of dismissing everything?" Convinced, the king invited Nāgārjuna. They sat together at dawn in the Hall of Governance. The Brahmin arrived late and used magic to create a vast pond in front of the hall, pure and clear, with a thousand-petal lotus flower. Seated on it, he taunted Nāgārjuna, "You sit on the ground like an animal. How dare you debate with me, a great and wise being seated on this pure lotus?" Nāgārjuna then used his magic to create a six-tusked white elephant that walked over the pond toward the lotus seat. With its trunk, it lifted the Brahmin and threw him to the ground. The Brahmin, injured and prostrate, declared, "I was reckless in insulting the great master. Please have mercy and accept me, enlightening my ignorance."
A monk of the Small Vehicle School harbored constant envy and hatred. Nāgārjuna asked him, "Do you wish for me to stay long in this world?" The monk replied, "No, I do not." Nāgārjuna retreated to a quiet room, not emerging for days. His disciples broke the door open and found that he had shed his body like a cicada and departed. It has been just over a hundred years since he passed away. In various countries of South India, temples were built for him, and he is revered like a Buddha. Because he was born under a tree, he was named Arjuna (the name of that tree). And because a dragon (Nāga) perfected his path, the name was combined to call him "Nāgārjuna" (Dragon Tree).(According to the *Records of the Transmission of the Dharma Treasury*, he is the thirteenth patriarch, upholding the Dharma for over three hundred years.)
龍樹菩薩傳(終)
The Life of Nagarjuna