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佛般涅槃
如集法經中說：佛入涅槃時，地六種動，諸河反流；疾風暴發，黑雲四起，惡雷掣電，雹雨驟墮，處處星流，師子惡獸酵哮喚呼：諸天、世人皆大號咷。諸天、人等皆發是言：佛取涅槃，一何疾哉！世間眼滅！
當是時間，一切草木藥樹，華葉一時剖裂；諸須彌山王盡皆傾搖，海水波揚，地大震動，山崖崩落；諸樹摧折，四面煙起，甚大可畏。陂池江河盡皆擾濁；彗星晝出。
諸人啼哭，諸天憂愁，諸天女等郁咿哽咽，涕淚交流。諸學人等默然不樂，諸無學人念有為諸法一切無常。如是天、人、夜叉、羅剎、揵闥婆、甄陀羅、摩侯羅伽及諸龍等，皆大憂愁。諸阿羅漢度老病死海，心念言：
已度凡人恩愛河，
老病死卷已破裂；
見身篋中四大蛇，
今入無餘滅涅槃！
諸大阿羅漢各各隨意，於諸山林流泉谿谷，處處捨身而般涅槃；更有諸阿羅漢於虛空中飛騰而去。譬如雁王現種種神力，令眾人心信清淨，然後涅槃。 |
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The Buddha's Parinirvana
As extensively described in The Compilation 1```1 of the Dharma Sutra, when the Buddha entered Nirvana, the earth pitched about in six different ways, the rivers flowed backwards, a fierce tempest struck violently, black clouds boiled up in the four directions, fearsome [volleys of] thunder [boomed], lightning bolts crashed, and suddenly [a storm of] hail and [torrents of] rain came [pounding] down. Everywhere meteors [shot out of the sky]. Ferocious beasts bellowed and roared, yowled and shrieked. The deities and worldlings howled loudly. The gods all cried out, "Oh, why has the Buddha chosen nirvana so swiftly! The eyes of the World have perished!"
Then, all at the same time, the grasses and woods, herbs and trees, flowers and leaves, all split apart and burst open. The Sumerus, kings among mountains, tilted askew as they shook. The waters of the oceans roiled and heaved up billows. The earth shuddered and jolted mightily. The mountains and crags shattered and collapsed. The trees all splintered and split. From the four quarters smoke surged up [into the sky]. [These cataclysmic occurrences] were enormously horrifying. The [waters of the] marshes and ponds, rivers and streams all began to churn and turned turbid. Comets appeared in the daytime.
The people wailed and wept. The gods were overcome with sorrow. The heavenly maidens were all [immersed in] grief, choking and sobbing, with intertwining streams of tears flowing down. Those still at the stage of study were all silent and unhappy. Those at the stage beyond study remained mindful that all composite dharmas are impermanent. And so, in this manner, the gods, men, yakshas, rakshasas, gandharvas, kinnaras, mahoragas and dragons were all overcome with great grief.
The Arhats had been delivered from the sea of senescence, disease and death and thought to themselves:
We've already crossed the river of the common man's affection and passion.
The coil of aging, sickness and death has been split apart and broken.
We've seen the four great serpents within the bodily basket,
And now we shall enter Nirvana, the remainderless decease.
In the mountains, forests, and valleys, among flowing springs and streams, all of the great Arhats, each according to his will, shed his body and entered Parinirvana. Additionally there were Arhats who flew straight up into the air and in leaving, like the great king of the geese, displayed all manner of spiritual powers, influenced the masses of people to develop purity of faith, and then finally entered Parinirvana.
English translation © 1996 Dharmamitra. All rights reserved.
Reprinted with permission of Kalavinka (http://www.teleport.com/~dh-mitra/) |
