48.2 （二）

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī.

At that time, on the fifteenth day when the Buddha was giving the precepts, he was surrounded by the bhikṣus and went to the assembly hall. At that time, the World-Honored One silently observed the assembly of sages, who were silent and did not speak. Then Ānanda said to the Buddha, "Today the assembly of sages has gathered in the hall. May the World-Honored One please speak the precepts to the bhikṣus." At that time, the World-Honored One also remained silent and did not speak.

Then Ānanda said to the Buddha after a while, "Now is the time to speak the precepts. The first watch of the night is almost over." At that time, the World-Honored One also remained silent and did not speak.

Then Ānanda said to the Buddha after a while, "The middle watch of the night is almost over. The assembly is tired. May the World-Honored One please speak the precepts in a timely manner." At that time, the World-Honored One also remained silent and did not speak.

Then Ānanda said to the Buddha after a while, "The last watch of the night is almost over. May the World-Honored One please speak the precepts in a timely manner."

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Because the assembly is impure, I do not speak the precepts. Now I allow the senior monk to speak the precepts. If the senior monk in the assembly is not capable of speaking the precepts, I allow the one who upholds the Vinaya to speak the precepts. If there is no one who upholds the Vinaya, the one who can recite the precepts fluently should recite them. From now on, the Tathāgata will no longer speak the precepts. If the Tathāgata speaks the precepts in an impure assembly, that person's head will break into seven pieces, no different from a pomegranate fruit."

At that time, Ānanda wept and said, "The holy assembly is now orphaned and destitute. How quickly the Tathāgata's true Dharma is disappearing! How quickly impure people are appearing!"

At that time, Mahāmaudgalyāyana thought, "What kind of person who has destroyed the Dharma is in this assembly that causes the Tathāgata not to speak the precepts?" At that time, Mahāmaudgalyāyana entered samādhi and surveyed the flaws in the minds of the holy assembly. At that time, Maudgalyāyana saw the two bhikṣus Aśvajit and Vāseṭṭha in the assembly. At that time, Maudgalyāyana rose from his seat, went to those bhikṣus, and said, "You should quickly rise and leave this seat. The Tathāgata sees you as a disgrace. Because of you, the Tathāgata does not speak the precepts."

At that time, the two bhikṣus remained silent and did not speak. At that time, Maudgalyāyana again said to them three times, "You should quickly rise and not stay here." At that time, those bhikṣus remained silent and did not respond. At that time, Maudgalyāyana then went forward, took their hands, and led them outside the door. He then returned to close the door and said to the Buddha, "The impure bhikṣus have already been led outside. May the World-Honored One now speak the precepts."

The Buddha told Maudgalyāyana, "Stop! Stop! Maudgalyāyana! The Tathāgata will not speak the precepts with the bhikṣus again. What the Tathāgata says is not twofold. Return to your seat."

At that time, Maudgalyāyana again said to the Buddha, "Now there is already impurity in this assembly. I am not capable of performing the duties of the head monk. I only wish that the World-Honored One would appoint someone else." At that time, the World-Honored One silently consented. At that time, Maudgalyāyana bowed his head to the feet of the World-Honored One and returned to his original seat.

At that time, Ānanda said to the World-Honored One, "When the Tathāgata Vipaśyin appeared in the world, how many were in the noble assembly? How long did it take before impurity arose? Up to the disciples of Kāśyapa, how did they speak the precepts?"

The Buddha told Ānanda, "Ninety-one eons ago, a Buddha appeared in the world, named Vipaśyin Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, who appeared in the world. At that time, there were three assemblies of the noble assembly. In the first assembly, there were 168,000 noble monks; in the second assembly, 160,000 noble monks; in the third assembly, 100,000 noble monks, all of whom were arhats. That Buddha lived for 84,000 years. Within a hundred years, the noble assembly was pure. That Buddha always used one verse as the precepts:

Patience is the foremost, the Buddha said non-action is supreme, not
by shaving the beard and hair, harming others is a śramaṇa.

At that time, that Buddha used this one verse as the precepts for a hundred years. When faults arose, he established the precepts.

Again, in the thirty-one eons, there was a Buddha named Tryakṣa Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One, who appeared in the world. At that time, he also had three assemblies of holy ones. In the first assembly, there were one hundred and sixty thousand holy ones; in the second assembly, one hundred and forty thousand holy ones; in the third assembly, one hundred thousand holy ones. At that time, for eighty years, he was pure and without faults. He also spoke one verse:

If the eyes see what is not wrong, the wise protect and
do not cling. Abandoning all evil, one is wise in the world.

At that time, the Buddha spoke this verse for eighty years, and later there were faults. He then established precepts. At that time, the Buddha Tryakṣa lived for seventy thousand years.

In that eon, there was another Buddha who appeared in the world, named Viśvabhū. He also had three assemblies of saints. At the first assembly, there were one hundred thousand saints, all arhats. At the second assembly, there were eighty thousand arhats. At the third assembly, there were seventy thousand arhats, all with afflictions exhausted. The Tathāgata Viśvabhū was without faults for seventy years. At that time, he again used a half-verse as a precept:

Do not harm or do wrong, uphold the great precepts
be content with food and bedding, and be single-minded in
one's resolve - this is the teaching of all Buddhas.

"For seventy years, this half-verse was used as a precept. Later, when there were faults, another precept was established. The lifespan of the Tathāgata Viśvabhū was seventy thousand years."

In this Bhadrakalpa, a Buddha appeared in the world, named Krakucchanda Tathāgata. At that time, there were two assemblies of noble ones. In the first assembly, there were seventy thousand noble ones, all Arhats. In the second assembly, there were sixty thousand Arhats. At that time, for sixty years, there were no faults. At that time, the Buddha used two verses as precepts.

Just as a bee gathers flowers, their colors are very fragrant
and pure, and they give their taste to others, a Daoist
wandering through a village. Not slandering others, not observing right or
wrong, but only observing one's own actions, carefully observing what is
right and wrong.

For sixty years, he spoke these two verses as precepts. From then on, because there were faults, precepts were established. That Buddha lived for sixty thousand years.

In this Bhadrakalpa, there was a Buddha who appeared in the world, named Konāgamana Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Enlightened One. At that time, there were two assemblies of holy ones. In the first assembly, there were six hundred thousand holy ones, all Arhats. In the second assembly, there were four hundred thousand holy ones, all Arhats. At that time, that Buddha was without fault for forty years, and he took one verse as a precept:

Hold your resolve, do not be frivolous, learn the noble path of tranquility
The wise have no worries or sorrows, always extinguishing what the mind thinks.

For forty years, he taught this one verse as a precept. From then on, there were faults, and further precepts were established. That Buddha lived for forty thousand years.

In this fortunate eon, there was a Buddha named Kāśyapa who appeared in the world. At that time, that Buddha also had two assemblies of holy ones. At the first assembly, there were four hundred thousand; at the second assembly, there were three hundred thousand, all of whom were arhats. For twenty years, there were no faults, and he always used one verse as a precept:

Do not do any evil, practice what is good, purify
one's own mind - this is the teaching of all Buddhas.

For twenty years, he taught this one verse as a precept. After violating the precepts, he established further restrictions. At that time, Kāśyapa Buddha lived for twenty thousand years.

Now, I, the Tathāgata, have appeared in the world. The assembly of sages has one thousand two hundred and fifty people. For twelve years, there has been no blemish. I also use one verse as a precept:

Guard the purity of speech and mind, and the purity of bodily actions
Purify these three traces of conduct and practice the path of the sages.

For twelve years, I taught this one verse as a precept. For those who violate the precepts, there are two hundred and fifty precepts. From now on, when the Sangha gathers, they should announce according to the precepts: 'All of you, listen! Today is the fifteenth day for reciting the precepts. If the Sangha agrees, the Sangha is united.' After announcing the precepts, if any bhikṣu speaks, the precepts should not be recited. All should remain silent. If there is no speech, the precepts should be recited. Up to the end of the recitation of the precepts, it should be asked again: 'All of you, who are not pure?' In this way, twice or thrice, 'Who is not pure?' Those who are pure should remain silent and uphold it. Now, the lifespan of humans is extremely short, not exceeding a hundred years. Therefore, Ānanda, uphold it well.'

At that time, Ānanda addressed the World-Honored One, saying: "In the past, the lifespan of the Buddhas was extremely long, and those who violated the precepts were few, without any faults. Now, the lifespan of people is short, not exceeding ten years. After the parinirvāṇa of the past Buddhas, how long did their Dharma remain in the world?"

The Buddha told Ānanda: "After the parinirvāṇa of the past Buddhas, the Dharma did not remain for long."

Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: "After the Tathāgata's parinirvāṇa, how long will the true Dharma remain in the world?"

The Buddha told Ānanda: "After my parinirvāṇa, the Dharma will remain for a long time. After Kāśyapa Buddha's parinirvāṇa, his remaining Dharma remained for seven days. Now, Ānanda! The Tathāgata's disciples are few. Do not view it like this. In the east, there are countless billions of disciples. In the south, there are countless billions of disciples. Therefore, Ānanda! You should have this intention. My Śākyamuni Buddha has an extremely long lifespan. The reason is this: although the physical body attains parinirvāṇa, the Dharma body remains. This is the meaning. You should remember and practice it."

At that time, Ānanda and the bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully received and practiced it.