SA-2 113（一一三）

Thus have I heard:

Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove near Śrāvastī. At that time, Venerable Mahākāśyapa was in the old garden grove in Śrāvastī, in the lecture hall of Viśākhā. Then, Venerable Mahākāśyapa arose from his meditation in the night, and after arising from meditation, he went to where the Buddha was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. The Buddha said to Kāśyapa, "You should instruct and guide the bhikṣus in the methods of meditation and expound the essential teachings. Why is that? I have always instructed these bhikṣus, and you should be the same. I have always taught the essential teachings to the bhikṣus, and you should be the same."

Kāśyapa said to the Buddha, "These bhikṣus are unable to accept instruction and are difficult to instruct."

The Buddha said to Kāśyapa, "For what reason do you not expound the Dharma now?"

Kāśyapa again said to the Buddha, "Now there are two bhikṣus: one is Nan-t'u, a disciple who practiced together with Ānanda. The other is A-pi-fu, a disciple of Maudgalyāyana. These two disciples argue with each other about who is superior, each claiming, 'My knowledge and insight are superior, my words are superior.' They draw on each other, wanting to decide on knowledge, insight, and words, saying, 'Who speaks the wonderful, who speaks the wonderful? Who has complete meaning in their words, who has complete meaning in their words?'"

At that time, Ānanda was attending to the World-Honored One, fanning the Buddha with a fan. Ānanda said to Kāśyapa, "Stop! Stop! Venerable One! Listen to my repentance. This bhikṣu is new to the Buddha's teachings, foolish and without wisdom, not yet understanding anything."

Venerable Kāśyapa said to Ānanda, "Stop! Ānanda! Do not speak biased words in the midst of the Saṃgha."

At that time, the World-Honored One told a bhikṣu, "You should go and call those two bhikṣus." The bhikṣu then went to call them and said to the two bhikṣus, "The World-Honored One calls you." The two bhikṣus, receiving the Buddha's command, went to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side. At that time, the World-Honored One told the two bhikṣus, "Did you two really say, 'I have read and recited much, I know much, I have not omitted any words, phrases, or verses in what I have said, and I want to win the debate'? Is this true?" The two bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "It is true, World-Honored One."

The Buddha again said, "If you understand the twelve divisions of the sūtras, gāthās, prophecies, verses, udanas, nidānas, itivṛttakas, jātakas, avadānas, avyākṛtas, and upadeśas that I have taught, and if you read and recite them until you are proficient, are there any in these sūtras that can be won or lost?"

The two bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! These twelve divisions truly do not have such teachings."

The Buddha again said to the two bhikṣus, "Teaching the twelve divisions of the sūtras is to eliminate disputes and competition. Why do you say this? You foolish ones, with such understanding, how could I say this? If disputes arise, this is not the Buddha's Dharma, nor is it the Dharma of leaving home. In my Buddha Dharma, it is never like this: I am superior, you are inferior, up to I have the complete meaning of the Dharma phrases I teach, and your meaning of the Dharma phrases is insufficient. Such disputes are truly not what I teach. Should you two bhikṣus do such things?"

The two bhikṣus then bowed at the Buddha's feet and said to the Buddha, "We have heard what the Buddha has said and know our faults. Truly we are foolish and ignorant, with no understanding. We have done what should not be done, and what we have done is not good. We have indeed had various disputes about who is superior and inferior. We truly have these faults. We only pray that the World-Honored One will have compassion and allow us to repent."

The Buddha said, "I know your sincere and earnest repentance. You are truly foolish and ignorant, with no understanding. What you have done is not good, not in accordance with the Buddha's teachings, not the Dharma of leaving home, but rather disputes about who is superior and inferior, each claiming to know more, up to I say the meaning of the Dharma phrases is complete, and yours is not complete. Such disputes should truly not be done. I now accept your sincere repentance, causing your wholesome Dharma to increase and not decline. Why is this? If one can sincerely know one has committed an offense, then repent, and not do it again, such repentance causes the wholesome Dharma to increase and not decline."

The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, rejoiced and bowed their heads in respect before departing.