SA 1091（一〇九一） 求德

Thus have I heard:

At one time the Buddha was staying in the Vipula Forest on the slopes of Mount Vebhara in Rājagṛha.

At that time, Venerable Kutudanta was staying in a black stone cave on the slopes of the Immortal Mountain in Rājagṛha, practicing diligently in solitude, cultivating self-benefit. He attained the liberation of the mind and realized it with the body, but he often regressed. He regressed once, twice, three, four, five, and six times, but he regained it and realized the liberation of the mind and the body, only to regress again.

Venerable Kutudanta thought, "I practiced diligently in solitude, cultivating self-benefit. I attained the liberation of the mind and realized it with the body, but I often regressed. Up to six times, I still regressed. I will now kill myself with a knife, so that I do not regress a seventh time."

Then Māra Pāpīyān thought, "The śramaṇa Gautama is staying in a cave in the forest of seven-leaf trees on the slopes of Mount Vipula near Rājagṛha. His disciple Kutudanta is staying in a black stone cave on the slopes of the Immortal Mountain in Rājagṛha, practicing diligently in solitude, attaining the liberation of the mind and realizing it with the body, but regressing six times. He thinks, 'I have regressed six times and regained it. Do not let me regress a seventh time. I would rather kill myself with a knife than regress a seventh time.' If that bhikṣu kills himself with a knife, do not let him do so. Leave my realm. I will now go and tell his teacher."

At that time, Pāpīyān Māra took a lute with a crystal handle and went to where the World-Honored One was. He plucked the strings and spoke a verse:

Great wisdom, great skillful means, great self-mastery, and great spiritual power, to obtain
a disciple who is blazing with energy, but now wants to take his
own life. The Great Sage should restrain him, do not let him kill
himself. How can one hear of the World-Honored Buddha, the disciples of the
true Dharma and Vinaya, studying what they cannot attain, and then taking their own lives?

At that time, after Māra had spoken this verse, the World-Honored One replied in verse:

Māra, you are negligent and come for your own sake. The
steadfast and fully accomplished one always abides in wondrous meditation. Day
and night diligently practicing, not caring for life and death. Seeing
the three realms of existence as fearful, cutting off those desires
and afflictions. Having already defeated the demon army, Gautama will attain
parinirvāṇa. Māra's mind is distressed, and his lute falls to the
ground. Having already felt inner sorrow, he immediately disappears and is not seen.

At that time, the World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "You should come with me to the side of the mountain where the sages are, to the black stone chamber, to see how the bhikṣu Gautama killed himself with a knife."

At that time, the World-Honored One, together with many bhikṣus, went to the side of the mountain where the sages are, to the black stone chamber. Seeing that the bhikṣu Gautama had killed himself and was lying on the ground, he told the bhikṣus, "Do you see that the bhikṣu Gautama has killed himself and is lying on the ground?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "Yes, we see it, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "Do you see that the bhikṣu Gautama is surrounded by black smoke, filling the four directions?"

The bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "We see it, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha told the bhikṣus, "This is the evil Māra Pāpīyas seeking the consciousness of the good man Gautama, but the bhikṣu Gautama, with an unsettled mind, killed himself with a knife."

At that time, the World-Honored One gave the first prediction to the bhikṣu Gautama.

At that time, Pāpīyas spoke a verse, saying:

Above, below, and in all directions, I search for that consciousness
but I do not see where it is. Where has Gautama gone?

At that time, the World-Honored One also spoke a verse, saying:

Thus, this steadfast one, seeking nothing at all, has uprooted
the root of affection and love. Gautama has attained parinirvāṇa.

Having spoken this sūtra, the Buddha finished. The bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's words, rejoiced and upheld them.