SA 1138（一一三八） 负胜

Thus have I heard:

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

At that time, the Venerable Mahākāśyapa was staying in the Deer Park Lecture Hall in the Eastern Garden of Śrāvastī. In the afternoon, he emerged from meditation and went to where the Buddha was. He bowed his head at the Buddha’s feet and sat to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the Venerable Mahākāśyapa, "You should teach and instruct the bhikṣus. Why is that? I always teach and instruct the bhikṣus, and you should do the same."

The Venerable Mahākāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! It is difficult to teach and instruct the bhikṣus of this world. Some bhikṣus cannot bear to hear the teachings."

The Buddha said to Mahākāśyapa, "What is the reason for your statement?"

Mahākāśyapa said to the Buddha, "World-Honored One! I saw two bhikṣus, one named Panchou, a disciple of Ānanda, and the other named Afubi, a disciple of Mahāmaudgalyāyana. Those two argued about who had more learning, each saying, 'Come, let us discuss who knows more and who knows better.'"

At that time, Venerable Ānanda was standing behind the Buddha, fanning him, and said to Venerable Mahākāśyapa, "Stop, Venerable Mahākāśyapa! Be patient, Venerable Kāśyapa! This young bhikṣu is of little wisdom and bad wisdom."

Venerable Mahākāśyapa said to Venerable Ānanda, "Be silent for now! Do not let me ask you about this matter in the assembly."

At that time, Venerable Ānanda remained silent.

At that time, the World-Honored One told a bhikṣu, "Go to those bhikṣus Pañcaśikha and Āfupin and say, 'The Master calls you.'" The bhikṣu then accepted the instruction and went to the bhikṣus Pañcaśikha and Āfupin, saying, "The Master calls you."

At that time, the bhikṣus Pañcaśikha and Āfupin replied, "We will obey," and went together to where the Buddha was. They bowed their heads at his feet and stood to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One asked the two bhikṣus, "Did you two really argue together, each saying, 'Come, let us discuss together. Who is more and who is superior'?"

The two bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "Indeed, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha said to the two bhikṣus, "You uphold the sūtras, gāthās, prophecies, gāthās, udāna, nidāna, avadāna, itivṛttaka, jātaka, vaipulya, ābhidharma, and abhidharma-piṭaka taught by me, and yet you argue together, each saying, 'Come, let us discuss together. Who is more and who is superior'?"

The two bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "No, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha said to the two bhikṣus, "Do you not use the sūtras I have taught, up to the abhidharma-piṭaka, to discipline yourselves, to rest yourselves, and to seek nirvāṇa for yourselves?"

The two bhikṣus said to the Buddha, "Yes, World-Honored One!"

The Buddha said to the two bhikṣus, "Do you know that the sūtras I have taught, up to the abhidharma-piṭaka, are for you foolish people to argue with each other about who has more and who is superior?"

At that time, the two bhikṣus bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet and said to him again, "We repent, World-Honored One! We repent, Well-Gone One! We are foolish and ignorant, not skillful and discerning, and we have argued with each other."

The Buddha said to the two bhikṣus, "You truly know your faults and repent. You are foolish and ignorant, not skillful and discerning, and you have argued with each other. Now you have recognized your faults and seen your faults. Knowing and seeing, you repent. In the future, you will generate the precepts of the Vinaya. I now accept you out of compassion, so that your good Dharma may increase and never decline. Why is that? If one recognizes one's faults, sees one's faults, knows and sees, and repents, then in the future one will generate the precepts of the Vinaya and never decline."

At that time, the two bhikṣus, having heard the Buddha's teaching, joyfully rejoiced, bowed, and departed.