42.6 （六）大人八念

Thus have I heard:

At one time, the Venerable Aniruddha was staying in the place where the four Buddhas resided.

At that time, Aniruddha was in a secluded place and had this thought: "Among the disciples of the Buddha Śākyamuni, those who have accomplished the precepts and wisdom all rely on the precepts and are nourished in this true Dharma. Those disciples who are not fully endowed with the precepts are all separated from the true Dharma and do not accord with the precepts. Now, between these two dharmas, the precepts and hearing, which is superior? I should now use this cause and condition to ask the Tathāgata about this matter." Aniruddha further thought: "This Dharma is practiced by those who are content, not by those who are insatiable; it is practiced by those who have few desires, not by those who have many desires; this Dharma is practiced by those who dwell in seclusion, not by those who are in a noisy crowd; this Dharma is practiced by those who uphold the precepts, not by those who violate the precepts; it is practiced by those who are in samādhi, not by those who are distracted; it is practiced by those who are wise, not by those who are foolish; it is practiced by those who have heard much, not by those who have heard little." At that time, Aniruddha contemplated these eight thoughts of great people and thought: "Now I should go to where the World-Honored One is and ask about this meaning.

At that time, the World-Honored One was in Śrāvastī, at Anāthapiṇḍada's Park in the Jeta Grove. At that time, King Prasenajit invited the Tathāgata and the bhikṣu saṃgha to spend the summer retreat for ninety days. At that time, Aniruddha gradually traveled through the human world, leading five hundred bhikṣus on a tour, and arrived at Śrāvastī, where he went to where the Tathāgata was, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. At that time, Aniruddha said to the World-Honored One: "When I was in a secluded place, I contemplated this meaning: 'Between the precepts and hearing, which of these two dharmas is superior?'"

At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse to Aniruddha:

Is the precept superior to hearing? You now give rise to doubt
If the precept is superior to hearing, what doubt is there in this?

"The reason is this, Aniruddha should know, if a bhikṣu accomplishes the precepts, he will attain samādhi; having attained samādhi, he will attain wisdom; having attained wisdom, he will attain much learning; having attained much learning, he will attain liberation; having attained liberation, he will attain parinirvāṇa without remainder. From this it is clear that the precepts are supreme."

At that time, Aniruddha spoke to the World-Honored One about these eight thoughts of great people. The Buddha told Aniruddha, "Excellent! Excellent! Aniruddha! What you are thinking now is precisely what great people contemplate. Few desires and contentment, dwelling in secluded places, accomplishing the precepts, accomplishing samādhi, accomplishing wisdom, accomplishing liberation, accomplishing much learning. Now, Aniruddha! You should establish this intention and contemplate the eight thoughts of great people. What are the eight? This is the practice of those who are diligent, not of those who are lazy. The reason is this, Maitreya Bodhisattva will attain unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment in thirty eons. I surpassed him and attained Buddhahood through the power of diligence.

Aniruddha should know, all the World-Honored Buddhas are all of the same kind, the same in precepts, liberation, wisdom, and without difference, also the same in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, with the thirty-two marks and eighty minor marks adorning their bodies, seen without satiation, none can see the crown of their heads, all are without difference. Only diligence is not the same. Among the Buddhas of the past and future, in diligence, I am the most superior. Therefore, Aniruddha! This eighth thought of a great person is the most supreme, the most honored, the most noble, and incomparable. Just as from milk there is curd, from curd there is butter, from butter there is ghee, and ghee is the most supreme among them, without comparison. It is also like this, the thought of diligence is the most supreme among the eight thoughts of great people, truly without comparison!

"Therefore, Aniruddha! You should uphold the eight thoughts of great people and also explain their meaning to the four groups of followers. If the eight thoughts of great people are spread in the world, it will cause my disciples to all attain the path of stream-enterer, the path of once-returner, the path of non-returner, and the path of arahantship. The reason is this, my Dharma is practiced by those of few desires, not by those of many desires; my Dharma is practiced by those who are content, not by those who are insatiable; my Dharma is practiced by those who dwell in seclusion, not by those who are in the midst of the crowd; my Dharma is practiced by those who uphold the precepts, not by those who violate the precepts. My Dharma is practiced by those who are concentrated, not by those who are distracted; my Dharma is practiced by those who are wise, not by those who are foolish; my Dharma is practiced by those who have much learning, not by those who have little learning; my Dharma is practiced by those who are diligent, not by those who are lazy. Therefore, Aniruddha! The four groups of followers should seek skillful means to practice these eight thoughts of great people. Thus, Aniruddha! You should train in this way."

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