降魔变文【英】

Story of Subduing Magic

定义

唐代变文。故事见《贤愚经·须达起精舍品》，叙述舍卫国大臣须达，赴王舍城为子求妻，得见佛主释迎，倾心归仰。为请释迎亲临舍卫国说法，出重金购得太子抵陀园以造精舍。六师外道闻讯，约定佛弟子舍利弗斗法。舍利弗大获全胜，六师外道遂共舍邪归佛。

A bianwen text from the Tang Dynasty. The story can be found in the chapter of “Sudatta Building the Vihara” in the Sutra of the Wise and the Fool (Damamuka-nidana). In the story, Sudatta, a senior official from Shravasti (Pali: Sāvatthi), visited Rajagaha and became eager to worship the Buddha after viewing a lavish meal being prepared in his honor. Afterwards, he spent a large sum of money purchasing Jetavana from Prince Jeta so as to invite the Buddha to give his teachings in Shravasti. On hearing the news that Sudatta was building a monastery complex in Jetavana, the six major teachers of other religious sects challenged Sariputra to compete with them in a display of magical powers. In the end, they were all defeated by Sariputra and then converted to Buddhism.