Karmashataka 24: Bam po 24

that was this very bhikṣu Kāśyapa, who made that aspiration there. / The Hundred Deeds, viśrāma twenty-four. / Regarding that called "Dhāraka's Son": The nidāna was in Rājagṛha. At that time, a prominent and distinguished brāhmaṇa named Dhāraka lived in Rājagṛha. In the village named Naḷada, there lived a brāhmaṇa named Māṭhara, and the two were close, affectionate friends. Then the brāhmaṇa Māṭhara enjoyed pleasure and sport with his wife, taking his delight. His wife became pregnant, and when nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a boy who was handsome, attractive, and beautiful. Having held an extensive birth festival for him, they gave him the names Śāriputra and Upatisya. Later, the wife of the brāhmaṇa Dhāraka also became pregnant, and when nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a boy who was handsome, attractive, and beautiful. Having held an extensive birth festival for him, they deliberated on giving him a name, asking, "What name should be given to this boy?" Since this boy was the son of the prominent and distinguished brāhmaṇa Dhāraka, the boy

name will be Son of Grasping.” They reared young Son of Grasping on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids.

When the brahmins’ sons had grown, they were sent to school. Both perfected the study of letters and became educated in all the scriptures. When Śāriputra Upatiṣya was sixteen years of age, being educated in the Aindra school of Sanskrit grammar, he used the scriptures to defeat all his opponents in debate.

One day he went to live in a forest devoted to austerities. He went forth and lived among the mendicant monks known as the parivrājaka. When the Buddha came to the world, the brahmins Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana both went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. The Blessed One commended the former as foremost among those of profound wisdom and the latter as foremost among those with miraculous powers.

The young brahmin Son of Grasping became a hero in the king’s court. He constantly visited the royal palace, and because he was a wise person, King Bimbisāra appointed him chief minister and awarded him a great salary, since worldly people wish for wealth.

The time came for him to marry, so he took a wife and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. He increased the wealth of their household and kept it all. He accepted money from the brahmins and householders in Rājagṛha on behalf of the king, and he accepted money from the king on behalf of the brahmins and householders.

One day, Śāriputra saw the time had come to tame Son of Grasping. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went to the place where Son of Grasping’s house stood. At that time, the brahmin Son of Grasping

was seated beneath a mālaka tree, carrying out his cow-milking duties. Son of Grasping saw Venerable Śāriputra in the distance and went to where Venerable Śāriputra stood. He embraced Venerable Śāriputra, led him to the house, and insisted he sit on the seat that he had now prepared for him.

“Śāriputra, as you take your meal, please drink some milk as well.”

“Just your happiness at seeing me is enough for me,” replied Śāriputra.

“Śāriputra, you traveled such a long way to my house. Why is it you won’t take even a little food?” Son of Grasping asked.

“Son of Grasping, I do this because you are becoming increasingly immoral,” replied Śāriputra. “On behalf of the king you accept money from the brahmins and householders, and on behalf of the brahmins and householders you accept money from the king.”

“Śāriputra,” said Son of Grasping, “I am a layman. As a landowner I have to provide for myself, my parents, my children, my spouse, my servants both male and female, and the workers and others to whom I pay wages, as well as those near and dear to me and my aged relatives. I have to keep all of them happy and content. I also have to rely on the king for land. I have to propitiate the deities, put out offerings for the ancestors, and provide food for the ascetics and brahmins. If I do only as the law specifies, I am not able to easily acquire wealth.”

“Well then, Son of Grasping,” Śāriputra replied, “I have a question for you. Just answer as best you can.

“Take a certain person who practices unrighteousness and acts immorally for the sake of his parents. When that person, who practiced unrighteousness and acted so immorally, separates from his body after death and falls to lower states, takes rebirth as a hell being, and is seized by the guardians of hell

and made to undergo dreadful suffering and extreme, excruciating, unbearable agony—when that person says, ‘Please, guardians of hell, do not harm me in such-and-such ways! Why not, you ask? It was for the sake of my parents, you see, that I practiced unrighteousness and acted so immorally, and that upon separating from my body after death I fell to lower states and took rebirth among the hell beings’—Son of Grasping, what do you think? Will that person get what he wants from the guardians of hell?”

“No, Śāriputra, he will not,” replied Son of Grasping.

“Son of Grasping,” continued Śāriputra, “there are faithful, noble children who have attained material comfort on account of good karma and a devout life, and who are perfectly content in the service of their parents, going from time to time to offer their genuine respect and gracious assistance. They do not carry out even the smallest nonvirtuous action but embrace the meritorious path and abide by that.

“Their parents think, ‘This noble child is so faithful and capable, and thus able to suitably provide for us. This noble child has attained material comfort on account of good karma and a devout life, and is also perfectly content in our service, coming from time to time to offer genuine respect and gracious assistance. This noble child carries out not even the smallest nonvirtuous action but has embraced the meritorious path and abides by that.’ Such noble children who wholeheartedly love their parents in return should expect their virtuous deeds to only increase, and never wane.

“But, Son of Grasping, take a certain person who practices unrighteousness and acts immorally for the sake of his parents, children, spouse, servants both male and female, and the workers and others to whom he pays wages, as well as for those near and dear to him, his aged relatives, the king, the deities, the ascetics, and brahmins.

“When that person, who practiced unrighteousness and acted so immorally, separates from his body after death and falls to lower states, takes rebirth as a hell being, and is seized by the guardians of hell and made to undergo dreadful suffering and extreme, excruciating, unbearable agony—when that person says, ‘Please, guardians of hell, do not harm me in such-and-such ways! Why not, you ask? It was for the sake of the ascetics and brahmins, you see, that I practiced unrighteousness and acted so immorally’—O Son of Grasping, what do you think? Will that person get what he wants from the guardians of hell?”

“No, Śāriputra, he will not,” replied Son of Grasping.

Śāriputra continued, “Son of Grasping, there are faithful, noble children who have attained material comfort on account of good karma and a devout life, who provide food for the ascetics and brahmins, and who carry out not even the smallest nonvirtuous action but embrace the meritorious path, such that the ascetics and brahmins, with minds of virtue, treat them with wholehearted love in return. So it is, Son of Grasping, that the virtues of people whom ascetics and brahmins, with minds of virtue, treat with wholehearted love in return, are expected to increase, and never wane.”

After he had spoken thus, tears fell from the eyes of the brahmin Son of Grasping. Then the brahmin Son of Grasping, wiping away his tears with the hem of his garment, lamented to Venerable Śāriputra, “Alas, Śāriputra, it was not in times past that I carefully selected my new bride. Yet for her sake, heedless, I have already committed so many sinful misdeeds. Lord, henceforth I will forsake my new bride and today receive from you, Lord Śāriputra, the fundamental precepts of pure conduct.” Thereupon

Venerable Śāriputra led the brahmin Son of Grasping to abide in the fundamental precepts of the holy life, then rose from his seat and departed.

Venerable Śāriputra traveled to the mountain forests in the south, where there lived another monk who had traveled from the Kalandakanivāsa, in Bamboo Grove, to those mountain forests in the south. That monk saw Venerable Śāriputra in the distance, and approached Venerable Śāriputra. Upon his arrival he touched his head to Venerable Śāriputra’s feet and took a seat at one side. Once the monk had taken a seat at one side, Venerable Śāriputra asked him, “Monk, whence have you just come?”

“Venerable Śāriputra,” the monk replied, “I have just come from the Kalandakanivāsa, in Bamboo Grove.”

“Do you know the brahmin Son of Grasping?” asked Śāriputra.

“Yes, Venerable Śāriputra, I do,” he replied. “He was a friend, Venerable Śāriputra, while you yet lived at home.”

Śāriputra then inquired, “Has Venerable Son of Grasping met with any harm? Does he despair? Is he happy? Is he free of illness, healthy, and strong? Is he living in Rājagṛha? Does he like to see his teacher? Does he enjoy listening to the Dharma?”

“Venerable Śāriputra,” answered the monk, “the brahmin Son of Grasping likes to see his teacher and enjoys listening to the Dharma. However, he met with some harm, and now he suffers. He has fallen ill, and from this illness he may die.”

Venerable Śāriputra donned his Dharma robes and went to the brahmin Son of Grasping’s house. There the brahmin Son of Grasping saw Venerable Śāriputra from a distance, and upon seeing him, tried to rise from his seat. When Venerable Śāriputra saw the brahmin Son of Grasping trying to rise from his seat, he said to him, “Son of Grasping, there is another seat for me to sit on. Please, don’t get up.”

Venerable Śāriputra sat on the seat prepared for him and asked the brahmin Son of Grasping, “Son of Grasping, tell me, are you able to endure? Are you recovering? Tell me, has your dreadful suffering and extreme, excruciating, unbearable agony gone away and not gotten worse? Has it abated? Has it not calmed down?”

“Lord Śāriputra,” said Son of Grasping, “I cannot endure this. I am not recovering. My body is wracked with dreadful suffering and extreme, excruciating, unbearable agony. The pain has worsened, and it seems that the illness will not abate.

“Lord Śāriputra, take a very weak person, around whose head a very strong person has tied thick leather rope very tightly. The pain in that person’s head would be unbearable. Lord Śāriputra, in my head there is an unbearable pain like this. The pain has worsened, and it seems that the illness will not abate.

“Lord Śāriputra, take for instance the belly of a cow gutted by a butcher’s apprentice with a slaughtering knife. As its stomach is ripped open, the pain would be unbearable. Lord Śāriputra, my stomach is rent with an unbearable pain like this. The pain has worsened, and it seems that the illness will not abate.

“Lord Śāriputra, take for instance a very weak person whose shoulders are gripped right and left by two very strong persons who push him down into burning embers. The pain in that person’s body would be searing and unbearable. Lord Śāriputra, my body is filled with pain that is searing and unbearable like this. The pain has worsened, and it seems that the illness will not abate.

“That is why, Lord Śāriputra, I cannot endure it. I am not recovering. My body is wracked with dreadful suffering and extreme, excruciating, unbearable

agony, the pain has worsened, and it seems that the illness will not abate.”

“Son of Grasping,” Śāriputra said, “I have some questions for you. Just answer as best you can. O Son of Grasping, what do you think? Which would you choose, rebirth as a hell being or as an animal?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as an animal over rebirth as a hell being.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as an animal or as an anguished spirit?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as an anguished spirit over an animal birth.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as an anguished spirit or as a human?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a human over rebirth as an anguished spirit.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a human or a god in the Abodes of the Four Great Kings?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in the Abodes of the Four Great Kings over a human birth.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in the Abodes of the Four Great Kings or as a god in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three over being a god in the Abodes of the Four Great Kings.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three or as a god in the Strifeless Heaven?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in the Strifeless Heaven over being a god in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in the Strifeless Heaven or as a god in Tuṣita?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in Tuṣita over rebirth as a god in the Strifeless Heaven.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in Tuṣita or as a god in the Delighting in Creation Heaven?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in the Delighting in Creation Heaven over rebirth as a god in the Tuṣita Heaven.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in the Delighting in Creation Heaven or as a god in the Heaven of the Masters of Others’ Creations?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in the Heaven of the Masters of Others’ Creations over rebirth as a god in the Delighting in Creation Heaven.”

“Which would you choose, rebirth as a god in the Heaven of the Masters of Others’ Creations or as a god in Brahmāloka?”

“Lord Śāriputra, I would choose rebirth as a god in Brahmāloka over rebirth as a god in the Heaven of the Masters of Others’ Creations.”

“Son of Grasping, did you say that you would choose Brahmāloka?”

“Yes, Lord Śāriputra, I did say that I would choose Brahmāloka.”

For a moment Son of Grasping did not say anything. Then he asked Śāriputra, “Lord Śāriputra, now that I’ve chosen Brahmāloka over god in the Heaven of the Masters of Others’ Creations,

is there a path that leads to rebirth in Brahmāloka?”

“Yes, Son of Grasping, there is a way. There is a path. Faithful sons and daughters of good lineage who in greater part remain in meditation upon it, casting away all yearning for their desires, will be born into worlds equal in fortune to Brahmāloka. If I explain it to you, will you be able to understand?”

“Tell me, Lord Śāriputra, and I shall listen.”

“Son of Grasping, noble listeners cast aside generating the subsidiary afflictive emotions toward the five sense pleasures, cast aside the tendency that perpetuates ignoble states of existence, and cast aside the tendency for conflict that keeps them from passing beyond suffering. Their minds are suffused with love, and they become magnanimous—without hostility, envy, or ill will.

“By meditating deeply on the nondual and the immeasurable, they devote themselves to the first of the cardinal directions, until they have pervaded it to its very end, and abide therein, their minds suffused with love for the whole world in all its aspects. In the very same way, whether in the second, third, or fourth of the cardinal directions, above, below, or straight ahead, they become magnanimous—without hostility, envy, or ill will. They meditate deeply on the nondual and the immeasurable and devote themselves to a single cardinal direction, pervading it to its very end, and abide therein.”

Śāriputra went on to also explain this in detail with regard to compassion, joy, and great equanimity.

“Son of Grasping, this is the way, this is the path. Faithful sons and daughters of a good lineage who in greater part remain in meditation on it and cast away all yearning for their desires will be born into worlds equal in fortune to Brahmāloka.” Having thus led Son of Grasping to abide in the four immeasurables, Venerable Śāriputra departed.

As soon as Venerable Śāriputra had gone, the Blessed One thought, “The truths as the monk Śāriputra told them to Son of Grasping

are not complete.” Having thought this, he disappeared from Bamboo Grove and appeared sitting in the house of the brahmin Son of Grasping.

The brahmin Son of Grasping saw the Blessed One sitting there upon a cushion, and he experienced a surge of joy toward the Blessed One. In his joy he rose from his own seat and stood. Then the Blessed One taught him the Dharma particularly suited to him, and the brahmin Son of Grasping manifested the resultant state of non-return right where he sat.

After the Blessed One had placed the brahmin Son of Grasping in the resultant state of non-return, he disappeared from the home of Son of Grasping, and before Śāriputra was able to reach Bamboo Grove, the Blessed One arrived and took his seat at Bamboo Grove.

Soon after the Blessed One had departed, the brahmin Son of Grasping died, transmigrated, and took birth in Brahmāloka.

Venerable Śāriputra went to see the Blessed One. When he arrived, he touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side. Then the Blessed One asked Venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, whence have you just come?”

“Lord,” replied Venerable Śāriputra, “I have just come from leading the brahmin Son of Grasping to dwell in the four immeasurables.”

“Śāriputra,” the Blessed One asked further, “why did you not teach the truths to the brahmin Son of Grasping? Had he understood that teaching, he would have realized the Dharma and Vinaya. Śāriputra, after you left, I disappeared from Bamboo Grove and went to the house of the brahmin Son of Grasping and taught him the truths. He manifested the resultant state of non-return, and soon after, he died, transmigrated, and took birth in Brahmāloka.

After leading Son of Grasping to abide in the truths, I returned to Bamboo Grove before you had arrived here.”

Venerable Śāriputra replied to the Blessed One, “Lord, it is wonderful that the blessed buddhas possess such wonderful Dharma.”

“Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed Buddha, “what action did the brahmin Son of Grasping take that ripened into his birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and that he pleased the Blessed One, and did not displease him?”

“It came about by the power of his prayers,” replied The Blessed One.

“Lord, where did he make these prayers?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times gone by, during the reign of King Nāgadeva in the city of Ayodhyā, the kingdom was prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated. Quarreling and arguments had ceased, there was no fighting or infighting, and there were no robbers, thieves, illness, or famine. Rice, sugarcane, cattle, and buffalo were plentiful. His was a reign in accord with the Dharma. He ruled the kingdom gently and mercifully, as a parent cares for a beloved only child.

“At that time in the city of Ayodhyā, King Nāgadeva had a certain magistrate, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. He accepted money from the brahmins and householders on behalf of the king, and he accepted money from the king on behalf of the brahmins and householders.

“Now at that time there was also a certain poor brahmin who happened to be standing not too far from the brahmin magistrate just as the brahmin magistrate accepted money from brahmins and householders on behalf of the king

and accepted money from the king on behalf of the brahmins and householders. Because he did this, the magistrate was able to stay up on the roof of his palatial home in the company of only women, playing music, enjoying himself, and coupling with them.

“The poor brahmin thought, ‘All the glorious experiences he’s having are the result of three types of actions: giving, ethical discipline, and keeping one’s vows perfectly. I will make sure to take up just a fraction of his virtuous qualities and maintain it, and my poverty will come to an end.’ Such were the thoughts he had.

“Now in times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, the solitary buddhas appear. So it was that a solitary buddha came to his door. When the poor brahmin saw the solitary buddha from a distance, he felt a surge of joy toward him. In his joy the brahmin offered alms to the solitary buddha.

“Those great beings do not teach the Dharma with words but through their actions, so the sage accepted the alms and rose into the sky. This caused the brahmin particular delight, and, bowing down at his feet, he prayed, ‘Oh, by this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I, on behalf of the king, accept money from the brahmins and householders, and on behalf of the brahmins and householders, accept money from the king. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that poor brahmin then is none other than Son of Grasping. The act of offering alms to a solitary buddha and saying that prayer ripened such that wherever he was born,

it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and that he accepted money from the brahmin householders on behalf of the king, and accepted money from the king on behalf of the brahmins and householders.

“Monks, I am more exalted than even one hundred billion solitary buddhas, and now he has pleased me and not displeased me.

“He also became a lay vow holder in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and went for refuge and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life. Then, at the time of his death, he prayed, ‘May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha.’

“O monks, what do you think? The one who was that lay vow holder then is none other than Son of Grasping. At that time he went for refuge and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life, and at the time of his death, he prayed, ‘May I please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha.’

“So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means—that he has pleased me and not displeased me.”

The Story of Subhadra the Mendicant

Among¹⁶⁵ the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, in the retinue of Śakra, king of the gods, there was a certain gandharva king named Supriya. Supriya would sing songs about Śakra, king of the gods, much to Śakra’s delight.

Now when the Bodhisattva, having looked out upon the world and made the four observations from his place in Tuṣita Heaven,¹⁶⁶

entered his mother’s womb, at that time Śakra, king of the gods, said to the gandharva king Supriya, “Supriya, a certain bodhisattva has passed away from Tuṣita Heaven, transmigrated, and reincarnated in his mother’s womb. After he is born and has grown, he will gain the nectar of immortality and satiate living beings. You should also take birth in Jambudvīpa so that he might also grant you a share of the nectar of immortality.”

“Kauśika,” Supriya told him, “I have just begun composing a song, but once it is finished, I shall go.”

At that time in the city of Kuśinagarī, all the young athletes of Kuśinagarī held in high esteem a mendicant named Subhadra, a person of miracles. They revered, honored, venerated, and admired him. He spent his days on the banks of Lake Anavatapta, and the gods and nāgas there held him in high esteem, accepted him as their guru, and honored and venerated him.

Sometimes he would spend the entire day on the banks of Lake Anavatapta. At other times he went and sat in a forest of udumbara trees, not far from the lake.

When the Bodhisattva was born, Śakra, King of the Gods, said to the gandharva king Supriya, “Supriya, now that the Bodhisattva has been born, come!¹⁶⁷ Let us make an effort to offer him our adoration.”

“Kauśika,” Supriya told him, “I have just begun composing a song, but once it is finished, I shall go.”

Through the greatness of the Bodhisattva, there in the udumbara forest the udumbara flowers began to bloom. The mendicant Subhadra saw that the udumbara flowers were blooming and was thrilled at the sight. He thought, “The mendicants of old are aged and infirm now. It was from the great masters of their school

that I heard that tathāgatas, arhats, totally and completely awakened buddhas, universal monarchs, and udumbara flowers arise but rarely. It is on account of my merit that the udumbara flowers in the udumbara forest are blooming.”

When the Bodhisattva witnessed old age, sickness, and death and went to live in the charnel grounds, Śakra, king of the gods, said to the gandharva king Supriya, “Supriya, the Bodhisattva has witnessed old age, sickness, and death, and has gone to live in the forest. Let us make an effort to offer him our adoration.”

“Kauśika,” Supriya told him, “I have just begun composing a song, but once it is finished, I shall go.”

When the Bodhisattva achieved unexcelled wisdom, he enumerated the four truths of noble beings three times over, setting in proper motion the Dharma wheel in its twelve aspects, and Śakra said again to the gandharva king Supriya, “Supriya, the Blessed One has achieved unexcelled enlightenment, enumerated the four truths of noble beings three times over, and set the Dharma wheel in its twelve aspects in proper motion. Let us go to listen to the Dharma.”

“Kauśika,” Supriya told him, “I have just begun composing a song, but once it is finished, I shall go.”

When the Blessed One enumerated the four truths of noble beings three times over and set the Dharma wheel in its twelve aspects in proper motion, all the flowers in the udumbara forest began to bloom, and their fragrance spread for many leagues. This caused the mendicant Subhadra particular delight, and he thought, “It is on account of my merit that all this has happened.”

When the Blessed One enumerated the four truths of noble beings three times over and set the Dharma wheel in its twelve aspects in proper motion,