[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Buddhist Sanskrit literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit) › [Avadāna and jātaka literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana) › [Karmaśataka](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka) › [ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo) › [The Hundred Deeds](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000) › 21 # ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 21 The Hundred Deeds 21 - **Language:** English ### [21.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.2) When he heard this, the householder was devastated, and he thought, “Has my wife been possessed by one of those rotting spirits?” He took her to the soothsayers, and the soothsayers assured him, “Your wife has not been possessed by a rotting spirit. All this has taken place on account of the being in her womb. When the child is born, the smell of excrement will disappear from her body and such impulses will disappear from her mind.” As soon as he heard this, the man began applying all manner of ointments to his wife’s body. He was also worried that she would eat excrement and drink urine, so he appointed attendants and guards for his wife. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child caked in excrement and urine. Upon his birth the house was suffused by the smell of excrement. The women washed the child and laid him out on the bed, but still the smell of excrement did not clear from his body, so his mother began applying all manner of ointments to him and left him like that. After his birth the mother’s previous impulses disappeared. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him according to their clan. They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, but once he was able to walk, he would pick up excrement—some to eat, some to smear on his body—until the women put a stop to this. As he grew up they made him study letters, but when they sent him to a teacher, wherever there was some filthy excrement, he would go and eat it. When his parents heard about this, they were devastated. “Oh sure, we had a son,” they thought, “but if he has problems like this—spoken ill of, all over the world—what use is he to us?” and they threw him out of the house. And so he went to live in filthy excrement, and ### [21.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.3) constantly ate excrement and drank urine. Many people saw him eating filth, and when they saw this, they remarked to one another, “This young man is like a jackal, eating excrement and drinking urine.” So instead of his old name they started calling him Jackal, since he ate excrement and drank urine like a jackal. One day Pūraṇa Kāśyapa saw him, and thought, “We ascetics merely vow to eat only cow dung, and yet here is this child practicing even greater austerities than ours! If he went forth with us, his merit would multiply greatly.” So he asked the young man, “Child, did you take a vow to do this, or is it merely your custom to do so?” “I don’t know that I’ve taken a vow, really,” the young man replied. “I just crave excrement. I don’t care for ordinary food and drink.” “Child, become a renunciant like us,” urged Pūraṇa Kāśyapa. “Go forth with us and take a vow to do this. That will cause your merit to multiply greatly.” “Sure, I’ll do whatever you like,” the young man said. With those words the young man followed him to his dwelling place, and after they had plucked out all his hair, they gave him a cup and a broom of peacock feathers, and he made a vow to eat excrement. Then he went to where there was some excrement, and there he stayed. Now at that time some five hundred anguished spirits had settled down in Śrāvastī. At night when all the people were sleeping, they would go from one pile of excrement to another, eating the excrement and drinking the urine. The young man could hear the sounds the anguished spirits made, but he could not see their forms. One day Pūraṇa Kāśyapa checked up on him and asked, “Child, you took vows of yogic discipline. Have they brought you any special attainments?” “What do you mean by ‘special’?” the young man asked in return. Pūraṇa asked him, “Have you seen something like¹⁴⁹ a divine form, or ### [21.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.4) have you heard the sounds of gods?” “I have not seen anything like a divine form,” he said, “though I did hear the sounds of many people. But I couldn’t see them, exactly.” “Those are the great souls whose yogic disciplines have been successful!” Pūraṇa exclaimed. “Renew your vow and stay on here. For if you do, it’s possible they will also show their bodies.” One day the anguished spirits thought, “Just as we have committed misdeeds and taken birth here and now undergo such sufferings as these, so too this young man is undergoing these sufferings as a result of his previous misdeeds.” And then they said, “What reason do we have then for not showing our bodies to him?” So the anguished spirits showed their bodies to the young man, and he cavorted with them. Soon after, Pūraṇa Kāśyapa checked up on him again and asked, “Child, have those whose yogic disciplines were successful shown their bodies to you at all?” “They did show me their bodies,” he said, “but in a very ugly way.” “Renew your vow yet again and stay on here,” Pūraṇa Kāśyapa suggested. “It’s possible they will show you their true forms.” Around that time Venerable Śāriputra thought, “These anguished spirits have exhausted their previous deeds. They will die without delay. Thus I will tame them.” Venerable Śāriputra went to see the five hundred anguished spirits and said, “So it is, my friends: All conditioned things are impermanent. All phenomena are selfless. Nirvāṇa is peace. Let your minds be filled with joy at the thought of me, and you may even be freed from taking birth as anguished spirits.” With that, he departed. The anguished spirits died, filled with joy at the thought of Venerable Śāriputra, and after they died, they took rebirth in the realm of the gods. Now when young gods and goddesses are born they possess three different types of innate knowledge. ### [21.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.5) They know (1) whence they have died and transmigrated, (2) where they have been born, and (3) why they have taken birth there. They saw that when they had died as anguished spirits, filled with joy at the thought of Śāriputra, they transmigrated and took rebirth as gods. The young gods who formerly were anguished spirits thought, “It’s been a whole day since we went to see the Blessed One. This isn’t proper of us. Not a day should pass without our seeing the Blessed One.” Then the young gods who formerly were anguished spirits decorated themselves with earrings, garlands, and strings of precious stones, put on crowns decorated with various types of precious jewels, and perfumed their bodies with saffron, tamala, spṛka, and other herbs. That night they filled the front of their long shirts with divine blue lotus, lotus, white water lily, white lotus, and mandārava flowers. They approached the Blessed One and scattered the divine flowers over him. Then the Blessed One taught them the Dharma, and all of them saw the truths. After seeing the truths, they took leave of the Blessed One. On their way back whence they came, they recalled young Jackal and thought, “By entrusting ourselves to Noble Śāriputra, we were freed from rebirth as anguished spirits, and took rebirth as gods. Let us go now and act for the benefit of Jackal. Then he too will go to see the Blessed One, and by entrusting himself to the Blessed One, perhaps he too will be freed from suffering.” With this thought, they disappeared from the garden of Prince Jeta and traveled to the area of Śrāvastī where Jackal was. They stayed in the sky above the region in an immense celestial mansion, and the entire region of Śrāvastī was filled with a bright light. Young Jackal saw the five hundred gods and asked, “Who are you?” “We’re your former friends,” they replied. “I’ve never before seen you in this kind ### [21.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.6) of dress,” said the young man. “We have died from this place and taken birth among the gods,” they explained. “You took a vow of yogic discipline, and that was enough for you to take birth among the gods?” Jackal said. “It was not because we took vows of yogic discipline,” they told him. “Due to our previous misdeeds we had taken birth as anguished spirits. But by entrusting ourselves to Noble Śāriputra, we were freed from rebirth as anguished spirits and took rebirth as gods. Take refuge in the Blessed Buddha, and perhaps you too will be freed from suffering.” After they said that, the gods all disappeared. Pūraṇa Kāśyapa saw the five hundred gods go to see Jackal, and he told the others, “Just like that, the gods even showed him their bodies and then departed. This great soul has accomplished his vow!” No sooner had they heard this than many of those beings took vows to eat excrement. After young Jackal heard the gods’ words he thought, “I should go see the Blessed Buddha and offer him my respect, but I can’t bear to see the Blessed One with my body covered in excrement like this.” So he went to the banks of the Ajiravatī River, scoured his whole body with earth, washed himself, and then went to see the Blessed One. Young Jackal saw the Blessed One. His body, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like flames stoked with ghee, like a lamp set in a golden vessel, and like a pillar adorned with all manner of jewels. He was immaculate, clear-minded, and pure of heart. When he saw the Blessed Buddha the sight of him filled him with supreme joy, for beings who have gathered the roots of virtue to see a buddha for the first time experience such rapture ### [21.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.7) as is not to be had even by those who practice calm abiding meditation for twelve years. Seeing the Blessed Buddha in this way filled him with supreme joy. Full of such joy he approached the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One directly apprehended his thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature, and taught him the Dharma accordingly. When he heard it, young Jackal destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of non-return right where he sat. After seeing the truths, he rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete my novitiate, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.” With the words “Come, join me, monk! Practice the holy life,” the Blessed One led him to go forth as a novice, conferred on him full ordination, and instructed him. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, he manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, his mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of his hands as like space itself. He became cool like wet sandalwood. His insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. He achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. He had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. He became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods. “Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed Buddha, “what action did Jackal take ### [21.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.8) that ripened into his birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, and that as soon as he was born, the smell of excrement arose from all over his body, he desired excrement, and he lived in excrement? What action did he take that ripened such that he pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?” “Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “such are the actions that he committed and accumulated: “Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived in Vārāṇasī a certain householder, prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. “In admiration for the Buddha, in admiration for the Dharma, and in admiration for the Saṅgha, he went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts. Manifesting the resultant state of non-return, he thought, ‘Seeing as I do not have a son or daughter, after I die all I have will become property of the king. I will show my respect to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha.’ He built a monastery complete in every respect, provided the monks with everything they needed, and appointed a monk to act as steward. “Then one day the steward had something to do out in the countryside, and after making a request of the householder, he departed. After he had gone, ### [21.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.9) an arhat, who had been traveling and traveling through the countryside, arrived at the monastery. The householder saw his elegance and the elegance of his attendants, and immediately admired him. In his admiration he thought, ‘If I extend an invitation to him alone, he will not assent, so I will invite the entire saṅgha of monks to my house for food.’ He bowed down at his feet and said, ‘Noble one, please permit me to request you and the saṅgha of monks to take your food at my house tomorrow.’ “Then the arhat thought, ‘If I don’t accept, it will not only be an obstacle to the benefit of these monks. It will also be an obstacle to this patron’s merit.’ With this in mind, he assented by his silence. “The next day, the householder readied his house with ritual bathing implements, beds, and seats for the saṅgha of monks. He prepared the water pitchers and then extended an invitation to the monks that said, ‘Noble ones, noon is upon us and it is time for the baths. Know that the time has come, noble ones, and your presence is requested.’ “As the monks arrived at his house, the householder called for a barber, had him cut all the monks’ hair, offered them a bath, and by his own hand contented them with many good, wholesome foods. “When the steward monk had completed his work in the valley, he returned to the monastery. Not seeing the other monks upon his return, he asked, ‘Where did they go?’ and the answer came, ‘The householder invited them to his home.’ “ ‘On whose behalf?’ he asked. “ ‘He invited them on behalf of a new monk who just arrived,’ they replied. “As soon as he heard this, he was very dismayed. ‘What is it he ### [21.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.10) did, that on his behalf the entire saṅgha of monks received such an invitation?’ he thought. This made him irate, and he went to the householder’s home. Upon his arrival he looked and saw the householder serving the arhat with devotion and respect, and his jealousy caused him to become even more irate. “As the monks were all returning to the monastery after finishing their meals, he went to see the arhat and said, ‘Lord, do you even know who this householder is?’ “ ‘I know he is a non-returner,’ replied the arhat. “ ‘Well if that’s the case,’ the steward monk said, ‘better that you would pluck out your own hair than for him to shave your head! Better that you would sink in excrement than make off with his bathing implements! Better that you would eat excrement and drink urine than take his food and drink!’ “Then the arhat thought, ‘It’s not right for this emotionally afflicted person, who has become so abased, to continue in this downward spiral. I have to help him.’ With this thought, he said, ‘Venerable One, do you know who I am? And do you know who you yourself are?’ “ ‘I know that you have gone forth,’ he replied, ‘as have I.’ “ ‘Though we two are like brothers in having gone forth,’ the arhat said, ‘you are an ordinary person, bound by every fetter, and I am an arhat, liberated from every fetter. You must confess the mistake you’ve made by speaking harshly to me. Otherwise you are certain to roam in saṃsāra and meet with great suffering.’ “Hearing him, the monk was flooded with regret and bowed down at the feet of the arhat and asked his forgiveness. After that he practiced pure conduct all his life, and at the time of his death, he prayed, ‘By this root of virtue, may I not meet with the results of the act ### [21.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.11) of speaking harsh words to an arhat. By the root of the virtue of later rendering service to the saṅgha in accord with the Dharma, and practicing pure conduct all my life, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. 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. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “O monks, what do you think? The monk who was the steward then is none other than Jackal. The act of speaking harshly to an arhat and telling him, ‘Better that you would pluck out your own hair than for him to shave your head!’ ripened such that wherever he was born, his hair was plucked out. The act of telling him, ‘Better that you would sink in excrement than make off with his bathing implements!’ ripened such that wherever he was born, he lived in excrement. The act of telling him, ‘Better that you would eat excrement and drink urine than take his food and drink!’ ripened such that wherever he was born, he ate excrement and drank urine. The acts of serving as steward for the saṅgha in accord with the Dharma, practicing pure conduct all his life, and at the time of his death, praying, ‘Wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth,’ ripened such that wherever he was born it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. “So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal ### [21.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.12) of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means—that he has pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” “Lord,” the monks inquired, “what action did the five hundred anguished spirits take that ripened into their births as anguished spirits? What actions did they take that ripened such that, once they took rebirth as gods, they also pleased the Blessed One, and did not displease him?” “Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “such are the actions that they committed and accumulated: “Monks, in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha endowed with perfect knowledge and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, they all became lay vow holders. When the monks came asking them for provisions of clothing, food, bedding, seats, and medicines for the sick, overcome with stinginess they said, ‘Kāśyapa’s ascetics are just like anguished spirits, going around begging food from others!’ and called after them with other such harsh words. “O monks, what do you think? Those who were the five hundred lay vow holders then are none other than these five hundred anguished spirits. The act of speaking harshly to the monks ripened into their taking birth as anguished spirits for five hundred lifetimes. At that time they went for refuge in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. They maintained the fundamental precepts, their faculties ripened, and now they have been liberated.” ### [21.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.13) Part Six 1. The Bird: Two Stories 2. The Story of Majestic Body 3. The Teacher 4. A Story about Kāśyapa 5. A Story about Ānanda 6. The Story of Son of Grasping 7. The Story of Subhadra the Mendicant¹⁵⁰ 8. The Worthy of Offerings Litany 9. Latecomers: Two Stories The Bird: Two Stories The First Bird Story Once, when the Blessed One was staying at Vulture Peak Mountain in Rājagṛha teaching the Dharma amid a company of hundreds, from Gandhamādana Mountain a certain peacock named Beautiful to See came gliding through the sky over the garden of Prince Jeta.¹⁵¹ The bird overheard the Blessed One teaching the Dharma as he sat amid the company of hundreds, which inspired him to descend to the earth and alight at the feet of the Blessed One. The Blessed One taught him three lines of the Dharma: “All conditioned things are impermanent. All phenomena are selfless. Nirvāṇa is peace. Let your mind be filled with joy at the thought of me, and you may even be released from rebirth in the animal realm.” The peacock was delighted and gazed upon the Buddha’s countenance for a long time. Then, as he flew up into the sky above, he was killed by a falcon. He died filled with joy at the thought of the Blessed One, transmigrated, and took rebirth into the family of a trader there in Rājagṛha. After nine or ten months had passed the wife gave birth to a child. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they named him according to their clan. They reared him on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and as he grew up he studied letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce; and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, ### [21.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.14) and arms and armor. He became skilled in writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, and industrious, a master of the eight types of examination. One day, in admiration for the Buddha, admiration for the Dharma, and admiration for the Saṅgha, he asked for his parents’ permission and went forth. Though he was just seven years old, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship. After he manifested arhatship he became a person of great miracles and great power. He used his miraculous powers as a means of travel and would scoop flowers and fruits onto large leaves, carry them from one place to another, and bring them as offerings to the saṅgha. When the monks saw all this they were amazed and requested the Blessed One, “Lord, tell us why this one, who went forth as a novice at just seven years of age, cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.” So that they might become disillusioned with saṃsāra, the Blessed One asked them, “Did you see the bird that descended from the sky and alighted before me some time ago?” “Yes, Lord, we saw him.” “Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “as that bird departed, filled with joy at the thought of me, he was killed by a falcon, and since he died filled with joy at the thought of me, he took birth into the family of a trader in Rājagṛha. When he grew up he went forth in my very doctrine. After he had gone forth, though just seven years old, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.” “Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed One, “what action did this novice take that ripened into his birth as a bird? What action did he take that, after he died, he transmigrated and took rebirth as a human being, and that he pleased the Blessed One, did not displease him, ### [21.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.15) went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?” “Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times gone by, in the city of Vārāṇasī, King Brahmadatta reigned in Kāśi, and King Videha reigned in Videha. The two did not get along with each other, and from time to time a great many people were killed. “So it was that one day the king of Videha arrayed the four divisions of his army and advanced to wage war with King Brahmadatta. King Brahmadatta of Kāśi, upon hearing that the king of Videha had arrayed the four divisions of his army and advanced to wage war, likewise arrayed the four divisions of his army and advanced on the king of Videha to wage war. “He was defeated by the king of Videha, however, and was forced to flee. Only the king was spared, and he fled into the forest. His body was tired and aching, so he dismounted from his horse, removed his helmet, pulled off his cloak, spread it out, and sat down on it. “Not far off was a peacock surrounded by peahens. The peacock and peahens enjoyed themselves and coupled, and when he saw them, he was envious. ‘This peacock indulges his desires,’ he thought, ‘and no one does him harm. Such a life is beautiful.’ “Now in times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, the solitary buddhas appear. So it was that a solitary buddha was leaning up against a tree directly in front of the king. To catch the king’s attention, the solitary buddha made a sound like he was clearing his throat. When the king heard it, he leapt up in terror, thinking, ‘Has my opponent’s army come here?’ ### [21.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.16) “Then the king saw the solitary buddha leaning on the tree. At this sight his mind became filled with joy. ‘He is content in a forest where there are no people,’ he thought. ‘Certainly this is a great soul.’ “Now it was the custom of the ancient kings that when they rode into battle or hunted deer, they would pack some food in the side bags of their horses before setting out. A little such food hung in King Brahmadatta’s horse’s side bag, and he offered these provisions to the solitary buddha. “The solitary buddha then carried the king up into the sky and established him in a state of fearlessness, whereupon the king prayed, ‘By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may I be born as a peacock. May I thereby also please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this. May I achieve such great virtues. Going forth in his doctrine alone may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “O monks, what do you think? The one who was King Brahmadatta then is none other than this bird. Because he offered food to the solitary buddha and prayed thus, now he has pleased me and not displeased me.” The Second Bird Story When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, there lived on Gandhamādana Mountain a certain bird named Kumuda­vicitramaha who was sick and sure to die soon. The blessed buddhas, teachers of the one path to be traversed, with mastery over wisdom and the two types of knowable objects, in command of the three kinds of sterling equanimity, fearless by means of the fourfold fearlessness, freed from migration through the five destinies, keen in the six sense bases, practiced in the seven limbs of enlightenment, ### [21.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.17) focused on the eight liberations, absorbed in the nine successive meditative absorptions, possessing all ten of the ten powers, whose proclamations are the great roaring of a perfect lion, by nature regard the world with their buddha eyes six times throughout the day and night—three times by day and three times by night. These are their thoughts as they look out in wisdom: “Who is in decline? Who will flourish? Who is destitute? Who is in a dreadful state? Who is being harmed? Who is destitute, in a dreadful state, and being harmed? Who is veering toward the lower realms? Who is descending through the lower realms? Who has descended to the lower realms? Whom shall I pull up from the lower realms, and establish in the resultant state of heaven and liberation? Whom, mired in misdeeds, shall I lift up by the hand? Whom, lacking the seven jewels of the noble ones, shall I lead to command of the seven jewels of the noble ones? Whom, not having produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to produce them? Whom, having already produced roots of virtue, shall I lead to ripen their roots of virtue? Whom, having already ripened their roots of virtue, shall I slice open with the blade of wisdom? For whom shall I cause this world, adorned with a buddha’s presence, to be fruitful?” The ocean, home of creatures fierce, Could fail to send its tides on time. But when the time has come to tame Their offspring, buddhas never fail. The Blessed One thought, “The time has come to teach this bird. He will be instrumental in guiding a great many disciples.” With this thought, the Blessed One disappeared from Śrāvastī and arrived on Gandhamādana Mountain not far from where the bird was. The Blessed One performed a miracle that caused five hundred Indian roller birds to come and circumambulate the Blessed One. When the bird saw the five hundred Indian roller birds performing circumambulation, he wished that he could do the same and thought, “I will also circumambulate the Blessed One.” ### [21.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.18) He died with joy in his mind at the thought of the Blessed One and took rebirth as a god. Having taken birth as a god, he approached the Blessed One, the Blessed One taught the Dharma to him, and he saw the truths. After he saw the truths, he went back to where he belongs. Then the Blessed One spoke about the bird’s carcass to Venerable Śāriputra among the assembly of monks. “Śāriputra,” he said, “what action did this bird take that ripened into its birth as a bird?” As soon as he heard this, Venerable Śāriputra began to reflect, and though he went deep into equipoise and reached the far limits of concentration, he could not see an end to the bird’s sufferings as he died from one life as a bird and transmigrated, only to take birth as a bird again. Venerable Śāriputra rose from his meditation, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and responded to the Blessed One, “Lord, I have not been able to apprehend the bird’s origins. I saw him dying from one life as a bird and transmigrating, only to take birth as a bird again. Lord, your wisdom and vision are unimpeded—your wisdom and vision are infinite. Lord, Blessed One, I implore you, please explain the action this bird took that ripened into his taking birth only as a bird.” “Monks,” the Blessed One explained, “such are the actions that this bird committed and accumulated: “Monks, in times gone by, when the one who transcended the levels of the listeners and solitary buddhas, the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Arthadarśin was in the world, this bird went forth in his doctrine ### [21.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.19) and served as steward. “In this capacity he would solicit food and drink from patrons and donors. As he was appealing to a householder, a group of monks prevented him. He became irate and shouted, ‘You’re like animals—you don’t even think! You don’t act the way that monks should act!’ “In time he came to regret this, confessed his mistake, and then practiced pure conduct all his life. At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘May I not meet with the results of the wrongful act of speaking harshly to such pure beings. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this.’ “O monks, what do you think? The one who served as steward then is none other than this bird. The act of speaking harshly to the monks ripened into his birth as an animal. Monks, from the time of the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Arthadarśin until my own, he has died, transmigrated, and taken rebirth only as an animal. Now he has died with joy in his mind at the thought of me, transmigrated, and taken rebirth as a god. After being reborn as a god, he came before me and I taught him the Dharma. He heard the Dharma from me, saw the truths, and then went back to where he belongs. “At that time he served as steward in accord with the Dharma, and at the time of his death he prayed, ‘May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this.’ “So it is, monks, now that I myself have become the very equal of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Arthadarśin—equal in strength, equal in deeds, and equal in skillful means—that he has pleased me, not displeased me, ### [21.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.20) gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” The Story of Majestic Body When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, there lived a certain brahmin of high lineage called Majestic Body. He was prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, with glowing, golden skin and a well-rounded head, long arms, a broad brow, a fine and prominent nose, and eyebrows that met. At the elaborate feast celebrating his birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And they named him according to their clan, saying, “Since this is the brahmin Majestic Body’s child, his name will be More Majestic.” They reared young More Majestic on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and he flourished like a lotus in a lake. As he grew up he studied letters, brahminical customs and conduct, the syllables oṃ and bho, ritual purity, ritual actions, the collection of ashes, holding the ritual vase, the Ṛg Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sāma Veda, the Atharva Veda, how to perform sacrificial rites, how to lead others in performing sacrificial rites, how to give and receive offerings, recitation, and recitation instruction. ### [21.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.21) Trained in these procedures, he became a master of the six types of brahminical activities, and in time he mastered the eighteen sciences and he could defeat anyone in debate. One day the brahmin Majestic Body had the thought, “I shall perform a sacrifice.” Then another idea occurred to him: “The ascetic Gautama is omniscient and all-seeing, and that being the case, there is nothing he does not know—there is nothing in the past, present, or future that he does not see, know, or directly perceive. Since it wouldn’t be right for any part of my sacrifice to be lacking , I shall ask the ascetic Gautama about it first.” At that he mounted a chariot drawn by a white mare. Bearing a golden staff and a golden water pitcher, and surrounded by a company of young brahmins, he left Śrāvastī and traveled to the garden of Prince Jeta. He went as far as he could by chariot, then descended and continued to the garden on foot. He proceeded to where the Blessed One was and when he arrived he made all manner of entertaining and jovial conversation with the Blessed One. When they were finished, he took a seat at one side. Once he had taken a seat at one side, the brahmin Majestic Body asked the Blessed One, “Gautama, I have started a great sacrifice, and to perform that great sacrifice I have tied five hundred of the finest bulls to a post, as well as cattle, male and female buffalo, riding horses, calves, young calves, goats, sheep, and even insects. For the sacrifice I have also arrayed a great deal of food and drink and invited ascetics from the neighboring kingdoms, and brahmins from foreign lands, other regions, and other valleys. So that my sacrifice ### [21.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.22) is effective, I have come to Śrāvastī, and I ask the Blessed One to please explain whether any part of my sacrifice may be lacking.” The Blessed One taught him the Dharma that accorded with him, taking only his sacrifice as the point of departure. As a result the brahmin Majestic Body and his son More Majestic both destroyed with the thunderbolt of wisdom the twenty high peaks of the mountain of views concerning the transitory collection, and manifested the resultant state of stream entry right where they sat. Then More Majestic said, “After this, of what use are ceremonies to us brahmins?” “More Majestic, don’t say such things,” the brahmin Majestic Body replied. “Now we’ll offer food to the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, and after we’ve made those offerings we can give the leftovers to the brahmins.” “As you wish, preceptor,” More Majestic said. The brahmin Majestic Body rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please permit me to invite you, together with the saṅgha of monks, to take tomorrow’s meal at the sacrificial site.” The Blessed One assented to the brahmin Majestic Body by his silence. Understanding that by his silence the Blessed One had given his assent, the brahmin Majestic Body then touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and took leave of him. When he arrived at the site of the sacrifice he released his entire fine herd—cattle, male and female buffalo, riding horses, calves, young calves, goats, sheep, and all the different insects as well—saying, “As you travel to the four directions whence the cool air appears, from this day forth may you all eat of the finest, unwilted plants, ### [21.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.23) and drink from placid, tranquil, clear waters.” He released all the different insects as well.¹⁵² After preparing many good, wholesome foods that night, he rose the next morning, prepared seats, filled the water pots, and set them out. Then he sent a message to the Blessed One reminding him it was time for the midday meal: “Lord, the midday meal is upon us. Know that the time has come, Blessed One, and your presence is requested.” In the morning the Blessed One donned his lower garment and holy robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he set out for the brahmin Majestic Body’s reception room, surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks. Once the brahmin Majestic Body and the brahmin child More Majestic knew that the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks were comfortably seated, by their own hands they contented them with many good, wholesome foods, proffering all that they wished. Having by their own hands contented them with many different kinds of good, wholesome food, proffering all that they wished, they offered each of them a set of clothes. Once they knew that the Blessed One had finished eating and that his bowl had been taken away and his hands washed, they sat before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. After the Blessed One had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them with a Dharma teaching he rose from his seat and departed. After the Blessed One had departed, all the brahmins at the site of the sacrifice were irate. They said, “Look—everything that was prepared for the sacrifice has been given to the ascetic Gautama.” When the brahmin Majestic Body ### [21.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.24) heard they were angry, he immediately approached the brahmins and said, “What harm has the ascetic Gautama done to you? I shall repay you for the offerings you set out.” “We no longer need your offerings,” said the brahmins, for they were going to kill both father and child. “They’re coming to kill us,” the father and child thought, so they both fled. They traveled to the garden of Prince Jeta, where they went to see the Blessed One. When they arrived they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and told him the story in detail. Then they requested, “Lord, let us give up living at home. Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiates, and achieve full ordination. In the presence of the Blessed One, we too wish to practice the holy life.” With the words “Come, join me, monks!” the Blessed One led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. Having cast away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, they manifested arhatship. “Lord,” the monks requested the Blessed One, “tell us why the brahmins were going to put the brahmin Majestic Body and the brahmin child More Majestic to death, which was enough for them to become disillusioned with saṃsāra so that they went forth, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” “Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, the brahmins were going to put them to death, and that was enough for them to become disillusioned with saṃsāra so that they went forth and practiced the holy life. Listen well! “Monks, ### [21.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.25) in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years, and the totally and completely awakened buddha possessed of insight and perfect conduct, the sugata, the knower of the world, the tamer of persons, the charioteer, the unsurpassed one, the teacher of humans and gods, the blessed buddha known as Kāśyapa was in the world, there was as a certain brahmin who was preparing a sacrifice. Another brahmin began to quarrel with him, became irate, and stabbed the brahmin with a weapon until that brahmin died from his stab wounds. This angered all the other brahmins, who said, ‘Never again will we make use of your gifts.’ No longer considering him a brahmin, they went on to curse him and prepared to kill him. “He and his son fled in fear of the other brahmins. They traveled to Ṛṣivadana and went forth in the presence of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Thereupon they practiced pure conduct all their lives, and though they did not achieve any great virtues, at the time of their deaths they prayed, ‘While we may not have attained any great virtues, still we have gone forth like this in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa and practiced pure conduct all our lives. Therefore, may we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “O monks, what do you think? The brahmins who were father and son then, and went forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, are none other than the brahmins Majestic Body and More Majestic. At that time the brahmins were going to put them both to death, ### [21.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21.26) and then, terrified of dying, they went forth and practiced pure conduct all their lives. Now as well, the brahmins were going to kill them both, and, terrified of dying, they have gone forth, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. “At that time they went forth, practiced pure conduct all their lives, and at the time of their deaths, they prayed, ‘May we please and not displease Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “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 they have pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” The Teacher When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, a certain householder lived there. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and as they enjoyed themselves and coupled, one day his wife conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. As time went on, the householder’s second son was born, and then a third, and so on up to seven. At the elaborate feasts celebrating their births, they named them according to their clan. They reared them on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and when they were ## Linked texts (1) - [ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo.21.2) — Classical Tibetan --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.21) · Pramāṇa