ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 22
The Hundred Deeds 22
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- English
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grown they studied letters, tallying, and arithmetic; the study of seals, lending, deposits, and commerce; and the examination of cloth, jewels, gems, incense, medicine, elephants, horses, and arms and armor. They became skilled at writing, skilled at reading, learned, decisive, and industrious, masters of the eight types of examination.
One day the father told them, “Heed what I say—entrust yourselves to the householder Anāthapiṇḍada, for he will benefit you in this life and the next.”
Six of his sons replied, “What is the use of entrusting ourselves to the householder Anāthapiṇḍada?” and they did not heed his word. One son began to favor Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, the second liked Maskarin Gośālīputra, the third liked Saṃjayin Vairaṭīputra, the fourth liked Ajita Keśakambala, the fifth liked Kakuda Kātyāyana, and the sixth liked Nirgrantha Jñātiputra.¹⁵³ The seventh did heed his father’s word, however, and entrusted himself to the householder Anāthapiṇḍada. Having entrusted himself to him, he delighted in the doctrine of the Blessed One, went for refuge, and took the fundamental precepts.
Later the householder’s eldest son invited Pūraṇa Kāśyapa and gave him food, the second invited Maskarin Gośālīputra and gave him food, the third invited Saṃjayin Vairaṭīputra and gave him food, the fourth invited Ajita Keśakambala and gave him food, the fifth invited Kakuda Kātyāyana and gave him food, and the sixth invited Nirgrantha Jñātiputra and gave him food. At this the seventh said to his elder brothers,
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“Each of you has given food to his own teacher. I shall likewise offer provisions to the Blessed One. You all should help me.”
The young man extended an invitation to the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, and that night he prepared many good, wholesome foods. In the morning the young man rose, 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 Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he set out surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks, until they arrived at the householder’s reception room. He took his place on the seat prepared for him there amid the saṅgha of monks.
When the householder, his sons, and his servants 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 the Buddha and the saṅgha of monks with many good, wholesome foods, proffering all that they wished, once the householder, his sons, and his servants knew that they had finished eating, that their bowls had been taken away and their hands washed, they brought in very low seats and sat before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma.
Then the Blessed One, directly apprehending the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature of the householder, his sons, and his servants, taught them the Dharma accordingly. Upon hearing it, they 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.
After seeing the truths, they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder
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of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and said to the Blessed One, “Because of you, Blessed One, we have been lifted up from among the hell beings, animals, and anguished spirits. Leading us to live among the gods and humans, you have dried up the ocean of blood and tears, led us over the mountain pass of bones, slammed shut the doors to lower births, and swung wide open the doors to the god realms and liberation. You have brought to an end the afflictive emotions to which we have been accustomed since beginningless time, pacifying them, tossing them aside, and casting them away. Blessed One, for as long as we live, may you and the rest of the saṅgha of monks please accept from us your provisions of clothing, food, bedding, seats, and medicines for the sick.” The Blessed One replied, “Householder, please relent—there are others who also need my help,” and departed.
After the Blessed One had departed, the householder’s sons thought, “We will give up living at home to go forth.” They asked for their parents’ permission and went to see the Blessed One. Upon their arrival they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and made this request of the Blessed One, “Lord, if permitted we wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken, complete our novitiate, 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! Practice the holy life,” the Blessed One led them to go forth as novices, conferred on them full ordination, and instructed them. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, they manifested arhatship. As arhats, free from the attachments of the three realms,
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their minds regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of their hands were like space itself. They became cool like wet sandalwood. Their insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. They achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. They had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. Their state was such that Indra, Upendra, and the other gods worshiped and venerated them and addressed them with respect.
“Lord,” the monks requested the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why six of the householder’s seven children had divergent views and could not agree with each other until the youngest brother brought them around to a single view and they all went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, 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 other six brothers could not come to an agreement until the youngest brother alone brought them into agreement and all of them went forth in the presence of a sage and generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Listen well!
“Monks, in times gone by, the seven kings of the central country each reigned in their own lands. None of them was friendly with the others, and from time to time a great many people were killed. One day King Brahmadatta of Kāśi thought, ‘How can I restore relations among the kings of these neighboring lands?’
“At that time in the land of Brahmadatta, king of Kāśi, there was a sage living in a certain hermitage who had all five superknowledges, a person of great miracles and great power. King Brahmadatta thought, ‘If I call upon that sage, he can restore relations between them.’
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He went to see the sage, bowed down at his feet, and said, ‘The six neighboring kings are not friendly with one another, and from time to time a great many people are killed. It would be right of you to restore relations between them.’ The sage assented to King Brahmadatta by his silence. Understanding that by his silence the sage had given his assent, King Brahmadatta bowed down at his feet and departed.
“One day the six kings arrayed all four divisions of their armies and advanced on Vārāṇasī. With the four divisions of their armies all arrayed, they completely surrounded the city in siege, whereupon Brahmadatta, king of Kāśi, sent word to the sage. As soon as he heard, the sage traveled through the sky from his dwelling to the very place where the six kings were encamped.
“Upon seeing the sage, all six kṣatriya kings were immediately overcome with joy toward him. In their joy they went to see the sage, and upon their arrival they bowed down at his feet and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. After he taught them the Dharma, the sage got them all to form a truce. After having made a truce, they resolved to go forth in the presence of the sage. Each informed the other of his intention¹⁵⁴ and traveled back to his own land. After each had abdicated in favor of his son, given gifts, and made merit, they all went forth in the presence of that sage. Having gone forth, they generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges.
“O monks, what do you think? I am the one who was that sage then, and lived the life of a bodhisattva. The six kings who disagreed with each other then are none other than the six brothers who could not come to an agreement now.
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The one who was King Brahmadatta then is none other than the youngest son himself. At that time the sage brought them into agreement and they went forth before him, generating the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Six of the brothers had divergent views, were brought around to a single view, went forth, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”
“Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed One, “what action did the householder, his sons, and their servants take that ripened into their births into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth; that they pleased and did not displease the Blessed One; and that they went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?”
“It came about by the power of their prayers,” the Blessed One replied.
“When did they make these prayers?” they asked.
“Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “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 a householder in Vārāṇasī with six older sons who had divergent views and could not come to an agreement.
“The youngest of the sons delighted in the Buddha. He led his six older brothers to the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. All of them asked for their parents’ permission, went forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and practiced pure conduct all their lives.
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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.’
“The householder also gave gifts and made merit, went for refuge, and maintained the fundamental precepts all his life. At the time of his death, he prayed, ‘By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. At that time may these same seven children be my children. 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 householder then is none other than this householder. The acts of giving gifts and making merit, taking refuge and maintaining the fundamental precepts, and praying at the time of his death ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth; that he has pleased me and not displeased me; and that they alone were his sons. The sons also practiced the conduct that leads to enlightenment all their lives, and prayed at the time of their deaths.
“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,
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cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.”
A Story about Kāśyapa
Once, when the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, Venerable Mahākāśyapa had spent a long time in a retreat hermitage. After the hair on his head and face had grown long and his clothes were worn out, he went to see the Blessed One. At that time the Blessed One sat amid a company of hundreds teaching the Dharma to the saṅgha of monks. The monks saw Venerable Mahākāśyapa from a distance and felt contempt for him. They thought, “A person who has gone forth—a monk—with long hair on his head and face, and so carelessly dressed, in such shoddy clothing! Where does he come from?”
The Blessed One directly apprehended their thoughts and reflected, “After my parinirvāṇa, the monk Kāśyapa will fulfill the purpose of my teaching. He will recount the Sūtras, Abhidharma, and Vinaya, yet these monks feel such contempt for him. I must settle this objection for them, for he will become a worthy object of worship and reverence, and be spoken of with respect by all the world with its gods and humans.”
The Blessed One addressed the monks, saying, “Monks, you should not feel such contempt for this monk. After my parinirvāṇa he will recount my teaching. He will perfectly recount the Tripiṭaka and propagate the way of the Dharma.”
Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Mahākāśyapa, “Kāśyapa, come along! Welcome, Kāśyapa! Share this seat with me. Let us examine which of us first went forth—you or me?”
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All the monks felt horrible regret and their hair stood on end. “Venerable Mahākāśyapa has such great miraculous powers,” they said. “How wonderful that our teacher is sharing a seat with his disciple.”
Then Venerable Mahākāśyapa drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, knelt down on his right knee, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and said, “Blessed One, you are my teacher. I am a disciple of the Blessed One. The Sugata is my teacher. I am a disciple of the Sugata.”
“Kāśyapa, so it is,” the Blessed One replied. “It is just as you say, Kāśyapa. I am your teacher, Kāśyapa. You are my disciple. Kāśyapa, wherever my seat may be, you shall sit upon it.” Venerable Mahākāśyapa touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side.
The Blessed One wished to make the monks greatly disillusioned with saṃsāra and to affirm Venerable Mahākāśyapa’s greatness in the Dharma, so he said to the monks, “Monks, should I wish to remain in the perfected state of the first concentration, which is secluded from craving, secluded from sinful and nonvirtuous factors, accompanied by initial consideration and subsequent analysis, and imbued with the joy and pleasure born of seclusion, I could remain in that state throughout the day, or throughout the night, or throughout a day and night, or for even two, three, or seven such days and nights.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to remain in the perfected state of the first concentration, which is secluded from craving, secluded from sinful and nonvirtuous factors, accompanied by initial consideration and subsequent analysis, and imbued with the joy and pleasure born of seclusion, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state
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for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to be free of initial consideration and subsequent analysis, inwardly serene, with single-pointed focus, and thereby abide in the perfected state of the second concentration, which is without initial consideration and subsequent analysis, and imbued with the joy and pleasure born of meditative stabilization, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to be free of initial consideration and subsequent analysis, inwardly serene, with single-pointed focus, and thereby abide in the perfected state of the second concentration, which is without initial consideration and subsequent analysis, and imbued with the joy and pleasure born of meditative stabilization, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to be free from attachment to joy, and thereby settle in impartiality, with mindfulness, introspection, and physical pleasure, and become, as the noble ones say, ‘impartial, mindful, and at ease,’ to abide in the perfected state of the third concentration devoid of joy, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to be free from attachment to joy, and thereby settle in impartiality, with mindfulness, introspection, and physical pleasure, and become, as the noble ones say, ‘impartial, mindful, and at ease,’ to abide in the perfected state of the third concentration devoid of joy, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain
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in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to relinquish pleasure and, having already given up pain, and with happiness and unhappiness also already gone, abide in the perfected state of the fourth concentration, with neither pleasure nor pain, and with pure impartiality and mindfulness, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to relinquish pleasure and, having already given up pain, and with happiness and unhappiness also already gone, abide in the perfected state of the fourth concentration, with neither pleasure nor pain, and with pure impartiality and mindfulness, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to abide with a loving mind,¹⁵⁵ which is free of hostility, enmity, and ill will, and which is lofty, expansive, nonjudgmental, immeasurable, and well developed, focused on one cardinal direction, pervading it to its very end, and then extend this loving mind, which is free of hostility, enmity, and ill will, and which is lofty, expansive, nonjudgmental, immeasurable, and well developed, to pervade to their very end the second cardinal direction, the third, the fourth, above, below, and straight ahead, encompassing the worlds in their entirety, monks, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
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“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to abide with a loving mind, which is free of hostility, enmity, and ill will, and which is lofty, expansive, nonjudgmental, immeasurable, and well developed, focused on one cardinal direction, pervading it to its very end, and then extend this loving mind, which is free of hostility, enmity, and ill will, and which is lofty, expansive, nonjudgmental, immeasurable, and well developed, to pervade to their very end the second cardinal direction, the third, the fourth, above, below, and straight ahead, encompassing the worlds in their entirety, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“The mind suffused with compassion, joy, and equanimity can be elaborated in kind.
“Monks, should I wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of boundless space,¹⁵⁶ in which I have transcended the perceptions of form in all respects, such that my perception of physical barriers has vanished, and, no longer bringing to mind the perceptions of diversity, I recognize this to be the sphere of boundless space, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of boundless space, in which he has transcended the perceptions of form in all respects, such that his perception of material barriers has vanished, and, no longer bringing to mind the perceptions of diversity, he recognizes this to be the sphere of boundless space, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night,
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or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of boundless consciousness, in which I have transcended the sphere of boundless space and recognize this to be the sphere of boundless consciousness, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of boundless consciousness, in which he has transcended the sphere of boundless space in all respect and recognizes this to be the sphere of boundless consciousness, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of nothing whatsoever, in which I have transcended the sphere of boundless consciousness in all respects and recognize this to be nothing whatsoever, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of nothing whatsoever, in which he has transcended the sphere of boundless consciousness in all respects and recognizes this to be nothing whatsoever, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should I wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, in which I have transcended the sphere of nothing whatsoever in all respects, I could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night, or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, should the monk Kāśyapa wish to abide in the perfected state of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, in which he has transcended the sphere of nothing whatsoever in all respects, the monk Kāśyapa too could remain in that state for a day, or a night, or a day and night,
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or even two, three, or seven such days.
“Monks, when I wish to do so, I can employ a vast array of miracles. With clear understanding and knowledge of how to materialize and dematerialize I become one and then become many, and having become many, I then become one. I pass directly through walls. I pass directly through enclosed spaces. Bodily I pass directly through mountains, unobstructed, just as if they were empty space. I dive into the earth like a seagull into water. I walk on water without sinking into it, just as if it were the surface of the earth. I sit cross-legged in the sky like a bird. I hold and caress radiant beams like those of the sun and moon, those in miraculous displays, and those of feats of magic. I can physically control the worlds all the way up to Brahmāloka.
“Monks, when the monk Kāśyapa wishes to do so, he too can employ a vast array of miracles. With clear understanding and knowledge of how to materialize and dematerialize the monk Kāśyapa likewise becomes one and then becomes many, and having become many, he then becomes one. He passes directly through walls. He passes directly through enclosed spaces. Bodily he passes directly through mountains, unobstructed, just as if they were empty space. He dives into the earth like a seagull into water. He walks on water without sinking into it, just as if it were the surface of the earth. He sits cross-legged in the sky like a bird. He holds and caresses radiant beams like those of the sun and moon, those in miraculous displays, and those of feats of magic. He can physically control the worlds all the way up to Brahmāloka.
“Monks, with
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perfectly clear divine hearing, beyond that of normal humans, I hear the sounds of both humans and nonhumans, be they near or far.
“Monks, with perfectly clear divine hearing, beyond that of normal humans, the monk Kāśyapa too hears the sounds of both humans and nonhumans, be they near or far.
“Monks, I know the minds of other beings and other persons, with their initial consideration and subsequent analysis, exactly as they are. Lustful¹⁵⁷ minds and minds free of lust I know in full, exactly as they are. Hateful minds and minds free of hatred; ignorant minds and minds free of ignorance; minds closed or radiant, dull or disciplined, wild or tame, lofty, tranquil, or turbulent, resting in equanimity or not resting so, cultivated or uncultivated; and those liberated, those not, those completely and utterly liberated, and those not—all these I know in full, exactly as they are.
“Monks, the monk Kāśyapa also knows exactly the minds of other beings and other persons, with their initial consideration and subsequent analysis exactly as they are. Lustful minds and minds free of lust he knows in full, exactly as they are. Hateful minds and minds free of hatred; ignorant minds and minds free of ignorance; minds closed or radiant, dull or disciplined, wild or tame, lofty, tranquil, or turbulent,
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resting in equanimity or not resting so, cultivated or uncultivated; and those completely liberated, those not, those completely and utterly liberated, and those not—all these he knows in full, exactly as they are.
“Monks, I can recall many of my previous lives. I remember one life, or two, or three—four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty—or a hundred lives, a thousand lives, a hundred thousand lives, hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of lives, hundreds upon hundreds of millions of lives, an eon of dissolution, an eon of the formation of the universe, an eon of dissolution and formation, many eons of dissolution, many eons of formation, or many eons of dissolution and formation.
“I can remember my identity as all those beings: that I was born in such-and-such a place into this family and that clan, what kinds of food I ate, the happiness and suffering I experienced during my life, how long I was in each state of rebirth, the potential duration of each life, how long each life in fact lasted, that after I died I transmigrated and took rebirth in such-and-such a place, and that when I died from there and transmigrated, what type of rebirth I took. I can recall the many aspects of my previous states, including each aspect, their locations, and the reasons behind them.
“Monks, the monk Kāśyapa can also recall many of his previous lives. He remembers one life, or two, or three—four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, or
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fifty—or a hundred lives, a thousand lives, a hundred thousand lives, hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of lives, hundreds upon hundreds of millions of lives, an eon of dissolution, an eon of the formation of the universe, an eon of dissolution and formation, many eons of dissolution, many eons of formation, or many eons of dissolution and formation.
“He can remember his identity as all those beings: that he was born in such-and-such a place into this family and that clan, what kinds of food he ate, the happiness and suffering he experienced during his life, how long he was in each state of rebirth, the potential duration of each life, how long each life in fact lasted, that after he died he transmigrated and took rebirth in such-and-such a place, and that when he died from there and transmigrated, what type of rebirth he took. He can recall the many aspects of his previous states, including each aspect, their locations, and the reasons behind them.
“Monks, with perfectly clear divine vision, beyond that of normal humans, I see how beings continue to die, transmigrate, and take birth; whether they will be of good appearance, bad appearance, or good and bad appearance; and if they will take happy births or fall to lower realms. Fully aware of their actions, I am fully aware of their destinations.
“I see that when they separate from their bodies at death—by cause and condition of adopting the wrong teachings and actions—those who comport themselves wrongly, those who speak wrongly, those who reflect wrongly, those who hurl insults at the noble ones, and those who hold wrong views will fall to lower realms and take rebirth as hell beings. And I see that when they separate from their bodies at death—by cause and condition of adopting the right teachings and actions—those who comport themselves rightly, those who speak
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rightly, those who reflect rightly, those who refrain from hurling insults at the noble ones, and those who hold right views will travel to happy migrations and take rebirth among gods in the heavens.
“Monks, with perfectly clear divine vision, beyond that of normal humans, the monk Kāśyapa also sees how beings continue to die, transmigrate, and to take birth; whether they will be of good appearance, bad appearance, or good and bad appearance; and if they will take happy births or fall to lower realms. Fully aware of their actions, he is fully aware of their destinations.
“He sees that when they separate from their bodies at death—by cause and condition of adopting the wrong teachings and actions—those who comport themselves wrongly, those who speak wrongly, those who reflect wrongly, those who hurl insults at the noble ones, and those who hold wrong views will fall to lower realms and take rebirth as hell beings. And he sees that when they separate from their bodies at death—by cause and condition of adopting the right teachings and actions—those who comport themselves rightly, those who speak rightly, those who reflect rightly, those who refrain from hurling insults at the noble ones, and those who hold right views will travel to happy migrations and take rebirth among gods in the heavens.
“Monks, in this very life I have exhausted the outflows. My mind, thus free of outflows, has been liberated, wisdom has been liberated, and having directly realized and accomplished this through my own superknowledge, rebirth is extinguished for me.
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I have lived the holy life, I have done what was before me, and I understand that I shall know no other existence.
“Monks, in this very life the monk Kāśyapa has also exhausted the outflows. His mind, thus free of outflows, has been liberated, wisdom has been liberated, and having directly realized this though his own superknowledge, rebirth is extinguished for him. He has lived the holy life, he has done what was before him, and he understands that he will know no other existence.”
As the Blessed One, there amid hundreds of disciples, affirmed Venerable Mahākāśyapa’s greatness as being like his own, he made him supreme guru of the entire world with its gods.
“Lord,” the monks requested the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why the Blessed One affirmed the vast greatness of Venerable Mahākāśyapa as being like his own, making him guru of all the entire world with its gods.”
“Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, when I venerated him, he became the guru of all of the many people living in this realm. Listen well!
“Monks, in times past, during King Brahmadatta’s reign in the city of Vārāṇasī, the kingdom was prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated. The harvest was good. 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. King Brahmadatta did no harm, and he ruled the kingdom gently and mercifully, as a parent cares for a beloved only child.
“The king had as many as five hundred queens. Though they all enjoyed themselves and
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coupled, they had no children. Wishing for an heir he supplicated every possible deity, but despite his earnest supplications neither son nor daughter was born.
“The king had five hundred ministers, every one of them arrogant and imprudent. But his chief minister, whose name was Treasure, was capable, clear-minded, shrewd, disciplined, and prudent.
“King Brahmadatta had a disagreement with a certain neighboring king, so he thought, ‘Which minister can I send to that neighboring country who will be able to form a truce with its king and safeguard my country?’
“When the king pondered this, he saw that his chief minister Treasure was capable, clear-minded, shrewd, disciplined, and prudent. ‘He can form a truce with that king and safeguard my country,’ the king thought. The king appointed him to a post among the surrounding mountains and told him: ‘Go, stay there, and safeguard the country.’
“ ‘As you wish, Deva,’ he replied. He went out among the mountains, and there he stayed. After he got there and had assumed control of the neighboring territory, no harm befell the country at all.
“One day, after King Brahmadatta had grown old, one of his wives conceived. After nine or ten months had passed, she gave birth to a child who was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful. 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 he flourished like a lotus in a lake. Once he was able to walk, the king thought, ‘I’m old now, and it will not be long before I die. After I pass away, this child
22.22
will not be able to rule the kingdom. Who among my ministers can safeguard my child and my kingdom, then?’ He pondered and recognized that every one of his five hundred ministers was arrogant and imprudent, and he wondered, ‘Who else is there?’
“Upon examination he realized, ‘My chief minister Treasure is capable, clear-minded, shrewd, disciplined, and prudent. After I pass away he will be able to safeguard my child and my kingdom.’ And he thought, ‘If I offer him my respect, all the many inhabitants of my country will respect him in the same way.’ So he sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘I wish to meet with you. Come quickly.’
“As soon as he heard this, chief minister Treasure hurried to Vārāṇasī, where the king had the streets and houses beautified to show his respect. The king arrayed the four divisions of his army and received chief minister Treasure in person. When he greeted Treasure, King Brahmadatta descended from his elephant, and, beside himself with joy, put his arms around him. They rode a single mount, traveling to the city of Vārāṇasī in great opulence.
“After he bade him sit together with him on a single seat, their food was prepared together and they ate from a single plate. Then the king gave him a great mountain of wealth and said to him, ‘O Treasure, I am old now, and it will not be long before I die. After my death, the five hundred ministers will all think, “This child is king?” and they will come to revile him. After my death you will be able to safeguard my son and my kingdom. Therefore, I entrust my son and kingdom to you. Safeguard them after my death!’
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“ ‘As you wish, Deva,’ replied the chief minister Treasure.
“One day King Brahmadatta fell ill. Though he was treated with medicinal roots, stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits, he could not be cured so he ceded the throne to the prince, entrusted both to the chief minister Treasure, and proclaimed that after his death, it was he who would safeguard his son and his kingdom.
“After the elder king died, the chief minister Treasure dispatched his retinue, summoned the five hundred ministers, and told them, ‘I say to all of you, it may be that the elder king has died,¹⁵⁸ but you should not think there is no one to unify us. I shall grant each of you a portion of the country. We must make certain that this young king is not harmed by anyone.’
“He granted a portion of the country to each of the five hundred ministers, and safeguarded both the prince and his family. When the prince had grown, the chief minister Treasure told him, ‘Deva, your father, the king, entrusted you, Deva, and the kingdom to me. After your father’s passing I safeguarded you, Deva, and the kingdom.’
“O monks, what do you think? It is none other than Kāśyapa who was the chief minister Treasure then, and lived the life of a bodhisattva. At that time when I offered him my respect, he became the guru of all the many people who lived in this country. Now as well I have offered him my respect, and when I affirmed his vast greatness as being like my own, he became guru of all the world.”
A Story about Ānanda
After Venerable Ānanda had gone forth, he learned all 84,000 divisions of the Dharma, and the Blessed One
Linked texts (1)
- ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ — Classical Tibetan