ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 22.23

22.23

“ ‘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