[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) › 28 # ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 28 The Hundred Deeds 28 - **Language:** English ### [28.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.1) and equal in skillful means—that he has pleased me, and not displeased me.” The Story of Foremost Kāśyapa When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, on a ridge among the mountains there lived a certain sage who had twelve thousand disciples. The sage was a master of all the scriptures, a person of great miracles and great power, who had placed all twelve thousand of his disciples in the four meditative states and five superknowledges. The Blessed One, having given a definitive teaching on the ripening of karma beneath the waters of Lake Anavatapta, flew up out of Lake Anavatapta with a suite of five hundred attendants and traveled through the sky to the garden of Prince Jeta. The sage and his retinue saw the Blessed One traveling through the sky with his suite of attendants, and no sooner had they seen the Blessed One than they felt a surge of joy toward him and left everything behind to become his followers. When they arrived at the garden of Prince Jeta they entered and went to see the Blessed One, touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, capacity, and nature of the twelve thousand sages, taught them the Dharma accordingly, and all twelve thousand sages, realizing the truths, instantly manifested the resultant state of non-return right where they sat. But due to his arrogance and pride about his learning, the head sage attained nothing at all. The twelve thousand sages rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested the Blessed One, ### [28.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.2) “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 all twelve thousand sages 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. The head sage went forth along with them, but once again he attained nothing at all. Hearing of their accomplishment, he studied and began to make effort such that before long he had mastered the Tripiṭaka, and become a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of wisdom and freedom. One day the thought came to him, “I’ve taught the Dharma to thousands upon thousands of beings, but I am not considered a Dharma teacher. Since hearing that all my friends achieved arhatship I’m not sure what to do. I haven’t achieved anything of significance. I will put aside study and meditation for a while, and just concentrate on this.” He reflected on all that he had learned, pondered it, thought it through, cast away all afflictive emotions, and 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. Then the monks requested the Blessed One, ### [28.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.3) “Lord, tell us why, due to his arrogance and pride about his learning, the head sage did not achieve anything, and then by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he 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, he reflected, pondered, and thought until he generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Listen well! “Monks, in times gone by, a certain brahmin named Foremost Kāśyapa was living in the wilderness. One day, in search of roots and fruit, he went out onto the mountainside, where he saw twelve thousand sages. Elated at the sight of them, he thought, ‘While I have been leading the life of a householder, they have gone forth from household life, and consequently will be liberated from saṃsāra. I too shall go forth in their very presence!’ With this thought he left everything behind to go forth in the sages’ presence, and after joining them he gained perfect comprehension of all fields of knowledge. “One day the chief sage died, and the twelve thousand young brahmins began to grieve, wailing in misery and lamenting the sage’s death. Foremost Kāśyapa said to them, ‘Young brahmins, do not mourn so. Do not suffer so. Do not lament. I shall provide for all your needs.’ He called together all twelve thousand young brahmins, and, after giving them instructions to ponder, they too generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. “Some time later, Foremost Kāśyapa ### [28.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.4) thought, ‘My disciples have realized all the instructions that I myself have pondered, but what use are my studies to me if, because of arrogance and pride about them, I have not achieved anything?’ Then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. “O monks, what do you think? The one who was Foremost Kāśyapa then is none other than this sage. At that time, because of his arrogance and pride, he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. Now, as well, because of his arrogance and pride he did not achieve anything, and then, by reflecting on all he had learned, pondering it, and thinking it through, he cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.” The monks inquired of the Blessed Buddha, “What action did the sage and his disciples take that ripened such that they 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?” “It came about by the power of their prayers,” replied the Blessed One. “Lord, where did they make these prayers?” “Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as forty 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 ### [28.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.5) known as Krakucchanda was in the world, Krakucchanda carried out all the activities of a buddha and passed beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. King Śobha performed a pūjā for his remains. He built a stūpa for his remains, made extensive offerings to the stūpa, and inaugurated the traditional festival of the stūpa. “When the time came for the traditional festival of the stūpa, in the realm of King Śobha there was a certain ruler from the wilderness who had twelve thousand attendants, and he likewise put great effort into making offerings to the stūpa, and prayed, ‘By the root of this virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. Going forth in the doctrine of a teacher just like this one may I cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “When they saw this his attendants asked, ‘Your Majesty, what did you pray?’ and the king told them in detail. Then his attendants themselves prayed, ‘May we also, by entrusting ourselves to His Majesty, please and not displease a teacher just like this one. May we go forth in his doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifest arhatship.’ “O monks, what do you think? The one who was that ruler from the wilderness then is none other than this sage. Those who were his twelve thousand attendants are now none other than these twelve thousand brahmins. At that time the actions of venerating the stūpa and saying that prayer ripened such that wherever they were born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth, ### [28.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.6) and such that they pleased me, did not displease me, went forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. “So too all twelve thousand sages, by entrusting themselves to me, have pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. “They also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all their lives then, their faculties ripened, and now they have been liberated.” The Story of Mounted on an Elephant When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, there lived in Rājagṛha a certain elephant trainer of King Bimbisāra’s whose name was Elephant Heart. 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. One day his wife conceived, and 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 asked, “What name should we give this child?” and they named him, saying, “Since this child was born to Elephant Heart, the elephant trainer, under the constellation Citra, his name will be Citra Mounted on an Elephant.” They reared young Citra Mounted on an Elephant on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids. As the young man grew up, they made him study letters, ### [28.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.7) and trained him in all the different fields of craft and skill in which duly consecrated rulers of the royal caste train, such as how to ride an elephant, how to ride horseback, how to wield a weapon, and how to shoot an arrow, advance, retreat, wage war, grasp with an iron hook, wield a lasso, shoot a spear, throw a single-pointed vajra, throw other single-pointed weapons, and throw a disk; how to cut, cleave, grapple and hold, employ footwork, guard one’s head, strike from a distance, and strike at the noise of an unseen enemy; and how to target the vital points, take infallible aim, and maximize damage. By the time he had been educated in all of these, he was learned in the five fields of knowledge. One day his parents died, and King Bimbisāra appointed him as elephant trainer, passing on to him the work of his father. When the time came for him to marry he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. Some time later, he found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One, went for refuge and took the fundamental precepts, gave gifts and made merit, and went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One. Once he had gone forth, he studied the Tripiṭaka and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of his wisdom and freedom. One day he thought, “I have completed whatever duties were before me in terms of my education. From now on I will put my efforts into contemplation.” So he took up contemplation, and by foregoing sleep from dusk to dawn, he progressed as far as the meditation known as the absorption of neither discrimination nor non-discrimination. He gathered five hundred disciples and they became his attendants. ### [28.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.8) He left and wandered the countryside with his disciples. Eventually he returned from wandering the countryside, and the ministers informed King Bimbisāra that he had gone forth. “Your Majesty, Citra Mounted on an Elephant has gone forth, and has no children. Since he has no children, everything he owns is Your Majesty’s to command.” “I only have authority over the wealth of the dead,” the king replied. “I have no authority over the wealth of the living. But this noble child yet lives, and it’s always possible for sages to reverse course and become householders once again.” So the king would not take anything from his house. Citra Mounted on an Elephant’s wife heard that he had arrived in Rājagṛha with his five hundred attendants, and when she heard this she invited him and his five hundred disciples to the house and offered them food. His wife wondered, “Has he done what was before him, or is he just an ordinary person? If he is an ordinary person, I shall devise a means of bringing him back.” As he was eating his food she dropped in front of him a copper pot from the roof of the house, and he was startled by the sound. He began to poke idly at the copper pot with his knife as he ate his food. Seeing all this, the wife thought, “He’s no arhat. Since he’s just an ordinary person, I’ll be able to bring him back.” She bowed at his feet and said, “My lord, our wealth has been dwindling on account of your absence. So, lord, please permit me to request you and your five hundred disciples to come here for your meal again tomorrow.” Citra Mounted on an Elephant assented to his wife by his silence. The next day she offered food to one hundred and fifty of his attendants, and on the following day she only invited one hundred. In this way the woman gradually reduced the number of his attendants, until on the last day ### [28.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.9) he was the only one to whom she offered food. Once she had offered him food, to bring him back again she began to talk about being destitute. “My lord, since you have been absent, even the servants insult me,” she said. Now, earlier she had instructed one of the young servants, “As I’m sitting there listening to the Dharma you are to summon me three times—say, ‘Get over here!’ When I come to you, grab me by the hair and beat me in sight of our lord.” So the young servant did just that. “You see, my lord?” the woman said. “They treat me this way even in your sight.” Hearing this, in an instant Citra Mounted on an Elephant was consumed with fury. In his rage he took up a sword that his wife had earlier placed on the bed, drew it from its sheath, and charged at the young servant. His wife threw herself at his feet. “Wait, lord—don’t be rash!” she pleaded. “You can punish him after you’ve given up your precepts.” So Citra Mounted on an Elephant gave back the fundamental precepts there before his wife. He cast aside the colorful robes of the holy, donned householder’s clothing, and his wife said, “I did this, lord, as a means of bringing you back. Lord, I ask therefore that you not harbor resentment against him. Lord, the household’s wealth is vast. From this day forth, lord, may you stay here and make use of it as you please, giving gifts and making merit.” When King Bimbisāra heard that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts and was in decline, the king summoned him and offered him his previous position. In the morning a group of monks donned their lower garments and Dharma robes, and, carrying their begging ### [28.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.10) bowls, went for alms in Rājagṛha. On their way for alms in Rājagṛha the group of monks heard that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts and was in decline. Upon hearing this, they took alms in Rājagṛha, ate their meal and wiped their hands. Then they set aside taking alms, put away their alms bowls and Dharma robes, washed their feet, and went to see the Blessed One. Upon their arrival they touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet and took a seat at one side. Once they had taken a seat at one side, the group of monks informed the Blessed One, “Lord, in the morning we monks donned our lower garments and Dharma robes, and, carrying our alms bowls, set out toward Rājagṛha for alms, when we monks who were making our way to Rājagṛha for alms heard, Lord, that Citra Mounted on an Elephant had given back his precepts, and was in decline.” “Monks,” the Blessed One Replied, “that noble child will not be at home for long. He will go forth in my very doctrine once again, and then cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship.” One day the Blessed One saw that the time had come to tame Citra Mounted on an Elephant. In the morning he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, he went for alms in Rājagṛha. In going for alms he eventually came to the house where Citra Mounted on an Elephant was staying and stood at the door of the house. In order to bring Citra Mounted on an Elephant back, he bathed the entire house in rays of light that gave it the appearance of refined gold, whereupon Citra Mounted on an Elephant thought, “To whom could this light ### [28.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.11) belong? There’s no doubt—it can only be the Blessed One. Wherever the Blessed One may be, may he think of me.” At that moment a messenger arrived to inform Citra Mounted on an Elephant that the Blessed One was at his door. With the greatest respect he went to see the Blessed One, and upon his arrival he touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and inquired of him, “Blessed One, what word can you grant us?” The Blessed One said to him, “Give up living at home. Come with me, and go forth in my presence once again.” From life to life the Blessed One had never contravened the words of his guru nor the words of those who were like gurus to him. For this reason no one can contravene the words of the Blessed One. Citra Mounted on an Elephant replied, “I shall do as the Blessed One has instructed,” and followed the Blessed One. The Blessed One brought him to Bamboo Grove, led him to go forth as a novice, conferred on him full ordination, and instructed him. Casting away all afflictive emotions with diligence, practice, and effort, he manifested arhatship. “Lord,” the monks asked the Blessed One, “what action did Citra Mounted on an Elephant 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?” “It came about by the power of his prayers,” replied the Blessed One. “Lord, where did he make these prayers?” ### [28.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.12) “Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “in times gone by, in a certain mountain village there lived a householder named Citra. He was prosperous and wealthy, a person of vast and magnificent means, endowed with the wealth of Vaiśravaṇa—with wealth to rival Vaiśravaṇa’s. “One day in spring the tree branches in the garden had thickened and the flowers were in bloom. Now in times when a blessed one has not arisen in the world, in compassion for the destitute and suffering the solitary buddhas appear, taking up residence in remote places. Solitary as the rhinoceros, in all the world they alone are worthy of offerings. So it was that there was a certain solitary buddha who, wishing to go for alms on that mountainside, heard the sounds of music coming from the park and thought, ‘What need is there to go out onto the mountainside for the sake of this stomach, so difficult to fill? I will go into the garden. My alms can come from there as well.’ “The solitary buddha entered the garden, where the householder saw him, elegant in body and elegant in mind. When he saw the solitary buddha, the householder experienced a surge of joy toward him. In his joy he offered him food, and said, ‘Noble one, where are you staying? Let me offer you my respectful service.’ “The solitary buddha replied, ‘I am staying at such-and-such a place, deep in the forest,’ and departed. “After that, from time to time the householder would offer him a meal and his respectful service. One day the householder went to see him and found the solitary buddha sitting beneath a tree as if asleep, legs crossed, his body drawn up like a nāga king. Upon seeing the solitary buddha living in such solitude, he felt a strong desire to go forth, so he ### [28.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.13) approached the solitary buddha, touched his head to his feet, and said, ‘Noble one, please lead me to go forth. In your presence I too wish to practice the holy life.’ “ ‘I don’t lead people to go forth,’ the solitary buddha told him. ‘The sages lead people to go forth. Therefore, take yourself to the sages.’ “When he heard this the householder immediately gave up household affairs, gave gifts and made merit, and went forth to join the sages. Having thus gone forth he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. After he had gone forth, the solitary buddha passed into parinirvāṇa. “Then the thought came to one of the sages, ‘I will go to this spiritual teacher, so supremely worthy of offerings, and offer him my respect and service. Through him I shall understand the distinctions between the higher states.’ He went to the forest but he could not find the solitary buddha. Spotting another solitary buddha there in the forest, he asked after him. “ ‘O noble one, there was a monk with such-and-such a build and bearing staying in this forest. Do you know where he went?’ “ ‘He passed into parinirvāṇa,’ the solitary buddha told him. “ ‘Where was he when he passed into parinirvāṇa?’ he asked, whereupon the solitary buddha showed him his remains. He built a reliquary stūpa for the remains and venerated it with burning sticks of incense, incense powder, incense cones, and flowers, praying, ‘Oh, by this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I please and not displease a teacher even more exalted than this. May I achieve such great virtues.’ ### [28.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.14) Having prayed thus, he departed from the region. Some time after that he died, transmigrated, and took rebirth in Brahmāloka. “O monks, what do you think? The one who was that householder then is none other than Citra Mounted on an Elephant. The act of respectfully serving the solitary buddha and saying that prayer ripened such that wherever he was born, it was into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. I am more exalted than even one hundred billion solitary buddhas, and 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 of the Blessed Buddha, “tell us why Citra Mounted on an Elephant’s wife found a means by which to indulge her desires with him.” “Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, his wife found a means by which to indulge her desires with him. Listen well! “Monks, in times gone by, during King Brahmadatta’s reign in the city of Vārāṇasī, one of King Brahmadatta’s magistrates was a certain brahmin named Agnidatta. One day his wife conceived, and later she gave birth to twins. At the elaborate feast celebrating their birth they asked, ‘What names should we give these children?’ and they named them, saying, ‘Since these are Agnidatta’s children, one’s name will be Son of Fire, and the other’s will be Tongue of Fire.’ “They reared young Son of Fire and Tongue of Fire on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and as they grew up they studied letters, ### [28.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.15) 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. Trained in these procedures, they became masters of the six types of brahminical activities, and in time they mastered the eighteen sciences. “At a certain point the two came to see that their father administrated the affairs of the kingdom both righteously and unrighteously, and an idea came to them. They thought, ‘When our father is no longer with us, we will be appointed to take over the work of our father. Therefore, we should give up living at home.’ They thus told their parents, ‘For those who fear for their next life, it is better to live deep in the forest among the wild animals, wearing tree bark for clothing and eating fruit, than to kill, bind, and torture for the sake of a kingdom.’ “ ‘Mother, Father,’ they continued, ‘we are going to live in a forest devoted to austerities.’ “Their parents asked them, ‘Children, why are you going to take up the austere practices of the sages, when after our deaths you could come and share the crown?’ “ ‘This is exactly what we are afraid of!’ the two children replied. ‘That’s why we want to go live deep in the forest. We are not capable of indulging in desire.’ “Their parents tried many times, but they were not able to stop them, so they said, ‘Go forth, then. And should you achieve any special attainments, ### [28.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.16) please come see us.’ “ ‘As you wish,’ the two children replied. “The children bid a final farewell to their parents and traveled deep into the forest. After they had gone forth, they generated the four meditative states and five superknowledges. One day they remembered their promise to their parents that they would return to them if they achieved any special attainments. ‘Let us go, then,’ they said. They traveled through the sky and arrived before their parents. Seeing this, their parents felt a surge of joy toward them. In their joy they said, ‘The two of you desire alms. The two of us desire merit. Stay here in our garden, then, and we will offer you food.’ “ ‘As you wish,’ the two replied. “They fashioned a hut of branches and leaves and stayed there in the garden. They came to be held in high esteem and were revered, honored, and venerated. King Brahmadatta’s magistrate heard that the two children had become persons of great miracles and great power, and this immediately filled him with awe. He extended them an invitation and offered them food. After offering them food he bowed down at their feet and said, ‘Please come and see me from time to time.’ “ ‘As you wish, Deva,’ they replied. “So from time to time the two of them would travel through the sky to the royal palace and go to see King Brahmadatta. Upon their arrival King Brahmadatta ### [28.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.17) would take them from the sky into his lap and place them in their seats, and after contenting them with many good, wholesome foods he would sit before them to listen to the Dharma. “One day King Brahmadatta’s subjects who lived out in the mountains began to revolt. He arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out, telling his daughter, ‘When the two sages come you should serve and respect them in just the same way that I do.’ Having spoken thus the king departed. “Soon after, the sage Son of Fire sent the sage Tongue of Fire on an errand to the royal palace. He traveled through the sky to the royal palace, and upon the sage’s arrival the young woman received him, taking him from the sky into her lap, embracing him, and placing him in his seat. “A woman’s touch is a dangerous thing. No sooner had the woman touched the sage Tongue of Fire than his miraculous powers began to dwindle. The young woman, noting that the sage was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful, became very attached to him, and the two went off to an isolated place and slept together. When the retinue of queens heard of this, they thought, ‘If we say even a word to the sage, it’s possible the sage would use his great miracles and great power to curse us.’ Afraid, they were unable to say anything. The sage remained at the royal palace, not daring to travel by foot out of embarrassment. “Eventually King Brahmadatta returned from his victory over the mountain folk, arrived at the royal palace, and he heard that the sage Tongue of Fire had come there. The king hurried to see him and offered him many good, wholesome foods. His daughter came along, also bearing food and drink for the sage. As soon as the sage saw her he was overcome with desire. His desire for her intoxicated him, and before the king’s very eyes ### [28.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.18) he reached out, saying, ‘Take me into your arms.’ When the king saw this, he immediately took up a sharp sword to slay the sage. “Seeing this, the young woman said to the sage, ‘Preceptor, what is this? Perhaps you are confused because of some secret, pressing need, and now you are reaching your arms out?’ “King Brahmadatta thought, ‘I believe that is the case. This sage must be confused,’ and quickly offered him something to drink. Then they offered him food and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. “Now the sage Son of Fire, who was living in a forest devoted to austerities, wondered, ‘Why has the sage Tongue of Fire still not returned?’ He looked out and saw that he was spending his time indulging his desires. ‘He may now lose his life,’ he thought, so he traveled through the sky to the royal palace. “King Brahmadatta took the sage from the sky into his lap and placed him on his seat, then sat before him to listen to the Dharma. After he had explained just a little Dharma, he brought his younger brother back with him through the sky and returned him to the forest devoted to austerities. There he gave him instructions for contemplation such that he was again able to generate the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. “King Brahmadatta’s retinue of queens thought, ‘This young woman has committed such unfortunate deeds. If we do not apprise him, we too will come to regret this.’ With this in mind they told the king. When he heard what they had to say King Brahmadatta was immediately overcome with great hatred. He arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out to where the sages lived. “The sage Tongue of Fire saw that King Brahmadatta had set out with the four divisions of his army and that they were on their way. ### [28.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.19) ‘Why would he come here?’ he wondered, and looking out, he thought, ‘He wants to kill me!’ Knowing this to be the case, he rose up into the sky and sat there to instill faith in the king. King Brahmadatta saw that the sage Tongue of Fire had risen up into the sky and was just sitting there, and at the sight of him his fury disappeared, and he became uncertain as to whether or not the man had done as he had heard. “ ‘Well then,’ he thought, and he said in verse: “ ‘I heard, brahmin Tongue of Fire, You indulged your desires. Tell me— Were these words true? Or is this Something you did not do?’ “He answered in verse: “ ‘Great King, all that you have heard Others say of me is true. I staggered down an awful path, Drunk on a swig of lust.’ “At that, King Brahmadatta began to feel doubt. He approached the sage Son of Fire and asked him, ‘Sage, tell me, why would I hear such things?’ “ ‘Great King,’ the sage replied, ‘it may indeed be true in exactly the way you heard, for the afflictive emotions are overpowering.’ “ ‘But how can it be that he indulged his desires in this way and yet is still possessed of these miraculous powers?’ the king asked. “ ‘Great King,’ the sage replied, ‘when he indulged his desires his miraculous powers dwindled. I brought him away from that place and gave him instructions, teaching him a method of contemplation. Later he began to perform miracles again.’ “Hearing this the king felt a surge of joy toward him. He bowed down at the sage’s feet, asked his forgiveness, and departed. “O monks, what do you think? I am the one who was that sage then and lived the life of a bodhisattva. The one who was my younger brother then is none other than Citra Mounted on an Elephant. ### [28.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28.20) The one who was the young woman then is none other than his wife. At that time he fell from the celibate state and began to indulge his desires until I lifted him up again and placed him in the four meditative states and five superknowledges. Now as well he has fallen from the celibate state and indulged his desires, and I have lifted him up and established him in the unsurpassed, supreme welfare of nirvāṇa. “He also went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. After practicing pure conduct all his life then, his faculties ripened, and now he has been liberated.” The Story of Saraṇa When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, King Pradyota reigned in Ujjayinī, and King Udayana reigned in Vatsa. The two did not agree with one another, and from time to time a great many people were killed. When Venerable Kātyāyanaputra cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship, he thought, “The Blessed One has dispelled so many kinds of suffering and anguish, brought me so many kinds of happiness and bliss, cleared away so many of my sins and nonvirtues, and secured for me such virtues. After I entrusted myself to the Blessed Buddha as my spiritual friend, he led me over the mountain pass of bones and dried up an ocean of blood and tears. How could I repay the Blessed One’s kindness?” And then he thought, “Anytime a blessed buddha arises in the world, ## Linked texts (1) - [ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo.28.1) — Classical Tibetan --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.28) · Pramāṇa