[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) › 2 # ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 2 The Hundred Deeds 2 - **Language:** English ### [2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.2) As 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 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, 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 the child fell ill and his spine was made to curve by a disorder of his vital energies. As soon as they saw this condition his parents became very upset and though they brought healers and provided for all his needs, he could not be healed. The thought came to the householder, “No healer has been able to heal this child. But the objects of my veneration are so miraculous and powerful that if I pray to them now, they might be able to make my child’s back straight like before.” With this in mind he invited six teachers—Pūraṇa Kāśyapa and the rest—and by his own hand he contented them with many different kinds of good, wholesome food. Then he bowed down at their feet and beseeched them, “What could there be, past, present, or future, that does not come under your purview? My child’s spine has been made to curve by a disorder of his vital energies. I ask you, please heal my child.” But though they gave him mantras and medicines, they were not able to heal him. ### [2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.3) The householder had a close friend, a Buddhist lay vow holder, who advised him, “My friend, why do you seek refuge in those who are not a refuge? Take refuge in the Blessed Buddha, and he will do all manner of good things for you.” “What does he know?” the householder asked. “He is omniscient. He knows everything,” replied the lay vow holder. When he heard this, the householder felt immense joy and approached the Blessed Buddha. When he arrived, he touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One taught him the Dharma particularly suited to him, then sat in silence. Once the Blessed One had completed his teaching, the householder rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, and implored the Blessed One, “Please permit me to request that the Blessed One and the saṅgha of monks take your meal at my house tomorrow.” The Blessed One assented to the householder by his silence. Understanding that by his silence the Blessed One had given his assent, the householder then praised this assurance from the Blessed One, rejoiced, bowed down at his feet, and departed. After preparing many good, wholesome foods that night, in the morning the householder rose, prepared seats, filled the water pots, and set them out. Then he reminded the Blessed One that it was time for the midday meal by sending a message that said, “My lord, the midday meal is upon us. Know that the time has come, Blessed One, and your presence is requested.” That morning the Blessed One donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, ### [2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.4) and, carrying his alms bowl, he set out surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks. As they arrived at the householder’s reception room, the householder’s son saw the Blessed Buddha from a distance. The body of the Blessed Buddha, graced and resplendent with the thirty-two signs of a great person, looked like it was on fire, like a tongue of fire 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. Upon seeing the Blessed Buddha, the householder’s son was filled with supreme joy, for beings who have gathered the roots of virtue to see a buddha for the first time experience such rapture as is not to be had even by those who practice calm abiding meditation for twelve years. Filled with such supreme joy at the sight of him, the child respectfully and deliberately stood up from his seat. No sooner had he risen from his seat than his curving spine became straight as before, and he was filled with even more joy toward the Blessed One. Full of joy, he approached him, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, kissed them, and said, “Blessed One, what a difficult task you have done for me! Sugata, what a difficult task you have done for me!” Then the Blessed One took his place on the seat prepared for him amid the saṅgha of monks. Once the householder knew that the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks were comfortably seated, by his own hand he contented them with many good, wholesome foods, ### [2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.5) proffering all that they wished. Having by his own hand contented them with many different kinds of good, wholesome food, proffering all that they wished, once he knew that the Blessed One had finished eating and that his bowl had been taken away and his hands washed, he sat before the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One directly apprehended the thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperament, and nature of the householder and his retinue, and taught them the Dharma accordingly. Hearing it, the householder, his retinue, and the child 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. After the Blessed One had established them in the truths and instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted the householder with a discourse on the Dharma, he rose from his seat and departed. One day the young man thought, “The Blessed One has dispelled so many kinds of suffering and anguish, brought me so much happiness and bliss, cleared away so many of my sins and nonvirtues, and secured for me such virtues. Let me give up living at home and, in the presence of the Blessed One, go forth to practice the holy life.” Reflecting in this way, he asked for his parents’ permission and approached the Blessed One. He touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and made this request of him: “Lord, if appropriate, I wish to go forth in the Dharma and Vinaya so well spoken and achieve full ordination as a monk. In the presence of the Blessed One, I too wish to practice the holy life.” ### [2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.6) “Come, join me, monk!” replied the Blessed One. “Practice the holy life.” As soon as the Blessed One had finished speaking there they stood, alms bowl and water pitcher in hand, with but a week’s worth of hair and beard, and with the deportment of a monk who had been ordained for one hundred years.³⁸ As it is said: Garbed in robes, with shaven heads, And senses stilled by Buddha’s will— From the very moment the One Thus Gone Spoke to them, saying, “Come, join me.” Thereupon the Blessed One instructed him, and, 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. The monks inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, what action did he take that ripened into his birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth? What action did he take that ripened into his spine becoming curved, that after he entrusted himself to the Blessed One his spine became straight like before, and 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?” ### [2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.7) “Monks,” the Blessed One recounted, “such are the actions that this monk 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, there lived a certain householder in the city of Vārāṇasī. “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 twins. At the elaborate feast celebrating their birth they named them according to their clan. They reared them on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and when the twins grew up, having found faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, they asked for their parents’ permission and went forth as novices in the Buddha Kāśyapa’s doctrine. “When he conferred full ordination on them, their preceptor asked, ‘Children, the doctrine of the Blessed One is carried upon two wheels. These two wheels are the wheel of meditation and the wheel of recitation. Which will the two of you undertake?’ “ ‘For the time being we will put our efforts into recitation. Later we will meditate,’ they replied. “Their preceptor responded, ‘Do as you please,’ and, for the time being, he had them recite. “The younger of the two was very wild inside, whereas the other was stable. One day after their recitation, as the stable, older one was sleeping, the wild one ### [2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.8) dropped heavy objects on him over and over again, until he said, ‘Venerable one, please stop hurting me again and again!’ But the wild one did not heed his words. Instead he got angry. To hurt his brother he hefted a nearby brick and let it fall. Then the wild one, who had already attacked and bashed his brother with heavy objects, threw a brick at his back and broke the base of his spine, causing him tremendous pain. “Suddenly the younger one saw his brother’s body in tremendous pain, and it caused him great distress. He thought, ‘It was a mistake for me to do such a senseless thing.’ Feeling remorse, he brought healers, provided for all his needs, and tended to his elder brother’s condition. Before long his back had healed. “By the time the elder brother had healed, he had become disillusioned with saṃsāra. He thought, ‘What is the use of this body—it’s rotten to the core!’ Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, he manifested arhatship. “The younger brother realized what his brother had accomplished, felt tremendous joy for him, and served him with respect. He likewise served the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, practiced pure conduct all his life, and at the time of his death prayed, ‘While I may not have attained any great virtues, because I have offered such service to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and practiced pure conduct all my life, 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 Uttara, the young brahmin prophesied by the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa to be the next blessed buddha. ### [2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.9) Going forth in his doctrine alone, may I cast away all afflictive emotions and manifest arhatship. And may the act of harming such a pure being not return to me. Should the results of that action ripen for me, may the Blessed One cure my injured body and mind.’ “O monks, what do you think? The one who went forth in the teaching of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa then is none other than this monk. The act of breaking the base of his elder brother’s spine in anger ripened such that wherever he was born, his spine was broken. After that he prayed, ‘Should the results of that action ripen to me, may the Blessed One cure my injured body and mind.’ And so it is that I have now protected him from both of these injuries. The act of praying, ‘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,’ 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 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, ### [2.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.10) gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship.” The Second Story About “The Person with a Curving Spine” When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there was a nun named Sthūlanandā who lived at a nunnery called The Royal Garden. One day she thought, “All of the elder sisters who are śrāvakās that have achieved miraculous powers use their powers to travel east to Videha, north to Kurava, west to Godānīya, and to the celestial realm of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. They travel to valleys that are prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated, where the harvest is good, and they return with many good, wholesome foods to eat. “If I attain such magical powers, I too will go from here east to Videha, north to Kurava, west to Godānīya, and to the celestial realm of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. And I will also travel to valleys that are prosperous, flourishing, happy, and well populated, where the harvest is good, and will return with many good, wholesome foods to eat. Let me too develop magical powers!” She continued, thinking, “Who is there that can show me how to perform miracles? I could pay a visit to the nuns, but they are very jealous, so they will not show me the path of miracles. It is difficult for our requests to reach the ears of the monks. If I can’t so much as speak to those staying at the monastery, how can I ask them to show me the path of miracles? “Ah! But if I go see the Band of Six—they are my relatives, and they always wish me well and pray that my aims will be fulfilled—they ### [2.11](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.11) can show me the path of miracles. What should I do? First I shall treat them well, and ply them with material things. After that I can make my request to them.” With this in mind, she extended an invitation to them, and by her own hand contented them with many good, wholesome foods, proffering all that they wished. Then she bowed down at their feet and said, “Noble ones, I wish to perform miracles, and you are accomplished in showing others the path of miracles. I request your instruction in the path of miracles. Through your power I shall begin to perform miracles.” The Band of Six asked her, “Sthūlanandā, have you not heard this verse? ‘Secret lore should not be shared; Rather, take it to your grave. Only barter lore for lore, Great wealth, or reverent service.’ “Nevertheless, if you wish to learn the practice of miracles from us, first you must host us for three months. Then to each of us you must give six different kinds of goods.” She bowed down at their feet and said, “Please, instruct me in the path of miracles, and I will do this.” “Elder sister,” said the Band of Six, “first take care to make your body light. Then, with practice, one day you will have no difficulty with miracles.” “What should I do to make my body light?” she asked. “For a while you have to eat very little,” they told her. “After that, on the first day, climb onto a small chair and jump down from it. The next day, stack two chairs and climb up on them and jump down. In the same way, from the third day on up to the seventh day, stack one chair upon another, then climb up and jump down. Then, in the same way, ### [2.12](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.12) leap from the second story of a building. At that time, due to your practice, your body will have become light, and after that, due to your practice, you will accomplish miracles.” As soon as she heard this, Sthūlanandā began to follow their instructions just as they had said. But on the seventh day, she climbed up on the stack of seven chairs, jumped down, and broke her hip. She said to the Band of Six, “Noble ones, look what happened to me. Now what should I do?” “We showed you what we know,” replied the Band of Six. Once this method has made your body light, one day you will perform miracles without difficulty. The rest is up to you.” When she heard this she was consumed with fury, and she lashed out at all those who came to the nunnery. Brimming with malice, she drove them away from the nunnery with her insults. Those to whom she told her story scolded and blamed her. The monks heard it, and they inquired of the Blessed One, “Lord, tell us why Bhikṣuṇī Sthūlanandā abased herself for the sake of miraculous powers, acting as host for the three months of winter, even portioning out much of her alms and Dharma robes, but did not attain miraculous powers.” “Not only now,” the Blessed One explained, “but in times past as well, and in the same way, the Band of Six deceived the nun Sthūlanandā and she did not attain her goal. Listen well! “Monks, in times gone by, during King Brahmadatta’s reign in the city of Vārāṇasī, there were certain carpenters at work building for the king a palatial home on the grounds of the royal palace. They would ### [2.13](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.13) mark the crooked beams with a carpenter’s cord, then plane them down until they were straight. “One of the king’s treasurers was a woman with a crooked spine. As she was watching the carpenters mark and straighten all the crooked beams she thought, ‘These carpenters are highly skilled. If they can straighten such rough, crooked beams, they will surely be able to straighten my smooth body as well! How could they not?’ “She went to them and asked, ‘Can you straighten my curving spine?’ “ ‘We can,’ they replied, ‘but you have to pay us in advance. Be host to us for three months. Then give us gifts of clothing and jewelry. After that we will straighten your curving spine.’ “ ‘As you wish,’ she said. “For three months she served them good, wholesome meals. On the last day, she gave them clothing and jewelry and said, ‘There, I have given you gifts. Now you must straighten my curving spine.’ “ ‘Elder sister,’ they replied, ‘after we mark our crooked beams with a cord, we plane them down to straighten them. We can mark your back with a cord and pare it straight with an axe, if you can bear the pain.’ “ ‘That technique will kill me. I won’t survive!’ she cried. “ ‘That’s all we know,’ the carpenters replied. ‘The rest is up to you.’ She fell silent in embarrassment and dismay. To speak to anyone was more than she could bear. “O monks, what do you think? The one who was the old woman then is none other than Sthūlanandā. Those who ### [2.14](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.14) were the carpenters then are none other than the Band of Six. They deceived her then, and she did not accomplish her aims. Now they have deceived her once again, and she has not performed any miracles.” The Story of Udayin When the Blessed One was in Rājagṛha, Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, who had cast away all afflictions and manifested arhatship, thought, “The Blessed One has dispelled so many kinds of suffering and anguish, brought me many kinds of happiness and bliss, cleared away so many of my sins and nonvirtues, and secured for me such virtues. How could I repay the Blessed One’s kindness?” Then it occurred to him, “Anytime a buddha arises in the world, it is only to benefit beings. There’s no doubt that I too should act for the benefit of beings!” With this in mind, he wondered, “Whom might I tame?” He saw that he could tame many in Kauśāmbī, so after staying in Rājagṛha for as long as he liked, he donned his lower garment and Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, went to Kauśāmbī for alms. He eventually arrived at Kauśāmbī, where he stayed in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila. Now this monk was also a person of great merit, and was widely known for having gone from being a son of the royal family priest to being a monk. Many people in Kauśāmbī had heard that Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja was traveling through the countryside and had now come to the city of Kauśāmbī, where he was staying in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila. Upon hearing this they gathered—group after group and elder after elder—and convened in Kauśāmbī. They approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, and upon their arrival ### [2.15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.15) they gathered together, bowed down at Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. Then Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, directly apprehending their thoughts, habitual tendencies, temperaments, and natures, taught them the Dharma accordingly. As soon as they heard it, some of the inhabitants of Kauśāmbī who had gathered there generated heat. Some generated the peak, or generated the patience in accord with the truths, or generated the highest worldly dharma, or generated the attainment of seeing, right where they sat. Some manifested the resultant state of stream entry. Some manifested the resultant state of once-return. Some manifested the resultant state of non-return. Some went forth and manifested arhatship. Some sowed the seeds to become universal monarchs, some to become great universal monarchs, some to become Indra, some to become Brahmā, some for the enlightenment of the listeners, some for the enlightenment of the solitary buddhas, and some for unexcelled, total, and complete enlightenment. Among the assembled, most found themselves drawn to the Buddha, intent on the Dharma, and favoring the Saṅgha. Having seen the truths, they rose from their seats, drew down the right shoulder of their upper garments, bowed toward Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with palms pressed together, and beseeched him, “After we entrusted ourselves to you, noble one, you lifted us up from among the hell beings, animals, and anguished spirits. Leading us to live among the gods and humans, you dried up the ocean of blood and tears and led us over the mountain pass of bones to cast away all the afflictive emotions to which we have been accustomed since beginningless time. ### [2.16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.16) Noble one, for as long as we live, please accept from us your provisions of clothing, food, bedding, a seat, and medicines for the sick.” “Friends,” replied Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, “there are other householders I must help as well. Please allow me to go.” The inhabitants of Kauśāmbī who had gathered there rejoiced at what Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had said to them, touched their heads to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and departed. From time to time those who had seen the truths would visit Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja and listen to the Dharma. One day, as those living in Kauśāmbī were gathering together—group after group and elder after elder—King Udayin of Vatsa arrayed the four divisions of his army³⁹ and set out to hunt deer. When King Udayin of Vatsa saw the assembly of those living in Kauśāmbī going to the garden of the householder Ghoṣila, he immediately asked his ministers, “Where are these country folk going?” “Deva,” the ministers replied, “the child of your family priest, the one called Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, has cast aside the royal concerns of home and crown and gone forth. He has now made his way through the countryside to Kauśāmbī, where he is staying in the garden of the householder Ghoṣila. It is him they are traveling to see.” As soon as he heard this, the king declared, “For a long time he has pleased me and been dear to my heart, and it is my duty to pay tribute to a preceptor. I will also go to see him and pay him respect.” They went to the householder Ghoṣila’s garden, but the elder monk did not receive the king, nor did he so much as stand. When the king saw this, ### [2.17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.17) he was instantly consumed with fury. Seething with anger, he paid respect to the elder monk and then departed. He said to his ministers, “Behold the renunciant Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, the child of the country’s royal family priest! He saw me, but he would not receive me—he wouldn’t so much as stand!” To this his hateful ministers replied, “Deva, even though he saw you, he did not receive you, nor did he so much as stand! Such behavior is inappropriate.” The king was heartbroken about this, and it made him extremely unhappy. After hunting deer with his army, he returned to the area of the monastery in anger, thinking, “Now I am going to go see that monk again. When he sees me, if he does not receive me properly—if he does not so much as stand—I shall lop off his head and throw it away!” With this in mind, he entered the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. Now Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja heard that King Udayin of Vatsa was on the way to see him, and as soon as he did, he thought, “Why is King Udayin coming to see me again?” And he saw that the king was thinking, “If that monk fails to receive me properly upon sight—if he refuses even to stand—I shall lop off his head and toss it to the ground!” Knowing the king’s thoughts, he rose from meditation and took six steps to receive him. As soon as he did so, the king’s air of splendor disappeared and a fissure appeared in the earth. The king saw this and was immediately afraid. “This monk is a person of great miracles and great power,” he thought. “As I was approaching him with spiteful thoughts, through his power my splendor disappeared and the earth split open.” Sure of this, he approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, bowed down at his feet, ### [2.18](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.18) and said, “Noble one, please forgive my childish, deluded, uncouth blunder.” “Great King, I forgive you, but you must ask forgiveness of your own mind,” the elder monk replied. “Lord, won’t my kingdom fall now? Won’t I lose my life?” asked the king. “Never fear, Great King, never fear!” replied the elder monk. “Your kingdom will not fall, nor will you lose your life. However, Great King, my taking six steps to receive you will cause you to lose your kingdom for six months. Then, after six months have passed, you will regain your kingdom. Furthermore, Great King, you must feel joy toward me. For as soon as you feel joy toward me, you will prevent your fall into the earth, and your air of splendor will return.” As soon as he heard this, the king felt joy toward the elder monk, and as soon as he felt this joy, his air of splendor returned and the fissure in the earth closed up. At that moment the king again felt a surge of joy toward the elder monk. Filled with such joy, he touched his head to the elder monk’s feet and departed. One day King Udayin of Vatsa again arrayed the four divisions of his army and set out to hunt deer. They saw a deer and approached it, with the army on one side and the king on the other. But on his way through the wilderness the king was separated from his army and became disoriented. He wandered into a cattle pen and, not recognizing anyone or being recognized by anyone, he went mad, and remained there in the cattle pen for six months. His children, ministers, and attendants all went looking for him, but were unable to find him. They returned to the royal palace wondering, “What shall we do now if we don’t find him? Where will we go?” ### [2.19](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.19) And they sat in silence.⁴⁰ Six months later someone recognized the king and asked, “Deva, what are you doing here?” Coming to his senses, the king related to the cowherds all that had taken place. “Take heart, Deva,” the cowherds told him. “We shall bring you to the royal palace.” The cowherds set out for Kauśāmbī with the king traveling separately behind them. After six months had passed, a minister named The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic remembered which direction the king had gone, and thought, “We must search for him. If we find him alive, he will carry on his reign. If not—if something went wrong—then we shall put his child on the throne.” With this in mind, they organized the four divisions of the army. As they searched the villages, towns, cities, kingdom, and royal palaces, The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic saw King Udayin of Vatsa from a distance. Delighted to see him, he approached the king, inquired after his health, and asked him, “Deva, where did you go?” whereupon King Udayin of Vatsa related the story in detail. “Deva,” said The Son of Enveloped in the Darkness of Logic, “it is all just as Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja prophesied.” Hearing this, the king felt a surge of joy toward the elder monk and thought, “For now let me put off returning to the city. I will go and pay respect to Noble Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja.” With this in mind he bypassed Kauśāmbī and went to the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. He traveled as far as he could by vehicle, then descended from his vehicle and continued to the garden on foot. There he approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja, ### [2.20](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.20) bowed down at his feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The elder monk taught him a Dharma particularly suited to him. When Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had completed his discourse, King Udayin of Vatsa rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with his palms together, and implored him, “Noble one, please permit me to request you and the saṅgha of monks to take your food at my house for seven days.” Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja assented by his silence. Understanding that by his silence Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja had given his assent, King Udayin of Vatsa rose from his seat, bowed down at Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja’s feet, and departed. Once he had contented Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja and his retinue with many good, wholesome foods for seven days, at the end of the last day he offered each of them a set of robes fashioned from cotton and then sat before them to listen to the Dharma. Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them with a discourse on the Dharma particularly suited to them. After he had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted them, he rose from his seat and departed. One day the Blessed One, having stayed in Rājagṛha for as long as he liked, donned his Dharma robes, and, carrying his alms bowl, set out for Kauśāmbī, surrounded and escorted by an assembly of monks. He made his way through the countryside until he arrived in Kauśāmbī, where he stayed in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. ### [2.21](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.21) King Udayin of Vatsa heard that the Blessed One was traveling through the country of Vatsa⁴¹ and had arrived in Kauśāmbī, where he was staying in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. Hearing this, he approached the Blessed One, touched his head to the Blessed One’s feet, and took a seat at one side. Once King Udayin of Vatsa had taken a seat at one side, the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with a discourse on the Dharma. After he had instructed, encouraged, inspired, and delighted him with a discourse on the Dharma, he sat without speaking. Knowing that the Blessed One had completed his discourse, King Udayin of Vatsa then rose from his seat, drew down the right shoulder of his upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and said, “Please permit me to provide the Blessed One and the rest of the saṅgha of monks with provisions of clothing, food, bedding, seats, and medicines for the sick for the three months of winter.” The Blessed One assented by his silence. Understanding that by his silence the Blessed One had given his assent, King Udayin of Vatsa then provided for all their needs there in the householder Ghoṣila’s garden. After respectfully providing for all the needs of the Buddha and the rest of the saṅgha of monks for three months, he offered the Blessed One very costly food on the last day. Then he offered each of the other monks a set of cotton robes, and they departed. From time to time he approached the Blessed One to listen to the Dharma. ### [2.22](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.22) After hearing the Dharma from the Blessed One, he always made a point of going to offer his respectful service to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja. When the monks saw him, they became suspicious. “Why should this king make a point of going to offer such respectful service to Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja?” they wondered. Then they heard the story in detail. After they heard it, they asked the Blessed One, “Lord, tell us why King Udayin of Vatsa approached Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja with spiteful thoughts, which caused his air of splendor to disappear, and just as he was about to fall into a narrow fissure, his mind again became filled with joy and his splendor returned, and the narrow fissure closed up as well.” “Not only now, monks,” the Blessed One explained, “but this happened in times past as well, and in the same way, during King Meru’s reign in the city called Flourishing Rice. 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. His was a reign in accord with the Dharma, and he treated the kingdom like a beloved only child. “When the time came for the king’s family priest to marry, he took a wife, and they enjoyed themselves and coupled. As 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 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, brahminical customs and conduct, the syllables oṁ and bho, ### [2.23](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.23) ritual purity, ritual actions, the collection of ashes, the holding of 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, he became a master of the six types of brahminical activities, and in time he mastered the eighteen sciences. “He came to see that his father administrated the affairs of the kingdom both righteously and unrighteously. Recognizing this he thought, ‘After my father dies, I shall rule the kingdom without a crown. Let me then give up living at home and go to live in the forest.’ Reflecting in this way, he asked for his parents’ permission and went to live in the forest. There he generated the four meditative states and the five superknowledges. “One day he went to the royal palace in the city of Flourishing Rice. Upon his arrival in the park his father fashioned him a hut of branches and leaves, and began to provide for all his needs. Many people would come from time to time to see him and to listen to the Dharma. “Then one day King Meru arrayed the four divisions of the army and set out to hunt deer. The king saw many people entering the park, and he asked, ‘Where are all these people going?’ “ ‘Deva,’ his ministers replied, ‘the child of the royal family priest not only has gone forth, but is a person of great miracles and great power as well. They are all going to see him.’ “Thereupon the king thought, ‘He pleases me and is dear to my heart, and it is my duty to pay tribute to a preceptor. I will also go and see him.’ The king went to see the sage. But upon seeing the king, the sage did not receive him, nor did he so much as stand. “When the king saw this, ### [2.24](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.24) he was suddenly consumed with fury. ‘This is the child of my family priest! When I arrive, he does not receive me—he does not so much as stand! I shall have his head!’ he thought, and no sooner had he thought this than the air of splendor surrounding the king’s body disappeared, and a fissure appeared in the earth and he began to sink into it. “Seeing this, the king was suddenly afraid. ‘This sage is a person of great miracles and great power,’ he thought. Reflecting on this, he was filled with great joy, and he bowed down at the sage’s feet and asked his forgiveness. “ ‘Great King,’ replied the sage, ‘though I forgive you, you must ask forgiveness of your own mind.’ “In fear the king asked the sage, ‘But, sage, won’t my kingdom fall now? Won’t I lose my life?’ “ ‘Never fear, Great King, never fear!’ said the sage. ‘Your kingdom will not fall, and you will not lose your life. However, Great King, it is because of your spiteful thoughts toward me that your air of splendor disappeared and the earth cracked open. Great King, as soon as you again feel joy toward me, your air of splendor will return.’ As soon as he heard this, the king felt joy toward the sage, and as soon as he felt this joy, his air of splendor returned and the crack in the earth closed up. “O monks, what do you think? The one who was the sage then is none other than Venerable Piṇḍola­bhāradvāja. The one who was King Meru then is none other than King Udayin of Vatsa. At that time, as soon as he had spiteful thoughts toward the elder monk, his air of splendor disappeared and the earth cracked open, and as soon as he felt joy toward him, his aura of splendor returned and the fissure in the earth closed up. And again, recently he had spiteful thoughts toward him, his splendor disappeared, ### [2.25](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.25) and the earth cracked open. But no sooner did he feel joy toward him then his aura of splendor returned, and the crack in the earth closed up.” Victory Banner When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī there was a king named Brahmadatta who reigned in the city of Vārāṇasī. His 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. His was a reign in accord with the Dharma, and he treated the kingdom like a beloved only child. One day the queen 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 her birth they asked, “What name should we give this child?” And they named her, saying, “Since she is both the child of the king of Kāśi and very beautiful, her name will be Kāśisundarī (Beauty of Kāśi).” Kāśisundarī had eight nurses—two nurses to hold her in their laps, two wet nurses, two nurses to bathe her, and two nurses to play with her. These eight nurses reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake. As she grew up she became versed in the arts. She found faith in the doctrine of the Blessed One, and having asked for her parents’ permission, she offered her service to the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha. When she had grown people said, “This daughter of the king of Kāśi is well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful—in all the world there’s none like her,” and her fame spread far and wide. Now there were six neighboring kings who were shot with arrows of lust upon hearing this, ### [2.26](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.26) and they all sent envoys to Brahmadatta, the king of Kāśi, bearing the message, “Please give your daughter to me.” When he heard this, King Brahmadatta immediately sat and reflected. “If I give my daughter to one of them,” he thought, “the others will become my enemies. To whom then should I give her?” In light of this he did not want to give her to anyone. One day the six neighboring kings thought, “He will not give his daughter to any of us of his own free will. Therefore we must go and take her away by force.” With this in mind, on the same day they all armored the four divisions of their armies and went to Vārāṇasī, where they surrounded the entire perimeter of the city. Then King Brahmadatta, realizing that the enemy armies were a threat to him, climbed to the roof of the palace. There he sat and brooded with his cheek resting on his palm, wondering, “What shall I do now?” Kāśisundarī came to the roof of the palace, where she found her father sitting with his cheek resting on his palm, and asked him, “Father, why have you come to the roof of the palace to brood with your cheek resting on your palm?” “It is because of you, my child,” said the king. “Is my appearance so poor, father?” the young woman asked. “Why should my father sit and brood because of me?” “My child,” replied the king, “it is because your every limb is endowed with beauty that I sit and brood, and it is because of you that the six quarreling neighboring kings have arrayed the four divisions of their armies and advanced on Vārāṇasī, surrounding the city in siege.” “Can a daughter not choose a spouse for herself, father?” Kāśisundarī wondered. “A daughter may choose,” said the king. “Father,” the young woman said, ### [2.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.27) “please permit me to choose my own spouse.” “Oh child,” he replied, “please wait for me to inform the neighboring kings.” King Brahmadatta told the neighboring kings, “Kāśisundarī shall make her own choice regarding a spouse. Therefore I ask that you accept her decision.” At this they all thought, “Kāśisundarī will not forsake one such as me to choose another,” and replied, “She will not err—let her choose her husband!” The envoys went and relayed this to King Brahmadatta, and he was very pleased to hear it. After he had replied to each in turn, they cut their thumbs and swore an oath. Then on a wide and suitable place, they all built multistory structures in a long row, in which each of them sat, surrounded by their retinues, on highly ornamented lion thrones. Kāśisundarī—astride a fine mount, attended by a band of young women, and hoisting a victory banner of colored cloth—emerged from Vārāṇasī into their midst. Then she faced Ṛṣivadana, cast her bridal bouquet in the direction of the Blessed One, and crying out, “I take refuge in the Blessed Buddha!” she oriented her chariot toward Ṛṣivadana. The kings and everyone in the great crowd realized to their astonishment that they had never seen so desirable a form as the fine one before them, and they trailed behind her, saying, “Let’s see what she does!” Kāśisundarī rode as far toward Ṛṣivadana as she could by vehicle, then descended from her vehicle and continued to the garden on foot. There she approached the Blessed One, touched her head to the feet of the Blessed One, ### [2.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.28) drew down the right shoulder of her upper garment, bowed toward the Blessed One with palms pressed together, and requested, “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.” The Blessed One called Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī, and Mahā­prajāpatī Gautamī led her to go forth as a novice, conferred on her full ordination, and instructed her. Casting away all afflictive emotions through diligence, practice, and effort, she manifested arhatship. As an arhat, free from the attachments of the three realms, her mind regarded gold no differently than filth, and the palms of her hands as like space itself. She became cool like wet sandalwood. Her insight crushed ignorance like an eggshell. She achieved the insights, superknowledges, and discriminations. She had no regard for worldly profit, passion, or acclaim. She became an object of offering, veneration, and respectful address by Indra, Upendra, and the other gods. The entire crowd of people was astonished, and all of them approached the Blessed One, touched their heads to the Blessed One’s feet, and sat before him to listen to the Dharma. The Blessed One taught them the Dharma particularly suited to them, and after they heard the Dharma from the Blessed One, each of them returned home. “Blessed One,” the monks asked, “what action did Kāśisundarī take that ripened into her birth into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth; that she was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful—an unmatched figure; ### [2.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.29) and that she pleased and did not displease the Blessed One, went forth in the doctrine of the Blessed One, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship?” “It came about by the power of her prayers,” the Blessed One replied. “Lord, where did she make these prayers?” “Monks,” explained the Blessed One, “in times past, in this fortunate eon, when people lived as long as twenty thousand years and the tathāgata, the arhat, 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 Kāśyapa was in the world, there lived in the city of 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. “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, 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 her birth they named her according to their clan. They reared her on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, and milk solids, and she flourished like a lotus in a lake. “When she grew up, she found faith in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. She asked for her parents’ permission, built a monastery that was complete in every respect, offered it to Buddha Kāśyapa and the rest of the saṅgha of monks, and provided for all their needs. Then she made another request of her parents and went forth as a novice in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa. Once she had gone forth, she studied the Tripiṭaka ### [2.30](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.30) and became a proponent of the Dharma with all the eloquence of her wisdom and freedom. “Thereupon she thought, ‘I have completed my studies. Now I will put my effort into meditation.’ She received instructions for contemplation, and through her earnest practice, foregoing sleep from dusk to dawn, she developed meditative stabilization on love and there practiced pure conduct all her life. “At the time of her death she prayed, ‘I have given gifts, made merit, gone forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and practiced pure conduct all my life. By this root of virtue, wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I be well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful—an unmatched figure. 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 one who went forth as a nun in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa then is now Kāśisundarī. At that time she gave gifts, made merit, went forth in the doctrine of the totally and completely awakened Buddha Kāśyapa, and practiced pure conduct all her life. “At the time of her death she prayed, ‘Wherever I am born, may it be into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth. May I be well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful—an unmatched figure. 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 ### [2.31](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2.31) manifest arhatship.’ Those acts ripened such that she was born into a family of great means, prosperity, and wealth and was well proportioned, pleasing to the eye, and beautiful—an unmatched figure. “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 she has pleased me, not displeased me, gone forth in my very doctrine, cast away all afflictive emotions, and manifested arhatship. And her development of meditative stabilization on love ripened such that wherever she was born, her beauty was unmatched.” The Story of Kṣemā When the Blessed One was in Śrāvastī, King Prasenajit reigned in the city of Śrāvastī and King Brahmadatta reigned in Vārāṇasī. The two did not agree with one another, and from time to time a great many people were killed. One day King Brahmadatta arrayed the four divisions of his army and advanced on the kingdom of Kośala, where they made camp and stayed on the banks of the Ajiravatī River. King Prasenajit heard that King Brahmadatta had arrayed the four divisions of his army and come to the city gates to wage war, so he arrayed the four divisions of his army too and set out to wage war against Brahmadatta, King of Kāśi. They too made camp and hunkered down on the banks of the Ajiravatī River. Many on each side were slaughtered while the two armies were stationed there. Both sides were formidable and resistant to assault, and so it continued, with neither side able to defeat the other. One day as they were hunkered down there, ## Linked texts (1) - [ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo.2.2) — Classical Tibetan --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.avadana.karmasataka*bo~en-84000.2) · Pramāṇa