法句譬喻經 12.p1

12.p1

In days of old, when Buddha was residing at Śrāvastī, there was to the south-east of that country, in the mid-ocean, a certain islet (a mound, or fort, or look-out), on the top of which was a tree that bare beautiful scented flowers. In the same spot dwelt five hundred women of the Brahman caste, wholly devoted to their worldly duties, ignorant that there was a Buddha born in the world. Now these women were in the habit of conversing together on the unhappiness of their worldly condition, and in consequence they used to go to the tree that surmounted their abode, and pluck the flowers and offer them to Brahmā-deva, with the prayer that they might escape the power of Yama, and be born in heaven (Brahma-heaven). Now Buddha, perceiving their case, and knowing that they had the capacity of being converted, suddenly transported himself with his followers to their place of abode, and then came and sat down near them. The women seeing the wonderful sight, were lost in amazement, and exclaimed, “Brahmā himself has come to answer our prayers!” But on this a certain Deva answered them, and said, “This is not Brahmā, but the World-honoured Buddha, who has come to save the world.” On this the women bowed down in reverence, and addressed Buddha in these words—"We, indeed, are but women, much polluted, yet we desire, above all things, to escape the power of Yama, and to be born in the highest heaven;” to whom Buddha replied, “May you, indeed, obtain your desire! But there are two things in the world which are immutably fixed—that good actions bring happiness, and bad actions result in misery. But (it is not generally known that) the joys of heaven as well as the sorrows of earth are both to be avoided. Who, then, is able to pluck and to hold the true joy of perfect rest (the rest of non-action)? Truly ye have understanding, O women!” and therefore he recited these gāthas: