分別功德論 5.19

5.19

真淨王有三弟，最小弟名誤淨，有小兒年四歲。時真淨王在正殿上坐，會諸群臣。王自惟曰：「我兒不出家者，我應當作聖王。我兒。既生，應當為聖王，然復出家去，我何用是天冠為？」即脫天冠著地，有應作者便作。諸臣愁悒各無歡心。時釋王小兒在前遊行，見地天冠，即舉著頭上坐地，以左手拄肩，右手摩捋髭鬚。王與諸臣驚怪所以。王曰：「此小兒天使其然，或能作聖王。我兒聖王相盡在此兒許，故使其然耳。」眾臣僉然曰：「或能如王所言。」王念曰：「悉達既出家。」又見小兒之相，即自廢王位。乃經八年，聞悉達以成佛，度三迦葉師徒得千比丘，并優波提舍、拘律陀師徒二百五十人，合千二百五十比丘，從摩竭國欲還至釋翅舍，先遣優陀夷白還消息。真淨聞之歡喜踊躍，即還著天冠，平治道路、掃灑燒香以待如來。如來既至，王見諸比丘，雖復心精無表容貌。「當選諸釋五百人姿容可者出為沙門侍從世尊。」釋王比丘最在其先。時佛在精舍大眾之中，告諸比丘，普論種姓所以豪貴意。時真淨王來至眾中，向釋王比丘禮。諸眾皆怪所以。佛知此意，欲解眾疑，故問王曰：「何以禮此比丘？」答曰：「所以禮者，以此比丘有二事勝我。夫天有三：一日舉天、二日生天、三日清淨天。我正有舉天，此比丘有生天、有清淨天。所以言生天，以年四歲時，舉吾天冠著己頭上。自然生意，無有與者，故曰生天。清淨天者，今已漏盡結解，無復塵垢，故曰清淨天也。以是二事勝我，故為作禮耳。」以是因緣，知釋王比丘豪族第一也。

King Śuddhodana had three younger brothers, the youngest of whom was named Wujing, who had a small son four years of age. At that time, King Śuddhodana was seated in the main palace hall, holding an assembly of his ministers. The king reflected to himself: "If my son had not gone forth, I should have become a cakravartin. When my son was born, he should have become a cakravartin, yet he went forth; what use have I for this heavenly crown?" He immediately took off the heavenly crown and set it on the ground, saying: "Let whoever should take it, take it." The ministers were all dejected and none felt joy. At that time, the young son of the Śākya king was playing in front of them; seeing the heavenly crown on the ground, he immediately picked it up, placed it on his head, sat on the ground, propped his shoulder with his left hand, and stroked his whiskers with his right hand. The king and ministers were astonished and wondered why this was. The king said: "A god has caused this small boy to do this; perhaps he will become a cakravartin. All of my son's marks of a cakravartin are found in this child, and that is why he was made to do this." The ministers all agreed, saying: "It may well be as the king says." The king thought: "Since Siddhārtha has gone forth..." and seeing the boy's marks, he abdicated the throne. Eight years later, he heard that Siddhārtha had attained Buddhahood, had converted the three Kāśyapa teachers and their disciples—amounting to one thousand monks—together with Upatisya, Kolita, and their disciples—two hundred and fifty people—totaling one thousand two hundred and fifty monks, and that they wished to return from the country of Magadha to Kapilavastu, sending Udāyin ahead to announce the news of their return. Hearing this, Śuddhodana leaped for joy; he put the heavenly crown back on, smoothed the roads, swept and sprinkled water, and burned incense to await the Tathāgata. When the Tathāgata arrived, the king saw the monks, whose minds, though concentrated, had no outward show of countenance. [He thought:] "I should select five hundred Śākyas of pleasing appearance to go forth as śramaṇas to attend upon the World-Honoured One." The monk King of the Śākyas was foremost among them. At that time, the Buddha was in the vihāra amidst the great assembly, addressing the monks and generally discussing why lineages are regarded as noble. Just then King Śuddhodana arrived in the assembly and bowed down to the monk King of the Śākyas. The assembly all wondered why this was. The Buddha knew their thoughts, and wishing to resolve the doubts of the assembly, asked the king: "Why do you bow to this monk?" He replied: "The reason I bow is that this monk surpasses me in two things. There are three kinds of gods: first, nominal gods; second, gods by birth; third, pure gods. I have only nominal godhood; this monk has both godhood by birth and pure godhood. The reason he is called a god by birth is that at the age of four, he lifted my heavenly crown and placed it on his own head. This arose spontaneously from his mind, without anyone giving it to him; hence he is called a god by birth. As for a pure god, he has now exhausted the outflows and untied the fetters, free of any defilement; hence he is called a pure god. Because he surpasses me in these two things, I bow to him." By this circumstance it is known that the monk King of the Śākyas is foremost in illustrious lineage.