分別功德論 5.14

5.14

As for why the monk Mianwang is praised as having no shame in wearing poor, ragged robes: can this be called [practising] the eleven dhūtas? Some say, "No." Why is he called the foremost? This monk wore a single type of robe and never changed it his whole life. How is this known to be so? This monk was originally a son of the Śākya clan. At the time of his birth he possessed an extraordinary, divine merit. When his mother first conceived, she invited a brahmacārin to examine his physiognomy. The brahmacārin divined, "This child has the mark of a heavenly crown upon his head." Hearing this, his mother was pleased within, but feigned displeasure, thinking: "A heavenly crown is the mark of a king, yet within a single kingdom there cannot be two kings." She feared the king might harm him, and for this reason she feigned displeasure. Why she was privately pleased was that, if he truly was to be a king, he would naturally have protection, so what worry was there that he would not succeed? When the full months had passed, she gave birth to a boy, upon whose head was the shadow of a heavenly crown. She again invited the brahmacārin to give him a name. The brahmacārin said, "Upon his head is the mark of a king, and moreover he cannot be parted from this mark; he should be named Mianwang ('Face-King')." Thus his name was made Mianwang. When King Śuddhodana heard of this, his heart was gripped with sorrow: "This child has the mark of a king; in the future he will surely usurp my throne. What should be done?" If he wished to have him killed forthwith, the child had committed no crime deserving death; if he wished to leave him alone, he feared the child would surely usurp him. Vacillating in anxiety and gloom, he could find no peace. When the Buddha returned to his native kingdom, the king at that time proclaimed to the Śākyas: "Whosoever has two brothers among them, let one be sent forth to leave the household for the path and attend upon the World-Honoured One." This child, however, was an only child, and could not be sent forth to leave the household among the five hundred. For this reason the king became all the more worn with worry. At that time Mianwang was ten years of age. He reflected in his heart: "Even if one were to become a wheel-turning cakravartin, that too is impermanent, and moreover does not compare to the Śākyas who have left the household. A human body is difficult to obtain, and an age with a Buddha difficult to encounter. While encountering the age of a Buddha, I ought to leave the household." He then said to his mother, "I wish to leave the household to study the path." His mother said, "I have only you alone; if you abandon me, I shall surely die." Mianwang then petitioned Śuddhodana, saying, "I wish to leave the household. Will the king grant permission?" Śuddhodana rejoiced and said, "Most certainly!" Mianwang said, "Thinking that I am an only child, my mother has no one to whom she may be entrusted; because of this I am distressed." The king said, "If you can leave the household, I shall take your mother as my sister and share half the kingdom with her." Mianwang rejoiced, and immediately returned home to report the matter to his mother, who then gave her consent. When he was to leave the household, wearing a single piece of white cotton cloth, he went to the World-Honoured One wishing to seek the path. The World-Honoured One said, "Welcome, monk!" and he immediately became a śramaṇa. The Buddha instituted that a monk should have three robes, but this monk Mianwang merely dyed this white cotton cloth to make a kāṣāya, and used no other robe at all. He addressed the Buddha: "Your disciple wishes only to wear this single robe for the rest of his life. May the World-Honoured One grant permission." The Buddha then silently assented. From that time forth, he constantly wore this single robe. Therefore the World-Honoured One said, "Among my disciples who wear poor, ragged robes, none surpasses the monk Mianwang." Among the eight reflections of a great man, he is the foremost in having few desires and knowing contentment.