分別功德論 5.19

5.19

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.