大方便佛報恩經 3.38

3.38

"At that time, when the King of Vārāṇasī arrived at the palace, he appointed her as the chief queen, titled Lady Deer-Mother (Mṛgī). The kings of smaller states, the hundred officials, and all the ministers came to pay court and offer congratulations. Seeing this, the king rejoiced in his heart. Before long, within a few days, she became pregnant. The king personally provided for the lady, ensuring that her bed, bedding, food, and drink were all delicate and soft. When the full ten months arrived, he hoped she would give birth to a son who would succeed to the royal throne. When the months were fulfilled and she gave birth, she gave birth to a single lotus flower. Through the power of the ṛṣi's curse, the king was provoked to anger, and he said: 'That she was born of a beast is indeed true!' The king immediately stripped the lady of her rank and had someone discard the lotus flower. Several days later, the King of Vārāṇasī led his ministers into the rear garden to disport and observe, playing music and having elephants, horses, and various wrestlers compete. Among them was a foremost champion wrestler who stumbled and kicked the earth with his foot; the ground shook, trembling the lotus pond. By the edge of that lotus pond was a large coral tree, and beneath the coral tree, a lotus flower sprang out and fell into the water. The flower was crimson-red and had a wondrous radiance. Seeing this flower, the king rejoiced in his heart and asked the ministers: 'Such a flower has never existed before.' He immediately sent a messenger into the pond to fetch it. The flower had a full five hundred petals, and beneath each petal was a young boy, fair-faced and handsome, with wondrous and lovely physical features. The messenger immediately went forward and addressed the king: 'This lotus flower is unprecedented! Great King, you should know that this lotus flower has five hundred petals, and beneath each petal is a divine young boy.' Hearing these words, the king was astounded and his hair stood on end. Sighing over the reason for this, he asked the messenger: 'Is this truly so? Could this not be the flower born of my Lady Deer-Mother?' He then asked the handmaid: 'Where was the flower born of Lady Deer-Mother discarded?' She answered: 'Great King, it was buried under the large coral tree by the edge of this pond.' The king verified the matter and knew that it had been born of Lady Deer-Mother. The king personally entered the palace, reproached himself, and repented to Lady Deer-Mother, saying: 'I was truly foolish and devoid of wisdom; failing to recognise virtue and goodness, I wrongly gave rise to vile disdain and wronged you, my lady.' Having made his confession and apology, he restored her to her original rank. The king rejoiced greatly, and summoned his ministers, the kings of smaller states, and the brāhmaṇa physiognomists, holding a great assembly. Holding the five hundred princes, he had the physiognomists divine their good or bad fortune. The divination said: 'Virtue converges upon them, and the realm will receive their blessings. If they remain at home, the people of the four seas will look up to them with reverence, and ghosts and spirits will protect them. If they leave home, they will certainly cut off birth and death, cross over the torrent of desire, transcend the ocean of birth and death, obtain the three knowledges and the six supernatural penetrations, and attain the four fruits of the Path.' Hearing these words, the king's joy increased all the more, and he immediately proclaimed throughout the realm that five hundred wet nurses were to be selected.