大方便佛報恩經 5.35

5.35

Furthermore, the power of the Tathāgata's upāya and root of benevolence is inconceivable. At that time, in the city of Vaiśālī, there was a brāhmaṇa who clung to wrong views and was attached to arrogance. Śāriputra and Mahāmaudgalyāyana went to his house to preach the Dharma and console him, but he did not believe or accept it, clinging to heterodox doctrines. His family was extremely wealthy, with limitless treasures, but the household had no son; should he suddenly die, his wealth and property would be confiscated by the state. Having reflected on this, he worshipped the spirits of mountains and trees. When ninety days had passed, his wife realized she was pregnant, and when the months were fulfilled, she gave birth to a boy. The child was handsome and endowed with human marks; his parents loved him dearly, and everyone respected him. When he reached twelve years of age, he went out with his peers to sightsee. On the road they encountered a drunken elephant running wildly and trampling about, and the boy was killed. When the parents heard of it, they wailed loudly, threw themselves to the ground, became demented, threw dust upon their bodies, and tore out their hair, saying: "How wretched our fate, to lose our treasure in life!" Rushing forward to where the boy was, they embraced the corpse and wept bitterly, fainting and reviving again. With madness arising in their minds, they walked naked, and came to behold the Tathāgata. The Tathāgata, through the power of his root of benevolence, transformed himself into their son.