仁王護國般若經疏 5.45

5.45

From "Great king, in the past there was a king" onward, the second part cites the ancient to verify the present. The text has two parts: first, citing a heavenly king to verify the protection of the state; next, citing a human king to verify the protection of the body. This is the first. The *Damamūka-nidāna Sūtra* states: "In a past age there was a great state whose king was named Shan-zhu. At that time, a swelling suddenly grew upon his crown, shaped like a cocoon, which did not hurt when touched. Later it grew larger and larger, and gave birth to a boy who was exceedingly handsome, with dark-blue hair and a purple-gold body. Diviners were immediately summoned, who divined that he possessed virtue and would surely become a holy king ruling over the four quarters; therefore they gave him the name Mūrdhata (Ding-sheng). As he grew older, his virtue became manifest. After his royal father passed away, the ministers and kings wished to entrust the realm to him. Mūrdhata replied: 'If I have the merit to be king, the Four Kings and Śakra must come to welcome me, and only then will I ascend the throne.' When he had made this vow, the Four Heavenly Kings descended, each holding a precious vase filled with scented water to anoint his head. Then Śakra, Lord of the Gods, also held a precious crown and came to place it upon him. In Jambudvīpa he indulged at will in the five desires for eighty-four thousand years. At that time, a yakṣa spirit welled up from the earth and invited him to tour the eastern continent for eight hundred million years, then invited him to the western continent for 1.4 billion years, and to ascend to the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings for 1.4 billion years. In his mind he further thought of ascending to Trāyastriṃśa Heaven. Five hundred sages supported his chariot and flew together into heaven. Gazing from afar upon the royal city, the city had one thousand two hundred gates; the gods, terrified, closed all the gates and fastened heavy bars. Mūrdhata's army advanced directly without obstruction; blowing conches and plucking bows, the one thousand two hundred gates all opened on their own simultaneously. Śakra immediately came out to meet with him, personally invited him into the palace, and shared his throne with him. Enjoying desires in heaven, Mūrdhata again went out, blew conches, and plucked bows. An evil thought having arisen, he consequently fell, subsequently suffered a grievous disease, and then passed away. Śakra at that time was none other than Kāśyapa Buddha. As for Mūrdhata, he was my own past body." If based on this sūtra, at that time the Lord of the Gods, following the method of the seven buddhas, arranged a hundred high seats and invited a hundred Dharma masters to lecture on and recite this sūtra, whereupon Mūrdhata retreated.