觀無量壽佛經疏 2.28

2.28

Answer: “These both cite past conditions, on account of which he has these names. As for those conditions: originally, the father king had no heir, and although he prayed to spirits everywhere, he ultimately could not obtain one. Suddenly, a physiognomist submitted a memorial to the king, saying: ‘Your subject knows that there is an immortal in the mountains who will soon relinquish his life; after his life ends, he will certainly become the king’s son.’ The king heard this with joy: ‘When will this person surrender his life?’ The physiognomist replied to the king: ‘Only after another three years have elapsed will his life end.’ The king said: ‘I am old in years and the state has no successor; how can I wait for three more full years?’ The king then sent an envoy into the mountains to go and entreat the immortal, saying: ‘The great king has no son and lacks a successor; he has prayed to spirits everywhere but in distress could not obtain one. A physiognomist has observed that the great immortal will soon surrender his life and become the king’s son. We beseech the great immortal to bestow grace and come early.’ The envoy received the order and entered the mountains; reaching the immortal’s dwelling, he fully related the circumstances of the king’s request. The immortal told the envoy: ‘Only after another three years have elapsed may my life end; for me to go now at the king’s command is impermissible.’ The envoy obeyed the immortal’s words, returned, and reported to the great king, detailing the immortal’s intention. The king said: ‘I am the lord of a state; all persons and things belong to me. Now I have courteously humbled myself to invite him, yet he does not comply with my will.’ The king further ordered the envoy: ‘Go again and entreat him. If entreating him fails, kill him immediately. Once his life has ended, can he not become my son?’ The envoy received the order and went to the immortal’s dwelling, relating the king’s intent in full. Although the immortal heard what the envoy said, his intention was still not to comply. The envoy, carrying out the order, then moved to kill him. The immortal said: ‘You must tell the king: my life had not yet run its course, yet the king, with mind and mouth, sent someone to kill me. If I become the king’s child, I too shall, with mind and mouth, send someone to kill the king.’ Having spoken these words, the immortal immediately met his death. Having died, he took rebirth in the royal palace. That very night, the queen consort sensed that she was pregnant; the king heard this with joy. At dawn, he summoned the physiognomist to examine the queen consort: was it a boy or a girl? Having examined her, the physiognomist reported to the king: ‘It is a boy, not a girl; this boy will bring harm to the king.’ The king said: ‘I would surrender my entire kingdom to him; even if there is harm, I have no fear.’ Hearing these words, the king harbored mingled sorrow and joy. The king said to the queen consort: ‘I have privately deliberated with you: the physiognomist said that the child will bring harm to me. On the day you are to give birth, do so from atop a high tower, directly over the courtyard, and do not let anyone catch him; if he falls to the ground, how could he fail to die? I will have no anxiety, and the secret will not leak out.’ The queen consort agreed to the king’s plan. When the time of birth came, it was done just according to the previous plan: once born, he fell to the ground, but his life was not severed; only his little finger was injured. Therefore, people outside together called him the ‘Broken-Finger Prince.’