觀彌勒上生兜率天經贊 1.35

1.35

The commentary says: Fourth is the place where the Dharma was taught. In Sanskrit it is called Śrāvastī; to say Shewei (舍衛) is an erroneous abbreviation. This is the name of the capital city of the kingdom of Kosala in Central India. To distinguish it from Southern Kosala, the kingdom was named after its capital city. Master Paramārtha said, "In ancient times there were two brothers, one named Shepo and the other named Bati." Therefore, his translation of the Vajracchedikā Prajñāpāramitā says: "In the city of Shebati, two brothers practiced as immortals (ṛṣis) here, and subsequently attained their goal; the city was accordingly named Shebati." Now the new interpretation says: it should be called Fengdecheng (City of Abundant Virtues), [because it] possesses four [virtues]: first, it is endowed with wealth; second, it has fine realms of sensory desires; third, it has an abundance of great learning; fourth, it is replete with liberation. Because the country is abundant in these four virtues, it is named accordingly. As for 'Jeta's Trees', it should be called Jetavana; 'Jishu' is an error. 'Jeta' means 'Victorious'; this was the prince's name. When the prince was born, enemies from neighboring countries arrived; because he fought and was victorious, he was named after this. As for 'Anāthapiṇḍada', this is the elder Sudatta, which translates as Good Giver (Shan Shi). The Good Giver was benevolent and wise, capable of dispersing what he accumulated, rescuing the poor and destitute, and pitying the lonely and elderly. People of the time praised his virtue and called him Anāthapiṇḍada (Giver to the Unprotected). He was a great minister to King Prasenajit—formerly called Bosi'ni, which means Victorious Army. When the Buddha was in Magadha and had not yet traveled to Śrāvastī, the elder Anāthapiṇḍada went to Rājagṛha to take a wife for his son. At that time, another elder was about to invite the Buddha and respectfully prepared offerings. The Good Giver asked the reason, and the elder explained in full the invitation to the Buddha. Hearing of the Buddha's virtues, [Sudatta's] heart rejoiced deeply. The Buddha was at Gṛdhrakūṭa, several tens of li away, and shone light from afar to illuminate him. Following the light, the Good Giver saw the World-Honoured One from a distance; moved with sorrow and choked with joy, he was like a son seeing his father. Following the light to go to the Buddha, he met a deva shrine on the road; when the Good Giver bowed to it, the Buddha's light vanished. The Good Giver felt ashamed, and the light shone again. Following the radiance, he reached the Buddha and invited the Buddha to visit his country to universally transform those who had affinities [with him], saying, "Why [remain] only in this land?" The Buddha then consented, and ordered Śāriputra to go ahead to inspect and measure [a site]. The Buddha said, "Those who have gone forth must have solitude and quiet." Fengde was noisy, and inside the city was narrow and cramped; only five or six li south of the city was a garden belonging to Prince Jeta, high, dry, with springs and lush woods, ten li square within its walls, suitable for establishing a saṅghārāma. The Good Giver asked to purchase it, but the prince would not agree, saying in jest, "Cover the ground with gold five inches thick, and then I will sell it." The Good Giver agreed. The prince made excuses, saying it was a joke, and stated he would not grant it. The Good Giver asked for arbitration; at that time, a deva of the Śuddhāvāsa heaven, fearing someone might prevent it through bias, transformed into an arbiter and adjudicated it to the Good Giver. The Good Giver obtained it, laying out gold to take it. At that point, it was five hundred paces short of the full ten li, and one treasury of gold was exhausted. When the messenger came to report, the Good Giver pondered from which treasury to take more gold. The prince suspected he was stingy and asked to cancel the land deal and return the gold. The Good Giver explained in full that his heart had not regretted the purchase. Knowing his sublime purpose, the prince himself gave rise to a superior resolve: "Of what humans prize, nothing surpasses gold and jewels; yet he is able to empty his treasuries to purchase land to build a monastery for the saṅgha. What do I lack that I should not construct it?" He asked to cancel the previous land [transaction], but the elder would not comply. The prince said, "I agreed to give the land and take the gold, but we did not discuss the trees. The land follows you as master; the trees belong to me. Together we will bring it to completion, and together present the offering." Later, when the Buddha traveled here, he told Ānanda, "The land of the garden was purchased by the Good Giver, and the trees were given by Jeta. The two men were of one mind in revering merit together. From this day forward, this place should be called Jetavana-Anāthapiṇḍadārāma." The nirmāṇakāya being here reveals that the saṃbhogakāya has a pure land: when the kalpa ends and fire burns, my land remains peaceful and secure from the beginning. The councils cannot be described in full; the two Buddhas jointly manifest pure and defiled lands, and in accord with marking one land, by principle there are three. In practice there are two, and in principle there are also three, because the abodes of the three bodies are each distinct. This is as explained in the Commentary on the Prajñāpāramitānaya.