太子瑞應本起經 2.11

2.11

「佛念先古諸佛哀受人施法皆持鉢，不宜如餘道人手受食也。時四天王，即遙知佛當用鉢，如人屈申臂頃，俱到頞那山上；如意所念，石中自然出四鉢，香淨潔無穢。四天王各取一鉢，還共上佛：『願哀賈人，令得大福。方有鐵鉢，後弟子當用食。』佛念取一鉢不快餘三意，便悉受四鉢，累置左手中，右手按之，合成一鉢，令四際現。佛受[麩-夫+少]蜜，告諸賈人：『汝當歸命於佛，歸命於法，方有比丘眾，當預自歸。』即皆受教，各三自歸。佛起於異處食畢，呪願賈人言：『今所布施，欲使食者，得充氣力；當令施家，世世得願，得色得力，得瞻得喜，安快無病，終保年壽；諸邪惡鬼，不得嬈近；以有善意，立德本固；諸善鬼神，常當擁護；開示道地，得利諧偶；不使迍蹇，無復艱患；人有正見，以信喜敬；潔淨不悔，施道德者；福德益大，所隨轉勝，吉無不利。日月五星，二十八宿，天神鬼王，常隨護助；四天大王，賞別善人，東提頭賴、南維睒文、西維樓勒、北拘均羅，當護汝等令不遭橫；能有慧意，研精學問，敬佛法眾，棄捐眾惡，不自放恣。現受吉祥，種福得福，行道得道，以先見佛一心承奉，當為從是致第一福。現世獲祐，快解見諦，富樂長壽，自致泥洹。』

"The Buddha reflected that when the Buddhas of the past out of compassion accepted people's alms, their custom was always to hold a bowl; it was not fitting to receive food with the hands like other practitioners of the Way. At that moment, the Four Heavenly Kings (Cāturmahārājika) from afar knew that the Buddha needed bowls. In the time it takes a person to bend or stretch an arm, they all arrived at Mount Aśna. In accordance with their wishes, four bowls naturally emerged from the stone, fragrant, pure, clean, and undefiled. Each of the Four Heavenly Kings took one bowl, and returning together, offered them to the Buddha: 'May you have compassion on the merchants, allowing them to gain great merit. Later there will be iron bowls that future disciples should use to eat.' The Buddha reflected that taking only one bowl would displease the other three, so he accepted all four bowls, stacked them in his left hand, pressed them with his right hand, and joined them into a single bowl, leaving the four rims visible. The Buddha accepted the roasted barley flour with honey and said to the merchants: 'You should take refuge in the Buddha, take refuge in the Dharma; in the future there will be a community of monks (bhikṣusaṃgha), in which you should proactively take refuge.' They immediately received the teaching and each took the threefold refuge. The Buddha arose, finished eating in another place, and pronounced an incantation and blessing for the merchants, saying: 'May the alms given today give strength and vigor to the one who eats; may the donor families in life after life obtain their wishes, attain beauty and strength, attain respect and joy, be peaceful, happy, and free of sickness, and preserve their lifespan to the end; may all evil and wicked ghosts not disturb or approach them; because of their good intentions, their foundation of virtue is firmly established; may all good ghosts and spirits constantly protect them; revealing the stages of the Path, may their gains be harmonious; may they not suffer adversity, and have no further distress or calamity. When people have right view, and with faith, joy, and reverence, purely and without regret make offerings to those possessed of the Way and virtue, their merit will become ever greater, their circumstances will become increasingly superior, and all will be auspicious and nothing unfavourable. May the sun, moon, five planets, twenty-eight lunar mansions, heavenly spirits, and ghost kings constantly follow and protect them; may the Four Great Heavenly Kings, who reward and distinguish good people—Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the east, Virūḍhaka in the south, Virūpākṣa in the west, and Vaiśravaṇa in the north—protect you from unforeseen misfortune. May you have wise resolve, diligently study and learn, revere the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha, abandon all evils, and not be self-indulgent. Receiving auspiciousness in the present life, planting blessings and reaping blessings, practicing the Path and attaining the Path, because you have first seen the Buddha and single-mindedly served him, you shall from this attain the foremost blessing. Receiving protection in the present life, delightfully understanding and seeing the truth, with wealth, joy, and long life, you shall naturally attain nirvāṇa.'"