太子瑞應本起經 2.11

2.11

"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.'"