中天竺舍衛國祇洹寺圖經 2.34

2.34

Next to the north, the fourth courtyard is called the Courtyard for the Four Heavenly Kings' Offerings of Food to the Buddha. Its gates also open to the south, north, and east; the halls, chambers, flowering trees, and plants are likewise as above. Whenever the Four Heavenly Kings and Brahmā came to make offerings of food, they all came to this courtyard, and the Buddha accepted them on their behalf. That the Buddha accepted human robes and heavenly food was to demonstrate the great fields of merit for humans and devas. According to the ordinary practice of begging for food, he accepted it for the sake of sentient beings, not as food for the Buddha to consume. When the devas received it, it was all to perform Buddha-work. Because he is a transformation body (nirmāṇakāya), he neither accepts nor consumes food. He has no bowel movements or urination, being no different from the devas; yet there was also a privy for the Buddha, simply to display [an ordinary human appearance]. In the infirmary there was a musical cymbal with a clapper made of yellow gold, crafted by the Four Kings. When the Buddha manifested taking a meal, the Four Kings would shake it. When the meal was finished, the cymbal emitted a radiance surpassing the sun and moon, illuminating far across a thousand billion worlds. The voice within the radiance proclaimed the merit of bestowing food, saying to the Four Kings: 'After my nirvāṇa, there will be disciples who break the precepts or have no precepts, lacking dignified virtue and unable to support themselves. I have set aside one out of a hundred parts of the radiance of my white curl (ūrṇā-kośa), and you shall bestow three parts of your radiance, together joining with you to provide for the bhikṣus of the Latter Dharma.' The Four Heavenly Kings respectfully assented, exactly in accordance with the Buddha's teaching. He further admonished the Four Kings: 'After my nirvāṇa, you may take this cymbal into this courtyard and shake it once each day, so that my disciples may easily obtain offerings.' The Four Kings wept and did as the Buddha commanded. Even down to this day, they descend daily to the old grounds of the Jetavana to shake the drum. This cymbal accords with the Buddha's bequeathed command.