釋迦譜 5.7

5.7

爾時世尊。與諸比丘循邑而行。時有二童子。一名闍耶二名毘闍耶。共在沙中嬉戲。遙見世尊三十二相莊嚴其體。時闍耶童子心念言。我當以麥[麩-夫+少]上佛。仍手捧細沙著世尊鉢中。時毘闍耶合掌隨喜。時彼童子而發願言。以惠施善根功德。令得一天下一繖蓋王。即於此處生得供養諸佛。爾時世尊發容微笑。阿難合掌白言世尊。何緣微笑。爾時世尊告阿難。當知我滅度百年之後。此童子於巴連弗邑。統領一天下轉輪王。姓孔雀名阿育。正法治化。又復廣布我舍利。當造八萬四千塔。阿難取此鉢中所施之沙。捨著如來經行處。當行彼處。阿難受教即取鉢沙。泥經行處。阿難當知。於巴連弗邑。有王名日月護。彼王當生子名曰頻頭娑羅。當治彼國。彼復有子名曰脩師摩。時瞻婆國有一婆羅門女。極為端正令人樂見。為國所珍。諸相師輩見彼女相。即記彼女當為王妃必生二子。一當領天下。一當出家學道得成聖跡。時婆羅門聞相師所說。歡喜無量即持其女。詣巴連弗邑種種莊嚴。欲嫁與修師摩王子。相師云應嫁與頻頭娑羅王。王見此女端正有德。即立為第一夫人。恒相娛樂。仍便懷體月滿生子。生時安隱母無憂惱。過七日後立字名無憂。又復生子名曰離憂。無憂者身體麁澁父不喜見。王欲試諸子。呼婆羅門言。觀我諸子於我滅後誰當作王。婆羅門言。將此諸子出城。金殿園館中當觀其相。時阿育王母語阿育言。今王出金殿園館中觀諸王子。於我滅後誰當作王。汝何不去。阿育啟言。既不蒙念亦復不樂見我。母言但往即便往去。願母賜送食。母言如是。王先勅大臣。若阿育來者。當使其乘老鈍象來。又復老人以為眷屬。時阿育即乘老象。至園館中地坐。時諸王子各下飲食。阿育母以瓦器成酪飯。送與阿育。王問師言。此中誰有王相。當紹我位。時彼相師視諸王子。見阿育具有王相。當得紹位。又作是念此阿育。大王所不相愛。我若語言當作王者。王必不樂。即語言我今總記。此中若有好乘者。是人當作王。時諸王子聞彼所說。各自念言我乘好乘。時阿育言。我乘老宿象我得作王。時王又復語師言。願更為觀之。師復答言。此中有第一坐者。彼當作王。諸王子等各相謂言。我坐第一。阿育言我今坐地。是堅勝坐我當作王。王復語師更為重觀。師又報言此中上器上食此當得王。阿育念言。我有勝食我必作王。坐散還宮。時阿育母問阿育。婆羅門定記誰耶。阿育啟言兒當作王。老象為乘以地為坐。素器盛食粳米雜酪。是最勝也。時婆羅門知阿育當王。數修敬。其母即便問言。誰當作王。師言汝生太子。阿育是其人也。時頻頭羅王邊國。怛叉尸羅反。王即語阿育。汝將四兵平伐彼國。及至發引與少兵甲。時從者白王子言。今往伐彼國無有軍仗。云何得平。阿育言我若應王者。兵甲自然來應。發是語時。尋聲地開兵甲從地而出。即將四兵往伐彼國。時彼諸國民人。聞阿育來即平治道路。種種供養奉迎王子。諸天宣令。阿育王子當王此天下。汝等勿興逆意。彼國即便降伏。如是乃至平此天下至於海際。時父王得重疾。諸臣即便莊嚴阿育將至王所。今且立此子為王。我等後徐徐當立修師摩為王。時王聞此語憂愁不樂默然不對。即便命終。時阿育心念口言。我應正得王位者。諸天自然來以水灌我頂。素繒繫首。尋聲諸天即以水灌阿育頂。素繒繫首受王極位人神欣慶。又引傳云。阿育拜王日鐵輪飛降王閻浮提。虛空地下各四十里。鬼神咸皆讚善。

At that time, the World-Honoured One, walking through the towns and hamlets with the bhikṣus, saw two young boys, one named Jaya and the other named Vijaya, playing together in the sand. From afar they saw the World-Honoured One adorned with the thirty-two marks on his body. Then the boy Jaya thought to himself: 'I should offer barley flour to the Buddha.' He then cupped fine sand in his hands and placed it into the World-Honoured One's bowl. At that time, Vijaya joined his palms in sympathetic joy. Then that boy made a vow, saying: 'By the merit of the wholesome root of this generous gift, may I become an emperor with a single parasol over the entire world, and in that very place may I be born to make offerings to all the Buddhas.' At that time, the World-Honoured One let a smile appear on his face. Ānanda joined his palms and addressed the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, for what reason do you smile?' Then the World-Honoured One told Ānanda: 'You should know that one hundred years after my extinction, this boy will become a wheel-turning king ruling over the world in the city of Pāṭaliputra, of the Maurya clan, named Aśoka, governing and transforming with the true Dharma. Furthermore, he will widely distribute my relics and shall build eighty-four thousand stūpas. Ānanda, take this sand offered in the bowl and cast it upon the Tathāgata's walkway; I will walk there.' Ānanda received the instruction and immediately took the sand from the bowl to plaster the walkway. 'Ānanda, you should know that in the city of Pāṭaliputra there will be a king named Candragupta. That king will father a son named Bindusāra, who will rule that country. He, in turn, will have a son named Suśīma. At that time, in the state of Campā, there was a brahman daughter who was exceedingly handsome, pleasant to behold, and prized by the state. The physiognomists, upon seeing that girl's marks, made the prediction that this girl would become a royal consort and would certainly bear two sons: one would rule the world, and one would leave home to study the path and achieve the traces of holiness. When the brahman heard what the physiognomists said, he was immeasurably rejoiced, and at once brought his daughter to the city of Pāṭaliputra with all manner of adornments, intending to marry her to Prince Suśīma. The physiognomists said she ought to be married to King Bindusāra. The king, seeing that this girl was handsome and virtuous, forthwith established her as his primary consort, and they constantly took pleasure in each other. She subsequently became pregnant, and having completed her months, gave birth to a son. At the time of birth, she was tranquil and free of distress; after seven days had passed, she named him Aśoka ("Without Distress"). She again gave birth to a son named Vītāśoka. As for Aśoka, his skin was coarse and rough, and his father took no pleasure in seeing him. The king wished to test his sons and called a brahman, saying: "Examine my sons: after my death, who should become king?" The brahman said: "Bring these sons outside the city to the park pavilions of the Golden Palace, where I shall examine their physiognomy." At that time, King Aśoka's mother said to Aśoka: "Now the king has gone out to the park pavilions of the Golden Palace to examine the princes, to see who should become king after his death. Why do you not go?" Aśoka stated: "Since I receive no affection and he takes no pleasure in seeing me, [why should I go]?" His mother said: "Just go!" He then set off, saying: "I pray, Mother, send me food." The mother said: "So it shall be." The king had beforehand instructed his ministers: "If Aśoka comes, make him come riding an old and sluggish elephant, and give him old men as his retinue." At that time, Aśoka rode the old elephant, reached the park pavilions, and sat on the ground. Then food and drink were served to the various princes. Aśoka's mother, using an earthenware vessel, prepared curd and rice and sent it to Aśoka. The king asked the master: "Among these, who possesses the marks of a king and will succeed to my throne?" Then that physiognomist observed the princes and saw that Aśoka fully possessed the marks of a king and would succeed to the throne. He also thought: "This Aśoka is not loved by the Great King. If I say he will become king, the king will certainly be displeased." He then said: "I will now make a general prediction: if there is someone here with a superior mount, that person shall become king." Hearing what he said, the princes each thought to themselves: "I ride a fine mount." At that time Aśoka said: "I ride an aged elephant; I shall become king." Then the king again said to the master: "Please examine them further." The master replied again: "If there is one here with the foremost seat, he shall become king." The princes said to one another: "My seat is foremost." Aśoka said: "Now I sit upon the earth; this is a firm and supreme seat, so I shall become king." The king again told the master to examine them once more. The master reported again: "The one here with the superior vessel and superior food, he shall obtain kingship." Aśoka thought: "I have the superior food; I must become king." The assembly dispersed and they returned to the palace. At that time, Aśoka's mother asked Aśoka: "Whom did the brahman definitively predict?" Aśoka reported: "Your son will become king. Taking an old elephant as mount, taking the ground as seat, and holding food in a plain vessel—non-glutinous rice mixed with curd—these are the most supreme." The brahman, knowing that Aśoka would be king, frequently paid him respect. His mother thereupon asked: "Who will become king?" The master said: "The prince you bore, Aśoka, is the person." At that time, in King Bindusāra's border country, Takṣaśilā rebelled. The king then said to Aśoka: "Lead the fourfold army and pacify that country." When it came time to set forth, he gave him few weapons and armor. At that time, the attendants addressed the prince, saying: "Now going to conquer that country without military weapons, how can it be pacified?" Aśoka said: "If I am destined to be king, weapons and armor will naturally appear in response." As he uttered these words, in response to his voice the earth opened and weapons and armor came forth from the earth. He then led the fourfold army to go and conquer that country. When the people of that country heard that Aśoka was coming, they leveled and swept the roads, and welcomed the prince with all kinds of offerings. The devas proclaimed a command: "Prince Aśoka is to rule this world; do not harbor rebellious intentions." That country then surrendered. In this manner he pacified this world even unto the edges of the ocean. At that time, the father king contracted a severe illness. The ministers then adorned Aśoka and brought him to the king's place, [saying]: "For now let us install this son as king; later we will gradually install Suśīma as king." When the king heard these words, he was grieved and unhappy, and remained silent without answering; thereupon he passed away. At that time, Aśoka thought and said: "If I am to rightfully attain the royal throne, let the devas naturally come and consecrate my head with water, binding my head with plain white silk." In response to his voice, the devas immediately consecrated Aśoka's head with water and bound his head with plain white silk; he ascended to the supreme royal station, and humans and spirits rejoiced. A commentary is also cited saying: On the day Aśoka was installed as king, an iron wheel flew down, and he ruled over Jambudvīpa, forty leagues into the sky and forty leagues beneath the earth, and the spirits all praised his goodness.'