釋迦譜 1.424

1.424

The Ruiying benqi jing says: The demon king would not listen and summoned three jade maidens—the first named Desiring Consort, the second named Pleasing Him, and the third named Delighting in Watching—to corrupt the bodhisattva's practice. At that time, the three jade maidens were all clothed in gossamer silks, draped with celestial famed incense and pearl necklaces, and used utmost coquettish, seductive, and flattering words, wishing to disturb his mind. The bodhisattva's mind was pure like a lapis lazuli gem, impossible to defile. The three women spoke again, saying: 'Benevolent one, your virtue is supreme and revered by gods and humans. You ought to receive offerings, and for this reason the heavens offer us. We are pure and lovely, in the prime of our youth, and among celestial maidens none surpass us. We wish to serve and attend upon you at your side, rising in the morning and resting at night.' The bodhisattva answered, saying: 'You have past merit whereby you attained celestial bodies, yet you do not contemplate impermanence and instead act coquettishly. Though your forms are fine, your minds are unwholesome. Like a painted vase filled with foul poison, destined to ruin yourselves, what excellence is there in this? Merit is difficult to retain long; lustful, evil, and unwholesome deeds naturally destroy their own basis. Upon death you shall fall into the three evil paths to take the bodies of birds and beasts, and escaping them will be exceedingly difficult. You wretches disturb people's right mind and are not of a pure seed. Coming here as leather sacks filled with dung—for what purpose? Depart, I have no use for you.' Those three jade maidens transformed into old women and were unable to restore themselves.

The demon had three daughters. Their physical appearance and deportment were extremely upright and beautiful; they were seductive, clever, and skillful at bewitching others, the foremost among celestial maidens. Perfumed with famed incense and wearing fine necklaces, the first was named Stained with Desire, the second Capable of Pleasing Men, and the third Delightful. The three daughters together went before their father and addressed him, saying: 'We wonder, why are you so sorrowful now?' The father then opened his heart and spoke to his daughters, saying: 'In the world now there is the śramaṇa Gautama. His body is clad in the armor of the Dharma, he holds the bow of sovereignty, and he points the arrows of wisdom. He wishes to subdue sentient beings and destroy my realm. If I am not his equal, sentient beings will believe in him, all will take refuge in him, and my land will become empty. It is for this reason that I sorrow. Before he attains the Way, I wish to go crush him and break his bridge.' Thereupon the demon king, holding a strong bow in hand and bearing five arrows, went together with his male and female retinue to that place beneath the pippala tree. He saw the Muni, serene and unmoving, desiring to ferry beings across the ocean of birth and death, the three realms of existence. At that time the demon king held the bow in his left hand and adjusted the arrow with his right hand, speaking to the bodhisattva: 'You are of the kṣatriya lineage. Death is utterly terrifying—why do you not rise swiftly? You ought to cultivate your vocation as a wheel-turning king, abandon the way of the renunciant, practice sacrificial assemblies, and attain the joys of heaven. This path is the foremost, walked by the holy ones of old. You are of the lineage of kṣatriya wheel-turning kings, yet you become a mendicant—this is improper. If you do not rise now, just sit comfortably! Do not abandon your original vow, for I shall test shooting you! With one release of a sharp arrow, ascetic ṛṣis hearing the sound of my arrows are all terrified, faint, and lose their senses. How much less could you, Gautama, endure this venom? If you rise swiftly, you may attain safety.' The demon spoke these words to terrify the bodhisattva. The bodhisattva was cheerful and serene, neither alarmed nor moved. The demon king then drew his bow, released his arrow, and sent forward the celestial maidens. The bodhisattva at that time did not even look at the arrow; the arrow stopped in mid-air, its tip turning downward and transforming into a lotus flower. Then the three celestial maidens addressed the bodhisattva, saying: 'Benevolent one of supreme virtue, revered by humans and gods, you ought to have attendants. We are now in the prime of our youth, and among celestial maidens none surpass us. The heavens have now sent us to serve and provide for you. Morning and evening, waking and sleeping, we wish to attend upon your side.' The bodhisattva answered, saying: 'You planted slight goodness to attain celestial bodies, yet you do not reflect upon impermanence and instead act coquettishly. Though your bodies are beautiful, your minds are unwholesome. Through lustful delusion and unwholesomeness, upon death you will surely fall into the three evil paths; taking the bodies of birds and beasts, escaping them will be exceedingly difficult. You now wish to disturb my settled mind; this is not a pure mind. You may leave at once, I have no need for you.' Then the three celestial maidens transformed into old women: their hair white, faces wrinkled, teeth fallen out, and drooling; their flesh wasted away and bones protruding, their bellies swollen like drums; leaning on walking sticks and hobbling with feeble steps, unable to restore themselves. The demon king, having seen him so firm, thought to himself: 'Long ago in the Snow Mountains, I shot Maheśvara, and he immediately became terrified and fell back from his good mind. Yet now I cannot move Gautama. Since neither this arrow nor my three daughters can sway him to give rise to love or anger, I must employ other means.' He then coaxed the bodhisattva with gentle words, saying: 'If you do not delight in enjoying pleasures in the human realm, you may now ascend to the celestial palace. I shall renounce my heavenly rank and the implements of the five desires, and give them all to you.' The bodhisattva answered, saying: 'In a prior life you cultivated slight causes of giving, and for this reason you have now become the king of the Paranirmitavaśavartin heaven. This merit has an end, and you must inevitably fall back to be born below, sinking into the three paths, from which rescue is exceedingly difficult. This is a cause of transgression, not what I require.' The demon said to the bodhisattva: 'My retribution is known to you; but who knows your retribution?' The bodhisattva answered, saying: 'My retribution is known only to this earth.' Having spoken these words, the great earth shook in six ways. Thereupon an earth deity, holding a vase of the seven treasures filled with lotus flowers, welled up from the earth and said to the demon: 'In the past, the bodhisattva gave his head, eyes, marrow, and brain to others; the blood that poured forth soaked the great earth. Countries, cities, wives, children, elephants, horses, and precious jewels that he gave in generosity are beyond counting, all for the sake of seeking the unsurpassed, right and true Way. For this reason, you should not annoy and disturb the bodhisattva now.' When the demon heard this, terror arose in his heart, and the hairs on his body stood on end. At that time the earth deity bowed to the bodhisattva's feet, made offerings with flowers, and suddenly disappeared.