釋迦譜 2.8

2.8

The king of the Śākya country was named Śuddhodana. He governed with correct Dharma, transforming [his subjects] with virtue, benevolence, and righteousness, and constantly practiced a mind of loving-kindness. At that time he fell gravely ill: the four great elements within his body flared up at the same time, ravaging his physical form; his joints were on the verge of coming apart, and his panting breath was uneven, rushing like a torrential current. The ministers issued an order that all the skilled physicians in the country should assemble, but despite various treatments, none could cure him. At that time, the king tossed and turned in agony without ceasing, like a fish in shallow water. When the queen and court ladies saw the king like this, their grief and distress deepened still further. Then King Śuklodana, King Droṇodana, King Amṛtodana, and the various ministers all cried out in unison: "Now the king is collapsing toward death, and we shall forever lose his protection. The kingdom will become weak and depleted." The king's body trembled, his lips and mouth dried up, his voice ceased, he was dizzy and faint, and his tears fell. Then the kings and ministers knelt long with hands clasped, and together addressed him, saying: "Great King, by nature you have never taken pleasure in doing evil; within the span of a finger-snap, you never wearied of planting virtue. You sheltered and nurtured the people, and not one failed to find peace; your renown was heard throughout the ten directions. Great King, why are you so sorrowful today?" Then King Śuddhodana managed to utter a sound, and addressed the kings, saying: "Though my life is coming to an end, I do not consider that suffering. I only regret that I do not see my son Siddhārtha; I also regret that I do not see my second son Nanda, who has eliminated lust and worldly desires; I further regret that I do not see Prince Ānanda, son of Droṇodana, who preserves the treasury of the Buddha's Dharma without losing a single word; and I also regret that I do not see my grandson Rāhula, who, though young in years, is fully endowed with miraculous powers and flawless in his observance of the precepts. If I could but see these sons and heirs, then though my illness is grave and I have not yet escaped saṃsāra, I would not consider it suffering." When those beside the king heard these words, there was none who did not weep, their tears falling like rain. Then King Śuklodana said: "I have heard that the World-Honoured One is at Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain in Rājagṛha, fifty yojanas distant from here. The king is now growing ever weaker; even if we were to dispatch messengers, the road is far and remote, and the delay would render it useless. We pray only that the Great King will not be overwhelmed by sorrow and yearn from afar for his sons." When King Śuddhodana heard this speech, he shed tears and replied to King Śuklodana: "Though my sons and heirs are far away, my hope and longing never cease. Why is that? My son has become a Buddha. With great loving-kindness and compassion, through divine supernormal powers, his divine eye sees completely through, and his divine ear hears completely through, to rescue and deliver sentient beings who are ready to be saved. Just as when hundreds of thousands of koṭis of beings are drowning in water, one who with a compassionate mind constructs a boat or raft to carry them across to deliverance never grows weary or exhausted—so it is with my hope to see the World-Honoured One today. Why is this so? Day and night the World-Honoured One constantly abides in samādhi, ever observing sentient beings with the divine eye; toward those who should receive conversion, he has a mind of compassion, just like a mother thinking of her child." At that time, the World-Honoured One was on Vulture Peak. With his divine ear he heard from afar, within the great city of Kapilavastu, his royal father's sorrowful yearning and the words of the various kings. Immediately, with his divine eye, he saw from afar his royal father lying ill in bed, emaciated, exhausted, haggard, and his life about to end; and he knew that his father thirsted and longed to see his sons. At that time, the World-Honoured One told Nanda: "Our royal father Śuddhodana is superior to worldly kings; he is our father. Now he has contracted a grave illness; we ought to go. While his life still remains, we can meet with him and fulfill the king's wish." Nanda received the instruction, knelt long, paid homage, and said: "Indeed, World-Honoured One. King Śuddhodana is our father; he was able to give birth to a holy son who brings benefit to the world. Now we ought to go to repay his kindness of rearing and nurturing us." Ānanda joined his palms, stepped forward, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "King Śuddhodana is my uncle; he permitted me to leave the household to become a disciple of the Buddha. Therefore I wish to go." Rāhula also stepped forward and addressed the Buddha, saying: "Although the World-Honoured One is my father, you renounced the kingdom to seek the Way. It was through my grandfather the king's care and nurture that I grew to maturity and was able to leave the household. Therefore I wish to go to pay my respects to my grandfather the king." The Buddha said: "Excellent! You should know that this is the time to fulfill the king's wish." At that time, the World-Honoured One, through his supernormal power, soared into the sky like the king of geese and suddenly appeared, releasing a great radiance over Kapilavastu. When the people of the country saw the Buddha arriving from afar, they all raised their voices and wept, saying: "If the Great King passes away, the name of the Śākya country will surely be extinguished!" The people in the city wept toward the Buddha and addressed the World-Honoured One, saying: "The Great King's life will not last long in this state. We pray only that the Tathāgata will go quickly to meet with him!" The people of the country rolled on the ground, throwing themselves down, sobbing and weeping; some tore off their necklaces, while others took dust and dirt to smear themselves. When the Buddha saw this, he admonished the people of the country: "Impermanence and separation have existed from ancient times until now. You all should reflect upon this: saṃsāra is suffering; only the Way is true." Thereupon the World-Honoured One, by virtue of the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the eighteen unshared dharmas of the Buddhas, emitted a great radiance. He further emitted a great radiance by virtue of the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs, and emitted a great radiance by virtue of the merits performed over immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas. That light shone brightly, penetrating within and without, pervading the borders of the kingdom; the light illuminated the king's body, and his suffering found relief and peace. The king was astonished and said: "What light is this? Is it the light of the sun or the moon? Or is it the light of the devas? As this light touches my body, it is like heavenly sandalwood, causing the pain and suffering in my body to cease. Could it be that my son Siddhārtha has come? Beholding light beforehand is his usual auspicious sign." Then King Amṛtodana entered the palace from outside and addressed the Great King, saying: "The World-Honoured One has already arrived! Leading his disciples Ānanda, Rāhula, and others, he has travelled through the air to come here. The king should rejoice and cast off his sorrowful and bitter heart." When the king heard that the Buddha had come, his reverence leaped with joy, and without realizing it he sat up. In an instant, the Buddha entered the palace. When the king saw the Buddha arrive, he raised both hands from afar to receive his feet, and said: "I pray only that the Tathāgata will touch my body with his hand, so that I may find peace. I am afflicted by illness; like the pressing of sesame oil, the pain is unbearable. My life is about to end; can it ever return? Now that I have seen the World-Honoured One for the last time, my painful sorrow is instantly removed." The Buddha knew that his royal father was gravely ill, emaciated, and so altered in appearance as to be hard to recognize. He said to Nanda: "Observe the king's form in earlier times: how majestic his physical body was, how handsome his appearance, how far his renown was heard! Now that he has contracted a grave illness, he is hardly recognizable. Where now are that handsome appearance and that reputation for valor?" Then King Śuddhodana, with single-minded devotion, joined his palms and praised the World-Honoured One. The Buddha said: "I pray only that my royal father will no longer grieve or be distressed. Why is that? Your virtue and practice of the Way are fully complete, without flaw or deficiency." The Buddha extended his golden arm, with a palm like a lotus flower, and placed his hand upon his royal father's forehead: "The king is a person of pure moral conduct, whose mental defilements are already removed. Now you should rejoice, and ought not to sorrow or be distressed. You should carefully contemplate the meanings of the teachings in the sūtras. In that which is unstable, you have attained a steadfast resolve by planting roots of goodness. Therefore, Great King, you should rejoice; though your life is about to end, you can set your mind at ease." Then King Amṛtodana, with a reverent mind, addressed King Śuddhodana, saying: "The Buddha is your prince, whose supernormal powers are complete and without equal. Your second son Nanda is also your prince, who has already crossed the ocean of saṃsāra and desires, and is unimpeded in the four paths. Prince Ānanda, son of Droṇodana, has tasted the flavor of the Dharma; the Dharma taught by the Buddha is like a deep ocean, and he retains all of it without forgetting a single phrase. Your royal grandson Rāhula is fully endowed with virtue and the Way, has attained the dhyāna concentrations, and realized the fruits of the four paths. These four sons and heirs have already destroyed the net of Māra." When King Śuddhodana heard these words, he leaped for joy and could not contain himself. He took the Buddha's hand in his own hands and placed it upon his heart. From his couch, the king joined his palms and paid mental homage at the World-Honoured One's feet. While the Buddha's palm remained upon the king's heart, impermanence confronted him: his life ended, his breath ceased, and he suddenly passed on to the afterlife. Thereupon the Śākyas wailed and wept, throwing their bodies down and beating the ground with both hands. Loosening their topknots and disheveling their hair, they cried out together: "We have forever lost our shelter! The most supreme king among kings has now passed away, and the kingdom has lost its majesty and power!" Then the Śākya youths bathed the king's body with various scented waters, wrapped it in cotton cloth and various silks and brocades, and placed it in a coffin upon a lion throne. It was adorned with the seven jewels, with pearl nets hanging around its sides. They raised the coffin and placed it upon the lion throne, scattering flowers and burning incense. The Buddha and Nanda stood respectfully before the head of the bier; Ānanda and Rāhula stood at the feet of the bier. Nanda knelt long and addressed the Buddha: "Our royal father reared me. I pray that you will permit Nanda to carry our royal father's coffin." Ānanda joined his palms, stepped forward, and addressed the Buddha: "I pray only that you will permit me to carry my uncle's coffin." Rāhula also addressed the Buddha, saying: "I pray only that you will permit me to carry my royal grandfather's coffin." At that time, the World-Honoured One considered that people of future ages would be fierce and violent, failing to repay the kindness of their parents' rearing and nurture; for the sake of these unfilial sentient beings of the future, in order to set forth a model of teaching, the Tathāgata wished to carry his royal father's coffin in person. Instantly, the trichiliocosm shook in six ways, and all sentient beings rose and sank in tumult, like a boat on water. At that time, all the devas of the desire realm, together with countless hundreds of thousands of retinues, arrived to attend the funeral. Vaiśravaṇa, Heavenly King of the North, leading hundreds of thousands of koṭis of yakṣas, spirits, and ghosts, arrived to attend the funeral. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Heavenly King of the East, leading hundreds of thousands of koṭis of gandharvas, spirits, and ghosts, arrived to attend the funeral. Virūḍhaka, Heavenly King of the South, leading hundreds of thousands of koṭis of kumbhāṇḍas, spirits, and ghosts, arrived to attend the funeral. Virūpākṣa, Heavenly King of the West, leading hundreds of thousands of koṭis of nāgas and spirits, arrived to attend the funeral. All raised lamentations and cried aloud. Then the Four Heavenly Kings secretly deliberated among themselves, observing that for the sake of those in future ages who are unfilial to their parents, the Buddha with great loving-kindness and compassion wished to carry his royal father's coffin with his own body. Then the Four Heavenly Kings all knelt long together, and speaking in unison, addressed the Buddha: "We are disciples of the Buddha, having heard the Dharma from the Buddha and attained srotāpanna. For this reason, we ought to carry the coffin of the royal father." The Buddha permitted the Four Heavenly Kings to carry his royal father's coffin. The Four Heavenly Kings each transformed their bodies into human forms, lifted the coffin with their hands, and placed it upon their shoulders. Among all the people of the country, great and small, there was none who did not weep. At that time, the Buddha's majestic radiance became even more manifest, like ten thousand suns appearing together. The Tathāgata, holding an incense burner in his own hand, walked in front leading the way to the cemetery. On Vulture Peak there were a thousand arhats who, by the power of supernormal feats, arrived through the sky, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "We pray only that the Buddha command us: what task shall we perform?" Then the Buddha instructed the arhats: "Go quickly to the islands of the great ocean and fetch ox-head sandalwood and various scented woods." Having received the instruction, within the span of a finger-snap they each reached the ocean, gathered the fragrant firewood, and in the time it takes to bend and extend an arm, they returned. The Buddha and the great assembly stacked the fragrant firewood together, raised the coffin onto it, and set it ablaze with fire. When the entire great assembly saw the fire blazing fiercely, they all faced the Buddha, rolling on the ground and throwing themselves down, weeping with even greater sorrow. Those who had attained the Way congratulated themselves on their fortune, while those who had not yet obtained the Way felt their hearts tremble with dread, their body hair standing on end. The Buddha addressed the fourfold assembly, saying: "The world is impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self; nothing is durable, being like an illusion, like a phantom, like a mirage in the heat, like the moon in water. Life does not endure for long. You people only see this fire and think it is hot, but the fire of various desires is vastly hotter than this! Therefore you should encourage yourselves to seek escape from saṃsāra; only then will you attain great peace." When the fire had consumed the Great King's body, the various kings each took five hundred vessels of milk to extinguish the fire. After the fire was extinguished, they competed to collect the bones and placed them in a golden casket. Directly upon that spot they built a stūpa together, hanging silk banners and canopies to make offerings to the stūpa-shrine. Then the great assembly spoke in unison, addressing the Buddha: "The great King Śuddhodana's life has now ended; in what realm has his consciousness been reborn? We pray only that the World-Honoured One will explain and expound this." At that time, the Buddha told the assembly: "My royal father Śuddhodana was a pure person; he has been reborn in the Śuddhāvāsa Heaven."