釋迦譜 3.13

English (machine translation) 3.13

Language: English

3.13.1

In Śrāvastī, King Prasenajit had a great minister named Sudatta. His household was immensely wealthy, with boundless treasures, and he delighted in giving alms to relieve the poor and indigent, as well as orphans and the elderly. People of that time gave him an epithet based on his deeds, naming him Anāthapiṇḍada. At that time the elder had seven sons. As each grew to adulthood, he took wives for them, one after another up to the sixth. His seventh son was exceptionally handsome and remarkably distinguished, and was favored with special love and affection. Wishing to take a wife for him, he desired to obtain a maiden of the utmost loveliness, handsome posture, and auspicious marks, and sought one for his son. He said to various brahmins: “Who has a fine maiden with complete physical marks? Go and seek her for my son.” The brahmins then searched for one. Wandering and begging from place to place, they arrived at Rājagṛha. In the city was a great minister named Homī, who possessed boundless wealth and reverently believed in the Three Jewels. A brahmin arrived at his house to beg. According to the custom of that land, when giving alms to others, it was required that a maiden hold the offerings to bestow them. The elder Homī had a daughter whose majestic poise was upright and whose appearance was exceedingly wondrous. She took food out to give to the brahmin. Seeing her, the brahmin rejoiced greatly in his heart: “The one I was searching for, today I have found her!” He asked the maiden: “Has anyone come to ask for your hand?” She answered: “Not yet.” He asked: “Maiden, is your father at home?” The maiden said: “He is.” The brahmin said: “Tell him to come out; I wish to see him and converse with him.” The maiden went inside and reported to her father: “Outside there is a guest who wishes to meet you.” The father went out. The brahmin inquired after his well-being, peace, and health, [and said]: “The king of Śrāvastī has a great minister named Sudatta, an assisting minister; do you know him?” He answered: “I have not seen him, but have only heard his name.” [The brahmin] said: “Do you know? That man is the foremost in wealth and nobility in that kingdom of Śrāvastī, just as you are the foremost in wealth and nobility here. Sudatta has a son who is handsome, extraordinarily wondrous, eminent, and possessed of many talents. He wishes to ask for your daughter’s hand; would this be acceptable?” He answered: “It is acceptable.” It happened that there was a merchant who wished to go to Śrāvastī. The brahmin wrote a letter and entrusted it to him to deliver to Sudatta, explaining the matter in full. Rejoicing, Sudatta went to the king to ask for leave to take a wife for his son. The king granted it. He loaded a great quantity of precious treasures and headed for Rājagṛha, succoring the poor and destitute along the way. Arriving at Rājagṛha, he went to Homī's house to seek the wife for his son. The elder Homī joyfully went out to welcome him, arranged bedding for him, and lodged him for the night in his house. The household bustled about preparing food and drink. Sudatta thought: “For what purpose is this elder preparing such a grand feast? Is he going to invite the king, crown prince, and ministers, or is he hosting a great gathering for elders, householders, marriages, and relatives?” He pondered the reason but could not fathom it. So he asked him: “This evening, elder, you are personally toiling and managing affairs, setting out provisions. Is it to invite the king, crown prince, and ministers?” He answered: “No.” “Do you wish to hold a gathering for a marriage or relatives?” He answered: “I am inviting the Buddha and the community of monks (bhikṣus).” When Sudatta heard the words “Buddha” and “Saṅgha,” his hair bristled with awe; as if having gained something, his heart was elated. He asked again: “What is meant by ‘Buddha’? Pray explain its meaning.” The elder answered: “Have you heard of the prince of Śuddhodana, whose name was Siddhārtha? On the day he was born, Heaven sent down thirty-two auspicious omens, and myriad gods stood guard. He immediately walked seven paces, raised his hand, and declared: ‘Above the heavens and beneath the heavens, I alone am supreme.’ His body was golden, adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty secondary signs. He was destined to rule as a golden wheel-turning king over the four continents. Seeing the suffering of old age, sickness, and death, he took no pleasure in household life; he went forth from the household to cultivate the Way. After six years of ascetic practice, he attained all-knowledge, eradicated the defilements, and became a Buddha. He subdued eighteen hundred million of Māra's hosts, and was called the Capable and Benevolent One (Śākyamuni). Endowed with the ten powers, the fearlessnesses, the eighteen unshared dharmas, with radiant brilliance shining forth and a far-reaching vision of the three penetrations—therefore he is called ‘Buddha’.” Sudatta asked: “What is meant by ‘Saṅgha’?” Homī answered: “After the Buddha attained the Way, Brahmā exhorted and requested him to turn the wondrous wheel of the Dharma. He went to the Deer Park in Vārāṇasī and, for the five men led by Kauṇḍinya, turned the four noble truths. Their defilements were exhausted, their fetters undone, and they became śramaṇas, fully endowed with the six supernatural penetrations, thoroughly trained in the four applications of mindfulness, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold path. Up in the sky, eighty thousand devas attained stream-entry (srotāpanna), and boundless gods and humans gave rise to the aspiration for unsurpassed awakening. Next, he converted Uruvilvā-Kāśyapa and his brothers, a thousand men in all; their defilements exhausted and their minds liberated, they attained deliverance successively just as those five men had. Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana with their retinue of five hundred also attained arhatship. Persons such as these have mastery in supernatural powers and are able to serve as an excellent field of merit for sentient beings; therefore they are called ‘Saṅgha’.” Hearing such wondrous matters recounted, Sudatta leaped for joy and was moved to deep faith and reverence. Longing for dawn, he resolved to go see the Buddha. Due to his sincere devotion and spiritual resonance, he saw the earth brighten. Following the light, he immediately set off. The city gate of Rājagṛha opened at three times during the night: the first watch, the middle watch, and the last watch—these are the three times. Leaving the gate during the middle watch, he saw a shrine to a deva and immediately bowed to it, suddenly forgetting his mindfulness of the Buddha. His mind and sight became dark again, and he thought to himself: “Tonight is still dark. If I proceed, I might be harmed by evil spirits and ferocious beasts. I had better return into the city and wait until dawn to go.” A deceased close friend had been reborn in the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings; seeing that he was about to turn back, he descended and spoke to him: “Householder, do not turn back! (I was formerly your good spiritual friend, the brahmin Mi-jian. Because of hearing the Dharma, I attained rebirth in heaven and am now a gate-god of great power, which is why I advise you.) If you go to see the Buddha, you will obtain boundless benefit. Even if you were granted a hundred carts of precious treasures, it would not compare to taking a single step toward the World-Honoured One’s dwelling; the benefit obtained far surpasses that. Householder, do not turn back! Even if you were granted an entire continent of four quarters filled with precious treasures, it would not compare to lifting your foot to take a single step toward the World-Honoured One’s dwelling; the benefit obtained surpasses that by hundreds of thousands of myriad times.” Hearing the deva speak these words, Sudatta’s joy increased all the more, and he reverently remembered the World-Honoured One. The darkness immediately gave way to dawn. Following the road, he arrived at the dwelling of the World-Honoured One. At that time, the World-Honoured One, knowing that Sudatta had arrived, came outside and was walking in meditation. Then Sudatta saw the World-Honoured One from afar, radiant like a mountain of gold, his majestic appearance and signs solemn and luminous, surpassing ten-thousandfold what Homī had described. Beholding him, his heart was delighted, but not knowing the proper etiquette, he straightforwardly asked the World-Honoured One: “I wonder how Gautama fares in rising and resting?” The World-Honoured One immediately bade him take a seat. At that time, the Śuddhāvāsa devas saw from afar.

3.13.2

Although Sudatta saw the World-Honoured One, he did not know the proper manner of bowing and making offerings. [The World-Honoured One] manifested four persons who came in procession; reaching the World-Honoured One's presence, they touched his feet in reverence, knelt on both knees, inquired after his well-being, circumambulated him three times to the right, and withdrew to stand to one side. When Sudatta saw them do this, he was astonished and thought to himself: "The manner of paying respect should indeed be like this!" He immediately rose from his seat, paid reverence just as they had done, inquired after [the Buddha's] well-being, circumambulated him three times to the right, and withdrew to stand to one side. Then the World-Honoured One expounded the Dharma for him: the four truths, subtle and wondrous, suffering, emptiness, and impermanence. Hearing the Dharma, he rejoiced and was imbued with the noble Dharma, becoming a srotāpanna—just as clean, white cotton cloth readily takes on dye. Kneeling upright with palms joined, he asked the World-Honoured One, "In the city of Śrāvastī, among those like myself, are there any others who, hearing the Dharma, are easily imbued with it as I am?" The Buddha told Sudatta, "There is not a second person like you. In the city of Śrāvastī, most people believe in heterodox teachings; they are hard to imbue with the noble teaching." Sudatta addressed the Buddha, "I only pray that the Tathāgata will deign to condescend his divine presence and come to Śrāvastī, so that the sentient beings therein may abandon the heterodox and turn to the correct." The World-Honoured One told him, "The way of the renunciant is different from that of the worldly. Their dwelling places should also be distinct. There is no vihāra there; how could I go?" Sudatta addressed the Buddha, saying, "Your disciple can build one. I pray you will grant your permission." The World-Honoured One remained silent. Sudatta took his leave and went to arrange the marriage for his son. Having concluded it, he took his leave of the Buddha to return home, and addressed the Buddha, saying, "Upon returning to my native country, I shall erect a vihāra, but I do not know the model and rules. I only pray that the World-Honoured One will send a disciple to go with me and give instructions." The World-Honoured One considered: "Within the city of Śrāvastī, the brāhmaṇas believe in heterodox and inverted views; if any other person goes, he will certainly not succeed. Only Śāriputra is of brāhmaṇa stock, has been intelligent since youth, and possesses both supernatural powers [and wisdom]. His going will surely be beneficial." He thereupon ordered him to go together with Sudatta. Sudatta asked, "How many li can the World-Honoured One travel on foot in a day?" Śāriputra said, "Half a yojana a day; as is the manner of a wheel-turning king traveling on foot, so too is the World-Honoured One." Thereupon, along the route, every twenty li Sudatta built a rest house, calculated the labor and paid money to hire workers, stationed attendants, and made food, drink, and bedding completely sufficient, from the city of Rājagṛha all the way to the kingdom of Śrāvastī. Having returned home, he inspected various grounds together with Śāriputra to see where there was an even and expansive area suitable for building a vihāra. They inspected all around, but there was no place to their liking. Only Prince Jeta had a park; its ground was level, its trees were lush, and it was neither too far nor too near—just the right place. Śāriputra told Sudatta, "In this park it is fitting to build a vihāra. If it were built far away, alms-seeking would be difficult; if in a close place, the clamor would disrupt the practice of the Path." Sudatta rejoiced, went to the prince's presence, and said to the prince, "I now wish to build a vihāra for the Tathāgata. Your park is excellent, and I now wish to buy it." The prince laughed and said, "I lack nothing. This park is lush and flourishing, and I intend to use it for recreation, strolling, and relaxing my mind." Sudatta earnestly asked again and again, even two and three times. The prince begrudged it and doubled the asking price, thinking that if the price were exorbitant, [Sudatta] would not be able to buy it. He told Sudatta, "If you can cover the ground with gold so that there is no empty space between, I shall give it to you." Sudatta said, "Agreed; I accept whatever the price may be." Prince Jeta said, "I was only joking!" Sudatta addressed him, saying, "As the code of a prince, one should not speak falsely. If one speaks falsely and deceives, how can one succeed [to the throne] and care for the people?" He then went with the prince wishing to litigate and settle the matter. At that time, because a vihāra was to be built for the Buddha, the Śuddhāvāsa gods feared that the ministers might show partiality toward the prince; so [a deity] transformed into a man and descended to arbitrate, saying to the prince, "Indeed, by the code of a prince, one should not speak falsely. Having already agreed to the price and settled it, it is not proper to regret it halfway." He thereupon judged that it be given to [Sudatta]. Sudatta rejoiced, and immediately ordered servants to lead elephants carrying out the gold. Within the eighty qing, it was about to be filled in a short moment, with only a small plot of ground remaining. Sudatta pondered which treasury of gold would suffice, neither too much nor too little, to make it completely full. Jeta asked, "Do you find it too expensive and want to give it up?" He answered, "No. I was only considering which gold treasury would suffice to cover the remainder." Jeta thought to himself: "The Buddha must be of great virtue, to cause this man to hold treasures so lightly as this!" He instructed: "Stop right here; do not bring out any more gold! The ground of the park belongs to you, but the trees belong to me. I shall personally build the gatehouses and offer them to the Buddha, and together we shall establish the vihāra." Sudatta rejoiced and readily agreed. He then returned home to begin the construction work. When the six masters heard of this, they went and addressed the king: "The elder Sudatta has bought Jeta's park, wishing to erect a vihāra for the śramaṇa Gautama. Allow our followers to compete in arts with them: if the śramaṇas win, then let it be erected; if they are inferior, they may not erect it. Gautama's followers may dwell in Rājagṛha, while our followers shall dwell here." The king summoned Sudatta and asked him, saying, "Now these six masters say: 'You have bought Jeta's park, wishing to build a vihāra for the śramaṇa Gautama, and we request to compete in arts with the śramaṇa's disciples. If they win, they may build the vihāra; if they are inferior, they may not build it.'" Sudatta returned home, wore soiled clothes, and was sorrowful and unhappy. The next day, when the time came, Śāriputra put on his robes, took his bowl, and came to Sudatta's house. Seeing that he was unhappy, he asked him, "Why are you unhappy?" Sudatta answered, saying, "I only fear that the vihāra to be built will not be accomplished; that is why I am sorrowful." Śāriputra said, "What matter is there that you fear it will not be accomplished?" He replied, "Now the six masters have approached the king to request a contest: if your honor wins, the vihāra may be built; if you are inferior, it is forbidden and you will not be allowed to build it. These six masters have been renunciants for a long time; their devotion is longstanding, and in the skills and arts they have mastered, none can equal them. I do not know whether your honor's skills and arts can compete with them or not." Śāriputra said, "Even if the followers of these six masters filled Jambudvīpa, as numerous as a bamboo grove, they could not move a single hair on my foot! Let them test whatever they wish, entirely at their discretion." Sudatta rejoiced, changed into new clothes, bathed in fragrant water, and immediately went to address the king: "I have inquired about it; if the six masters wish to compete, let it be entirely as they desire." That day, the king informed the six masters: "I now permit you to compete with the śramaṇa." Thereupon the six masters proclaimed to the people of the country: "Seven days from now!"

3.13.3

"We should compete with the śramaṇa in a broad and spacious open place outside the city." There were eighteen hundred million people in the country of Śrāvastī. According to the law of that land at the time, drums were struck to assemble the populace: if a bronze drum was struck, twelve hundred million assembled; if a silver drum was beaten, fourteen hundred million assembled; and if a golden drum was sounded, everyone assembled without exception. When the seven-day period was fulfilled, they went to a flat and wide open space and struck the golden drum, whereupon everyone assembled. The followers of the six teachers numbered three hundred million. Then the people set out high seats for the king and the six teachers. At that time, Sudatta set out a high seat for Śāriputra. Śāriputra was then beneath a tree, serenely entering meditative concentration; with all his sense faculties tranquil, he roamed through the various concentrations and comprehended them without obstruction, thinking: "This great assembly has long practiced heterodoxy, arrogantly exalting themselves and looking upon living beings as mere grass. With what virtue should I subdue them?" Having reflected thus, [he decided] that he should use three virtues, and he immediately made a vow: "If throughout countless kalpas I have been kind and filial to my parents and have venerated śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, then when I first enter the assembly, the entire crowd shall bow down to me." At that time, the six teachers saw that the crowd had already assembled, yet Śāriputra alone had not arrived. They addressed the king, saying: "The disciple of Gautama knows himself to have no arts, so he falsely sought to compete in abilities. Now that the great assembly has gathered, he is terrified and will not come." The king said to Sudatta: "Your master's disciple—the time for the contest has arrived; he should come and debate." Sudatta then went to Śāriputra's place, knelt on both knees, and said: "Venerable One, the great assembly has already gathered; please come to the meeting." Śāriputra then arose from meditative concentration, adjusted his robes, placed his niṣīdana upon his left shoulder, and walked forward with measured, stately steps like a lion king, proceeding to the great assembly. At that time, when the people saw his extraordinary demeanor and Dharma robes, they and the six teachers suddenly stood up, and like grass bending before the wind, bowed down to him unawares. Śāriputra then ascended the seat set out by Sudatta. Among the disciples of the six teachers was one named Raudrākṣa, who was skilled in illusionist arts. Before the great assembly, he recited a spell to create a tree, which grew spontaneously to shade the gathered crowd, its branches and leaves luxuriant, with a variety of flowers and fruits. Everyone said: "This marvel was performed by Raudrākṣa." Śāriputra then used his spiritual powers to create a vairambhaka wind, which blew up the tree by its roots, threw it to the ground, and pulverized it into fine dust. Everyone said: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Again, [Raudrākṣa] recited a spell to create a pool surrounded on all four sides by the seven precious substances, with various flowers growing in its waters. Everyone said: "This was made by Raudrākṣa." Śāriputra then manifested a great six-tusked white elephant; on each tusk were seven lotus flowers, and on each flower were seven jade maidens. The elephant strode calmly to the side of the pool and took in all its water, whereupon the pool vanished. Everyone said: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Raudrākṣa again produced a mountain adorned with the seven precious substances, with springs, pools, trees, and luxuriant flowers and fruits. Everyone said: "This was made by Raudrākṣa." Śāriputra then manifested a vajra-wielding warrior, who pointed at it from afar with his vajra pounder, and the mountain was shattered without anything left behind. The entire assembly said: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Again [Raudrākṣa] produced a dragon with ten heads, which rained various jewels from the empty sky, shaking the earth with thunder and lightning and alarming the great assembly. Everyone said: "This was made by Raudrākṣa." Śāriputra then manifested a garuḍa king, who tore it apart and devoured it. Everyone said: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Again [Raudrākṣa] produced a bull with a tall, massive body, plump, strong, and powerful, with thick legs and sharp horns; pawing the ground and roaring loudly, it charged forward. Śāriputra manifested a lion, which tore it apart and devoured it. The people said: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Again [Raudrākṣa] transformed his own body into a yakṣa demon, gigantic in size, with fire blazing atop its head, eyes red as blood, long and sharp claws and fangs, vomiting fire from its mouth, leaping in alarm and rushing forward. Śāriputra then transformed his own body into King Vaiśravaṇa. The yakṣa was terrified and wished to flee back, but fire arose on all four sides so that it had nowhere to go; only beside Śāriputra was it cool and devoid of fire. Immediately submissive, he threw all five limbs to the ground, begging for mercy to save his life. Once a sense of humbleness had arisen, the fire was extinguished. The crowd all cried out: "Śāriputra is victorious; Raudrākṣa is no match." Then Śāriputra ascended into the empty sky and manifested the four deportments—walking, standing, sitting, and reclining. Water emerged from the upper part of his body and fire from the lower part of his body. He vanished in the east and surged forth in the west, vanished in the west and surged forth in the east; vanished in the north and surged forth in the south, vanished in the south and surged forth in the north. Or he manifested a great body filling the empty sky, and then manifested a small one again; or he multiplied his single body into hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, millions of bodies, and then merged them back into one; from the empty sky he suddenly appeared on the ground; he walked on the ground as if on water, and walked on water as if on the ground. Having shown these marvels, he withdrew his miraculous powers and sat upon his original seat. When the great assembly saw his spiritual power, they were all filled with joy. Śāriputra then preached the Dharma to them. In accordance with their prior practices and past merits, each obtained the traces of the path: some attained [the fruit of] stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, or arhat. The three hundred million disciples of the six teachers went forth into the religious life under Śāriputra to study the path. The contest of arts having ended, the fourfold assembly dispersed, each returning to their quarters. The elder Sudatta went with Śāriputra to measure the ground for the monastery. Sudatta personally held one end of the measuring cord in his hand, and Śāriputra held the other end, measuring the monastery together. Śāriputra then beamed with a smile. Sudatta asked: "Venerable One, why do you smile?" He answered: "You have only just begun measuring the ground here, yet palaces in the six heavens of the realm of desire have already been formed." He then lent his spiritual vision to Sudatta, so that Sudatta saw all the adorned, pure palaces in the six heavens of the realm of desire. He asked Śāriputra: "Among these six heavens of the realm of desire, which place is the most blissful?" Śāriputra said: "In the lower three heavens, sensual desires are deep and heavy; in the upper two heavens, there is pride and self-indulgence. In the fourth heaven, desires are few and there is contentment; there is always a bodhisattva bound to one last birth who comes to be born there, and the teaching of the Dharma never ceases." Sudatta said: "I must be born precisely in the fourth heaven." As soon as he finished speaking, all the other palaces vanished, and only the palace of the fourth heaven remained serene and luminous. They then moved the measuring cord again.

3.13.4

At that moment, Śāriputra had a somber, sorrowful expression. [Sudatta] asked: "Venerable One, why do you have a sorrowful expression?" He replied: "Do you now see these ants in the ground?" He answered: "I see them." Śāriputra said to Sudatta: "Under the past Buddha Vipaśyin, you also built a monastery for that World-Honoured One on this very ground, and these ants were born in it. At the time of Buddha Śikhin, you also built a monastery for that Buddha in this very place, and these ants were also born in it. At the time of Buddha Viśvabhū, you built a monastery for the World-Honoured One on this ground, and these ants were also born in it. At the time of Buddha Krakucchanda, you also built a monastery for the World-Honoured One on this ground, and these ants were also born here. At the time of Buddha Kanakamuni, you built a monastery for the World-Honoured One on this ground, and these ants were also born in it. At the time of Buddha Kāśyapa, you also built a monastery for the Buddha on this ground, and these ants were also born in it. Down to today, through ninety-one kalpas, they have received this one kind of body and have not attained liberation. The round of birth and death is vast and long; merit alone is essential and must not fail to be planted." At that time, Sudatta felt grief and compassion. Having finished measuring the ground, he built the monastery. He made a chamber for the Buddha, using exquisite sandalwood as fragrant plaster. There were one thousand two hundred individual living quarters, with ghaṇṭās separately struck in all one hundred and twenty places. The arrangements having been completed, he wished to go and invite the Buddha, but reflected again: "Above me is the king; he should be informed. If I do not report it, he might harbor resentment." He then went to tell the king: "I have already built a monastery for the World-Honoured One. I only request that the Great King dispatch a messenger to invite the Buddha." Having heard this, the king dispatched a messenger to Rājagṛha to invite the Buddha and the saṅgha: "We only pray that the World-Honoured One will deign to visit Śrāvastī." Then the World-Honoured One, surrounded before and behind by the fourfold assembly, radiated a great light that shook heaven and earth, traveling to the country of Śrāvastī. At all the rest stations along the way he stopped, and those he delivered along the road were boundless. As he gradually drew near to the outskirts of the city of Śrāvastī, all the people gathered in a great crowd, holding various offerings to welcome and attend upon the World-Honoured One. Arriving at a broad and spacious open place in the country, he emitted a great light that illuminated the trichiliocosm completely. When his toes pressed the earth, the ground all trembled. The musical instruments in the city sounded on their own without being struck. The blind saw, the deaf heard, the mute spoke, the hunched straightened, and the crippled and lame were all made whole. All the people, men and women, young and old, rejoiced and leaped with joy upon seeing these auspicious omens. Eighteen hundred million people came to where the Buddha was, all assembling together. The World-Honoured One then administered medicine according to the illness, preaching the wondrous Dharma for them. According to what their past karmic conditions warranted, each attained the traces of the path: some attained [the fruit of] stream-enterer, once-returner, non-returner, or arhat; some planted the karmic causes for becoming a pratyekabuddha; and some gave rise to the resolve for unsurpassable, true, and correct enlightenment. Each rejoiced and practiced accordingly. The Buddha said to Ānanda: "Now, this garden land was bought by Sudatta, while the grove, trees, flowers, and fruits belong to Jeta. With one mind, the two persons jointly built the monastery. It should be named 'Prince Jeta's Grove and Anāthapiṇḍada's Park', so that this name may circulate and be transmitted to future generations." (In the language of Qi, "Sudatta" means "good warmth".) The Saṃyuktāgama says: "When the elder Anāthapiṇḍada was sick, the Buddha went to visit his illness and prophesied that he would attain the fruit of a non-returner. Then, when his life ended, he was born in the Tuṣita heaven as a son of heaven in Tuṣita. He thought: 'I should not stay here long; I should go see the World-Honoured One.' Having thought this, in the time it takes a strong man to bend and extend his arm, he vanished from the Tuṣita heaven and appeared before the Buddha, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and sat down to one side. Then the son of heaven Anāthapiṇḍada emitted light from his body that illuminated the Jetavana Anāthapiṇḍadārāma completely, and after uttering verses of praise, he vanished and was no longer seen." (The Ekottarikāgama says: "Prince Anāthapiṇḍada said to the World-Honoured One, 'I am Sudatta, also named Anāthapiṇḍada.'")

Linked texts (1)

釋迦譜 — 僧祐, Classical Chinese