釋迦譜 4.41

4.41

The kings of the eight countries vied and contended to take the relics, each raising troops. Śakra, lord of the gods, saw this and immediately dispatched [a messenger] from the edge of heaven down to instruct the kings, saying: 'When the Buddha was in the world, you kings were all like brothers. Now that the Buddha has just attained nirvāṇa, why would you punish one another and slaughter the ten thousand people without cause? You should divide them together. Each shall return and erect a stūpa, and all alike will gain merit.' The kings all said: 'Splendid! Relying on you to act as arbiter, divide them for us so that there may be no dispute.' [The messenger] from the edge [of heaven] used a golden jar to divide them. Together with King Ajātaśatru, each obtained eighty-four thousand relics. There remained a single hair from the Buddha's mouth, which none dared take. Because King Ajātaśatru, when first coming to seek the relics, threw himself from his chariot onto the ground so that his breath was nearly cut off, they jointly offered it to King Ajātaśatru. Having obtained the relics and the hair, King Ajātaśatru returned in great joy, making music with singers and performers; drums and horns shook heaven. The dragon king Nanda, hearing that the Buddha had entered parinirvāṇa, also transformed himself into a human body along with the dragons, arriving at the place of the nirvāṇa. Meeting King Ajātaśatru on the road, he returned and said to him: 'The Buddha left relics not merely for humankind to venerate; could you bring one portion and give it to me or not?' Ajātaśatru said: 'That cannot be done.' The dragon king said: 'I am the dragon Nanda. I could lift up your realm, take it eighty thousand leagues away, and grind it into dust.' Out of terror, King Ajātaśatru immediately lifted up the Buddha's hair and gave it to him. [The dragon] further wished to take the relics. The dragon king then said: 'Having obtained this hair, it is sufficient for me to make offerings.' Turning around, each departed. The dragon king then returned beneath Mount Sumeru. He raised the water eighty-four thousand leagues high and built a stūpa of crystal and lapis lazuli. After King Ajātaśatru passed away, King Aśoka came into possession of his realm. At that time, a minister addressed King Aśoka, saying: 'The dragon Nanda formerly slighted Ajātaśatru and snatched away the Buddha's hair.' Hearing this, Aśoka was greatly angered. He at once ordered all the spirit kings to make iron nets and iron cushions and lay them in the water beneath Mount Sumeru, wishing to bind and capture the dragon king. The dragon king was terrified, and plotting together [with his retinue], said: 'Aśoka serves the Buddha. We should watch for when he sleeps, seize his palace, and move it beneath Mount Sumeru into the crystal stūpa. I shall personally come forth to meet him and explain the origin and the intention of the path in full detail; hearing this, his anger will surely subside.' Thereupon he dispatched dragons to carry off King Aśoka's palace. When King Aśoka awoke from sleep, he did not know where he was. Seeing the crystal stūpa eighty-four thousand leagues high, joy and terror mingled in his heart. The dragon Nanda came forth himself to apologize, saying: 'King Ajātaśatru gave me the Buddha's hair of his own accord; I did not snatch it. When Śākyamuni Buddha was in the world, he made a covenant with me, saying: "After my parinirvāṇa, when the kalpa comes to an end, all the sūtras, precepts, kāṣāya robes, and bowls—you must take all of them and conceal them within this stūpa. When Maitreya descends, you must again bring them forth." King Aśoka, hearing these words, apologized profusely, [saying] he truly did not know this. The dragon king Nanda then commanded the dragons to restore King Aśoka's palace to its original place.