釋迦譜 5.14

5.14

Then King Aśoka said to the ministers, 'Because I offered sand to the Buddha, I have obtained such retribution as this; how could I not cultivate reverence toward the World-Honoured One?' The king further said to Upagupta, 'May the Venerable show me the places where the Buddha taught the Dharma and traveled, so that I may go there to make offerings and worship.' The king then led the fourfold army, bearing various offerings of incense, flowers, banners, and streamers, along with various musical entertainments, and departed with the Venerable. The Venerable arrived at the Lumbinī Grove, this being the place where the Tathāgata was born. The king prostrated fully, made offerings, worshipped, and erected a stupa. [He was shown:] 'Here the Bodhisattva practiced austerities for six years; here two maidens offered milk-rice to the Bodhisattva.' Then the Venerable led the king beneath the Bodhi tree and said to the king, 'Beneath this tree, the Bodhisattva, through the power of his samādhi of benevolence and compassion, shattered Māra's hosts and attained anuttarāsamyaksaṃbodhi.' The king then gave away countless rare gems, made various offerings, and erected a great stupa. The Venerable led the king to the country of Kuśinagara and said, 'Here the Tathāgata fully accomplished his Buddha-work and entered parinirvāṇa in the parinirvāṇa without remainder.' When the king heard these words, overcome with sorrow and confusion, he threw himself to the ground, weeping and shedding tears. In this way, he went so far as to raise various offerings and erect a great stupa. Then the king further said to the Venerable, 'My wish is to see the great disciples of the Buddha who received the Buddha's predictions, and to make offerings to their relics; please show them to me.' Then the Venerable said to the king, 'Excellent, excellent! Great King, you are able to generate such a wondrous aspiration.' The Venerable then led the king to the country of Śrāvastī. Entering the Jetavana monastery, he pointed to a stupa: 'This is the stupa of the Venerable Śāriputra; the king should make offerings to it.' The king asked, 'What merit does he possess?' The Venerable answered, 'He was the Second Dharma King, who turned the wheel of the Dharma in accordance [with the Buddha].' The king gave rise to great joy and gave one hundred thousand ounces of rare gems to make offerings to that stupa. Next, he showed the stupa of Mahāmaudgalyāyana: 'The king should make offerings to this stupa.' The king asked again, 'What merit does he possess?' The Venerable answered, 'He was foremost in spiritual powers; stamping his toe upon the earth, the earth shook all the way to the heavenly palaces, and he subdued the dragon kings Nanda and Upananda.' The king gave one hundred thousand ounces of rare gems to make offerings to this stupa. Next, he showed the stupa of Mahākāśyapa and said to the king, 'This is Mahākāśyapa's meditation cave; you should make offerings to it.' The king asked, 'What merit does he possess?' He answered, 'He had few desires and was content, foremost in dhūta practices; the Tathāgata shared half his seat with him and bestowed the saṅghāṭī robe, out of pity for sentient beings, to establish the True Dharma.' The king gave one hundred thousand ounces of rare gems to make offerings to this stupa. Next, he showed the stupa of the Venerable Vakkula: 'You should make offerings to it.' The king asked, 'What merit does he possess?' The Venerable answered, 'He was foremost in freedom from illness; he did not preach a single phrase of Dharma to others, remaining silent and wordless.' The king said, 'I offer one coin.' The ministers said to the king, 'Their merits being equal, why make an offering of only one coin here?' The king told them, 'Listen to what I say: