釋迦譜 5.22

5.22

The Dharmavardhana Sūtra states: The king had a crown prince named Dharmavardhana (Dharmavaddhana), which in Qi speech means 'Increase of the Dharma' (Fayi). He was born on the day the eighty-four thousand stupas were erected. His eyes were lovely, resembling the eyes of a kuṇāla bird; thus he was given that name. In demeanor he was bright and refined, renowned in both civil and military arts, and skilled at playing the one-stringed zither. The king had a secondary consort who saw him, fell in love with him, and wished to have an illicit liaison with him. The prince firmly refused and would not comply. The consort's resentment ran deep, and fearing that the matter might leak out, she secretly wished to dispose of him. Thereupon she addressed the king, saying, "Today our borders are unified and the four seas follow the same custom. The crown prince's age and virtue are both fine, and he is thoroughly accomplished in both civil and military arts. It would be fitting for him to pacify and govern the strategic frontiers so as to win the hearts of the people." The king complied with her intention and immediately dispatched troops to escort him. While at his post, the prince showed great governing ability. After more than a year, the king suddenly suffered from a foul stench throughout his body, which none of the world's physicians or medicines could cure. The consort secretly sent people to inquire throughout the realm for anyone with the same illness as the king, cut open their belly to examine it, and found a black worm several inches long, so foul that one could not approach it. They immediately took various medicines to pour over it, but its foulness only increased. They then fumigated it with garlic; the worm died and the stench ceased. Thereupon she addressed the king, saying, "I can cure Your Majesty and ensure your recovery. I beg you to allow me to rule as king for seven days." The king was delighted and consented, saying, "As long as you make me recover, what are seven days?" The consort immediately gave garlic to the king and had him take it, whereupon he was cured. Thereupon the palace maidens presented wine to offer congratulations, causing the king to lie drunk without awareness. The consort, bearing resentment against the prince, fabricated an imperial edict to gouge out his two eyes, ordering others to take his place. By the law of the state, the king's tooth served as his seal; she therefore took wax to make an impression of the king's tooth and stamped it. The prince received the edict with joy and without resentment. He first had one eye gouged out and placed in his palm; looking at it for a long while, he awakened to suffering, emptiness, and non-self, and attained the stage of stream-enterer (srotaāpanna). Afterwards, he yielded the other eye. Thereupon, taking his consort by the hand, he walked out of the city on foot. Passersby wept for him, all raising their heads and crying out to Heaven, "What crime has the prince committed to come to this?" Prostrating to bid farewell, they sobbed and could not rise; some even died from intense grief. Begging for food while wandering in exile, he happened to return to his home country, still carrying his one-stringed zither and playing it wherever he went. At that time, a great minister recognized that he was the crown prince and also knew what the consort had done, but did not dare to inquire. Through another person, he addressed the king, saying, "Outside there is a blind man skilled at playing the zither, fully master of sixty-four arts, with wondrously exceptional skill; he should not be missed." The king immediately summoned him and thus saw his son. The son's wife fainted and fell to the ground; only after a long while did she revive. When the king questioned him about the cause, he realized that it had been done by the consort. Since the king had previously received the five precepts and no longer killed living beings, he only had her nose cut off and cast her into a deep forest. When the prince heard that the consort had been punished, his pent-up sorrow brought on an illness and he died. The king was old and senile, bedridden with illness, and had no remaining authority. For half a year, the ministers administered affairs. After the king passed away, they established the throne: the son of Dharmavardhana, named Saṃprati, succeeded to the throne.