[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [付法藏因緣傳](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058) › 5.4.1 # 付法藏因緣傳 5.4.1 付法藏因緣傳 5.4.1 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [5.4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.4.1) 說是偈已應時寶塔分散崩落。 王見驚怖而作是言。 我於今者福將欲盡失王位乎。 何故我適禮此寶塔而便頹毀。 有人語言。 王所禮者是外道塔。 以其威德微末尠少。 不堪受王福德人禮。 是故爾耳即發塔下得尼乾屍。 眾人歎曰。 奇哉大王德力深厚。 禮此邪塔。 令其毀壞。 王之功德比於梵天。 又罽昵吒曾於一時。 命剃鬚師教剃己鬚。 時剃鬚師在王前立而作是言。 我子端政智慧希有。 唯願大王垂哀矜愍以女妻之。 王大瞋恚而語之曰。 汝是賤人種姓卑劣。 云何我女妻汝子乎。 即便驅逐令至餘處。 而自默然不復敢語。 後更召來言還如前。 如是至三。 王思惟曰。 今此地下必有伏藏。 故令斯人敢為此語。 即便使人當下發掘。 尋便大獲種種寶藏。 王之智慧其事如是。 又罽昵吒在於一時訪問群臣。 諸國土中頗有智人可諮敬不。 當於爾時有一比丘名達摩蜜多。 智慧深遠功德具足。 善能通達三昧定相。 南天竺國有二比丘。 心意柔和深樂善法。 素聞尊者坐禪第一。 即共相將往詣其所。 於其住處有三重窟。 爾時二人至下窟中。 見一比丘著弊壞衣。 形貌醜陋端坐竈前為僧然火。 時二比丘問言。 長老達摩蜜多為在何處。 答言。 今在最上窟中。 汝等宜可急往見之。 爾時二人進至上窟。 見向比丘已於中坐。 時一比丘語其伴曰。 此老比丘云何乃似向所見者。 時伴比丘聰慧機悟。 即語之曰。 今此尊者尚能如是。 流布名聞。 豈不能至此處而坐。 即前為禮稽首問曰。 大德威名世間希有。 何故自屈為僧燃火。 達摩蜜多告比丘曰。 子今當聽。 我念生死受苦長遠。 若使頭手可得燃者。 吾當為僧而盡燃之。 況餘身分及以燃火。 何足為難。 吾念往昔。 五百世中常受狗身。 飢窮羸乏唯曾再飽。 乃於昔時值有一人。 飲酒既醉嘔吐委地。 我於爾時食而得足。 又昔曾有夫妻二人。 以器煮糜熟已出外。 我見無人至其家內。 入頭器中食糜得足。 後欲出頭了不能得。 於是夫妻從外還入。 見食其糜深生瞋恚。 即以利刀用剪吾首。 於五百世受斯狗身。 雖二飽滿而失身命。 以是思惟生死長久周遍五道受苦無量。 故吾今者不憚勤勞。 躬為眾僧而自燃火。 時二比丘聞是語已。 深觀生死無量過患。 應時逮得須陀洹道。 如是尊者達摩蜜多。 知見高遠名稱流布。 王諸群臣素聞其名。 咸共白言。 大王當知。 罽賓山中有一比丘。 名達摩蜜多。 才慧超倫福德深厚。 王宜往彼問訊供養。 時罽昵吒即便嚴駕。 前後圍遶往罽賓山。 離彼住處五百餘里。 王自念言。 若彼比丘福德淵廣。 乃能受吾恭敬禮拜。 設薄福人終不堪也。 達摩蜜多性好純素。 著弊壞衣顏容憔悴。 尊者弟子咸作是言。 罽膩吒王威名高遠。 屈駕來此禮覲大師。 宜自莊嚴著新淨服。 無令為彼之所輕賤。 達摩蜜多告弟子曰。 如來昔日無有教勅。 若見豪貴便自莊嚴。 且出家人麁弊是常。 既得其宜何所改易。 爾時彼王即便前進。 稽首恭敬問訊起居。 達摩蜜多知其心念。 即便咳唾使王承之。 爾時膩吒長跪合掌受唾而棄。 問言。 我今堪王供不。 王即摧伏倍生敬信。 尊者告曰。 王昔曾於勝道而來。 今可還從本路而去。 既聞是語受教歸國。 爾時群臣咸生嫌忿。 云何大王本訪勝人。 既得見之都不諮啟。 王告臣曰。 汝豈能知若斯事耶。 我於往昔積修福行。 今得為王才慧超世。 尊者令我還修本業。 已受訓誨更何問乎。 王於後時至膩吒塔。 前路見有五百乞人。 同聲求哀稱施如我。 王聞是已大施乞人。 金銀琉璃象馬田宅。 迴還造作種種施會。 拯恤貧乏存慰孤老。 正法治世仁育天下。 時有一臣名曰天法。 便作是念。 云何大王見斯乞人。 建立如是功德勝業。 即問王言。 > When he had spoken this verse, the jeweled stūpa immediately shattered and collapsed. The king was alarmed and terrified, and said, "Is my merit now about to be exhausted so that I will lose my royal throne? Why is it that as soon as I paid homage to this jeweled stūpa, it collapsed and was ruined?" Someone said to him, "What the King paid homage to was a stūpa of the non-Buddhists. Because its majestic virtue is negligible and slight, it could not bear the homage of a man of merit such as the King. That is the only reason." Thereupon they excavated beneath the stūpa and found the corpse of a Nirgrantha. The multitudes praised, saying, "Marvelous, Great King! Your power of virtue is profound and mighty. Paying homage to this false stūpa, you caused it to fall into ruins. The King's merit is comparable to that of Brahmā." Furthermore, on one occasion Kaniṣka commanded his barber to shave his beard. The barber stood before the king and said, "My son is handsome, upright, and possessed of rare wisdom. I only pray that the Great King will show compassion and pity, and give him \[one of your\] daughters in marriage." The king was exceedingly enraged and said to him, "You are a base man of lowly caste. How could my daughter be married to your son?" He then drove him away to another place, and the barber remained silent, not daring to speak again. Later, when summoned again, he spoke just as before. This happened three times. The king pondered, "Beneath the ground here there must be a buried treasure, which causes this man to dare to speak thus." He immediately ordered men to dig directly beneath where he stood, and soon they obtained a great store of various treasures. The king's wisdom was of such a nature. Furthermore, Kaniṣka on one occasion asked his ministers, "In the various lands, is there any wise man whom I might consult and revere?" At that time, there was a monk named Dharmamitra, whose wisdom was profound and whose merit was complete, and who was well able to comprehend the characteristics of samādhi. In South India there were two monks, gentle in mind and deeply delighting in good qualities. Having long heard that the Venerable was foremost in seated meditation, they set out together to go to his place. At his dwelling place there was a three-tiered cave. Then the two men arrived at the lower cave and saw a monk wearing tattered robes, of ugly appearance, sitting upright before the hearth lighting the fire for the Saṅgha. The two monks then asked, "Where is the Elder Dharmamitra?" He answered, "He is now in the topmost cave. You should go quickly to see him." The two men then proceeded to the upper cave and saw the previous monk already seated within it. One monk said to his companion, "How is it that this old monk resembles the one we just saw?" His companion, being quick-witted and discerning, immediately said to him, "If this Venerable can spread his renown so far, could he not arrive here and take his seat?" They then stepped forward, made obeisance, bowed their heads, and asked, "The Bhadanta's majestic renown is rare in the world. Why do you humble yourself to light the fire for the Saṅgha?" Dharmamitra told the monks, "Listen now, sons. When I reflect upon the long suffering undergone in birth-and-death, if it were possible to burn my head and hands, I would burn them completely for the sake of the Saṅgha. How much less would other parts of my body, or lighting a fire, be considered difficult? I recall that in the past, for five hundred lifetimes, I constantly took the body of a dog. Starving, impoverished, and emaciated, only twice did I eat to fullness. Once in the past, I met a man who, being drunk with wine, vomited onto the ground; at that time I ate of it and was satisfied. Another time in the past, there was a husband and wife who cooked porridge in a vessel, and when it was done they went outside. Seeing no one, I went into their house, put my head into the vessel, and ate my fill of porridge. Afterwards, when I wished to withdraw my head, I could not do so at all. Thereupon the husband and wife returned inside from outside, and seeing me eating their porridge, became deeply enraged; they immediately took a sharp knife and cut off my head. Having received this dog's body for five hundred lifetimes, though twice I was filled, I lost my life. Reflecting in this way that birth-and-death is long and wandering through the five destinies brings immeasurable suffering, I therefore do not shrink from toil now, and personally light the fire for the Saṅgha." When the two monks heard these words, they deeply contemplated the boundless faults of birth-and-death, and at that very moment attained the path of srotāpanna. Such was the Venerable Dharmamitra: his knowledge and vision were elevated and far-reaching, and his renown was widely spread. The king's ministers had long heard of his name, and together they addressed the king, "The Great King should know: in the mountains of Kaśmīra there is a monk named Dharmamitra. His talent and wisdom are matchless, and his merit is profound and abundant. The King ought to go there to inquire after him and make offerings." At that time Kaniṣka had his carriages prepared, and with retinues before and behind, he set out for the mountains of Kaśmīra. When he was more than five hundred li away from that dwelling place, the king thought to himself, "Only if that monk's merit is vast and deep can he receive my respectful salutations; if he is a man of meager merit, he will surely not be able to bear it." Dharmamitra by nature was fond of pure simplicity; he wore tattered robes and his appearance was haggard. The Venerable's disciples all said, "King Kaniṣka's majestic renown is elevated and far-reaching. He has humbled his carriage to come here and pay homage to the Great Master. You should adorn yourself and put on new, clean robes, lest you be slighted by him." Dharmamitra said to his disciples, "In former days, the Tathāgata gave no instruction that upon seeing the noble and wealthy, one should adorn oneself. Moreover, for a renunciant coarse and worn garments are ordinary. Having what is fitting, what is there to alter?" Then the king proceeded forward, bowed his head in reverence, and inquired after his health. Dharmamitra knew his thoughts; he immediately coughed and spat, causing the king to catch it. At that time Kaniṣka knelt on his knees, joined his palms, caught the spittle, and discarded it. \[Dharmamitra\] asked, "Am I now able to bear the King's offerings?" The king was thereupon subdued, and his reverence and faith doubled. The Venerable said to him, "The King formerly came by a superior path; you may now return by your original road." Having heard these words, the king accepted the instruction and returned to his country. At that time, his ministers were all displeased and resentful: "Why did the Great King originally visit a superior man, yet having met him, did not consult or question him at all?" The king said to his ministers, "How could you know such matters? In the past I accumulated and practiced meritorious deeds, and now I have become king, with talent and wisdom surpassing the world. The Venerable instructed me to cultivate my original practice; having already received his admonition, what more was there to ask?" Later, the king went to the Kaniṣka stūpa. On the road ahead, he saw five hundred beggars who with one voice pleaded for pity, saying, "Give alms to us!" When the king heard this, he gave vast alms to the beggars: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, elephants, horses, fields, and residences. Returning, he arranged various assemblies for almsgiving, relieving the poor and destitute, and consoling the orphaned and elderly. He governed the world with the True Dharma and nurtured all under heaven with benevolence. At that time there was a minister named Tianfa, who thought, "Why did the Great King, upon seeing these beggars, establish such superior deeds of merit?" He then asked the king: > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 5.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.3) - [Next: 5.4.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.4.2) - [Up: 5.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.4) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058~en-mt.5.4.1) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.4.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.2058.5.4.1) · Pramāṇa