法華傳記 9.6

9.6

Anciently, when the Buddha was in the world, there was a deva who came to the Buddha's place. Having praised the Buddha, he returned to heaven. Ānanda addressed the Buddha, saying: "What past merit does this deva have, with such extraordinary majesty and virtue, to see the Buddha and hear the Dharma?" The Buddha said: "This devaputra was an attendant of King Ajātaśatru. Carrying a palanquin, he came to the Buddha's place and heard the Lotus Sūtra. Relying on the goodness of hearing the Dharma, he was born in the Fourth Heaven. At the time of his initial birth, he immediately recognized his past lives and came to the Buddha's place. In a future age, he will attain Buddhahood, named Viśiṣṭamatī, endowed with the ten titles. All of this is due to the power of hearing the Lotus Sūtra." (From the same collection.)