雜譬喻經 1.21

1.21

迦葉父者名曰尼俱律陀，摩竭國人也，出自婆羅門種，宿命福德生世大富，其珍奇寶物於彼國第一，比國王財富千分少一耳。夫婦孤獨乏無兒息，近在舍側有大樹神，時彼夫婦為欲有兒故求彼樹神，三生祭祠歲歲不絕，故其所求，永無本末，其人遂忿便急與之，期告樹神曰：「我更盡心七日相事，若復無驗當揃伐汝，棄都道頭以火燒之。」樹神聞其言甚大驚怖，不知何方令得子息，即便上告息意天王，具以事情向天王說。息意天王即將樹神詣天帝釋，以其所告白天帝釋。釋即以天眼觀欲界中，未有堪任為彼子者，帝釋便告梵天王，具以事情向梵王說。梵王即以天眼觀視其界，見一梵天臨當壽終，便告之曰：「汝可下生閻浮提，為摩竭國尼俱律陀婆羅門作子。」梵天對曰：「婆羅門者多諸邪見，我若下生，不能為其作子。」梵王答曰：「婆羅門宿時大德，欲界眾生無有堪任為作子者，汝若往生，吾當勅天帝釋，令擁護汝，不使中道墮邪見也。」梵天曰：「諾，不違聖教。」時天帝釋即還欲界，具以此意告勅樹神，樹神歡喜還告長者：「勿憂勿懼勿見瞋恨！却後七日必令有子。」如其所言七日已滿，其婦人便覺有娠，滿十月已其子乃生，軀身金色而有光明。相師占曰：「此兒宿福有大威德，志力清遠不貪世務，若後出家必登聖道。」父母聞之復大愁憂，恐兒長大棄吾出家，以何方便當制止之？復自思惟：「欲界所重遂在美色，當為擇取端正好女以繫之耳。」至年十五欲為娶婦，迦葉聞之甚大愁憂，語父母言：「我志樂清淨，不須婦也。」迦葉辭至三，父母答如初。於時迦葉語父母言：「我不用凡女人為婦也，若能得紫金色女端正無比，爾乃取之耳。」所以然者，欲必令此事不可辦故也。

Kāśyapa's father was named Nyagrodha, a man of Magadha who came from a brahman clan. Due to past merit, he was born into great worldly wealth; his rare treasures and precious gems were the foremost in that land, only one-thousandth less than the riches of the king of the country. The couple was alone, lacking any children. Close beside their house stood a great tree spirit. Wishing to have a child, the couple prayed to the tree spirit, offering animal sacrifices year after year without interruption. Yet what they sought was completely without result from beginning to end. The man grew furious and gave an ultimatum, warning the tree spirit: "I shall serve you with full devotion for seven more days. If there is still no response, I will cut you down, cast you at the head of the main highway, and burn you with fire!" Hearing his words, the tree spirit was greatly terrified, not knowing by what means to procure a son for him. He immediately went up and reported to the Heavenly King Xiyi, recounting the matter in full to the heavenly king. The Heavenly King Xiyi took the tree spirit to Śakra Devānām Indra and reported to him what had been said. Śakra then observed the desire realm with his divine eye, but there was no one capable of becoming his son. Śakra then reported to the Brahma King, recounting the matter in full to the Brahma King. The Brahma King then observed his own realm with his divine eye and saw a Brahmā deity whose lifespan was about to end. He said to him: "You may descend to be born in Jambudvīpa, to become the son of the brahman Nyagrodha of Magadha." The Brahmā deity replied, "Brahmans hold many wrong views. If I descend to be born, I cannot become his son." The Brahma King answered, "That brahman possesses great past virtue, and no being in the desire realm is capable of becoming his son. If you go to be born there, I will command Śakra Devānām Indra to protect and watch over you, so that you do not fall into wrong views along the way." The Brahmā deity said, "Yes, I shall not disobey your noble instruction." Śakra Devānām Indra then returned to the desire realm and conveyed this intention to the tree spirit. Joyful, the tree spirit returned to inform the śreṣṭhin: "Do not worry, do not fear, and harbor no anger! Seven days from now you will surely have a son." Just as he said, when the seven days were completed, the woman felt she was pregnant. After ten months had passed, the child was born, his body golden in color and radiant with light. A physiognomist divined: "This child has great majesty and virtue from past merit; his aspiration is lofty and untainted, not coveting worldly affairs. If he later leaves home, he will surely attain the holy path." Hearing this, the parents were again filled with great sorrow and worry: "We fear that when the child grows up, he will abandon us and leave home. By what means can we restrain him?" They reflected again: "What is valued in the desire realm is ultimately beautiful form. We should select a graceful, beautiful woman for him to bind him." When he reached the age of fifteen, they wished to arrange a marriage for him. Hearing this, Kāśyapa was filled with deep grief. He said to his parents, "My aspiration delights in purity; I have no need for a wife." Kāśyapa declined three times, but his parents' answer remained as before. Kāśyapa then said to his parents, "I will not take an ordinary woman as my wife. Only if you can find a woman of purple-golden color, matchlessly beautiful, will I take her." The reason he did so was that he wanted to ensure the matter could never be accomplished.