雜譬喻經 1.86

1.86

昔有大梵天王名曰婆伽，宿命種長壽因緣故，其壽經七十二梵天人壽，終其壽故不盡，因是壽故便生邪見自謂為常。復作是念：「我得自在，從今以後人無能得妄見我者，若我聽來則見，不聽則止也。」佛以神心道眼照察其心，與舍利弗、目連等四大弟子，俱陵虛而往坐其頂上，舍利弗在右、目連在左，大迦葉在前、大迦栴延在後，告梵王曰：「汝自以為常得自在者，吾今何得坐汝頂上？」又問言：「汝見何等事，自以為常得自在耶？」梵王答言：「我梵天中，次第有七十二人壽盡，我故不盡。復有三大福德天人壽終，我故不盡。以是因故自謂為常。」佛語梵王：「我是一切智人，見汝始生時亦見汝死時，及一切諸法無有錯謬，汝莫癡惑自以為常。」此梵天王亦識宿命，欲臨成佛為定知不？便語佛言：「佛知我本何因緣得此壽命？」佛語梵王：「汝本曾作五通仙人，見有眾人乘船入海，暴風切起波浪滔天，以仙通力救接眾人持著岸上，令此諸人得免死厄，一因緣也。又汝曾為大國之臣，有一聚落犯於王法，時王大怒盡欲誅此聚落，汝時愍之竭家財產，為作道地令得全濟，二因緣也。以是二因緣故得此長壽，却後復經三十六劫汝壽當盡。」梵天王聞佛語已，信心即生，一心思惟，即得阿那含道。此梵王以是因緣故，尚得壽命如是，況佛於無量阿僧祇劫，積大誓願慈悲眾生，求頭與頭求眼與眼，一切所求盡能周給，身充虛空未足為大，塵數劫壽未足為多。

Formerly, there was a Mahābrahmā named Baka. Because he had planted the nidāna of longevity in past lives, his lifespan lasted through seventy-two lifespans of Brahmā devas, and his lifespan had still not come to an end. Because of this lifespan, he gave rise to wrong view, proclaiming himself to be permanent. He also had this thought: 'I have attained mastery; from now on, no one will be able to see me casually. If I allow them to come, then they will see me; if I do not allow it, then they will be stopped.' With his supernormal mind and eye of the Way, the Buddha surveyed his mind. Together with his four great disciples—Śāriputra, Maudgalyāyana, and the others—they ascended into the void and sat atop his crown: Śāriputra on the right, Maudgalyāyana on the left, Mahākāśyapa in front, and Mahākātyāyana behind. The Buddha said to the Brahma King: 'You consider yourself permanent and to have attained mastery, so how is it that I am now able to sit atop your crown?' He also asked: 'What have you seen that you consider yourself permanent and to have attained mastery?' The Brahma King replied: 'In my Brahmā Heaven, seventy-two persons in succession have ended their lifespans, yet mine has still not ended. Furthermore, three devas of great merit have ended their lifespans, yet mine has still not ended. Because of this, I proclaim myself to be permanent.' The Buddha told the Brahma King: 'I am the omniscient one. I see when you were first born, and I also see when you will die, as well as all phenomena without error. Do not be foolish and deluded, considering yourself permanent.' This Brahma King also knew past lives. Wanting to test whether the Buddha definitely knew or not, he then said to the Buddha: 'Does the Buddha know by what past nidāna I obtained this lifespan?' The Buddha told the Brahma King: 'Formerly, you were once a ṛṣi of the five supernormal powers. Seeing a group of people boarding a ship and entering the sea when a violent wind suddenly arose and waves surged to the heavens, you used the power of your ṛṣi supernormal powers to rescue the people and place them on the shore, causing all these people to escape the distress of death. This is the first nidāna. Furthermore, you were once a minister of a great kingdom. A village violated the king's law, and the king was in a great fury, wanting to execute the entire village. At that time, taking pity on them, you exhausted your family property to intercede on their behalf, enabling them all to be saved. This is the second nidāna. Due to these two nidāna, you obtained this long life. After thirty-six kalpas have passed, your lifespan will indeed come to an end.' Having heard the Buddha's words, the Brahma King immediately gave rise to faith. Contemplating with single-minded focus, he immediately attained the stage of the anāgāmin. If this Brahma King, through such nidāna, still obtained a lifespan like this, how much more so the Buddha, who over immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas has accumulated great vows, has been compassionate toward sentient beings, giving his head when his head was sought and his eyes when his eyes were sought, completely providing whatever was sought! Even if his body filled empty space, it would not be great enough; even if his lifespan were as many kalpas as specks of dust, it would not be long enough.