[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) › [眾經撰雜譬喻](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208) › 1.28 # 眾經撰雜譬喻 1.28 眾經撰雜譬喻 1.28 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1.28) 昔有外國有一大長者大富，惟有一子愛重無比，後日得病大困，治之不瘥遂到無常，臨命終時一心念佛，佛現形其前，心安意定便得生天。父母念子愁惱便欲自殺不能自解，因以火燒取其骨著銀瓶中，至月十五日，便施百味飲食持著其前，舉聲悲哭宛轉臥地。天子在上見其所為，自念：「我不現化意終不解。」即下作小兒，年八、九歲，在道邊放牛，牛卒死臥地，小兒便行取草着死牛口，舉以杖打牛，呼言：「起食！」父母大小見小兒所為，便共笑之，前問言：「卿誰家子？何癡乃爾？牛今已死，舉草着口，寧有食期？」而反笑言：「我牛今雖死，頭口故在，舉草不食，況君兒死來已久矣！加火燒之，唯少燋骨在地，以百味食著前而加啼哭，寧得食之不也！」其父意即開解問兒：「卿是何人？」兒言：「我是長者兒，今蒙佛恩得生天上，見父母悲惱太甚故來相化耳！」父意解大歡喜無復愁憂，天子忽爾不現。父母歸家即大布施，奉持禁戒讀經行道，得須陀洹果。 > Once, in a foreign land, there was a great elder who was very wealthy. He had an only son whom he loved and treasured beyond measure. Later, \[the son\] contracted a disease and became gravely ill; though treated, he did not recover and eventually met impermanence. Facing the end of his life, he single-mindedly recollected the Buddha. The Buddha manifested his form before him; with a mind peaceful and intent, he was able to be reborn in heaven. His parents, longing for their son, were so sorrowful and distressed that they wished to commit suicide, unable to console themselves. Thereupon they burned \[the corpse\] with fire, took his bones, and placed them in a silver vase. On the fifteenth day of the month, they set out food and drink of a hundred flavours before it, cried aloud in grief, and rolled about upon the ground. The devaputra above, seeing what they were doing, thought to himself: "If I do not manifest a transformation, their minds will never be consoled." He at once descended and transformed into a young boy of eight or nine years, herding an ox by the roadside. The ox suddenly died and lay upon the ground. The boy went, gathered grass, placed it in the dead ox's mouth, raised a stick, beat the ox, and shouted: "Get up and eat!" The parents, old and young alike, saw what the boy was doing and laughed together at him. Stepping forward, they asked: "Whose son are you? Why are you so foolish? The ox is already dead; you put grass in its mouth, but how could it ever eat?" But he laughed in turn and said: "Though my ox is now dead, its head and mouth are still here, yet when I hold grass \[to it\], it does not eat—how much less so with your son, who has been dead so long! Moreover, you burned him with fire, and only a few charred bones remain on the ground; you set food of a hundred flavours before them and weep aloud—how could he ever eat it?" His father's mind immediately opened to understanding. He asked the boy: "Who are you?" The boy said: "I was the elder's son. Now, receiving the Buddha's grace, I have been born in heaven. Seeing my parents' sorrow and distress to be so excessive, I came only to transform you!" The father's mind was consoled; he rejoiced greatly and had no further sorrow. Suddenly the devaputra vanished. Returning home, the parents at once gave great dāna, observed the prohibitive precepts, recited the sūtras, and practiced the Way, attaining the fruit of a srotāpanna. > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.27](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1.27) - [Next: 1.29](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1.29) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208~en-mt.1.28) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1.28](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.208.1.28) · Pramāṇa