眾經撰雜譬喻 1.28

1.28

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.