經律異相 13.25

13.25

舍衛國有長者。名曰拘留。無有兒子。禱神求之。天於空中而語之曰。長者福多無堪生者。是以無子。有天王壽終應生君家。後生兒名須菩提。端正聰辯慈仁博愛。白其父母。今欲請佛。父母聽許。即便請佛廣設供養。復白父母求作沙門。父母聽之。即隨如來還至祇洹便作沙門。應時得阿惟顏。神通具足隨俗教化。在弟子中現作羅漢。阿難白佛言。此須菩提本修何功德。佛言。此人無數世時作貧家子。逢一比丘入城分衛遍無所得。爾時年少見其鉢空。作禮白言。願隨我歸當相供養。即隨到家取己食分供養道人。而自不食。道人食竟現飛而去。年少歡喜即發道意。緣是功德。後生天上九十一劫。今復來生長者家。爾時年少者今須菩提也。一施之福尚乃如此。況復多乎（出福報經）。

In Śrāvastī, there was an elder named Kuru who had no sons. He prayed to the spirits seeking one. A deity said from mid-air: “Elder, your merits are so abundant that no ordinary being is capable of being born to you; therefore you have no sons. There is a deva-king whose lifespan is coming to an end who should be born into your house.” Later, a son was born named Subhūti, handsome, intelligent, eloquent, benevolent, and full of universal love. He said to his parents: “I now wish to invite the Buddha.” His parents granted permission, whereupon he invited the Buddha and laid out extensive offerings. He again addressed his parents, seeking to become a śramaṇa. His parents gave permission, and he immediately followed the Tathāgata back to the Jetavana and became a śramaṇa. Right then he attained the non-retrogressing stage (avaivartika), fully endowed with supernormal powers, teaching and transforming beings in accordance with worldly conventions, manifesting as an arhat among the disciples. Ānanda said to the Buddha: “What merit did this Subhūti cultivate in the past?” The Buddha said: “Incalculable lifetimes ago, this man was the son of a poor family. He met a monk who had entered the city on almsround and gotten nothing at all. At that time, the young man saw his empty bowl, bowed, and said: ‘Please follow me home; I will make an offering to you.’ He then followed him to his home, took his own portion of food, and offered it to the man of the path, not eating himself. Having eaten, the man of the path manifested flying and departed. The young man was filled with joy and straightway resolved his mind on the path. By virtue of this merit, he was subsequently born in the heavens for ninety-one kalpas, and now he has come to be reborn in the elder’s house. The young man of that time is now Subhūti. The merit of a single gift was already such as this; how much more so for many!” (From the Sūtra on Karmic Retribution.)