經律異相 14.23

14.23

舍利弗過去世時。亦不堪忍見於我死而先我前死。阿難白佛。不審往昔先前取死其事云何。佛告阿難。過去久遠不思議劫。此閻浮提有一國王。名旃陀婆羅脾（梁言月光）。王有二萬夫人婇女。其第一夫人名須摩檀（梁言華施）一萬大臣。其第一者名摩旃陀（梁言大月）。王有五百太子。最大太子。名曰尸羅跋陀（梁言戒莫）。王所住城名跋陀耆婆（梁言賢壽）。其城縱廣四百由旬。周匝凡有百二十門。設大檀施隨眾所須盡給與之。并復告下八萬四千諸小國土。悉令開藏給施。一切眾臣如教。即竪金幢擊於金鼓廣布宣令騰王慈詔。遠近內外咸令聞知。於時國內沙門婆羅門。貧窮孤老有乏短者。強弱相扶集如雲雨稱意與之。閻浮提民蒙王恩澤。有一小國。其王名曰毘摩斯那。聞月光王美稱高大。心懷嫉妬寢不安席。即自思惟。月光不除我名不出。當設方便。請諸道士募求諸人。婆羅門言。王有何憂當見告語。王言。彼月光王名德遠著一切承風。我獨卑陋無此美稱。願得除之作何方便。婆羅門言。月光慈惠澤潤窮厄如民父母。我等何心從此惡謀。寧自殺身不能為此。即各罷散不顧供養。時毘摩斯那益增愁憒。即出廣募周遍宣令。誰能為我得月光頭。分國半治以女妻之。爾時山脇有婆羅門。名勞度差。來應王募。王甚歡喜重語之言。苟能成辦不違信誓。若能去者當以何日。婆羅門曰。辦我行道糧食所須。却後七日便當發引。時婆羅門作呪自護。七日已滿。便來辭王。王給所須進路而去。時月光國豫有變怪。八萬四千諸小國王。皆夢大王金幢卒折金鼓卒裂。大月大臣夢鬼奪王金冠。各懷愁憂不能自寧。時城門神知婆羅門欲乞王頭遮不聽入。時婆羅門繞城數匝不能得前。首陀會天知月光王以此頭施於檀得滿。便於夢中而語王言。汝誓布施不逆眾心。乞者在門無由得前。欲為施主事所不然。王覺愕然。即勅大月。汝往詣門勅勿遮人。大月大臣往到城門。時城門神即自現形。白大月言。有婆羅門從他國來。懷俠惡心欲乞王頭是以不聽。大臣答曰。是為大災。然王有教理不得違。當奈之何。當作七寶頭各五百枚用貿易之。即勅令作。時婆羅門徑至殿前高聲唱言。我在遐方聞王功德。一切布施不逆人意。故涉遠來欲有所得。王聞歡喜迎為作禮。問訊行道不疲極耶。隨汝所願。婆羅門言。一切外物雖用布施非我所須。我故遠來唯乞王頭。若不孤逆當見施與。王聞是語踊躍無量。婆羅門言。若施我頭何時當與。王言。却後七日當與汝頭。

"In a past lifetime as well, Śāriputra could not bear to see me die, and so died before me." Ānanda said to the Buddha, "I do not know how this matter of his dying before you in the past came about." The Buddha told Ānanda: "In the distant past, incalculable kalpas ago, in this Jambudvīpa there was a king named Candrāvaloka (in the Liang language, 'Moonlight'). The king had twenty thousand queens and court ladies, the foremost of whom was named Kusumadattā (in the Liang language, 'Flower Giver'). He had ten thousand ministers, the foremost of whom was named Mahācandra (in the Liang language, 'Great Moon'). The king had five hundred princes; the eldest prince was named Śīlabhadra (in the Liang language, 'Virtuous Precepts'). The city where the king resided was named Bhadrāyuṣ (in the Liang language, 'Virtuous Longevity'). The city was four hundred yojanas in length and breadth, with a total of one hundred and twenty gates all around. He instituted great charitable gifts, giving whatever the masses required to their full satisfaction. He also sent an order down to the eighty-four thousand lesser kingdoms, having them all open their storehouses and make donations. All the ministers acted in accordance with the command: they immediately erected golden banners, beat golden drums, and widely proclaimed the order, conveying the king's compassionate edict so that all near and far, within and without, were made aware of it. At that time, śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the poor, the orphaned, the elderly, and those who were in need throughout the kingdom, supporting one another, strong and weak, gathered like clouds and rain, and he gave to them as they wished. The people of Jambudvīpa were graced by the king's kindness. There was a small kingdom whose king was named Bhīmasena. Hearing of King Moonlight's lofty and great renown, he harboured jealousy in his heart and could not rest easy on his mat. He then thought to himself, 'Unless Moonlight is eliminated, my own fame will not arise. I must devise an expedient method, inviting practitioners of the Way and recruiting men.' A brāhmaṇa said, 'What worry does the king have? Please tell us.' The king said, 'The fame and virtue of that King Moonlight are known far and wide, and all submit to his influence. I alone am base and obscure, lacking such renown. I wish to eliminate him; what expedient method can be used?' The brāhmaṇas said, 'Moonlight's loving-kindness and benevolence nourish the impoverished and destitute like a father and mother to the people. With what heart could we follow such an evil plot? We would rather kill ourselves than do this.' Thereupon they dispersed, disregarding his offerings. At that time, Bhīmasena's grief and distress grew even greater. He then issued a wide recruitment notice, proclaiming everywhere: 'Whoever can obtain King Moonlight's head for me shall be given half the kingdom to rule and my daughter in marriage.' At that time, on a mountainside, there was a brāhmaṇa named Raudrākṣa who came in response to the king's recruitment. The king was overjoyed, and spoke to him again, saying, 'If you can accomplish this, I will not break my faithful oath. If you can go, on what day will you set out?' The brāhmaṇa said, 'Prepare the provisions and necessities for my journey; after seven days I will set out.' The brāhmaṇa then recited mantras to protect himself, and when the seven days were completed, he came to take leave of the king. The king provided what was needed, and he set out on the road. At that time, in King Moonlight's kingdom, there were portents and strange occurrences in advance: the eighty-four thousand lesser kings all dreamt that the great king's golden banner suddenly snapped and the golden drum suddenly cracked; the minister Mahācandra dreamt that a ghost seized the king's golden crown. Each was filled with grief and worry, unable to find peace. At that time, the gate-guardian spirit of the city knew that the brāhmaṇa wished to beg for the king's head, and obstructed him, not allowing him to enter. The brāhmaṇa circled the city several times but could not advance. A Śuddhāvāsa god, knowing that King Moonlight would fulfill his perfection of generosity by donating his head, spoke to the king in a dream, saying, 'You have vowed to give, not opposing the minds of the multitude; yet a beggar is at the gate with no way to come forward. For one who wishes to be a donor, this should not be the case.' The king awoke in astonishment and immediately instructed Mahācandra, 'Go to the gate and order that no one be turned away.' The minister Mahācandra went to the city gate, whereupon the gate-guardian spirit revealed his form and said to Mahācandra, 'There is a brāhmaṇa who has come from another kingdom, harboring an evil mind, wishing to beg for the king's head. For this reason I did not permit him.' The minister answered, 'This is a great calamity! Yet the king has given an order, and by principle it cannot be disobeyed. What is to be done? We should make heads of the seven treasures, five hundred of each, to trade with him.' He immediately gave orders to make them. At that time, the brāhmaṇa went straight before the palace hall and called out in a loud voice, 'In a distant land I heard of the king's merit, that you practice universal giving and do not oppose people's wishes. Therefore I have traveled from afar, wishing to obtain something.' Hearing this, the king was delighted, came out to greet him, paid homage, and inquired after him, saying, 'Are you not utterly exhausted from traveling on the road? Whatever you desire [shall be granted].' The brāhmaṇa said, 'Although external objects are given away, they are not what I need. I have come from afar solely to beg for the king's head. If you will not disappoint or refuse me, please bestow it upon me.' Hearing these words, the king leaped with boundless joy. The brāhmaṇa said, 'If you will give me your head, when will you give it?' The king said, 'Seven days from now I shall give you my head.'