經律異相 33.39

33.39

時王至已。人民合掌而作是言。我等迎王。不為鬪諍亦不與彼。大王相嫌。但王所遣大臣在我國者。為治無道。願欲廢之。是時人民。以諸供具供養鳩那羅王迎至國中。時阿育王身遇重病。糞從口出諸不淨汁從毛孔出。一切良醫所不能愈。王即語諸臣。召鳩那羅還。我當灌頂授以王位。我於今者不貪身命。時微沙落起多白王。我能令王病得除愈。王受其語斷諸醫師。微沙落起多語諸醫師。外聞男女病如王者可將其入。時阿毘羅國有一人病如王不異。時病人婦為覓醫師。醫師答言。將來我欲見之。當為處藥。婦送與醫。醫送與王夫人。時王夫人將此病者置無人處。令破其腹出生熟二藏。有一大虫。虫若上行糞從口出。虫若下行便從下出。若左右行從毛孔出。時王夫人以摩梨遮以置虫邊。而虫不死。復以蓽鉢以置虫邊。虫亦不死。復以乾薑以置虫邊。虫亦不死。乃至以大蒜置於虫邊。虫即便死。時王夫人以此事具以白王。王於今者應當食蒜。病即除愈。王答言。我是剎利不得食蒜。夫人復言。為身命故作藥意食之。王遂便食虫死病除。便利如本。王淨洗浴語夫人言。汝於今者當何所求隨意與之。夫人白王。願王七日聽我為王。王語夫人若汝為王必當殺我。夫人又言。過七日已我當還王。時王許之。夫人假作王。書與德叉尸羅人。令取鳩那羅眼作書已竟。須齒印印之。王眠。夫人欲印書便近王邊。王即驚覺。夫人白王。何故驚。王曰。我夢鷲鳥欲取鳩那羅眼。夫人答言。鳩那羅子今甚安隱。第二更夢。王復驚起我今更夢。夫人問言。夢復云何。王答言。我見鳩那羅頭鬚髮爪悉皆長利。而不能言。夫人答言。其今安隱願勿憂之。王復眠。夫人以大王齒竊印之。遣使送與德叉尸羅人。王又夢自齒悉皆墮落。至明清旦澡洗已畢。召相師以夢告之。相師答言。若人有此夢者。兒當失眼。不異失兒。時王聞。即便起立合掌。向西方神而呪願言。

When the prince arrived, the people joined their palms and spoke these words: "We welcome the prince; it was not for strife, nor do we harbour resentment toward that great king. It is only that the minister sent by the king who governs our country has been unruly, and we wished to depose him." Then the people, with various articles of offering, made offerings to Prince Kuṇāla and welcomed him into the realm. At that time, King Aśoka was struck with a severe illness: feces came out of his mouth, and various foul fluids issued from his pores; none of the skilled physicians could cure him. The king then told his ministers, "Summon Kuṇāla back; I shall consecrate him and confer the royal throne upon him. At present I do not covet my physical life." Tiṣyarakṣitā said to the king, "I can cure the king's illness." The king accepted her words and dismissed the physicians. Tiṣyarakṣitā told the physicians, "If you hear of any man or woman outside with an illness like the king's, you may bring them in." At that time, in the country of Ābhīra, there was a person whose illness was no different from the king's. The sick person's wife was searching for a physician. The physician replied, "Bring him here; I wish to examine him and prescribe medicine for him." The wife delivered him to the physician, and the physician brought him to the queen. The queen then placed the sick person in an uninhabited place, had his abdomen cut open, and took out his stomach and intestines. There was a large worm; if the worm moved upward, feces issued from the mouth; if the worm moved downward, it came out below; if it moved left or right, it came out from the pores. The queen placed marica (black pepper) beside the worm, but the worm did not die. She then placed pippalī (long pepper) beside the worm, and the worm still did not die. She then placed dried ginger beside the worm, and the worm still did not die. Finally, she placed garlic beside the worm, and the worm died immediately. The queen reported this matter in detail to the king: "Your Majesty should now eat garlic, and your illness will be cured." The king replied, "I am a kṣatriya and must not eat garlic." The queen said again, "For the sake of your life, eat it regarding it as medicine." The king then ate it; the worm died and the illness was cured, and his bodily functions returned to normal. The king bathed cleanly and said to the queen, "Whatever you now request, I shall grant according to your wish." The queen said to the king, "I wish the king would allow me to be king for seven days." The king told the queen, "If you are king, you will surely kill me." The queen said again, "When seven days have passed, I will return the throne to the king." The king then granted it. The queen forged the king's letter to the people of Takṣaśilā, ordering them to pluck out Kuṇāla's eyes. When she had finished writing the letter, it required the tooth seal to seal it. The king was asleep; when the queen drew near to the king to seal the letter, the king was startled awake. The queen said to the king, "Why were you startled?" The king said, "I dreamed that a vulture wanted to gouge out Kuṇāla's eyes." The queen replied, "The boy Kuṇāla is very safe now." He had a second dream; the king again started awake: "I have just had another dream." The queen asked, "What was the dream again?" The king replied, "I saw Kuṇāla's hair, beard, and nails all long and sharp, and he could not speak." The queen replied, "He is safe now; please do not worry." The king went back to sleep. The queen secretly sealed the letter with the great king's tooth and sent an envoy to deliver it to the people of Takṣaśilā. The king also dreamed that his own teeth all fell out. At dawn the next morning, having washed, he summoned a physiognomist and told him of the dreams. The physiognomist replied, "If someone has these dreams, his son will lose his eyes; it is no different from losing his son." Hearing this, the king immediately stood up, joined his palms, and turned toward the deity of the west, uttering this vow: