經律異相 40.18

40.18

舍衛國有梵志。於祇樹間大營田種。往看歡喜。自謂得願。即於其夜天雨大雹。禾稼皆死。女復喪亡。愁憒憂煩哭無能止。時諸比丘入城分衛。見其二相還具白佛。須項梵志躬到佛所。頭面禮畢。佛知其念。謂梵志曰。世有五事不可避脫。一當耗減。二當亡棄。三當病瘦。四當老朽。五當死去。唯有道諦得離。布施持戒。梵志意軟便見四諦。從今已後歸依佛法僧。為清信士。比丘白佛。世尊。解梵志意喜笑而去。佛言。不但是反解憂。過去閻浮利地有五主。其一主名曰桀貪。治國不正。大臣人民。出兵拔白皆到王前。共謂王曰。寧自知不貪害萬姓。急出國去。不者相害。王大戰慄。以車騎出國。自織草䓸賣以自給。大臣人民便拜王弟作王。治不抂民。故王上書自陳。從王乞一聚可以自給。王即與之。既得一聚便已治正。復乞兩聚。乃至半國。王皆與之。如是久遠。桀貪生念。興半國兵攻弟即勝便得故國。復興一國兵攻第二。轉倍興兵攻第五國。往往得勝。時四海皆屬改號大勝。帝釋試之。寧知足不。化作少童梵志。姓駒夷氏。被髮金杖持金瓶住宮門通王。王便前坐相勞問畢。却謂王言。我從海邊來。見一大國。人民熾盛多有珍寶。可往攻之。不審已足。復欲得是。王言欲得。天王謂言。可益莊船興兵相待。却後七日當將王往言便化去。王到其日興兵莊船。梵志不來愁憂不樂。時一國人民迴坐向王。王啼亦啼。王憂亦憂。王便生意曰。

In the country of Śrāvastī there was a brahmacārin who farmed on a large scale among the Jetavana trees. He went to inspect it with great joy, thinking his wish was fulfilled. That very night, heaven sent down a great hailstorm; the crops all died, and his daughter also passed away. Broken with grief, tormented by worry, he wept without stopping. At that time the monks entered the city on their almsround; seeing his two misfortunes, they returned and reported everything to the Buddha. The brahmacārin Śuka himself came before the Buddha and made obeisance with his head to the ground. Knowing his thoughts, the Buddha said to the brahmacārin, “In the world there are five things that cannot be avoided or escaped: first, depletion; second, loss and abandonment; third, illness and emaciation; fourth, old age and decay; fifth, death. Only through the truth of the Path can one be freed—by giving and upholding the precepts.” The brahmacārin’s mind softened, and he thereupon perceived the Four Truths. From that time forth, he took refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, becoming a pure-faith upāsaka. The monks addressed the Buddha, “The World-Honoured One resolved the brahmacārin’s thoughts, so that he went away joyful and smiling.” The Buddha said, “Not only in this life has he had his grief resolved. In the past, in the land of Jambudvīpa, there were five rulers. One ruler was named Jietan (Tyrannical Greed). He ruled his country unrighteously. The ministers and the people mobilized troops, drew their bare blades, and came before the king. Together they said to the king, ‘Do you know yourself to be greedily harming the multitude? Quickly leave the country; if not, we will harm you.’ The king trembled greatly; he fled the country with his chariots and horsemen, and sustained himself by weaving straw mats to sell. The ministers and people then installed the king's younger brother as king, who ruled without oppressing the people. The former king submitted a letter explaining his plight, begging the king for a single village so that he could sustain himself. The king at once granted it to him. Having obtained one village, he governed it righteously; then he begged for two villages, up to half the kingdom. The king granted them all to him. In this way, after a long time, Jietan had the thought: he raised an army with half the kingdom, attacked his younger brother, immediately won, and retook the former kingdom. He then raised an army with the whole country and attacked the second; multiplying his forces step by step, he attacked the fifth country, winning victories in every direction. At that time the four seas all submitted to him, and he changed his title to King Great Victor (Mahāvijaya). Śakra tested him to see whether he knew contentment or not: he transformed himself into a young brahmacārin of the Kolita clan, with disheveled hair, a golden staff, and holding a golden vase, standing at the palace gate to request an audience with the king. The king came forward and sat, and after they had inquired after each other, [the youth] withdrew and said to the king, ‘I have come from the seashore. I saw a great country with a flourishing population and many rare treasures. You may go and attack it. I wonder if you are already satisfied, or if you still wish to obtain this?’ The king said, ‘I wish to obtain it.’ The heavenly king said to him, ‘You may further equip ships and raise troops to await me; after seven days I will lead Your Majesty there.’ Having spoken, he transformed and vanished. When the day came, the king raised troops and equipped ships, but the brahmacārin did not come. He became depressed and sorrowful. At that time the people of the whole country turned and sat facing the king: when the king wept, they also wept; when the king worried, they also worried. The king then gave voice to his thoughts, saying: