經律異相 11.4

11.4

Immeasurably many kalpas ago, in the remote past, there were five sages living in a mountain wilderness. Four were the masters, and one waited upon and served them, never failing their wishes, gathering fruits, drawing water, and presenting them at proper seasons. One day, having gone far off to gather fruit juice, he grew indolent and fell asleep, failing to return on time. The sun had already passed midday, and the four missed their meal. Harbouring resentment, they were about to cast an ominous curse. The attendant, hearing this, withdrew beneath a tree. Pondering in self-reproach, [he thought]: 'I have undertaken toil for many years, yet today I failed the timely offering of food to the four sages. Having lapsed from the teaching of the Path and not adhered to the four immeasurables, I am deeply grieved.' Thereupon, grieving, he died. His feet always wore clogs made of the seven precious substances; as he sat with raised feet, one precious clog fell into the water and sank. After his life ended, he was immediately reborn among the non-Buddhists as the son of an ominous curse-caster. At the age of ten and more, he was playing with his peers by the roadside. At that time, a brahmacārin encountered the playing children. Because their numbers were dense and many, he observed them thoroughly, and saw that the child of the ominous curse-caster possessed extraordinarily noble marks, indicating that he should become a king; his countenance was extraordinary, superior among men. The brahmacārin said to him: 'You have the marks of a king; you should not be idling among the common herd.' The boy replied: 'I am the son of an ominous curse-caster; how could I have the marks of a king?' The brahmacārin said further: 'According to my scriptures, your appearance and bodily form accord with the books of prognostication; you indeed correspond to them. When the king of this state passes away, he is sure to cede the throne to you.' The boy said: 'Indeed, if it is as your benevolence faithfully declares, I shall remember your great kindness.' When the brahmacārin finished speaking, he soon fled away and traveled to another kingdom. A short time thereafter, the king passed away without an heir. They searched for a worthy man to be the state's successor. Envoys were dispatched in all four directions; seeing from afar that this boy possessed the bearing of an extraordinary man, they immediately dispatched someone to return and report to the ministers: 'Just prepare the royal carriage, and come soon to receive and welcome him.' The ministers and all officials were overjoyed. They bathed him with scented water, dressed him in the court robes of the five seasons, and with a jeweled crown and a sword-belt, he ascended the throne in the palace. Facing south, he proclaimed his rule. The borders and territory were peaceful, and the common people rejoiced. At that time, the brahmacārin looked up to examine the heavenly signs and looked down to observe the geography, knowing that he had already succeeded to the throne. Thereupon, he went to the palace gate and requested an audience with the king. The brahmacārin divined and offered congratulations, invoking a vow, saying: 'It is truly as pledged!' The king said: 'Indeed! You may have whatever you desire.' The brahmacārin replied: 'I only seek two wishes: first, that my food and drink, movements, clothing, sleeping and waking be on par with the king; second, that in deliberating on state affairs, decisions be made by mutual agreement, and that you do not act unilaterally.' The king said: 'Excellent.' The king governed with the correct Dharma, not oppressing the myriad common people. The brahmacārin, arrogant and willful, slighted the senior ministers. The ministers, resentful and indignant, jointly submitted a remonstrance, saying: 'The king’s status is elevated and exalted. It is fitting to deliberate state affairs with the state’s senior elders. Yet by partial trust in a mendicant, you have allowed him to be arrogant and willful, insulting all the officials. If neighboring states hear of this, they will mock us, bringing about calamity from invasion.' The king said: 'I made a pledge with him; how can it be abandoned?' The ministers remonstrated unceasingly: 'When the king eats, do not dine with him; then he must surely change.' The king then consented to this. Watching until the brahmacārin went out, he ate before him. The brahmacārin said in anger: 'What was the original agreement, that you eat alone first?' He cursed: 'Bah, son of an ominous curse!' He was merely provided with travel supplies and driven out of the kingdom. Traveling the long road alone, enduring the cold and heat, exhausted and haggard, he reached another country. He went to the house of another brahmacārin with whom he had old ties of kinship. [The host] questioned him, saying: 'Where do you come from? What have you mastered and studied? What scriptures have you worked on; can you remember them all?' He replied: 'I have come from afar, pressed by hunger and cold; I have forgotten what I studied and recited.' The host brahmacārin thought to himself: 'This man can do nothing; I should have him farm the fields.' He then gave him a male slave along with a plow-ox and farming implements. The brahmacārin farmed and planted, toiling the slave harshly, cruelly forcing him to level the ground and run errands to and fro. The slave was desperate, and wishing to throw himself into the water, he went to the riverside, where he found a clog made of the seven precious substances. He thought to himself: 'The brahmacārin wears me out with unceasing toil. I ought to show him respect; by presenting this clog to him, I might obtain his forgiveness.' Thereupon, taking the clog, he returned and presented it to him. The brahmacārin was joyful, and thought to himself: 'This clog of seven precious substances is of inestimable value. Having crossed the king's will, if I offer this clog to him, my fault and blame may be dissolved.' He soon returned to the king’s state and presented the clog to the king, deeply confessing his former guilt and transgression, wishing that pardon be granted. The king said: 'Excellent.' He then placed him inside the curtain and offered him a seat. Gathering all the ministers, he decreed: 'Do you gentlemen see the former brahmacārin?' They answered: 'We do not see him.' The king said: 'Supposing you saw him, what should be done with him?' All said: 'He should be punished with the five cruelties.' The king brought out the precious clog and showed it to the ministers, ordering the brahmacārin to come out and meet the ministers: 'Having brought this extraordinary treasure, we should jointly pardon him.' The ministers stated: 'This brahmacārin’s crimes are like mountains and seas. In presenting one clog, what does it make amends for? If a pair is obtained, his crime may be wiped out.' The king then agreed, and once again drove out the brahmacārin, ordering him to seek the other one. Agonized, the brahmacārin returned to his former host, and asked the slave: 'Where did you originally obtain that precious clog before?' The slave went with him and showed him the place where he obtained the clog. Reaching the waterside, he searched everywhere at will, but could not find the place of its twin. The slave departed. The brahmacārin thought: 'This clog must have floated down from the upper stream.' He immediately traveled upstream, and saw a great lotus flower swirling in the waves, held in the mouth of a fish. The flower had over a thousand petals. The brahmacārin thought: 'Although I did not obtain the clog, by offering this flower to him, perhaps my fault may be dissolved and I may regain my former favor.' Thereupon taking the flower, he saw four sages sitting beneath a tree. The sages said: 'Where do you come from?' He replied: 'I lost the king's favor. Although I presented one clog, it was insufficient to dissolve my fault. Therefore I came upstream seeking it, but have not yet obtained it.' The sages told him: 'You are a student; you ought to know when to advance and retreat. The king of that country is our disciple; while living he served us with love and respect, sharing meals and seating with us. How could you suddenly curse him as the son of an ominous curse? The crime extends to execution and harm. Now, not interrogating you, we point beneath the tree. The king's former body was our attendant, who died with his legs raised. One precious clog fell into the water, and one remained on his foot.' The brahmacārin took the clog, bowed with his head to the ground to apologize for his fault, returned to his home country, and continuously presented it to the king. The king was immediately delighted, the ministers' resentment was dissolved, and his favored position was restored. The Buddha said: 'The king was my own person. The four sages were Krakucchanda Buddha, Kanakamuni Buddha, Kāśyapa Buddha, and Maitreya Buddha. The brahmacārin was Devadatta.' (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Five Sages.)