經律異相 15.20

15.20

The Buddha was wandering in the country of Vārāṇasī. Sitting under a tree, he smiled joyfully, and five-colored light radiated forth. Ānanda knelt and asked [the reason]. The Buddha said: "Formerly, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there was a monastery at this place. In the monastery were twenty thousand śramaṇas, and Kāśyapa Buddha constantly preached the true Dharma." Ānanda immediately set out a rope bed, knelt, and urged him: "May you take your seat here. This land is so blessed that it has received two Buddhas." After the Buddha took his seat, he raised his finger and pointed, saying: "Over there is a great district named Weiling. At that time, there was a potter named Huanyu (Nandipāla). As a son, he was loving and kind; he frequently went to the Buddha's place to receive the Buddha's pure transforming influence. Although he was a potter, he never dug the earth for fear of harming insects. He collected only soil from collapsed riverbanks and mouse burrows, mixed it to make vessels, and traded them for the five grains. He left the amount to the other party and never disputed the price, using the proceeds to provide for his elderly parents. His parents were old, frail, and already blind; Huanyu's benevolence and filial piety were difficult to match. Early in the morning, Kāśyapa Buddha arranged his robes, held his bowl, entered the city, and went to Huanyu's house. He asked his parents, 'Where is the filial son?' They replied, 'The Buddha's disciple has gone out for a short while. In the house there is good rice and bean soup.' The Buddha accepted them in his bowl, sat back, finished eating, and left. When the son returned, he saw that the soup and rice were diminished and asked, 'Who took this food?' The parents said, 'The God among Gods (Devātideva) just came to visit. He took the soup and rice himself, finished eating, and left.' Huanyu was overcome with mixed sorrow and joy. He said: 'The Buddha is the Tathāgata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Leader of the Dharma, and Teacher of Gods and Men. Heavenly beings and kings reverently prepare food offerings, constantly fearing they will not reach the World-Honoured One. I live in such lowliness, and my food is not plentiful; yet solely out of pity for my lowliness did he take it himself!' Overcome with sorrow and joy, he bowed his head to the ground, reflecting on the Buddha's kindness being so vast. In his joy, he forgot his hunger for fifteen days; his parents, sharing in his joy, forgot their hunger for seven days. More than a month later, the Buddha went to his house again. The son was absent once more; the Buddha took the soup and rice again, finished eating, and left. The son returned shortly, and his parents recounted the event just as before. Huanyu and his parents were filled with great joy again and forgot their hunger for the same number of days as before. At that time, a dragon caused rain day and night without ceasing, and the monastery became damaged and leaked. The Buddha told the śramaṇas: 'Huanyu has newly built a dwelling. Go and remove its roof tiles to protect the monastery.' The śramaṇas went, and the son was away again. The parents said, 'Who is dismantling our house?' The śramaṇas replied, 'The Buddha's monastery is leaking. He sent us to dismantle this house to mend the monastery.' The parents said, 'Excellent! Such is the great virtue of our son that it has brought about this!' Joyfully bowing their heads, they said, 'Please take more! Our merit will be boundless.' Just as the śramaṇas left, the son returned, saw it, and asked, 'Who dismantled the house?' The parents said, 'The Buddha's monastery was leaking, and he dispatched the śramaṇas to take tiles to mend it.' Huanyu, right where he stood, bowed his head to the ground toward the Buddha [and said]: 'The Honored One's wisdom is boundless. Kings and lords erect seven-jeweled palaces and make offerings to support him, yet the Buddha does not dwell in them; he takes these crude tiles solely to bring merit to me!' Joyful and not eating, he forgot his hunger as before. The Buddha, leading five hundred śramaṇas, proceeded into the king's realm. The king was named Zhiwei (Kiki). He personally went out to welcome the Buddha. The king descended from his chariot, set aside the five regalia, made obeisance, exchanged greetings, and took a seat to listen to the sūtra. When finished, he said: 'May the God among Gods and the śramaṇas descend to grace us with a modest meal.' The Buddha consented in silence. The food and drink were all prepared, and an envoy was dispatched to welcome him. The king personally washed his hands, served the food, made offerings, made obeisance when finished, and sat before the Buddha.