經律異相 18.53

18.53

On a road there was a man who had killed his own birth mother. Stopping beneath a tree, he wept, lamented, and cried out, 'What can be done?' He blamed himself for being unprincipled and committing a heinous crime: 'Having killed my own mother, I am bound to fall into hell.' Although the man was like this, he was destined to practice the discipline. The bodhisattva Puṣou saw that in his present life he ought to be liberated, and manifested an illusory man who brought his parents to where the mother-killer was, stopping along the way not far from him. The parents said to the son, 'This is the right road.' The son said it was not the right one. They then disputed and argued. The son feigned anger and killed the illusory parents. Having done so, he wept bitterly and inconsolably, and went to where the mother-killer was, saying to him, 'Having killed my parents, I am bound to fall into hell!' Weeping, he said, 'What can be done? What plan should be devised?' The mother-killer thought to himself: 'Now this man who has come has actually killed both his parents, whereas I have only harmed my mother. That man is dark and foolish, and no sin is greater than his. My heinous crime is still less than his; knowing that he will suffer punishment, my own still feels light.' That man grieved bitterly, and openly declared: 'I must go to the presence of the Buddha, the Capable and Benevolent One. For those without rescue, the Buddha provides rescue; for those terrified, the Buddha can comfort and relieve them. As the Buddha teaches, so I shall obey.' Thereupon, the illusory man wept and proceeded along the road, walking in front of him. This mother-killer immediately followed behind him, [thinking,] 'As he repents, so should I also do. My sin is slight, whereas that man's is very grave.' The illusory man went to the Buddha, touched his head to the ground, and addressed the Buddha, saying, 'Indeed, Bhagavat, I have committed a heinous crime and killed both my parents, transgressing this great offense.' The Buddha said to the illusory man, 'Excellent, excellent! You are sincere without deceit, your words and actions matching, as you come before the Tathāgata. Your speech is truthful; your mouth is not double-tongued, nor do you violate yourself. You should inspect and observe the nature of the mind: With what mind did you harm your two parents? Was it with the past mind, the future mind, or the present mind? The past mind has already ceased; the present mind has already departed—it has no location, no direction, and one does not know where it abides. As for the future mind, it has not yet arrived—it has no place of gathering, has not been seen to return, and has no coming or going. You should know that the mind also does not stand within the body, nor does it arise from the outside, nor does it have a realm of objects; it does not abide between the two, nor can it be found in the middle.' (The text here is extensive and cannot be fully recorded.) The illusory man praised: 'Unprecedented! The Tathāgata has attained the most correct awakening, thoroughly understanding that within the dharma-realm there is no maker, nor any receiver; no one who is born, nor anyone who passes into extinction; and that it has nothing upon which it relies. I wish to go forth.' Through the Buddha, the Bhagavat, he was able to become a śramaṇa and receive the full precepts. The Buddha said, 'Come, monk!' At that time, the illusory man stepped forward and became a śramaṇa. He then addressed the Buddha, saying, 'Indeed, Bhagavat, I have attained supernatural powers and now wish to pass into extinction.' The Buddha's transcendent power caused that illusory man to ascend forty-nine feet above the ground, into the sky, and pass into extinction. Fire issued from his body, consuming his own form. Seeing this, the matricidal son thought to himself: 'He became a śramaṇa and immediately attained extinction. I shall follow this man.' He went to where the Buddha was, touched his head to the holy feet, [and said,] 'I have also committed a heinous crime and personally harmed my mother's life.' The Buddha said, 'Excellent! You are sincere without deceit, your words and actions matching.' Thereupon, the fires of hell emerged from the matricidal man's pores. The pain was extremely severe, and there was no help or rescue. He addressed the Buddha, saying, 'I am now being burned. Only the God among Gods can save me!' The Bhagavat extended his golden arm and placed it upon the man's head; the fire was immediately extinguished. Seeing the Tathāgata's body with its various marks and signs, his bodily pain ceased, and he found peace. He also stepped forward and addressed the Buddha, wishing to become a śramaṇa. The Buddha at once granted it, immediately having him go forth, and preached the teaching of the Four Noble Truths. Hearing it, the man left behind the dust and removed defilements, attaining the purity of the Dharma eye. Practicing the Dharma teachings, he attained the stage of returning and attained arhatship. He then addressed the Buddha, saying, 'I wish to enter parinirvāṇa.' The Buddha said, 'As you will.' At that time, the monk leaped into the sky, forty-nine feet above the ground; fire issued from his own body, consuming his own form. Hundreds of thousands of devas and humans came in the sky to make offerings. At that time, Śāriputra addressed the Buddha, saying, 'The Tathāgata's bestowed grace and preached discipline can actually cause those who committed heinous crimes to attain liberation. Only the Tathāgata and all the great bodhisattvas can discern the roots and origins of all living beings and liberate them accordingly; it is beyond the realm of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.' The Buddha said, 'It is so.' (Extracted from the *Sūtra on the Mind Being Originally Pure*.)