經律異相 22.4

22.4

In the kingdom of Śrāvastī there was a mountain village of fifty or sixty households, five hundred leagues away from the capital. In the village was a poor household. The wife was pregnant for ten months and gave birth to twin boys, who were exceedingly handsome without match. Their parents loved them and named the children: one was called Shuangde (Double Virtue) and the other Shuangfu (Double Fortune). When they were fifty or sixty days old, their father was herding cattle and had rested to sleep on the bed, while their mother was out collecting firewood and had not yet returned. These two children then reproached each other. One said, “Formerly, when we were on the verge of attaining the Way, it was precisely because of foolish notions, thinking that life was permanent, that we fell back into birth-and-death for incalculable kalpas. Now we have been born into this poor household, where rain-cloaks of grass are used as felt and coarse cloth, and the food and drink are coarse and wretched, barely supporting our lives. Going on like this for so long, how can we survive? All of this was because in our former lives we longed for wealth and rank, indulging our bodies and scattering our minds for momentary pleasures. From then on, we have suffered on this long journey. Now, in this anxiety and distress, what can we rely upon?” The other replied, “At that time, faced with a small difficulty, we did not see our diligent effort through with vigor for a single moment, and so now for many lifetimes we have encountered various evil misfortunes. This was done by ourselves, not caused by our parents. We must simply bear it together; what more is there to say?” Their father, hearing this, thought it strange and called them ghosts, thinking, ‘While they are still small and not yet grown, it would be fitting to kill them.’ In fright, the father went into the fields to gather firewood, wishing to burn them to death. The mother returned and asked her husband, “What are you using this firewood for?” The husband explained as before. The mother heard this in bewilderment. The next day, the husband and wife went out together and eavesdropped in secret. The two children were reproaching each other as before. They then gathered firewood together, secretly intending to burn them. The Buddha saw this with his divine eye and came to the village, universally emitting light. Heaven and earth shook violently, and the mountains, rivers, and trees all turned golden in color. He arrived at the home of the twin infant boys. Seeing the Buddha’s light, the two children leapt with boundless joy. The parents were also startled, and each took a child in their arms and brought them to the Buddha, asking the Bhagavat, “These children were born forty or fifty days ago, yet they spoke in such a manner. We were very suspicious of them and feared they would cause harm, so we wanted to burn them with fire. We do not know what kind of demonic spirits they are. We only pray you explain.” The children saw the Buddha and leapt for joy. The Buddha saw the children and smiled broadly, his mouth emitting rays of light of five colors, universally illuminating heaven and earth. The Buddha said, “These two children are not demonic spirits; they are children of merit and virtue. Formerly, in the time of the Buddha Kāśyapa, they became śramaṇas. They had been friends since youth and, with a common aspiration, left home, each exerting vigorous effort. When they were on the verge of attaining the Way, improper thoughts suddenly arose in them: they disheartened each other and delighted in worldly glory and luxury, wishing to rely on their merit to be born in heaven and descend as lords, kings, rulers, and elders. When this thought suddenly arose, they retrogressed of themselves, failed to attain nirvāṇa, and underwent this cycle of birth-and-death. Year after year they were constantly bound together, always being born as twins. When they encountered my age, only now were they born. Because they had once made offerings to the Buddha, their remaining merit is such that they should be delivered. Having been born with the recollection of their past lives, I have now come to deliver them. If I had not delivered them, they would have been burned by fire undeservedly.” Then he spoke these verses: