經律異相 24.10

24.10

"In the past, immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeya kalpas ago, this world was named Sun Moon Thunder, and it also had an age of the five turbidities. At that time, I was a wheel-turning king ruling Jambudvīpa, named Light of the Lamp. I taught and transformed asaṃkhyeyas of people, establishing them in wholesome dharmas. Seeing a man who was bound and tied up, I asked, 'What crime has this man committed?' A great minister replied, 'Of the grains and barleys produced from farming, one-sixth is paid to the authorities. This man did not comply with the royal law, and for that reason he was bound.' I ordered him to be released. The minister replied, 'The supplies and goods used by the King's sons, the inner palace, and the royal household are all forcibly taken from others; not a single person gives them with a pure mind.' The King was deeply grieved. He divided this land into five hundred portions, gave them equally to his sons, and thereupon left home [to become a renunciant]. He went to the shore of the southern sea into a forest of udumbara trees. Eating fruits, he gradually cultivated and studied, attaining the five supernatural powers. At that time in Jambudvīpa, there were five hundred merchants who entered the sea to gather jewels. There was a merchant leader named Full Moon. Having obtained what they desired, they wished to set out on their return. A nāga conceived anger in its heart and wished to harm the merchants. There was another nāga king named Firm Horse, who was a great bodhisattva; on account of his original vows, he had been born among the nāgas. Arousing a mind of loving-kindness and compassion, he rescued the merchants, enabling them to cross the great ocean in safety and reach the other shore. Afterwards, the nāga king returned to his original dwelling place. At that time, there was a great evil rākṣasa who pursued the merchants like a shadow following a form, wishing to do them harm and violence. That evil rākṣasa on that very day unleashed a great and foul wind. The merchants became bewildered, lost their way, felt great terror, and burst into loud wailing. They called out to the gods, to Maheśvara, the water gods, the earth gods, the fire gods, and the wind gods; they also called upon their parents, wives, children, and kin, saying, 'May you rescue and save us!' Good sons, at that time, with the pure divine ear I heard their cries. I immediately went to their location, and with gentle words comforted them, saying, 'Do not be afraid; I shall show you the way and enable you to return safely to Jambudvīpa.' Good sons, at that time I wrapped my arm in white cotton cloth, poured oil over it, and set it alight to serve as a torch, making a statement of truth: 'Formerly, in the udumbara forest for thirty years, I single-mindedly cultivated the four immeasurables. For the sake of all sentient beings, I ate fruits, and inspired eighty-four thousand nāgas, yakṣas, and spirits never to retrogress from anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi. By virtue of these roots of goodness, I now burn this arm to illuminate the way, so that the merchants may return safely to Jambudvīpa.' I burned my arm for up to seven days and seven nights. Thereupon, those merchants safely returned to Jambudvīpa. Good sons, at that time I also made a wholesome vow: 'If Jambudvīpa lacks precious gems, and if I am destined to attain anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi and achieve my own benefit, I shall become a merchant leader and cause jewels to rain down seven times in every single world. Furthermore, I shall enter the great ocean to retrieve the wish-fulfilling jewel, and again cause various mingled precious things to rain down in every single world, proceeding in this manner throughout this world, and likewise throughout the immeasurable, boundless asaṃkhyeyas of worlds in the ten directions.' Good sons, all the vows I made in the past have been fulfilled. Throughout great kalpas equal in number to the sands of the Ganges, I have constantly served as the supreme merchant leader, causing various jewels to rain down in the evil worlds of the five turbidities equal in number to the sands of the Ganges, raining them down seven times in a single day so that [beings] obtain satisfaction. Afterwards, I encouraged and transformed them, causing them to dwell in the Three Vehicles." (From the *Sūtra on the Past World of the Fragrant Lotus Buddha*.)