經律異相 24.23

24.23

In a past age, there was a king named Dṛḍha (Jian'gu). He possessed the four kinds of troops and was a wheel-turning king, governing the world, ruling with the Dharma, endowed with the seven treasures and the four worldly splendours. In later times, the king lost the celestial wheel. He said to the crown prince Mūrdhata (Dinglai), 'I originally heard from the elders: if a wheel-turning king loses the celestial wheel, the king will certainly not live long. Crown prince, I have already consumed human desires, and now I wish to seek celestial desires. I desire to shave my hair, put on the Dharma robes, and go forth with faithful delight. I now give you the earth of the great oceans. You must teach and govern by the Dharma, and do not commit illegal acts. If the celestial wheel moves again from its place...' King Dṛḍha practised the Path for seven days, and by day the celestial wheel suddenly disappeared. King Mūrdhata addressed his father, the king, saying, 'If I cannot be king, what should I do?' The father-king said, 'You must perform the meritorious practices of the wheel, and then it may be possible. On the fifteenth day, at the time of reciting the precepts, bathe your head and ascend the hall; from the eastern direction the celestial wheel will come. It is not made by craftsman's skill, and its brilliant flame is extremely exquisite. On the fast day, bathe your head and ascend the hall, to the east.' King Dṛḍha said, 'Son, you should observe and act according to the Dharma toward men, women, wives, children, and all ministers and subjects—not just toward one person—and toward śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, down to birds and deer. You should observe the fast on the eighth, fourteenth, and fifteenth days of the month, and give to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the poor, the destitute, the elderly, and beggars. You should supply them with food, drink, clothing, flower garlands, various perfumes, beds, bedding, and houses, making them your clear witnesses. If there are śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas within your realm who are recognized, you should go to their dwellings and inquire and discuss with them from time to time: What is wholesome and unwholesome, white and black retribution? What is the meaning of the present world? What is the meaning of the future world? How does one practice so as to receive good and not receive evil? You should be aware of this. If there are poor people within your realm, you should give them wealth. This is the practice for obtaining the wheel. If your practice accords with this, then you will obtain it. If on the fifteenth day, at the time of reciting the precepts, you bathe your head and ascend the hall, from the eastern direction the celestial wheel will come and succeed after.' King Mūrdhata governed and acted according to the Dharma, bestowing wealth within his realm, and became a wheel-turning king, endowed with the seven treasures and the four worldly splendours. What are the splendours? As mentioned above, the seven treasures, and as mentioned above, the four splendours. Later, that celestial wheel also moved from its place until the wheel disappeared. King Mūrdhata, however, was not at all grieved at first; attached to lustful desires, he did not realize the decline and ruin. He forcibly governed the world, and the people decreased day by day and did not increase; whereas under the former king, [governing] according to the Dharma, they only increased and did not decrease. A brāhmaṇa who knew the bright stars addressed him, saying, 'Heavenly King, you should know: governing the people with desire only causes decrease and not increase. Like the past wheel-turning kings, when one accords with the Dharma of the wheel, the people only increase and do not decrease.' The king said, 'What should I do?' He replied, 'Within the Heavenly King's realm, there are those who understand arithmetic, and among the ministers there are those skilled in incantations who know the Dharma of the wheel. The king should accord with the practice of the Dharma of the wheel; if you accord with it, it may be possible, and the wheel can be obtained. On the fifteenth day, at the time of reciting the precepts, bathe and ascend the high hall, and from the eastern direction you will obtain the celestial wheel.' The king said, 'What is the practice of the wheel, so that my actions may accord with it?' [The reply was,] 'You should see and practice according to the Dharma toward wives, children, down to giving things. This is the practice of the celestial wheel for the Heavenly King. If you accord with this practice, it may be possible, and you can obtain the wheel.' Later, King Mūrdhata practiced the Dharma toward wives and children, down to the poor. Yet, begrudging his wealth, he did not give it away; when [the people] were destitute and had nothing, they engaged in theft. They were brought to the king for punishment. The king said, 'You living beings, did you truly take what was not given?' They answered, 'It is indeed so. If I did not steal, I would have no way to stay alive.' The king then gave him goods and said to that person, 'Go, and do not do so again.' Other poor people heard: 'If one steals and sees the king, he bestows goods upon him. We might as well take what is not given!' and they also committed theft. Theft increased and spread. Human lifespan gradually decreased, starting from eighty-four thousand years and eventually reaching one hundred years. At that time, when there were offenders, the king said, 'If anyone steals in my realm again, they shall all be placed beneath a tree and beheaded with a knife.' The Buddha told the monks, 'In the future, human lifespan will be ten years.' (Taken from the fourteenth fascicle of the Āgama-sūtra.)