經律異相 25

English (machine translation) 25

Language: English

25.1

Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others

1. King Kañcanamāla gouged his body to light one thousand lamps in order to hear one verse;
2. King Viliṅgālikā drove nails into his body in order to request one verse;
3. King Mahāprabhāsa gave away his head as a gift to a brāhmaṇa;
4. King Śibi cut off his flesh to substitute for a dove;
5. King Prajñāpradīpa delighted in giving and surrendered the flesh and blood of his body;
6. King Mahābala delighted in giving and did not begrudge his flesh and body;
7. King Maitrībala pierced his body for blood to give to five yakṣas;
8. King Sutatsoma, captured by King Kalmāṣapāda, was permitted to return to complete his gift and was finally spared;
9. King Sarvadā gave his own body as a slave to a brāhmaṇa;
10. King Goluopo abandoned his beloved wife and children in order to hear one verse;
11. King Shanxiu delighted in giving, causing the ghost king to alter his belief.

25.3

1. King Kañcanamāla Gouged His Body to Light a Thousand Lamps in Order to Hear One Verse

25.4

Formerly, there was a king of Jambudvīpa named Kañcanamāla, who governed eighty-four thousand villages. He was compassionate toward all. Grains were abundant and cheap, and everyone obtained peace and joy; yet his mind was not fully satisfied, and he resolved to seek the sublime Dharma to benefit others. He proclaimed to all: 'Whoever possesses the sublime Dharma and will expound it for me shall receive whatever they desire.' There was a brāhmaṇa named Raudrākṣa who said: 'I have the Dharma.' The king welcomed him, paid homage, and said: 'I pray that the great master will proclaim the Dharma so that I may hear it.' Raudrākṣa said: 'Great King, if today you can gouge your own body to light a thousand lamps as an offering, only then will I preach it for you.' The king issued an order throughout Jambudvīpa that seven days hence he would gouge his body to light the lamps. The people came to the king's place filled with sorrow, [saying]: 'Our lives depend on the king as an infant depends on its mother. If the king passes away, whom shall we rely on? Why abandon all for the sake of this single brāhmaṇa?' [The king said:] 'Do not hold back my mind set on supreme enlightenment. For this sake I vow to attain Buddhahood, and when I attain Buddhahood in the future, I will certainly deliver you first.' The people wept, threw themselves to the ground, and lamented. The king then gouged his flesh and laid out the fat and wicks. He said to the great master: 'Have mercy and expound the Dharma, and only then light the lamps, lest my life end before I have had the chance to hear it.' Raudrākṣa said:

25.5

"All that is impermanent must come to an end;
What is exalted must also fall.
Meetings inevitably end in parting;
Those who are born must certainly die."

25.6

The king rejoiced immeasurably and then ordered the lamps to be lit, [saying,] 'The Dharma I sought was for the sake of realizing the Buddha way; I shall use the brightness of wisdom to illumine and awaken all beings.' When he made this vow, heaven and earth shook violently, and all trembled up to the Śuddhāvāsa heavens. Seeing this great being disregarding his physical body and life, [the devas] gathered together and descended, filling the empty sky, weeping and shedding tears like torrential rain. The lord of devas said, 'In such agonizing pain as this, is your mind not remorseful?' He answered, saying, 'It is not remorseful.' He then made a vow, saying, 'If from beginning to end my mind has not been remorseful, may [my flesh] all be restored.' Upon the thought, it was restored. The king at that time was none other than the Buddha himself. (Drawn from the first fascicle of the Damamūkanidāna Sūtra.)

25.7

2. King Viliṅgali Pierces His Body with Nails to Request One Gāthā

25.8

Formerly in Jambudvīpa, there was a great king named Viliṅgali whose heart delighted in the wondrous Dharma. There was a brāhmaṇa named Raudrākṣa who came to the palace gate and said, 'I can expound the Dharma. If you are able to pierce your body with a thousand nails, then I will explain it for you.' The king said, 'In saṃsāra, I have surrendered my life countless times, either for the three poisons; the accumulated white bones would be higher than Sumeru, the shed blood would exceed the five lakes, and the weeping tears would be more than the vast oceans. In vain I gave up my life and body, never for the sake of the Dharma. Now I drive nails to seek the Way. When I realize buddhahood in the future, I will sever your fetters with the sword of wisdom. Take care not to obstruct my mind of supreme enlightenment!' The great multitude remained silent. Then Raudrākṣa himself recited the gāthā:

25.9

'All that exists is impermanent; / All that is born is suffering. / All dharmas are empty and unborn; / Truly they are not my possession.'

25.10

He immediately drove nails into his body. He then made a vow, saying, 'If I never feel remorse, may I be restored as before!' His body then became just as it originally was. (Drawn from the first fascicle of the Damamūkanidāna Sūtra.)

25.11

3. King Mahāprabhāsa Gives Away His Head to a Brāhmaṇa

25.12

In the past, there was a kingdom named Vārāṇasī. The king was named Mahāprabhāsa. His mind was compassionate toward all, and he never went against people's wishes. There was a petty king who constantly harbored malice and hostility. On fast days of the month, the great king would load precious jewels, clothing, food, and drink onto five hundred great elephants and place them in the great marketplace and outside the four city gates to bestow on all. When the enemy king heard that the king gave charity and indulged everyone's wishes, he felt jealousy in his heart. He immediately assembled his ministers, [asking,] 'Who can beg for King Mahāprabhāsa's head? The reward will be a thousand catties of gold.' There was a brāhmaṇa who said, 'I can.' The king at once provided him with provisions. When the brāhmaṇa reached the border, the earth shook in six ways, birds and beasts scattered in the four directions, the sun and moon lost their brilliance, the stars fell out of order, red, black, and white rainbows constantly appeared day and night, and shooting stars plummeted. Within that kingdom, all springs and bathing pools dried up. The brāhmaṇa reached the city gate. At that time, the gate-guarding deity said to the gatekeeper, 'This man is extremely evil; he comes from afar wishing to beg for the great king's head. Do not let him enter.' The brāhmaṇa was held up for seven days, unable to advance. He said to the gatekeeper, 'I have come from afar wishing to see the great king.' The gatekeeper then went in and reported to the king. Hearing this, the king came out to welcome him, just as a son sees his father, stepping forward to bow and asking where he came from: 'Braving this journey along the road, have you not grown weary?' The brāhmaṇa said, 'In another realm I heard of the king's giving, that you never go against people's wishes. Your renown is heard far and wide, reaching up to the blue heavens and down to the Yellow Springs. Therefore, I have come from afar wishing to obtain something.' The king said, 'I give all away; whatever you seek, do not hesitate.' The brāhmaṇa said, 'Is that truly so? I have no need for other things. Today I wish to hold a great sacrifice, and I beg for the king's head.' The king reflected to himself: 'From beginningless time, I have never acted for the sake of the Dharma, enduring saṃsāra in vain and wearying my spirit. Now that I have this body, I wish to seek bodhi and vow to reach all sentient beings. If I do not give it now, it will violate my original resolve; by what cause could I achieve supreme bodhi?' The king said, 'Very well. Wait until I arrange to entrust the kingdom's throne to my queen and the crown prince. After seven days, I shall give it to you.' At that time, the great king went into the palace and informed his queens, saying, 'There is a brāhmaṇa who wishes to beg for my head, and I have already promised it.' When the queens and the crown prince heard these words, they threw themselves onto the ground, wailed loudly, tore out their hair, and rent their clothes, saying: 'Great King, under heaven there is nothing more valued than one's own body. How can you now take it to bestow on someone else?' Then the five hundred ministers said to the brāhmaṇa, 'What will you do with this foul, rotting head of pus and blood?' The brāhmaṇa said, 'I am begging for it myself; why do you question me?' The ministers said, 'You have entered our kingdom; we should question you, and you should answer us.' The brāhmaṇa wished to answer truthfully, but harbored fear in his heart, dreading that they would end his life. The ministers said, 'We now grant you fearlessness on account of the great king. Poor brāhmaṇa, what will you do with this head? Each of us five hundred will make a head of the seven treasures, exchange it with you, and also provide all your needs.' The brāhmaṇa said, 'I have no need for them.' His wish not granted, the ministers wept sorrowfully, went up to report to the great king, [saying,] 'How can you bear to abandon the kingdom, your queen, and the crown prince, forever abandoning and forsaking us for the sake of a single brāhmaṇa?' The king said, 'Now, for the sake of all, I renounce this body.' At that time, the chief minister, hearing that the king's words were resolved, reflected to himself: 'How could I now bear to watch the great king give up this body and life?' He went into a quiet room and killed himself with a knife. At that time, the great king went into the back garden and called the brāhmaṇa to come: 'You begged for my head from me. Out of pity for you, I will not go against your wishes. May I in future lives obtain a head of wisdom to bestow upon you all.' Having spoken these words, he arose, joined his palms, bowed to the buddhas of the ten directions, and said, 'May the buddhas and revered bodhisattvas of the ten directions, with their divine power, protect and assist me so that this deed will certainly be accomplished!' He told the brāhmaṇa, 'Take it as you wish.' The brāhmaṇa said, 'The king has the strength of a mighty man; when the pain comes, you might change your mind or turn around to harm me. If the king is truly able to do this, why not tie your hair to a tree branch yourself?' Hearing these words, the king gave rise to compassion: 'This brāhmaṇa is old and frail; if he is unable to sever my head, he will lose a great benefit.' He followed his words and tied his hair to the tree, telling the brāhmaṇa, 'When you sever my head, place it in my hands; I shall present it to you with my own hands.' The brāhmaṇa took up the knife and advanced. At that time, the tree deity struck the brāhmaṇa with a hand, causing him to faint and collapse to the ground. Then King Mahāprabhāsa said to the tree deity, 'Instead of helping me, you raise obstacles!' Hearing this, the tree deity felt grief and distress, and cried out, 'How bitter!' In the empty sky, blood rained down without clouds, heaven and earth shook violently, and the sun lost its brilliant light. The brāhmaṇa soon severed the king's head and took it back to his own country. Then the five hundred princes and all the ministers gathered the remaining bones of the great king and erected a stūpa to make offerings to them. The Buddha said to Ānanda, 'The chief minister at that time who, hearing that King Mahāprabhāsa would give away his head, could not bear it and soon ended his own life, was Śāriputra today. King Mahāprabhāsa at that time was Śākyamuni.' (Drawn from the fourth fascicle of the Sūtra of Great Expedient Means for Repaying Kindness.)

25.13

4. King Śibi Cuts His Flesh to Ransom a Dove

25.14

The king was of great vigor, viewing all sentient beings just as a mother loves her child. There was no buddha in the world. When Śakra Devānām Indra was about to end his life, he thought to himself: 'Where is there an omniscient person?' He asked difficult questions in many places, but was unable to resolve his doubts, and sat in sorrow. A master of skillful transformations named the deva Viśvakarman asked, 'Lord of Devas, why are you sorrowful?' He answered, 'I have sought an omniscient person and could not find one; therefore, I am sorrowful.' Viśvakarman said, 'There is a bodhisattva who practices giving, morality, meditation, and wisdom; before long he will become a buddha.' Śakra asked, 'Who is he?' He answered, 'It is King Śibi of the Uśīnara clan.' Śakra Devānām Indra said to Viśvakarman, 'We shall now test him.' Viśvakarman transformed his body into a dove with red eyes and red feet. Śakra Devānām Indra transformed his body into a hawk, flying swiftly in pursuit of the dove, which came directly under [the king's] armpit, trembling with terror all over, darting its eyes, and gasping for breath. At that time, many people said to one another, 'This king is kind and benevolent; it is fitting for him to protect everything. When a small bird like a dove seeks refuge with him, it is like a person entering a house.' At that time, the hawk perched on a nearby tree and said to King Śibi, 'Return the dove to me; this is my catch.' The king said to the hawk, 'I received it first; it is not yours to take. When I first resolved my mind, I took in all sentient beings, wishing to deliver all of them.' The hawk said, 'The king wishes to deliver all sentient beings; am I not among all? Why do you alone not show pity to me, and instead snatch my food?' The king answered, 'What food do you require? I have made a vow: if any sentient being comes to take refuge in me, I must rescue and protect them. What food you require, I will also give you.' The hawk said, 'I require freshly killed, warm meat.' The king reflected: 'Such a thing is hard to obtain; without killing, there is no way to get it. How could I kill one to give to another?' Having completed his reflection, he said:

25.15

'This flesh of my own body / Constantly belongs to old age, sickness, and death; / Before long it will rot and turn foul. / If you need it, I shall give it.'

25.16

Having reflected thus, he called for someone to bring a knife and cut the flesh of his own thigh to give to the hawk. The hawk said to the king, 'Although the king gives me warm meat, you must act according to principle and make the meat equal in weight to the dove.' The king said, 'Bring a balance to weigh the flesh against the dove.' The king's flesh was cut away entirely, and only then was it equal to the dove. He rebuked himself in his mind, 'You must be firm; do not become confused and faint. All sentient beings have fallen into the great ocean of suffering, and you vowed to deliver them across. Why grow indolent and faint? This suffering is very small; the sufferings of hell are manifold. Even though I have wisdom, vigor, morality, and meditation, I still suffer from this pain; how much more so for those in hell who lack wisdom?' When his mind became settled, heaven and earth shook in six ways, waves rose in the great ocean, withered trees bloomed with flowers, devas rained down fragrant rain and scattered famous blossoms, and heavenly maidens sang praises that he would surely attain buddhahood. Śakra said to the king, 'Suffering the pain of cutting your flesh, is your mind not distressed or depressed?' The king said, 'My heart is joyful; it is neither distressed nor depressed.' Śakra said, 'Who will believe you?' Then the king vowed, 'If, while my flesh was cut and my blood flowed, I was neither angry nor distressed, and with a single mind was not depressed, in order to seek buddhahood, may my body immediately be restored.' Instantly, it became as it was before. (Drawn from the fourth fascicle of the Da zhidu lun.)

25.17

5. King Pratīpadīpa Loves Giving and Renounces His Body's Flesh and Blood

25.18

In the kingdom of Śrāvastī there was a separate place where the ground was exceptionally flat and broad. Once, the Buddha went there and sat down. Brahmā, Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and various kings of men such as King Bimbisāra, each addressed the Buddha, saying, "We wish to arrange a high seat for the Bhagavat." The Buddha said, "Stop for a while. I know the proper time myself." At that time, among the householders there were some who had faith in non-Buddhist teachings, and each set up a seat worth hundreds of thousands [of coins]. There were also those who joyfully had faith in making offerings to the Buddha. From the first day of the month until the fifteenth day, Bimbisāra and the other kings of Magadha took turns presenting offerings. In the middle of all the seats, there spontaneously appeared a seven-jeweled lion seat. The Tathāgata sat upon it, and everyone then took their seats. At that time, a dānapati whose turn it was that day to provide offerings presented a tooth-stick to the Buddha. The Bhagavat chewed it and cast it behind him, whereupon it immediately became a great tree with roots, trunk, branches, and leaves spreading luxuriously. The great assembly, beholding the Buddha's spiritual power, rejoiced and praised it as unprecedented. Then the Buddha, the Bhagavat, expounded the Dharma in various ways using countless skillful means to make them rejoice. At that time, countless hundreds of thousands of people on their seats distanced themselves from dust and separated from defilement, attaining the purification of the Dharma-eye. In this manner, different kinds of spiritual transformations were manifested up until the fifteenth day. Seeing the Buddha's spiritual powers and transformations, the great assembly all rejoiced greatly, and when the Buddha expounded the Dharma to them, they attained the purification of the Dharma-eye. Then, on the fifteenth day, King Bimbisāra of Magadha provided food for the Buddha and the Saṅgha, as well as for King Pradyota, King Udayana, King Brahmadatta, King Prasenajit, Queen Mallikā, the householders Ṛṣidatta and Pūraṇa, and the whole great assembly; he presented offerings to them all. When they had finished eating to their satisfaction, they relinquished their bowls and water was distributed. King Bimbisāra then took a low seat and sat before the Buddha. At that time, the Bhagavat released his cross-legged posture and extended his feet onto a footstool. Thereupon the earth shook with the eighteen aspects of the sixfold earthquake. On the soles of the Buddha's feet, the marks of the wheels had a thousand spokes, with the rims and hubs perfectly accomplished, fully complete with the mark of the spoke-wheels. Their brilliant radiance shone upon the three-thousandfold world. King [Bimbisāra] of Magadha saw this, immediately arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, knelt with his right knee on the ground, and addressed [the Buddha], saying: "Bhagavat, what merit did you perform in the past to obtain these marks and signs?" The Buddha told Bimbisāra: "In a past age, in the land of Jambudvīpa, there was a king named Benefiting Sentient Beings. At that time the kingdom was abundant and prosperous, and the population flourished. He governed eighty-four thousand cities and fifty-five billion villages. The city in which the king resided was named Splendour of Wisdom. The king's principal consort was named Wisdom Deed. At first they had no children. To seek a successor, she worshipped and served the devas, mountains, rivers, spirits, and deities, seeking her wish everywhere. Later, she conceived and reported to the king, saying: 'I am now pregnant.' The king doubled her attendants, food, clothing, and medicines. Later she gave birth to a boy whose facial features were upright and handsome. On the day the child was born, eighty-four thousand hidden treasures spontaneously welled up, forming rows according to their materials. The king said to his mother: 'Name the boy Lamp of Wisdom.' Later the king passed away. The crown prince was eight or nine years old. His mother taught him the arts, writing, calculation, and horse-riding. When he reached fifteen years of age, the ministers addressed him, saying: 'The great king has passed away; you should succeed to the throne.' The crown prince replied: 'In a previous life I was a king for six years, and afterwards I fell into hell for sixty thousand years. For this reason, I cannot be king.' The ministers said: 'Is there any means by which you might become king?' He replied: 'If the people of Jambudvīpa, male or female, anyone capable of speech, will all practice the ten wholesome deeds, I will become king.' When the ministers heard the prince's command, they immediately proclaimed the order in the four directions: 'All people of Jambudvīpa must practice the ten wholesome deeds and not kill living beings.' The ministers fully reported this to the prince, saying: 'Now you may ascend the throne.' The prince then succeeded to the throne. The ministers addressed the king, saying: 'When the king was first born, eighty-four thousand hidden treasures spontaneously welled up. Now they may be gathered into the royal treasury.' The king said: 'There is no need to enter them into the treasury.' He then ordered that at the crossroads where they had emerged, they should be given in charity to śramaṇas, brāhmaṇas, the poor, the destitute, the orphaned, and the elderly. The ministers then complied with the king's order and, wherever the treasures were located, gave them away in charity at the four crossroads outside the eighty-four thousand city gates. At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra transformed himself into a man and went about saying to others: 'The king has instructed me to commit the ten unwholesome deeds.' The ministers reported to the king: 'Was there such an edict?' The king replied: 'I previously ordered that all who can speak within Jambudvīpa must practice the ten wholesome deeds; I never uttered such words.' He immediately mounted a precious elephant and went to that place. The king asked: 'Did you say that Lamp of Wisdom instructed you to commit the ten unwholesome deeds?' The transformed man answered, 'Indeed it is so.' The king asked again: 'Can you practice the ten wholesome deeds?' He replied: 'If one who wishes to achieve the Bodhisattva Path will let me eat his flesh raw and drink his blood warm, then I will personally practice the ten wholesome deeds.' The king reflected: 'From beginningless time I have passed through manifold sufferings, transmigrating in the five paths of rebirth and undergoing slaughter everywhere.' He immediately took a knife, cut the flesh from his thigh, filled a vessel with blood, and handed it to him, saying: 'Man, you may eat the flesh and drink the blood, and respectfully practice the ten wholesome deeds.' The transformed man instantly vanished, reappeared in the form of Śakra, and asked him: 'Is your giving for the sake of one world, or for the four worlds?' The king said: 'It is only to seek the unexcelled Path and deliver those who have not yet been delivered.' Śakra poured heavenly ambrosia over him, and his wounds immediately healed, bringing benefit to sentient beings. The father king of that time was my present father king. The principal consort was my present mother. King Lamp of Wisdom was myself." (Extracted from the second fascicle of the Vinaya in Four Parts)

25.19

6. King Mahābalin's Love of Giving and Not Begrudging His Flesh

25.20

In the past, there was a king named Mahābalin. He had great roots of goodness and held grand almsgiving assemblies, granting whatever was desired: if one needed food he gave food, up to elephants, horses, oxen, sheep, fields, and lands—all of these he gave away. At that time Maudgalyāyana said, "You are a great donor." Then Śakra Devānām Indra transformed himself into a brāhmaṇa, went to the king's place, and said: "The king makes such great gifts, but I now require a part of the king's body." The king reflected to himself: "This brāhmaṇa does not need wealth; he comes now solely wishing to disrupt my great giving. If I do not give him a part of my body, I will myself ruin the enterprise of this great gathering of giving." Having reflected thus, he said to the brāhmaṇa: "I give you a part of my body; cut it off and take it away. However, because there are now many beggars assembled from the four directions, I must cause them all to be satisfied." The brāhmaṇa said: "I alone am not yet satisfied, so why speak of the others?" The king immediately took a knife and cut off his own arm, giving it to the brāhmaṇa without regret. Through his single-minded generosity in relinquishing all things, his arm was restored as before. Because Śakra had created an obstruction, his heavenly merit was exhausted and he fell into the Avīci hell. King Mahābalin was myself. Śakra was Devadatta. (Extracted from the lower fascicle of the Bodhisattvapiṭaka Sūtra)

25.21

7. King Maitrībala Piercing His Flesh to Give Blood to Five Yakṣas

25.22

The Buddha was in Śrāvastī. At that time, after the midday meal, Ānanda meditated in the forest: "When the Tathāgata appears in the world, sentient beings all receive peace and joy. Furthermore, what roots of goodness did Kauṇḍinya and the others plant, that when the Dharma-door was first opened, they were the first to enter?" He presented these thoughts to the Buddha. The Buddha told him: "Concerning Kauṇḍinya and the others: in a distant kalpa of the past, in this Jambudvīpa, there was a great king named Maitrībala, who had twenty thousand consorts and ten thousand ministers. The king was endowed with the four immeasurables and was never weary or indolent. He instructed the people with the ten wholesome deeds; the four quarters admired him, and the country was peaceful and happy. Now, pestilence spirits constantly fed on human blood. At that time, the people restrained their body, speech, and mind, and earnestly practiced the ten wholesome deeds, so the evil pestilences dared not attack, leaving them starving, emaciated, and exhausted. Then five yakṣas came to the king's place [and said]: 'We depend on the vital energy of human blood to sustain our lives. Because the king has guided them all to observe the ten wholesome deeds, we are starved and parched, with no way to survive. Will not the great king, in his loving-kindness and compassion, take pity on us?' The king felt sorrowful pity, and immediately opened his veins, piercing his body in five places. The five yakṣas caught the blood and drank it, overjoyed beyond measure. The king said: 'Mindfully cultivate the ten wholesome deeds. I now relieve your hunger and thirst with the blood of my body. In the future, when I achieve Buddhahood, I will use the blood of the Dharma-body—precepts, samādhi, and wisdom—to eliminate your three poisons and establish you in nirvāṇa.' King Maitrībala at that time was my present self. The five yakṣas were Kauṇḍinya and the others. Through my vows life after life, I promised that I would deliver them first." (Extracted from the second fascicle of the Scripture of the Wise and the Foolish)

25.23

8. King Śrutasoma Captured by King Kalmāṣapāda and Allowed to Return to Complete His Giving Before Being Spared

25.24

In the past, there was a king named Śrutasoma. This king diligently observed the precepts and constantly relied on truthful speech. In the morning, riding in his chariot, he led the palace women into a park for recreation. As he went out the city gate, a brāhmaṇa came begging. The king said: "Very well. I respectfully acknowledge your request. Wait until I return from playing and bathing in the park." At that time, there was a winged king named Kalmāṣapāda. He flew through the air, seized the king from among the palace women, and carried him off. The women wept and wailed aloud, the whole kingdom was alarmed, and there was turmoil and sorrowful panic inside and outside the city. Kalmāṣapāda carried the king through the air to the mountain where he lived, and placed him among ninety-nine kings. King Śrutasoma wept tears like rain. Kalmāṣapāda said to him: "Great kṣatriya king, why do you weep like a small child? In human life there is death; where there is union, there is separation." King Śrutasoma answered: "I do not fear death, but I regret breaking my word. Since my birth, I have never spoken falsely. This morning, when I went out the gate, a brāhmaṇa came and begged from me. At that time I promised him that I would give to him upon my return. Not considering impermanence, I failed his hopes and brought upon myself the fault of deception. That is why I weep." King Kalmāṣapāda said: "Since you fear false speech, I will allow you to return. When you have completed your giving to the brāhmaṇa for seven days, come straight back. If you do not return after seven days, with the power of my wings it will not be difficult for me to seize you." King Śrutasoma was able to return to his original kingdom, gave alms freely, and established the crown prince as king. Gathering the people, he apologized to them, saying: "My wisdom has not encompassed all things, and my governance was not according to the Dharma; please grant me your loyalty and forgiveness. As of today, my body does not belong to me, and I must return right now." The people of the entire kingdom and all his relatives kowtowed to detain him: "We pray the king will remain and kindly protect this country, and not worry about the demon-king Kalmāṣapāda. We will construct iron dwellings and employ extraordinary troops; though Kalmāṣapāda has supernatural powers, we need not fear him." The king said: "It cannot be so," and spoke a verse:

25.25

"Truthful speech is the foremost precept;
Truthful speech is a ladder to ascend to heaven.
Truthful speech makes a small person great;
False speech leads into hell.
I now preserve truthful speech,
Preferring to cast away body and life,
With no regret in my mind."

25.26

Having reflected thus, the king set out immediately and arrived at King Kalmāṣapāda's place. Seeing him from afar, Kalmāṣapāda was delighted and said: "You are a person of truthful speech who does not break his pledged word. Yet all people cherish their lives; having escaped from death, you still return to fulfill your promise—you are a great man!" At that time King Śrutasoma praised truthful speech: "Truthful speech makes one human; without truthful speech one is not human." In this way he praised truthful speech in various ways and rebuked false speech. Hearing this, Kalmāṣapāda developed pure faith and said to King Śrutasoma: "I now release you, and the ninety-nine kings shall also return to their own countries." This was the fulfillment of the perfection of ethical discipline (śīlapāramitā). (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom)

25.27

9. King Sarvadā Giving Himself as a Slave to a Brāhmaṇa

25.28

Formerly there was a king named Sarvadā (in the Liang language, “Giver of All”), who never went against anyone’s wishes in whatever was sought of him. The king's name was renowned throughout the eight directions. Mañjuśrī wished to go and test him, so he transformed himself into a young brāhmaṇa coming from a foreign land to the palace gate. The king was greatly delighted; he immediately came out to welcome him, greeting the man of the Way and asking where he had come from. The brāhmaṇa said, “Having heard of your majesty's merit, I came to meet you, wishing now to beg [something of you].” The king said, “Very well. Do not hesitate over whatever you wish to obtain.” The brāhmaṇa said, “I wish to have your majesty's person to serve me as a slave, and your consort to serve me as a maidservant.” The king was greatly pleased and replied, “Very well! Now my own body can certainly be had, and I am willing to belong to you, man of the Way, to supply your service and bidding. As for the consort, she is the daughter of a great king; I must go and ask her.” The king then entered and spoke to his consort. Thereupon the consort followed the king out and personally addressed the man of the Way: “I wish to offer my person to serve you, man of the Way.” The brāhmaṇa said, “You must follow me completely barefoot without wearing shoes, in accordance with the rules for slaves.” Both said, “Yes, we will obey the master’s orders.” He then led the slaves away on the road. With transformed persons taking the place of the king and the consort, he had them administer the affairs of state, keeping things just as before. As the consort had long dwelt deep within the palace and had never experienced hardship, and moreover was heavily pregnant for several months, walking behind her master her whole body ached, the soles of her feet were wounded and broken, and she could advance no further, lagging behind in utter exhaustion. Then the brāhmaṇa looked back and scolded her, saying, “Now that you are a maidservant, you must follow the rules of a maidservant; you cannot behave with your former attitude!” The consort knelt upright and said, “I dare not be negligent; I am merely slightly exhausted, resting for a short while.” He shouted, “Come quickly! Hurry up and follow behind me!” Ahead they arrived at the state marketplace, where he sold the slaves separately, each to a different master, several li apart. At that time an elder bought this slave and set him to guard a mortuary shed, having him collect tax from all who buried the dead, not allowing wrongful taxation. Meanwhile, the master to whom the maidservant belonged had a very jealous wife, who made her work day and night without ever letting her rest. Several months later, the maidservant gave birth to a baby boy. The master's wife angrily said, “As a maidservant, how did you get this child? Seize him and kill him!” In accordance with the mistress's command, she killed her child and carried him off to bury him. She went to the place of the [male] slave, where they met together; they did not speak of their hardships and neither had a resentful heart. While speaking thus, in an instant, in a trance as if in a dream, they were back in their own state, seated in the main hall just as before without difference, and all the ministers, palace women, and attendants were just as before. The born prince was also naturally alive. The king and the consort wondered within themselves by what cause this had come about. Mañjuśrī, sitting upon a precious lotus flower in the empty sky, manifested his physical form and praised them, saying, “Excellent! Today your giving is sincere like this.” The king and his consort leapt with joy and immediately went forward to pay homage. Mañjuśrī expounded the sūtras and Dharma for them; the three-thousand-fold world trembled, and all the people of the state brought forth the resolve for the unsurpassed, correct, and true Way. The king and his consort immediately attained the endurance of the non-arising of phenomena. The Buddha told Ānanda, “The king at that time was my own body; the consort at that time was now Gopī; and the prince at that time was now Rāhula.” (Extracted from the Sūtra of King Sarvadā)

25.29

10. King Kaurava Relinquishes His Beloved Wife and Child to Hear a Single Gāthā

25.30

Formerly in Jambudvīpa there was a great king named Kaurava, who ruled over eighty-four thousand small kingdoms and nourished the people. He thought to himself: “I merely supply everyone with wealth and goods, but never with the teaching of the Way; this is truly my fault.” He proclaimed throughout the kingdom: “Whoever possesses Dharma and can expound it for me, I shall supply whatever they require.” King Vaiśravaṇa transformed himself into a yakṣa and came to the palace gate: “Who wishes to hear the Dharma? I will explain it for him.” The king went out in person to welcome him and pay homage; he assembled the officials and requested to hear the true Dharma. The yakṣa said to him, “Studying the Dharma is a difficult matter; I require the king’s beloved wife and child to feed upon.” The king immediately commanded his consort and crown prince to be fed to the yakṣa. The ministers all wept, but the king's resolve did not turn back. When the yakṣa had finished eating them, he then spoke a gāthā:

25.31

“All conditioned phenomena are impermanent;
All who are born have suffering;
The five aggregates are empty and without marks;
There is no self and nothing belonging to a self.”

25.32

The king's mind rejoiced without regret; he promulgated it to devas and humans, causing all to recite and uphold it. King Vaiśravaṇa returned to his original form, and the consort and crown prince were dignified and unharmed as before. He praised the king as extraordinary. The Buddha said, “The king of that state at that time was my own body.” (Extracted from the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish, fascicle 1)

25.33

11. King Sunaksatra Loves Giving and Causes a Demon King to Turn to Faith

25.34

Formerly there was a man-eating demon who became a king among men, constantly eating human flesh as his kitchen meat. Conquering neighboring kingdoms, he captured ninety-nine kings. The ninety-nine kings addressed the rākṣasa king, saying: “In a neighboring kingdom there is a king named Sunaksatra who loves practicing giving and benefits, cultivates the virtue of a bodhisattva, and never goes against people's wishes in whatever they seek. If your majesty can capture him, we will willingly accept death without regret.” Thereupon the rākṣasa king raised his demon army and went to watch for an opportunity. It happened that Sunaksatra was traveling in an outer park to view the bathing pond. There was a brahmacārin who had left home to study abroad. According to the custom of brahmacārins, when taking leave to depart, he addressed his parents, saying, “I am now leaving home to accompany companions in study; the date of my return is not yet fixed. If wealth runs short, borrow from the king; when I return I will repay it.” After the man's studies were accomplished, he returned home only to see an empty house with no people. He asked the neighbors, “Where have my present parents, brothers, and sisters gone?” The neighbors replied, “After you left to study, they borrowed the king's wealth and goods and had no means to repay; they were bound by the king and are now in prison.” The man thought to himself, “My family is poor and destitute, with no wealth or treasure. If I go to the prison to visit my parents, I will also be detained and suffer the same misery, unable to escape the king's law. I should now remain outside, change my appearance and clothes, and secretly go begging; only after fully repaying the official debt can they be released.” The man further thought, “In a neighboring kingdom there is a king named Sunaksatra, who practices the Way and virtue and whose mind of giving never ceases. I should go there and sincerely petition him; he will surely not refuse me, and it will suffice to repay the king's debt.” He went there at once and begged of the king as he followed him. The king said, “Very well, I will supply you. Wait until I finish bathing, and I will bestow it upon you. Wait a little while and do not worry; I will not break my promise.” The king went to the bathing pond and was captured by the demon army. The king immediately looked back, weeping sorrowfully with tears falling. The demon king asked, “We have heard that your majesty is benevolent, kind, broadly loving, and relieves all; though meeting with distress, why do you weep sorrowfully?” The king replied to the demon, “In my life of giving, I have never felt regret. Just now there was a brahmacārin outside who begged of me; I promised him but have not yet given it, and for this reason I am anxious and sorrowful.” The demon king said to the king, “Your majesty keeps sincerity and trust, unchanging from the past. If I now release you, and after completing the giving you return in time, I will know your heart.” The king was able to return to the palace; he opened his treasury and gave, satisfying the man's wishes. He immediately returned to fulfill his trust, proceeding to the demon king's place. The demon king said to him, “Do you not fear me? Why have you come to receive death?” Sunaksatra answered with a gāthā:

25.35

“Doing merit and not doing evil
All stem from deeds practiced in the past;
In the end one does not fear the path of death,
Like a boat cutting across the stream to cross over.”

25.36

Hearing this, the demon king felt shame within; he changed his mind and altered his conduct, thinking to cultivate the roots of goodness. He then said to King Sunaksatra, “What you have said today is rare among men. Now I release the ninety-nine kings, and I abdicate this throne. I wish your majesty to take charge and govern through the Dharma; I will lead the demon host to return to our den. As we are of the same discipline, we shall naturally meet frequently.” Thereupon they parted and each returned to their own place. The myriad people rejoiced, the realm was peaceful and secure, and they jointly practiced the ten wholesome deeds and did not cultivate evil karma. Sunaksatra accumulated practice without cessation and later attained Buddhahood; beneath the King of Trees he spoke this previous gāthā again. (Extracted from the Sūtra of Udāna-inspired Teachings, fascicle 16)

25.37

Diverse Phenomena from the Sūtras and Vinaya, Fascicle 25

Linked texts (1)

經律異相 — Classical Chinese