經律異相 27.23

27.23

There was a king named Moda who dispatched an army on an expedition, drafting several million commoners. At that time, there was a monk who had attained the path of an arhat. He entered the country to beg for food and was arrested and brought to the king's palace. The king made him tend the official horses, toiling for seven days. The king went in person to inspect. When the monk saw the king, he lightly rose, flew into the air, and manifested his spiritual power. The king was terrified, kowtowed, and repented his fault, saying, "I was truly foolish and did not distinguish the genuine from the false." He interrogated those inside and outside: "Who made the holy man do this? Now someone must be punished and executed!" The monk told the king, "It is not the fault of the king nor of the people of the country. In my past life, when practicing the path, I constantly made offerings to my master. At that time, I prepared a drink for my master. My master said to me, 'Wash your hands first, and only then shall I drink.' In my foolish heart, I thought, 'My master is not tending official horses; why did he not wash his hands beforehand?' My master immediately said to me, 'What you think now is light, but how will it be when it becomes heavy in the future?' Hearing these words, I became sorrowful. My master knew my thought and considered, 'I must surely attain nirvāṇa; why should I cause another to be vexed?' That very night at the third watch, my master attained parinirvāṇa. From then until now, after a long time and undergoing births and deaths, on this account I have now received the retribution of past karma, tending horses for seven days. Wholesome and unwholesome deeds invariably bring retribution or blessings, just as a shadow follows the form." When the king heard the monk explain transgressions and blessings, his mind was opened and rejoiced, and he begged to take refuge in the holy man. The monk told him, "You should take refuge in the Buddha; the Buddha is the teacher of the three realms." The king and the people of the country all followed the monk out to where the Buddha was, bowed their heads in homage, and received the five precepts, becoming upāsakas. The Buddha then manifested the marks of excellence and spiritual power for the king and the people of the country, illuminating heaven and earth, and further preached impermanence, suffering, and emptiness. The king at that time attained the fruit of stream-enterer (srotāpanna). The people throughout the country all received the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds, took refuge in the Three Venerable Ones, and observed the monthly fasts as their constant practice. (Extracted from the Sūtra of King Moda)