經律異相 28
English (machine translation) 28
- Language
- English
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Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others
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[Table of Contents:]
1. Arbitrarily Raising Taxes and Slain by Treacherous Ministers, a Demon Becomes King in Return
2. Moved by the Buddha and Hearing the Dharma, Attaining the Path of Srotāpanna
3. In King Prasenajit's Back Garden, Sugarcane and Non-glutinous Rice Grow Spontaneously
4. King Prasenajit Requests the Buddha to Interpret Dreams
5. King Prasenajit Seeks to Ransom His Daughter's Life
6. King Prasenajit Goes Hunting and Obtains Lady Mallikā
7. King Haoxin Makes a Vow and Bathes the Buddha
8. Jīvaka, King of Physicians, Invites the Buddha and the Saṃgha
9. King Bimbisāra Has Four Kinds of Fear
10. King Bimbisāra Dies Fond of Food and is Born in the Cāturmahārājakāyika Heaven
11. King Bimbisāra and King Pukkusāti Are Close and Offer Each Other Rare Treasures
12. The Devaputra Red Horse Asks the Buddha About the Place of No Birth and Death
13. The King of Great Wisdom Feigns Madness to Avoid Calamity
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1. Arbitrarily Raising Taxes and Slain by Treacherous Ministers, a Demon Becomes King in Return
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Formerly, King Bimbisāra had a minister who committed an offense and was banished to the southern mountains, a thousand li away from the country. From antiquity, no people lived there and the five grains would not ripen. When the minister arrived there, spring waters flowed freely and the five grains flourished in abundance. Those from neighboring countries who suffered from hunger and cold came to this place. Within a few years, there were three to four thousand households. Those who came were provided with land so that they could make a living. The elders and senior venerable ones among them conferred, saying: 'A state without a ruler is like a body without a head.' Together they went to the minister and elevated him to be king. The minister answered the elders: 'If you take me as king, it must be according to the laws of kings of various realms. There must be ministers of the left and right, civil and military generals, tribute paid from superiors to inferiors, women drafted to fill the palace, and taxes in grain and silk levied as ordinary civil law.' The elders of the state said: 'We respectfully obey your commands; we will follow the king's law in all respects.' Thereupon he was established as king. He appointed his ministers, civil and military officials, and levied corvée upon the people, building city walls, houses, palaces, and watchtowers. The people suffered bitter torment and could no longer bear it. They all conceived thoughts of plotting against the king. The treacherous ministers took the king out hunting, thirty to forty li from the city. In the open wilderness and marsh, they seized the king, intending to kill him. The king asked his attendants: 'For what reason do you kill me?' They all replied: 'The people longed for abundance and ease and treated the king with ritual respect; but when the people are exhausted they think of rebellion, destroying their families and plotting against the state.' The king told them: 'You brought this upon yourselves; it was not my original doing. The gods and spirits know that you wrongfully kill me. Grant me one vow, and I will die without resentment.' He then made this vow: 'Originally, I cleared the wasteland, brought forth the soil, and sustained the people. All who came survived and enjoyed boundless wealth and joy. You yourselves raised me to be king, and relying on other realms we established these measures together; yet now in turn you kill me. I truly harbored no ill will toward these people. If I die, I vow to become a rākṣasa, enter my former body again, and avenge this wrong!' Thereupon they strangled him to death, abandoned his corpse, and left. Three days later, the king's spirit returned to his body, calling itself A-luo-po. He immediately arose, entered the palace, and killed the new king, the palace concubines, and the treacherous ministers around him. He intended to kill everyone. The elders of the state tied themselves with straw ropes, came forward, and confessed to the rākṣasa: 'This was the doing of treacherous ministers, not something the common folk could have known. We beg for your forgiveness and pray that you return to govern the country.' He said: 'I am a rākṣasa. In dealing with humans, for food and drink I must have human flesh.' Rākṣasas are by nature impetuous and angry, not considering difficulties. The elders said: 'The country belongs to the Great King, so it shall be as before. What is needed for food and drink will be provided in turn.' The elders went out together and proclaimed the order to the people: 'From now on, by turn, each household shall produce a small child, alive, to serve as food.' The rākṣasa king ate his way through the three to four thousand households. There happened to be one household of Buddha's disciples who lived piously and kept the Buddha's five precepts. Great and small, the worthy family members wept in sorrow, bowed toward Gṛdhrakūṭa from afar in homage to the Buddha, and repented and blamed themselves. With his divine eye, the Buddha saw their suffering, and said to himself: 'Because of this child, countless people shall be delivered.' He then flew alone to the rākṣasa's gate, manifesting transformative radiant marks that illuminated the interior of his palace. Seeing the light, the rākṣasa suspected it was an extraordinary person; he immediately went out, saw the Buddha, and gave rise to a poisonous mind. He wanted to step forward and devour the Buddha's light, piercing his own eyes. Carrying mountains and spitting fire, all turned into dust. After a long while, exhausted, he was finally subdued and converted. He invited the Buddha to enter and sit, and bowed his head to the ground in homage. The Buddha expounded the Dharma for him, and he listened with single-minded devotion. He immediately received the five precepts and became an upāsaka. The village official had urged the meal forward, snatched the child, and brought him along. The entire family, wailing loudly, followed along the road; countless onlookers felt grief for them. The official cradled the child and presented the food before the rākṣasa. The rākṣasa raised the child in his hands, knelt long, and said to the Buddha: 'The people of the country have been taking turns offering children for my food. Now that I have received the Buddha's five precepts, I must no longer eat humans. I pray to offer this small child as a gift to the Buddha to serve as the Buddha's attendant.' The Buddha accepted it on his behalf, taught the Dharma, and pronounced a benediction. The rākṣasa rejoiced and attained the path of srotāpanna. The Buddha placed the child in his almsbowl, carried him out of the palace gate, returned him to his parents, and said to them: 'Nourish the child well; do not sorrow any longer.' When the crowd saw the Buddha, all were astonished and wondered: 'What deity is this? What blessing does this child possess, that he alone is rescued? What was to be the rākṣasa's food has been snatched back and returned to his parents!' The Buddha then spoke a verse:
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The virtue of the precepts can be relied upon;
Karmic reward always accompanies oneself.
Seeing the Dharma, one becomes a leader of men,
And remains forever far from the three bad destinies.
Vigilance in the precepts removes suffering and fear;
Their reward is honored across the three realms.
Demons, dragons, and evil poisons
Do not harm the person who keeps the precepts.
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Those who saw the Buddha's light and form all became disciples of the Buddha. Hearing the verse, they rejoiced and all attained the fruit of the stream-enterer (from the Dharmapada-avadāna Sūtra, fascicle 5).
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2. Moved by the Buddha and Hearing the Dharma, Attaining the Fruit of the Srotāpanna
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In the kingdom of Śrāvastī there were two merchants. One thought to himself: "The Buddha's body is sixteen feet tall, radiant like purple-gold. He has an uṣṇīṣa upon his crown, and the halo of light behind his neck is lofty and sublime beyond words. The Buddha is like an emperor, and the śramaṇas are like loyal ministers. The Buddha expounds the bright Dharma, and the śramaṇas recite and proclaim it—truly, this king is enlightened!" Knowing that the Buddha was worthy of veneration, the Buddha knew his thoughts and looked closely at him. The man's heart was as joyous as if he had obtained a precious gem. The other thought: "The Buddha is like an ox, and his disciples are like a cart. That ox pulls the cart east, west, south, and north; the Buddha is just like that." The Buddha, knowing that he harboured evil thoughts and would surely suffer calamity, grieved for him with compassion. That man was evil in heart, and the two went away together. When they had travelled thirty li, they came to an inn, where they stayed the night and bought wine to drink. They argued heatedly while settling their business. For the one who had good thoughts, the Four Heavenly Kings dispatched good spirits to protect him. For the one who had malicious thoughts, the ghosts and spirits of Mount Tai made the wine enter his belly like fire burning his body. Going out of the inn, he lay exposed in the open, rolling about until he fell into a cart rut. In the morning, a caravan of five hundred merchant wagons passed by and crushed him. His companion saw this and said: "Misfortune has befallen me! If I return to my country, I will be suspected of having taken his goods and departed, and I will be deemed unrighteous." Thereupon he abandoned his wealth, travelling light, and departed. Wandering far and wide, he reached a kingdom tens of thousands of li from Śrāvastī. The king of that country had died leaving no crown prince. A prophetic book had said: "A humble man from the Middle Country shall become king of this land." The officials deliberated, saying: "A state without a ruler is like a body without a head; it cannot long stand. The late king had a horse that always bowed to the king. If one is fit to be king, the horse will surely bend its knees." All said: "Excellent!" So they prepared a ceremonial carriage and placed the royal seal and ribbons upon the vehicle. Horses and people filled the road, and none among the onlookers could hold back their tears. At that time, that merchant also came out to watch. The royal astrologer said: "There is a canopy of yellow clouds; this is the aura of a king!" The divine horse went straight up to him, bent its knees, and licked his feet. The ministers rejoiced, bathed him with fragrant water, saluted him as lord of the realm, and unanimously declared themselves his subjects. The king said: "I was originally a merchant. I have no virtue toward the people and am not fit for the heavenly throne." The ministers said: "Heaven confers it upon the virtuous, and the divine horse has bent its knees." Thereupon he took up residence in the royal palace and oversaw the governance of the state. He reflected deeply within himself: "I have not the slightest goodness; by what cause did I obtain this? It must surely be the Buddha's grace that brought this about!" In the morning, seated upon the royal throne, he praised the Buddha's unsurpassed sanctity. Leading all the officials of the realm, he faced toward the kingdom of Śrāvastī, bowed his head, and said: "A base person such as I has received the World-Honoured One's favour and become a ruler of men. Generations have passed in this land without knowing that there is a Buddha, and the common books contain no record of him. May you, with great brilliance, open the eyes of the deaf and blind among the people of this land. Tomorrow, may you deign to visit here with the assembly of arhats for a period of three months." The Buddha told Ānanda to instruct the monks: "Tomorrow, at that king's invitation, all should display divine and venerable virtues through transformations according to their powers, causing his people to behold them together." When the devas heard that the Buddha was going thither to convert them, they led the escort, playing music and singing of his virtues. Jewelled canopies, banners, and streamers were displayed, and flowers fell in profusion, their dazzling light radiant to the eyes. The Buddha and the arhats all sat in the main hall. After the king had served them himself, he sat before the Buddha on a small seat. The Buddha expounded the Dharma at length. The king said: "I was originally a humble man, with no fine virtues in my deeds; by what cause did I obtain this?" The Buddha told the king: "Formerly, when the king of that country offered food to the Buddha, you thought in your heart: 'The Buddha's mind is like a king, and the śramaṇas are like ministers.' You sowed that seed, and today you reap its fruit. That other man said: 'The Buddha is like an ox, and his disciples are like a cart.' He sowed for himself the seed of being crushed by a cart; now he is in Mount Tai, being crushed by flaming carts, reaping his own fruit. This was not something brought about by your own valour. Goodness is followed by blessings, and walking in evil is pursued by calamity. An echo answers a sound; good and evil are like sounds and their echoes. It is not conferred by devas, dragons, ghosts, or spirits, nor is it wrought by ancestors. It is the mind that creates it, and body and speech that bring it to pass." The Buddha chanted this verse:
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The mind is the source of phenomena; / The mind is foremost, the mind commands. / If within one harbours evil, / And speaks or acts accordingly, / Sin and suffering follow of themselves, / As the cart crushes in the rut. / The mind is the source of phenomena; / The mind is foremost, the mind commands. / If within one harbours good, / And speaks or acts accordingly, / Blessing and joy follow of themselves, / Just as a shadow follows the form.
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The World-Honoured One again told the king: "Among the sins of many evils, the five most grave are these: Being unfilial and disloyal, killing parents or killing one's lord, destroying the family and throwing the state into chaos—this is the first grave sin. The practice of an arhat attains the samādhis of emptiness, wishlessness, and signlessness, having a mind equal to the Buddha to rescue and deliver sentient beings; yet in foolishness to harm him—this is the second grave sin. The Buddha has ended all sins, and his great blessings are fully accomplished; with the marks and signs and the ten powers, he guides sentient beings with the Dharma, his love, compassion, joy, and protection surpassing that of a loving mother; yet in foolishness and wickedness to slander him—this is the third grave sin. Pure śramaṇas whose resolve is quiet and whose conduct is lofty embrace the sūtras and Dharma to assist the Buddha in transforming the foolish; the succession of Buddhas and the deliverance of sentient beings all rely on the Saṅgha; yet through flattery, slander, and strife to cause discord among them, and because of this discord the true Dharma is ruined, and when the true Dharma is ruined the people run wild, and when the people run wild the three evil realms flourish—disturbing the monk Saṅgha is the fourth grave sin. The precious objects, water, and lands of the Buddha's venerable shrines are offered by sentient beings with sincere hearts to the Three Venerable Ones; for foolish people to destroy or steal them—this is the fifth grave sin. For those who commit these five, there is no pardon for their sins; it is called slaying oneself, wiping out one's clan, and casting oneself into the fires of Mount Tai. The gravity of these five sins is heavier than Mount Sumeru; take care never to commit them!" When the Buddha finished preaching the sūtra, the king and all his ministers attained the fruit of srotāpanna, took the five precepts, and became upāsakas. Among the people of the country, some became śramaṇas and some kept the precepts as upāsakas; thus the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds became the governance of the state. The devas protected them, and the kingdom flourished (from the Sūtra of the Hundred Loves).
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3. Natural Sugar Cane and Non-Glutinous Rice Grow in King Prasenajit's Rear Garden
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King Prasenajit, having planted roots of virtue in past lives, naturally received the echo of his blessings: in his rear garden, sugar cane trees grew spontaneously, exuding sweet syrup day and night without ceasing. A stalk of non-glutinous rice also grew there, bearing several hundred drooping ears that could be harvested without end. The king enjoyed this blessing, eating of them without satiety, until his body grew fat and heavy, his breathing became extremely laboured, and he could not even turn from side to side. He went to the Buddha's place, bowed low with hands clasped in reverence, and sat to one side. The Buddha then spoke a verse:
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If a person can focus their mind, / And know moderation in eating, / Seeking only to sustain the body and life, / They will preserve their lifespan and keep to virtue.
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The king was overjoyed, leaped up from his seat, took leave of the Buddha, and returned to his palace. He ordered the attendant who served his food: "Before me, recite this verse first as a constant rule." The king gradually reduced his food; his body grew smaller and lighter, and he walked about without ailment (from the Udānavarga, fascicle 17).
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4. King Prasenajit Requests the Buddha to Interpret Dreams
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King Prasenajit, lying down at night, had ten kinds of dreams: first, he saw a small tree bearing blossoms; second, he saw a small tree bearing fruit; third, he saw a cow seeking milk from a calf; fourth, he saw a person cutting a rope while a sheep followed behind eating it; fifth, he saw ten cauldrons arranged in layers, with the topmost cauldron surging and pouring its contents into the lowest cauldron; sixth, he saw a horse with one body and two heads eating wheat; seventh, he saw blood flowing into canals; eighth, he saw clear water that was pure along the four edges but turbid in the middle; ninth, he saw a dog urinating in a gold vessel; tenth, he saw four oxen coming from the four directions to butt each other, and then each dispersing and going back. Seeing these, the king was terrified, and his hair stood on end. Awakening from sleep, he thought: "Shall I die and lose this royal throne?" He immediately went to ask the Buddha. The Buddha said: "Great King, do not be afraid. You will not lose your throne because of these dreams. Dreaming of a small tree bearing blossoms means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings. At that time, people will not be filial to their parents, nor will they serve śramaṇas and brāhmaṇas, yet they will receive offerings, just as today those who are filial follow their parents in making offerings to śramaṇas. A small tree bearing fruit means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings. At that time, women will have been married only a short while before returning home carrying infants, knowing no shame. A cow seeking milk from a calf means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; mothers will watch the door while their daughters engage in illicit relations to support themselves. A person cutting a rope while a sheep follows behind eating it means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings, giving their own wealth and treasures to outsiders in illicit liaisons. Dreaming of ten cauldrons arranged in layers, with the uppermost cauldron overflowing and pouring into the lowest cauldron, means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, in accordance with false teachings; children will say to their parents: 'Leave this house quickly and go into the mountains, wilds, and marshes; I wish to dwell in this village.' A horse with one body and two heads eating wheat means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; relying on the king, they will plunder brāhmaṇas and elders, or relying on brāhmaṇas and elders, they will plunder the royal treasury. Dreaming of blood flowing into canals means that in the future, there will be kings who are not content with their own territories, but will assemble the fourfold army to invade and seize other territories, uncontrollably failing to follow the Dharma's teachings; at that time, those among the people who die will be very many. Dreaming of clear water that is pure along the four edges but turbid in the middle means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; sentient beings in the Middle Country will take pleasure in fighting and disorder, while the people of the borderlands will have no disputes. Dreaming of a dog urinating in a gold vessel means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; regarding the Dharma jewel that I gathered through bitter toil over three asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they will slander it all, striking my śrāvakas with knives, staves, tiles, and stones, saying: 'What this breed of śramaṇas preaches is not the Dharma; they merely take pleasure in composing songs and praises.' Dreaming of four oxen coming from the four directions to butt each other and then each dispersing and going back means that in the future, sentient beings will act out of unrighteous desires, constantly harbouring greed and jealousy in accordance with false teachings; at that time, great clouds will rise from the four directions with thunder and lightning, yet disperse without rain. These are the ten dreams and what they signify. Great King, your ten dreams have these ten correspondences. For this reason, Great King, do not harbour fear; you will not die, nor will you lose your throne. All these are matters that must come to pass in the future Latter Age. Great King, you should understand it thus." The king rejoiced greatly (from the Ekottarika Āgama, fascicle 41).
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5. King Prasenajit Seeks to Ransom His Daughter's Life
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King Prasenajit's daughter Bhadrā passed away. He loved her dearly and had never let her leave his sight. After the encoffinment and burial were finished, he went in person to see the Tathāgata, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and sat to one side. The Buddha said: "Why are your clothes dusty and soiled today, Great King, and why are you in such grief?" The king said: "I had a daughter who has just died. I loved her dearly. The encoffinment and burial have just finished; I would have ransomed my daughter's life with elephants, and even with chariots, horses, and hidden treasures!" [The Buddha said:] "Sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress are all born of affection and love. Why is this so? Anciently, Great King, in this city of Śrāvastī, a man's daughter passed away. Because he loved the girl, he had never let her leave his sight; he then became confused and lost his senses, wandering everywhere and asking the people: 'Who has seen my daughter?' By this expedient, Great King, you should know that sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress are all born of affection and love. Great King, do not harbour grief; all affectionate attachments must inevitably be separated, and whatever has been born must surely decay." In this way he expounded the Dharma at length. The king received the teaching and departed (from the Sūtra on King Prasenajit Inviting the Buddha after His Daughter Passed Away).
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6. King Prasenajit Encounters and Obtains Lady Mallikā while on a Hunt
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At that time, in the city of Śrāvastī, there was a brāhmaṇa of great lineage named Yajñadatta, who possessed abundant wealth and treasures. He had a female slave named Huāngtóu (Yellow Head), who always guarded the Mallikā grove. At that time, this female slave was constantly sorrowful, saying, 'When shall I be free from being a slave?' In the early morning, having eaten her share of dry rice, she took the remainder and went to the grove. At that time, the Bhagavat entered the city to beg for food. Yellow Head saw the Tathāgata from afar and thought to herself, 'Now, I had better offer this rice to that śramaṇa; perhaps I may thereby escape this enslavement.' She immediately presented the rice and offered it to the Buddha. Out of compassion, the Bhagavat accepted it and returned to the vihāra. At that time, Yellow Head proceeded forward into the Mallikā grove. King Prasenajit, having arrayed his fourfold army, went out on a hunt. His attendants dispersed, galloping in pursuit of herds of deer. The weather was extremely hot, and seeing the Mallikā grove in the distance, the king turned his carriage and went on foot into the grove. Yellow Head saw Prasenajit coming from afar, his bearing and movements unlike those of ordinary men. She immediately came forward to receive him, saying, 'Welcome, Great Man! You may sit here.' She then removed one of her garments and spread it out for the king to sit upon. Yellow Head asked, 'I wonder if you need water to wash your feet?' The king said, 'Yes.' She immediately fetched water, gave it to the king, and wiped the king's feet. She asked the king again, 'Do you wish to wash your face?' She then gave the king more water to wash his face. She asked the king again, 'Do you wish to drink?' She immediately went to a pond, washed her hands again, took a fine lotus leaf filled with water, and gave it to the king. She asked the king again, 'I wonder if you wish to lie down and rest?' She then removed another garment and spread it out for the king. Seeing the king lie down, she knelt on both knees before him, massaging his feet and other limbs to relieve the king's fatigue. Yellow Head's body was like a heavenly body, delicate, soft, and wondrously fine. The king, delighting in its smoothness, thought to himself, 'Never before has there been a woman so clever as this, performing everything without my having to instruct her.' The king then asked, 'Whose daughter are you?' She answered, 'I am a female slave of the Yajñadatta household; they dispatched me to guard this grove.' While they were speaking, the king's ministers, tracking the chariot's ruts, arrived at the grove. They knelt and bowed at the king's feet, then stood to one side. The king ordered one person, 'Call the brāhmaṇa Yajñadatta to come.' The brāhmaṇa came to the king's location. The king asked, 'Is this girl your slave?' He replied, 'She is.' The king said, 'I now wish to take her as my wife; what do you think?' He answered, 'She is a slave; how could she become your wife?' The king said, 'No matter; simply name her price.' The brāhmaṇa said, 'If we are to speak of her price, it is a hundred thousand ounces of gold. Yet how could I take a price from the king? I present her now to the king.' The king said, 'Not so. I am taking her as my wife; how could I not pay the price?' He immediately produced a hundred thousand ounces of gold and gave it to the brāhmaṇa. He then welcomed her into his carriage and entered the palace, escorted by his ministers. Because she had been brought from the Mallikā grove, she was accordingly styled Queen Mallikā. The king loved and respected her greatly. At another time, from among five hundred women, the king appointed her as his chief consort. Standing on a high pavilion, she thought to herself, 'Through what karmic causes and conditions was I freed from being a slave and now enjoy such bliss?' She further thought, 'Could it be that previously, I gave a portion of honey-mixed dry rice to that śramaṇa? It must be solely through this cause and condition that I have now escaped being a slave and enjoy such bliss.' (From the thirteenth roll of the first part of the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya.)
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7. King Haoxin's Vow to Bathe the Buddha
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In ancient times there was a Buddha named Shiwu. At that time there was a king named Haoxin (Good Faith) who delighted in the Buddha-Dharma and never tired of gazing upon the Buddha. He planted a nyagrodha tree, and beneath the tree spread out a sandalwood couch for the Buddha. The Buddha sat upon it, and King Haoxin listened to the sūtras. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, the king, no longer seeing the Buddha, named the nyagrodha tree the 'Buddha tree.' Seeing it was like seeing the Buddha; day after day he went and sat beneath the tree, visualizing and hearing the teachings and precepts at the place where the Buddha had constantly sat. The king had a maidservant named Julu who constantly attended at the king's side. The queen was jealous and hired a brāhmaṇa to chant incantations to kill the Buddha tree. On the night of the seventh day of the fourth month, that brāhmaṇa took the brain of a large venomous serpent from the southern mountains and smeared it on the tree; the tree withered and died immediately. The king wept sorrowfully and was beside himself with grief. In the middle of the night on the eighth day of the fourth month, when the morning star appeared, he took five-colored fragrant water, gathered flowers, and bathed this tree. It immediately revived. The king then made a vow, saying, 'May the time when all Buddhas of the ten directions are born be this day; the time when they attain the Way be this day; and their parinirvāṇa also be this day.' From that time forth, the appearance of the Buddhas in the world has always been on this day. Therefore, the Buddha is bathed on the eighth day of the fourth month. (From the Xiuyuan guobao jing.)
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8. The King of Physicians Jīvaka Invites the Sangha and the Buddha
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Jīvaka, the king of physicians, invited the Buddha and the Sangha, excluding only Panthaka. Panthaka had spent four months reciting the words 'broom' and 'sweep,' but in the end could never master them. The Tathāgata and the Sangha went and sat in Jīvaka's residence. Pure water was offered, but the Tathāgata would not accept it. Jīvaka addressed the Buddha, 'I wonder for what reason the Tathāgata does not accept the water?' The Buddha told Jīvaka, 'In this assembly today there is no monk Panthaka; therefore I do not accept it.' Jīvaka addressed the Buddha, 'This Panthaka is dull and stupid; even cattle and sheep herders surpass him.' The Buddha told Jīvaka, 'If you do not invite Panthaka, I will not accept the pure water.' Then Jīvaka, obeying the Buddha's instruction, dispatched a man to go and summon Panthaka. The Buddha told Ānanda, 'Hand the bowl to Panthaka, and have him, without rising from his seat, hand it to me from afar.' Jīvaka, seeing this divine power, reproached himself in remorse: 'Alas! What a grave error to insult a worthy sage! Only today do I realize that I have committed a great fault of speech.' He immediately gave rise to a reverent mind toward the monk Panthaka, surpassing his reverence for the five hundred monks. The Bhagavat explained at length: 'In a past life, Jīvaka was a horse dealer conducting trade. He once drove a thousand horses to another country. Midway, one horse gave birth to a foal. He gave the foal away to a man and went on to the other country. When he had an audience with the king of that country, the king told the horse dealer, "Your thousand horses are all ordinary horses. One horse whinnied sorrowfully with a peculiar sound; she must have given birth to an extraordinary foal. When that foal grows up, its value will equal that of a thousand horses. If you can obtain this foal, I will buy all of your horses; if not, I have no need for them." The horse dealer retraced his steps to the place where he had given the foal away. Before ten days had passed, that foal spoke human speech, saying to its owner, "If the horse dealer comes looking for me, you may give me up only if you receive five hundred horses." The horse dealer sought to redeem it with one fine horse. The man replied, "I did not force you to give it to me originally. I raised and kept it with great toil and hardship. Now if you want it back, you may have it in return for five hundred horses." He finally agreed to it. Previously he had despised the foal, and now he neglected Panthaka, yet afterwards he valued them both highly. The causes and conditions regarding Panthaka are of long standing; they did not begin just today.' (From the Qing Pante biqiu jing.)
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9. King Bimbisāra's Four Kinds of Fear
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In ancient times, King Bimbisāra's ancestors had laws for punishing criminals: if someone committed theft, his head was slapped with a hand; the thief was so deeply ashamed that it was no different from dying, and he would never do it again. By the time of his father the king, if someone committed theft, he was driven out of the city as a severe reprimand; the thieves were all ashamed, no different from dying, and would never do it again. When Bimbisāra succeeded to the throne, if someone committed theft, he was driven out of the country. At that time there was a thief who was driven out seven times, yet he still returned to plunder and kill in villages and cities. At last, he was bound and sent to the king. The king said, 'Take him away and cut off his little finger.' At that time, the official cut it off in haste, fearing the king might regret it. The king tried biting his own finger, and finding the pain extraordinarily difficult to bear, he immediately sent word not to cut it off. The minister replied to the king, saying, 'It has already been cut off.' The king was full of sorrow and regret, and thought to himself, 'I am the last of the righteous kings, yet the first of the unrighteous. A king should be anxious and caring toward his subjects, yet I have cut off a man's finger.' He immediately ordered his chariot and went to the Buddha, saying, 'From my great-grandfather down to my father the king, all governed the people with righteousness. But when it came to my person, evil has increased daily and correct transformation has gradually weakened. Having wrongly become king, I have wounded and severed a man's body. Reflecting on my own lack of virtue, my shame and fear are truly profound.' The Buddha asked the great king, 'According to the laws of statecraft, theft of how much money warrants the death penalty, how much warrants exile from the country, and how much warrants corporeal punishment?' The king said, 'Bhagavat, nineteen ancient coins make one part of a kārṣāpaṇa, and one kārṣāpaṇa has four parts. If one steals one part, the crime warrants death.' The Buddha preached the Dharma for him, and the king bowed to the Buddha and withdrew. At that time, the monks said, 'Why does King Bimbisāra fear offenses so greatly?' The Buddha said, 'Not only in this life does he fear offenses. In the past there was a country named Kāśi, whose king was called Mingcheng (Renown). At that time, the people of the country were fully equipped with arts and crafts to support themselves. Those without crafts were called foolish, and those who committed theft were also called foolish. At that time a man committed theft and was bound and sent to the king's location. The king said, "Stop, stop! That man lost his property and this man committed theft; why should I join in committing evil?" He reflected, "Since ancient times, this is the first foolish man. Until these foolish men reach a thousand, my life will not end." He immediately handed the foolish man over to his ministers, saying, "I need a thousand foolish men to hold a great assembly. When you have gathered that full number, report it to me." The ministers held the foolish man and bound him in one place. Soon the king thought, "Might not this foolish man be suffering?" He then told his ministers, "Look after this man well and do not let him become emaciated. Place him in my Aśoka Garden, and provide him with the pleasures of the five desires and musical entertainment." The ministers obeyed the order, and wishing to please the king, they looked after him with extra care. In this way, before long, the number reached a thousand. The ministers reported, "The thousand is complete. What else is needed? We shall prepare it quickly." Hearing these words, the king was exceedingly sorrowful: "In the long past, there was only one such man; how is it that now there are already a thousand? This must be the latter age when evil dharmas proliferate." The king ordered his ministers to sweep and clean the garden, burn incense, hang silk banners, and prepare all kinds of delicacies and food and drink. The king, accompanied by his ministers and the eighteen groups, went to the Aśoka Garden. He ordered the foolish men to be presented, and seeing their clothes torn and filthy, their nails long, and their hair disheveled, he immediately ordered them to bathe, cut their hair, trim their nails, and be supplied with new clothes. Afterwards, they were brought forward, and each was given various kinds of food, drink, and treasures according to what they needed. They were told to return home, provide for their parents, diligently pursue their livelihoods, and never commit theft again. Hearing the command, the foolish men rejoiced and obeyed. The king then ceded his throne to the crown prince, renounced the household life, entered the mountains, and studied the ways of the ṛṣis. That king was none other than Bimbisāra. He was always fearful of karmic retribution.' The Buddha said, 'Not only in this life did King Bimbisāra regret immediately after ordering a finger to be severed; in a past life there was a brāhmaṇa who had no wealth and lived by begging. This brāhmaṇa's wife bore no son. The household originally had a nakula (mongoose) that gave birth to a young one. The brāhmaṇa regarded it as his own child, and the young mongoose also regarded the brāhmaṇa as its father. After a short while, the wife gave birth to a son. When going out to beg for food, he instructed his wife, saying, "If you go out, you must take the child with you." The wife fed the child and went to a neighboring house to help pound grain. The child had the fragrance of ghee and curd; a poisonous snake opened its mouth and spat poison, wishing to kill the small child. The mongoose thought, "My parents are not here; how can this poisonous snake try to kill my younger brother?" It immediately killed the poisonous snake, tore it into seven pieces, smeared its mouth with blood, and stood facing the door, wishing to make its parents rejoice upon seeing it. At that time, the brāhmaṇa, just arriving from outside, saw his wife outside the house from afar, and angrily said, "When I instructed you to go out, you were to take the child; why did you go alone?" When the father approached the door, he saw blood on the lips of the mongoose, and thought, "My wife and I were away; did the mongoose kill and devour my child behind our backs?" With a staff he beat and killed the mongoose. Entering the door, he saw his child sitting in the courtyard, sucking his fingers and playing, and also saw the poisonous snake in seven pieces. He was overcome with profound sorrow and regret: "This mongoose saved my child's life, but without examining carefully, I killed it in haste! How tragic and pitiable!" He then fell into a dead faint upon the ground. At that time, a deity in the air uttered a verse:'
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"One should examine closely and with scrutiny,
And not give way to sudden, furious anger;
Separation from beloved good friends brings pain,
And unjustly harming the faithful brings bitter misery."
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The brāhmaṇa of that time was none other than the present King Bimbisāra (Extracted from the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya, Fascicle Two).
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10. King Bimbisāra, Craving Food at Death, Is Reborn in the Heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings
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King Bimbisāra asked Maudgalyāyana, "Which heaven has fine food?" Maudgalyāyana praised [it], saying, "The heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings." Bimbisāra was due to be reborn in Tuṣita, but he immediately thought, "I would rather be born first in this heaven, and later be reborn in Tuṣita." Upon the end of his life, he became the crown prince of King Vaiśravaṇa, named Jetṛ (Most Victorious Son). As spoken in Maudgalyāyana's Prajñapti: the primal beings who moved on their chests were called mahoragas; the beings born with three hands were called elephants. It is asked, "Why are they spoken of as humans, yet either mahoragas or elephants?" The answer is, "Those beings, after their lives ended in the Ābhāsvara heaven, came to be born here. At that time they were born among animals, but their shapes resembled humans. Because their eating and drinking, evil thoughts, and wicked deceit increased so much, the human marks gradually vanished and they finally became beasts, in form like toads." (Extracted from the Vibhāṣā, Fascicle Fourteen).
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11. King Bimbisāra and King Pukkasāti Are Intimate Friends and Mutually Offer Rare Treasures
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At that time, the king of the country of Rājagṛha was named Bimbisāra. When young as crown prince, he constantly sought five wishes: first, that while still young, he become king; second, that within his country there be a Buddha; third, that he might always visit and attend upon him; fourth, that he might always listen to the exposition of sūtras; fifth, that upon hearing, he would swiftly awaken and understand, attaining srotāpanna. The king obtained all of them. At that time, traveling north from the country of Rājagṛha to a foreign land, [one came to] a country named Takṣaśilā, whose king was named Pukkasāti. He was exceedingly noble and lofty. In past lives he had seen a Buddha and received the Buddha's sūtra-teachings, studying the sūtra of the six elements within the body—namely earth, water, fire, wind, space, and mind. King Bimbisāra and King Pukkasāti had never met in their lifetimes, but loved and respected each other from afar as though they were brothers, regularly exchanging letters and sending gifts to one another. In King Pukkasāti's realm, a single lotus flower was born, having a thousand petals, all of gold color. He dispatched an envoy to present it to King Bimbisāra. King Bimbisāra, upon seeing the flower, was filled with great joy and said, "The object King Pukkasāti has presented to me is exceedingly wondrous and extraordinary!" King Bimbisāra composed a letter to King Pukkasāti, saying, "In my country there are gold, silver, and precious jewels in abundance, but I do not consider them treasures. Now in my country a single human flower has been born, called the Buddha, of purple-burnished golden color, possessed of the thirty-two marks." King Pukkasāti, hearing the name of the Buddha, leapt with joy, and wrote a letter to King Bimbisāra, wishing to be fully informed of what the Buddha's precepts and practices were. After several days, King Pukkasāti thought to himself, "Human life is unknowable, hanging on a single breath. I cannot wait any longer for Bimbisāra's reply." He ordered the subordinate kings and all his ministers to prepare carriages and depart, desiring to go to the Buddha's place. On the road, he encountered King Bimbisāra's letter. The letter stated: "The Buddha teaches people to abandon home, renounce wives and children, and sever lust and desire; one should shave hair and beard, don Dharma robes, and become a śramaṇa." It also detailed the twelve links of dependent origination and sent them to King Pukkasāti. King Pukkasāti, having finished reading the letter, reflected to himself. At night, after people had settled and the ministers, hundred officials, and assembly had all retired to sleep, in the tranquil silence he secretly arose and fled. Going among the burial mounds, he shaved his own head, donned the Dharma robes, and became a śramaṇa. The Buddha, with his divine eye, saw Pukkasāti arrive at the city of Rājagṛha and lodge at a potter's house. The Buddha considered, "King Pukkasāti's life will end tomorrow." He immediately flew to the potter's house, wishing to lodge for the night. The potter replied, "You may be accommodated." The Buddha sat upright in one place and thought to himself, "This Pukkasāti is composed and tranquil." Rising, he went before Pukkasāti and asked, "From what master did you receive the teaching to become a śramaṇa?" He replied, "I have heard there is a Buddha, and I now serve him as master." The Buddha thought, "Because of me, this worthy has become a śramaṇa. I should explain to him the sūtra he knew in a past life; only then will he understand." The Buddha said, "I shall expound sūtra matters for you; listen well." Pukkasāti said, "Excellent." The Buddha expounded the Dharma for him, and he attained the third stage, that of the anāgāmin; only then could he recognize that this was the Buddha. He immediately arose and bowed to the Buddha. The next day, having gone not far into the city, an ox with youthful horns gored Pukkasāti. The monks addressed the Buddha, "Yesterday the Buddha expounded the sūtra for him in the potter's house; the śramaṇa has now been gored to death by a rampaging ox. To what rebirth will he proceed?" The Buddha said, "Because I expounded the sūtra for him, he immediately attained anāgāmin, will be born in the sixteen heavens, and there attain arhatship." He instructed the monks to collect Pukkasāti's body together, bury it well, and raise a stūpa over it (Extracted from the Sūtra on King Bimbisāra's Five Wishes, and also from the Sūtra on the Causes and Conditions of King Pukkasāti).
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12. The Devaputra Rohitassa Inquires of the Buddha Concerning the Place Free from Birth and Death
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At that time there was a devaputra named Rohitassa, of exceedingly wondrous complexion. In the late hours of the night he came to where the Buddha was and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honored One, is there anyone who is able, by walking, to pass beyond the edge of the world and reach a place where there is no birth, no old age, and no death?" The Buddha told Rohitassa, "There is no one who can reach it." The devaputra Rohitassa again addressed the Buddha: "Wondrous indeed, World-Honored One! Well have you spoken this meaning, just as the World-Honored One has declared. Why is this? I myself recall a past life when my name was Rohitassa. I was a non-Buddhist ṛṣi who attained supernormal powers and was freed from all cravings and desires. At that time I thought: 'I possess such swift supernormal foot-travel, like a stout warrior shooting a sharp arrow horizontally across the shadow of a tāla tree. In that brief instant, I can scale Sumeru, go from one Sumeru to another, and with my feet step from the eastern ocean and leap across to the western ocean. I consider that with such swift supernormal power, I will now seek the edge of the world.' Then I set forth on foot, and—except for eating, resting, relieving myself, and curtailing my sleep—I walked continuously for a hundred years, yet on the road my life ended and in the end I could not reach it." Then he vanished and was seen no more (Extracted from the Saṃyuktāgama, Fascicle Twenty-Nine).
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13. The Wise King Feigns Madness to Escape Calamity
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In a foreign country there was noxious rain. If it fell into rivers, lakes, streams, wells, or reservoirs, anyone who consumed it became mad and intoxicated for seven days. There was a king who was possessed of great wisdom and skilled at recognizing the noxious rain; upon seeing the clouds, he knew it. He had a well covered so that the rain could not enter. At that time, all the hundred officials and ministers drank the noxious rain water, and the entire court went mad. Stripping off their clothes naked and smearing their heads with mud, they sat in the royal hall; only the king alone was not mad. All the ministers did not know they were mad, but conversely thought the king was mad, [wondering] why he wore clothes and alone differed from the rest. They all said to one another, "This is no small matter; we should deliberate together on how to deal with it." The king feared the ministers were about to rebel and became alarmed. He spoke to the ministers, saying, "I have a fine medicine that can cure my illness by itself. Wait a moment for me to take the medicine." The king then went inside, stripped off his clothes to be like them, and came out. All the ministers were overjoyed when they saw him. After seven days, the ministers awakened, felt great shame, and, each donning clothes and caps, came to court. The king sat naked just as before. The ministers were all astonished and asked, saying, "Your Majesty is always possessed of great wisdom. Why are you like this?" The king replied to the ministers, saying, "My mind is ever settled and without change. Because you were mad, you conversely thought I was mad; [what I showed] was not my true mind." (Extracted from the Saṃyuktāvadāna-sūtra, Fascicle Four).
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Diverse Phenomena from the Sūtras and Vinaya, Fascicle Twenty-Eight
Linked texts (1)
- 經律異相 — Classical Chinese