經律異相 29.10

29.10

In the state of the Yuezhi there was a king named King Wicked Youth (Candapradyota?). In this world, there was none who did not submit to him. His mother instructed the king, saying, "If you should face the danger of death, take care never to circumambulate a Buddhist monastery to the left. You must be mindful to circumambulate to the right, and take care not to transgress this instruction of mine." At that time, King Wicked Youth mobilized a great army to attack the City of Pure Blood. Wielding a sword with his own hand, he killed three hundred million people. Later, the battle turned against him. Riding his elephant in flight, he looked back and saw a stūpa. Remembering his mother's instruction, he turned the elephant around and circumambulated it to the right. When the enemy state saw this, they thereupon dispersed and surrendered. Seeing the enemy retreat, the king immediately pursued them, captured their original city, and seized the king himself. He then remembered the Buddha's words: "Those who take refuge in the Buddha are supreme and unsurpassed, with none equal to them. If I had not circumambulated to the right, how could I have destroyed these bandits?" (from the Avadāna-sūtra, fascicle 16; the Old Samyuktāvadāna is roughly the same).