經律異相 29.20

29.20

Formerly, in the state of Pohuanti, there was a king named Dāna. A flash flood occurred in that state. After the flood receded, a great serpent suddenly encircled the city walls once, with its head resting upon the city gate. Over three hundred million residents inside the city could not go out for days on end, and many starved. The serpent bore no anger, but whenever someone came out, it devoured them. The people of the entire country were terrified. At that time, in the mountains of the king's realm, two men of the Way were practicing the path in purity: one named Mahādiao and the other named Śahādiao. Sitting in contemplation, they thought: "The serpent is a venomous creature. Now it has encircled the city and is about to destroy human lives." They immediately set out together. Having entered the state, they met with the king. Seeing the two men of the Way, the king said: "Because my righteous governance was not balanced, I have brought about this calamity. The whole country is sorrowful and desolated, and the hearts of the people are completely shattered." The two men of the Way said to the king: "We shall now use skillful means to remove it for the king." The king and his ministers all bowed their heads and pleaded: "If we receive the grace of the two men of the Way, the people of this country will be reborn." Śahādiao then transformed himself into a giant toad and hopped past the serpent. Unable to bear its hunger, the serpent chased after the toad. Mahādiao then transformed into a mongoose and pursued it from behind. Seeing the mongoose, the serpent was frightened and fled into the deep mountains. After the serpent departed, the people found safety. The king and his ministers then followed the two men of the Way to their dwelling, bowed their heads, and apologized: "The two men of the Way were nearby, yet I was truly foolish not to have revered and served you earlier, waiting until disaster struck before you came to the rescue. May the men of the Way return and dwell in the palace, so that we and our people may present our offerings." The men of the Way replied: "Our practice of the Way is pure and desireless; we take no delight in offerings. The king should discipline himself and lead by means of the Way. If the people practice the true Dharma, they can attain peace from beginning to end." The king then requested to receive the five precepts and the ten wholesome deeds, took refuge in the Three Jewels, and observed the monthly fasts as regular practice. From then on, the state prospered, the people were at peace, carrying their infants on their backs from all four quarters, and great peace was achieved. Śahādiao was the Buddha himself; Mahādiao was Maitreya; the king was Kumārakāśyapa; and the great serpent was Devadatta. (Extracted from the Sūtra on the Bodhisattva's Past Lives)