經律異相 32.4

32.4

In a previous lifetime, Śākyamuni Buddha was a great king of physicians who cured all illnesses. He did not seek fame or gain, but did so out of compassion for sentient beings. Because the sick were exceedingly numerous, his strength was not sufficient to save them all. Grieving for all beings yet unable to fulfill his wish, he died of distress and was immediately reborn in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. He reflected to himself: 'Now that I have been reborn in heaven, I merely consume the karmic fruit of merit and bring no superior benefit.' He then made use of an expedient means to bring about the destruction of his own body, relinquished this heavenly lifespan, and was born in the palace of the nāga king Bhāgata as a nāga prince. His body was large and tall, and his parents deeply loved and cherished him. Wishing to bring about his own death, he approached the king of garuḍas. The bird immediately seized this nāga prince and swallowed him atop a śālmali tree. His parents wailed and wept in great grief. Having died, the nāga prince was reborn in Jambudvīpa as the crown prince of a great king, named Sarvadā (Able to Give). At birth, he could speak. He asked his attendants: 'What kind of goods are there in this kingdom today? Bring them all so that I may use them for giving.' The people were alarmed and terrified; they all abandoned him and fled. His mother, out of maternal love, alone stayed to protect him. He said to his mother: 'I am no rākṣasa. Why have the people fled? In my past lives I have always delighted in giving; I am a benefactor (dānapati) to all people.' Hearing his words, the mother told the people, and the people then returned. His mother raised him well, and when he grew up, all his own personal possessions were exhausted. He went to his father the king to ask for goods to give in charity. His father gave him his share, and he again exhausted it completely through giving. Seeing that the people of Jambudvīpa were destitute, afflicted, and suffering, he wished to provide for them through charity, but his wealth was insufficient, and so he wept. He asked the elders: 'By what expedient means can all beings be made completely satisfied with wealth?' The elders said: 'We have heard that there is a wish-fulfilling jewel (cintāmaṇi). If one obtains this jewel, one will be able to receive whatever one's heart desires without fail.' He informed his parents that he wished to enter the great ocean to seek the wish-fulfilling jewel atop the head of the nāga king. His parents replied: 'We have only you, an only son. If you enter the great ocean, its many perils will be difficult to cross. If we were to lose you, what would we live for? In our storehouses there are still goods; we will give them to you.' The son said: 'What is in the storehouses has an end, but my aspiration is boundless. I wish to fill all beings to abundance so that none are in want. Please grant me permission so that I may fulfill my original vow and make all the people of Jambudvīpa completely sufficient.' Knowing that his resolve was great, his parents did not dare to forbid him and finally let him go. At that time, five hundred merchants all gladly followed him. Knowing the day of his departure, they gathered at the entrance to the sea route. The prince asked the assembly: 'Who knows the way to that nāga palace?' There was a blind man named Daśa who had already entered the great ocean seven times and knew the sea routes thoroughly. The bodhisattva then bade him go together with them. He answered: 'I am already old and have lost my sight in both eyes. Although I have entered several times before, I cannot go now.' The bodhisattva said: 'My journey now is not for myself; it is universally for all beings that I seek the wish-fulfilling jewel, wishing to supply sentient beings to abundance so that their bodies lack nothing, and next, through conditions of the Dharma, to transform them. You are a wise man; how could you decline? If my vow is accomplished, will it not be through your effort?' Daśa considered it fully and replied: 'If I enter the sea now, my life will certainly not be preserved. Put my corpse upon the Island of Golden Sand.' The ship sped along as if galloping, arriving at the Isle of Many Jewels. The merchants vied with one another to load precious items until they were fully supplied. They asked the prince: 'Why do you not take any?' He replied: 'What I seek is the wish-fulfilling jewel. These finite things are of no use to me. You should each know contentment and measure, lest the ship become heavy and you cannot save yourselves.' At that time, the merchants addressed the bodhisattva: 'May the Great Worthy pronounce an auspicious blessing (dakṣiṇā) so that we may attain safety and peace.' Thereupon they took their leave. At that time, Daśa said to the bodhisattva: 'Keep a separate skiff, as you must follow a different path. Wait seven days for the wind to carry you toward the southern shore of the ocean, arriving at a perilous place. There will be a sheer cliff with a jujube forest whose branches completely overhang the water. When the great gale blows the boat, the boat will be smashed to pieces. You must reach upward and grasp the jujube branches; thereby you can save yourself. Having no eyes, I will surely die here. Past this narrow bank there will be the Island of Golden Sand. You can place my body within this sand. The golden sand is pure; this is my wish.' Following his words, when the wind came, they departed. When they arrived at the sheer cliff, just as Daśa had said, the bodhisattva reached up and grasped the jujube branches, thereby saving himself. He placed Daśa's corpse to rest in the golden earth. Thereupon he went on alone, according to his prior instructions: he floated in deep water for seven days; he walked in throat-deep water for seven days; he walked in waist-deep water for seven days; and he walked through mud for seven days. He saw fine lotus blossoms, fresh, pure, and supple. He thought to himself: 'These flowers are soft and fragile; I should enter the samādhi of space, lighten my body, and walk atop the lotus flowers.' After seven days, he saw venomous snakes. He thought: 'Creatures bearing venom are exceedingly fearsome.' He immediately entered the samādhi of loving-kindness and walked atop the heads of the venomous snakes for seven days. The snakes all raised their heads and offered them to the bodhisattva, allowing him to step over them and pass. Having crossed this difficulty, he saw a sevenfold jewel-walled city with sevenfold moats, and the moats were completely filled with venomous snakes. Two great nāgas guarded the gate. Seeing that the bodhisattva was upright and handsome, adorned with the physical marks and dignified bearing, and had been able to cross numerous perils to arrive here, the nāgas thought: 'This is no ordinary person; he must be a bodhisattva, a person of great merit.' They immediately permitted him to proceed, and he was able to enter the palace directly. The nāga king and queen had lost their son not long before and were still weeping in sorrow. Seeing the bodhisattva arrive, the nāga possessed supernatural knowledge and knew he was their son. Milk flowed from the queen's two breasts. She bade him sit and asked him: 'You are my son. Having abandoned me and died, where were you reborn?' The bodhisattva also remembered his past lives and knew they were his parents. He answered his mother: 'I was born in Jambudvīpa as the crown prince of a great king. Taking pity on the poor, who suffer from hunger, cold, and toil without self-mastery, I came here wishing to seek the wish-fulfilling jewel.' The mother said: 'Your father has this jewel atop his head as a crest ornament; it is difficult to obtain. He will surely take you into the jewel storehouses and grant you whatever you desire. You should reply: "I have no need for the other assorted jewels; I only wish to obtain the jewel atop the Great King's head. If you have pity on me, please give it to me." In this way, you may obtain it.' He then went to see his father. His father felt great sorrow and boundless joy, commiserating that his son had traveled far through hardship to arrive here. He pointed out the wonderful jewels: 'Take whatever you wish and need.' The bodhisattva said: 'I have come from afar, wishing to see the Great King to seek the wish-fulfilling jewel atop the King's head. If you have pity on me, please give it to me. If you do not give it to me, I have no need for other things.' The nāga king replied: 'I have only this one jewel, which always serves as my crest ornament. The people of Jambudvīpa are of meager merit and base; they should not see it.' The bodhisattva addressed him: 'It is for this very reason that I have traveled far through hardship, risking death to come from afar. Because the people of Jambudvīpa are of meager merit, poor, and base, I wish to use the wish-fulfilling jewel to fulfill their wishes, and then, through the causes and conditions of the Buddha Path, to transform them.' The nāga king gave him the jewel and made an agreement with him, saying: 'I now give this jewel to you. When you have departed from the world, you must return it to me.' He answered: 'I shall respectfully do as the King says.' Having obtained the jewel, the bodhisattva soared into the sky and, in the time it takes to bend and stretch an arm, reached Jambudvīpa. The human king and queen saw their son return auspiciously, and leaping with joy, embraced him and asked: 'What did you obtain?' He answered: 'I obtained the wish-fulfilling jewel.' They asked: 'Where is it now?' He said: 'It is here inside the hem of my garment.' His parents said: 'Why is it so small?' He said: 'Its power lies in its divine virtue, not in its size.' He addressed his parents: 'Command that the inside and outside of the city be swept and sprinkled, that incense be burned, silk banners and canopies hung, and that the people observe the fast and take the precepts. Tomorrow at dawn, set up a tall pole as a standard and place the jewel upon it.' The bodhisattva then made a vow: 'If I am to achieve the Buddha Path and deliver all beings, may the jewel, according to my will and vow, bring forth all manner of treasures, so that whatever people need is fully provided.' At that time, overcast clouds spread everywhere, raining down various treasures, clothing, food and drink, bedding, and medicines. Everything people said they needed was fully supplied, continuing thus without cessation until the end of their lives. Deeds such as this are called a bodhisattva's giving giving rise to the perfection of vigor (vīryapāramitā). (Taken from the twelfth fascicle of the *Dazhidulun*).