經律異相 34.27

34.27

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, heard them and descended to praise them: "Excellent, excellent! What wish do you desire? I shall now grant it to you." The seven daughters asked, saying, "Are you Brahmā? Or an earth deity? Could you be Śakra?" He replied, saying, "Indeed. I am Śakra, Lord of the Gods of the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven." The first daughter said, "I wish to obtain a tree without roots, without branches, and without leaves, and to be born therein; such would be joyful." The second daughter said, "I wish that the place where I am born be pure and without desire, without yin and yang, tranquil and without object of condition." The third daughter said, "I wish to be like the echo of a shout in the mountains, neither going nor returning, naturally formless." The fourth daughter said, "I wish to be like empty space, without beginning and without end, nowhere arising, thoroughly penetrating the Way." Śakra said, "Cease, cease! What you daughters wish is exceedingly wondrous. If you wished to be rulers among the sun and moon, that could be attained; but as for emptiness and non-conception, they are beyond my control." The seven daughters said, "Lord of the Gods, your divine virtue is exalted and great; why are you unable to bring this about? The Buddha taught that those who consume blessings, once the blessings are exhausted, cannot escape from fear. Just like an old ox that can no longer serve people, of what benefit are you to us?" Śakra, Lord of the Gods, said, "You daughters cultivate the fasts and precepts, and I too revere the Buddha. We ought to be Dharma brothers and sisters. Delightful are your wondrous wishes!" When he finished speaking, he disappeared. (Extracted from the Sūtra Spoken by the Buddha on the Seven Daughters).