經律異相 35.33

35.33

In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, there was a great elder named Suradha, whose wealth was boundless, and who had faithful devotion to moral conduct. He took a vow always to invite the Buddha and the Saṅgha on the eighth day of the twelfth month, and for his whole life his sons and grandsons were to practice it without ceasing. When the elder was dying, he enjoined his son not to abandon it. The son's name was Viradha. Later, as the days passed, he gradually grew poor. When the time came, he had nothing with which to prepare the offering, and he was sorrowful and unhappy. The Buddha sent Maudgalyāyana to go and ask him, saying, "The month of your father's offering is about to arrive; what plan will you make?" He answered, saying, "My only wish is that the Bhagavat will not abandon me, but will look upon me on the eighth day." He took his wife to his in-laws' house, pawned her for a hundred ounces of gold, and returned to prepare the requisites for the offering. The Buddha and the saṅgha of one thousand two hundred and fifty disciples went to his house and sat down. After water was poured and the food served, when purification was completed, they returned. In the middle of that night, all his old storehouses spontaneously filled with precious things. When the husband and wife saw this, they were both glad and afraid, fearing the officials would question them about it. They immediately went to report it to the Buddha. The Buddha said, "Set your mind at ease and use it freely; do not be doubtful or troubled. Because you stepped in faith and did not disobey your father's teaching, through hearing, giving, and the way of wisdom, you are fully endowed with the seven riches" (from the third fascicle of the Dharmapada Sūtra).