經律異相 36.28

36.28

In ancient times there was a king who was covetous of sensual pleasures and whose actions were contrary to the Way. Whenever he heard of a beautiful woman, he would immediately go and seize her; the whole country suffered on this account. There was an elder of boundless wealth, lofty talent, and broad attainments, whose wife was upright and beautiful. The ministers reported this to the king. When the king heard of it, his heart was moved, and he dispatched messengers to seize her by force. Her husband was grieved and distressed; he then abandoned his household to practice as a śramaṇa. A fragrance emitted from his mouth that perfumed forty li, and his entire body had the scent of sandalwood. The king saw that he had no descendants, so he confiscated all his family property. The king made the wife his principal queen. In that country, fine lotus flowers blossomed—blue, yellow, red, and white, very large, fragrant, and pure. The king respected the lady, and took them to give to her first. When the lady received the flowers, she became even more sorrowful and moved. The king asked, "You are now the mother of an entire country. We respect each other without failing each other. What displeases your heart that you are so unhappy?" The lady said, "I dare not be unhappy. I only recall that the fragrance of my former husband's body and mouth surpassed all these flowers. Secretly longing for old feelings, I could not help but be saddened." The king did not believe her words and sent for him. The former husband had already attained arhatship; with supernormal powers he flew through the air, and an array of fragrances emitted from his body, pervading the whole country. The king had him bathed and repeatedly wiped down, but his bodily fragrance grew even stronger. The king questioned the Buddha about this. The Buddha said, "In the past, there was a poor man who was destitute and without an occupation, selling firewood to support himself. When he returned from gathering firewood, he had not yet reached the city gate before it was already closed. Outside the gate there was a monastery where monks were chanting scriptures at night. The man lodged there and sat listening to the scriptures, burning incense and offering praise until dawn. Because of this, for five hundred lifetimes he did not fall into evil destinies, always being born in the heavens with a fragrant and pure body and mouth." (Extracted from the fourth fascicle of the Ten-Fascicle Sūtra of Avadānas)