經律異相 36.6

36.6

Formerly, there was an elder named Jyotiṣka. His storehouses were overflowing and fully supplied with gold and silver; his male and female servants stood in rows, and he lacked nothing. A white cotton hand towel was hanging by a pool. When a heavenly wind arose, it blew it before the king's palace hall. The ministers deliberated and divined the reason. The ministers all said, "The state is about to flourish, and Heaven has bestowed white cotton." The minister Jyotiṣka remained silent. The king asked, "Why are you silent?" Jyotiṣka replied, "I dare not deceive the king. This is a towel from my house for wiping the body, which was hanging by the pool; a heavenly wind arose and blew it before the hall." A few days later, a nine-coloured flower as large as a chariot wheel was also blown before the king's hall by a heavenly wind. The king again deliberated and divined with his ministers. Jyotiṣka replied, "This is merely a wilted and fallen flower from my garden blown here by the wind." The king asked Jyotiṣka, "Since your house is like this, I wish to lead two hundred thousand people to your house to see it." Jyotiṣka replied, "I invite the king to accompany me at once." The king then led two hundred thousand people to Jyotiṣka's house. Entering directly through the south gate, there were thirty youths of handsome appearance. The king asked Jyotiṣka, "Are these your sons and grandsons?" He replied, "They are my family's gatekeeping slaves." Advancing to the middle chamber, there were twenty young maidens of handsome appearance. The king asked, "Are these your womenfolk?" Jyotiṣka replied, "They are my family's maidservants guarding the chamber." Advancing to his rooms, the walls were of white silver and the floor of crystal. Seeing the water flowing, the king hesitated, suspecting [it was water] and unable to advance. Jyotiṣka led the king forward into the room, where there was a bed of yellow gold and a table of white jade. Jyotiṣka's wife had a hundred and twenty layers of gold and silver curtains, and was peerlessly beautiful. When she bowed to the king, tears came from her eyes. The king asked, "Seeing me, what displeasure do you have that tears come from your eyes?" Jyotiṣka replied, "The king's clothes have the smell of smoke, and therefore tears come forth." The king said, "Commoners burn animal fat, feudal lords burn wax, and the Son of Heaven burns lacquer, which also produces no smoke. How could tears come forth?" Jyotiṣka replied, "My family has a bright-moon divine pearl hanging in the hall. Day and night are no different; we have no need for firelight. The king is a king amid smoke; therefore, she smelled the smoke."