經律異相 41.9

41.9

At that time, the people of the city of Rājagṛha, each according to their clan, invited the Buddha and the saṅgha. The brāhmaṇas assembled from all directions and set a rule among themselves, each contributing one hundred coins for the Buddha and the saṅgha. At that time, the brāhmaṇa Jātakarṇa, though knowing propriety, was poor and without wealth, unable to obtain provisions to make offerings to the assembly. The people said to him, "You have no coins." Jātakarṇa then returned to his wife's place and said, "The people have expelled me from the assembly because I have no coins." His wife replied, "You may enter the city and borrow one hundred coins on credit." He searched everywhere but could not obtain any. Returning, he told his wife. His wife said again, "Go to the house of the elder Puṣyamitra and borrow from him." He went and pleaded with him, saying that he would repay it in seven days: "If I do not repay it, my wife and I will become your slaves." The elder then lent him one hundred gold coins. Having obtained them, he returned and told his wife. His wife said to him, "Take them to the assembly and say, 'I have obtained the coins; allow me to take my place.'" The assembly said to Jātakarṇa, "Everything is already prepared; we do not need your coins." Jātakarṇa then returned. Husband and wife together went to the Bhagavat and exchanged greetings with him. Then Jātakarṇa's wife bowed her head to the Bhagavat's feet and reported everything to the Buddha. The Buddha told Jātakarṇa, "You should then invite the Bhagavat and the bhikṣusaṅgha." Jātakarṇa's wife then said to her husband, "My lord, comply with the Buddha's instruction." Jātakarṇa then arose from his seat, bared his right shoulder, joined his palms, and addressed the Buddha, saying, "May the Bhagavat accept my invitation, together with the bhikṣusaṅgha." The Bhagavat remained silent. Śakra Devānām Indra said to Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa, "Kubera, assist this brāhmaṇa in preparing the third meal." He replied, "I accept your instruction." Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa then concealed his own form, transformed into a human body, and commanded five hundred rākṣasas: "Go quickly into the sandalwood grove and bring back fragrant firewood. We shall feed the Buddha and the saṅgha in the Bamboo Grove." He magically created an iron kitchen. Each of the five hundred rākṣasas carried ox-head sandalwood fragrant firewood and brought it into the iron kitchen. Jātakarṇa then cooked food in the iron kitchen, and the fragrance was smelled throughout twelve yojanas. Śakra Devānām Indra then said to the devaputra Viśvakarman, "You should magically create a lofty and vast lecture hall so that the Buddha and the saṅgha may sit and take their meal." He replied, "I accept your instruction." Just as a strong man might bend or extend his arm, he vanished from the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven and arrived in the Bamboo Grove. Beside the iron kitchen, he magically created a lecture hall made of the seven precious substances. He conjured one thousand two hundred and fifty seats adorned with embroidery. Holding censer bowls in their hands, they burned various famed incenses. He made tāla trees formed of the seven precious substances; when a gentle breeze blew, the tinkling of bells could be heard from afar. King Bimbisāra of Magadha heard it and asked his ministers. The ministers replied, saying, "It is the brāhmaṇa Jātakarṇa, who is cooking food for the Buddha and the saṅgha in an iron kitchen using ox-head sandalwood; thus there is this fragrance." The king immediately went to where the Buddha was. He told his ministers, "In ancient times there was no such lecture hall. Who made it now?" The ministers addressed the king, "We do not know." The Bhagavat explained it in detail to the king as above. The king then shed tears, unable to contain himself. He thought, "Sentient beings of the future will have little merit and short lifespans; they will not even know the names of these precious things, let alone see them! Now, relying on the Buddha's grace, I have seen this lecture hall, which had never appeared before." The Bhagavat told him, "Sentient beings in the future will not even hear of the seven precious substances, let alone see them with their own eyes. Now, relying on the Buddha's grace, you have witnessed such a thing." The Bhagavat expounded the subtle and wondrous Dharma to the king, causing his heart to rejoice. The king said, "The brāhmaṇa Jātakarṇa has truly obtained excellent benefit!" The king said, "I wish to return to the palace." The Buddha said, "Now is indeed the time." The Buddha told Jātakarṇa, "You may invite the king to provide one day's meal." He replied, "So be it." He immediately went to the king, raised his right hand, and addressed the king: "May the heavenly king accept an invitation tomorrow to assemble in this lecture hall." The king remained silent. Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa bathed Jātakarṇa the following morning, gave him fine garments, and, holding a censer, Jātakarṇa went to the Bhagavat's place. Touching his head and face to the ground, he thought: "Now is indeed the time. The meal is already prepared; please deign to come." Surrounded by the saṅgha, the Buddha went to the lecture hall, took his seat, and the saṅgha sat in order. The king, with his retinue prepared and surrounded by his ministers, arrived at Jātakarṇa's place. There were sweet foods and drinks, each of a hundred flavors, assisting Jātakarṇa in feeding the Buddha and the bhikṣusaṅgha (extracted from the Sūtra on the People of Rājagṛha Inviting the Buddha).