經律異相 43.7

43.7

Long ago in Jambudvīpa, there was a kingdom called Vārāṇasī. At that time, there was a sārthavāha named Mahāyayin. His wife became pregnant, and she was naturally kind and good, her disposition gentle and mild. When her months were complete, she gave birth to a boy whose body was well-formed and handsome. His parents loved him, prepared fine food, invited their relatives and various physiognomists, and entertained them together. They held the boy and showed him to the assembly to give him a name. The physiognomists asked, 'When this child was conceived, what auspicious omens were there?' The father said, 'Upon conceiving, the mother was naturally gentle and good.' The physiognomists named him Good Seeker (Kalyāṇaiṣin). He was nursed and grew up, loving the accumulation of all virtues and possessing compassion for sentient beings. Afterwards, she became pregnant again. When the term was complete, she gave birth to a boy whose body was ugly and misshapen. The physiognomists asked, 'When this child was conceived, what signs were there?' The father replied, 'While carrying the child, the mother was naturally wicked and vile.' The physiognomists named him Evil Seeker (Pāpaiṣin). He was nursed and grew up, fond of doing evil deeds, constantly giving rise to greed, and harboring jealousy. When they were each grown up, they traveled together into the ocean in search of jewels, each with five hundred attendants. The journey was distant, and midway their provisions were exhausted. After seven days, they were not far from death. At that time, Good Seeker and all the merchants together with sincere hearts prayed to the deities, hoping to be delivered from their hunger and peril. In an empty swamp, they saw a tree in the distance, its branches lush and luxuriant, and they immediately hurried to it. There was a spring of water. Good Seeker and the assembly all pleaded for mercy. The tree deity manifested a body and spoke to them: 'Chop off a branch, and what you need will come forth.' The people were delighted, and they chopped off one branch; delicious drinks flowed forth. They chopped a second branch; various foods came forth, endowed with all hundred flavours. They all received it and were satisfied. They chopped a third branch; various marvelous garments came forth, complete in every variety. They chopped a fourth branch; various jewels were fully provided. Their packs and loads were completely filled, and all that they needed was provided. Evil Seeker arrived later. His assembly, as before, received their full share. He then thought to himself, 'Now the branches of this tree can produce such various fine things; how much more so its roots? I shall now cut it down, and it will be enough to obtain exceedingly marvelous and fine things.' He ordered his men to fell it. Good Seeker said to Evil Seeker, 'When we were starving and destitute, we relied on the kindness of this tree to save our remaining lives. How can you wish to fell it?' Evil Seeker thereupon dug up its roots. Good Seeker was moved with gratitude and could not bear to watch; he led his followers and returned home. When the felling of the tree was finished, five hundred rākṣasas seized Evil Seeker and all his merchants and devoured them completely; their wealth and goods were lost. The Buddha told Ānanda, 'Good Seeker was my own former self. The father was King Śuddhodana. The mother was Māyā. Evil Seeker was Devadatta. In the past, I frequently encountered him and constantly taught him wholesome dharmas, but he would not follow them, and instead took me as his enemy.' (From the ninth fascicle of the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish)