經律異相 44

English (machine translation) 44

Language: English

44.1

Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others

1. Bhadra Invites the Buddha with an Illusory City, and Upon Seeing the Buddha Wishes to Extinguish the Illusion but Cannot
2. Rare Treasures Emerge from Anāthapiṇḍada's Well
3. Xianzhi Steals a Pearl and Does Not Confess, Yet Receives a Reward
4. Cila Releases a Turtle and Later in a Great Flood Is Rescued by It
5. Qianna is Hired to Paint, Obtains Gold, and Holds a Feast, but Is Sued by His Wife
6. The Consciousness Returns to Caress the Bones of Its Former Body
7. A Carpenter and a Painter Deceive Each Other
8. A Physician Cures the King's Illness and Receives an Extraordinary Reward
9. Breaking the Fast Yet Still Attaining Rebirth in Heaven
10. A Farmer Offers a Harītakī Fruit to a Monk and Is Reborn as the Crown Prince of Two Countries
11. Offerings to Śramaṇas with Wholesome and Unwholesome Minds Receive Different Retributions
12. An Uncle and Nephew Steal Together; the Clever Nephew Later Takes the King's Daughter as Wife
13. A Man of Rājagṛha and a Woman of Gṛdhrakūṭa Have Karmic Affinity from Past Lives
14. A Husband and Wife Agree Not to Speak First; Seeing a Thief Stealing Goods, the Husband Can Keep Silent
15. A Woman's Nose Is Ugly; Her Husband Cuts Off Another's Fine One to Replace It
16. A Hired Man Understands the Language of Birds Well
17. A Drowning Man Relies on a Fenghuang and Is Saved; Clinging to a Cormorant, He Loses His Life
18. A Person Buys Wisdom and Escapes Great Guilt
19. A Person Frightens a Ghost and Escapes Harm
20. A Man Is Hated by Two Wives to the Point of Death
21. A Person Travels Far to Seek the Water of Immortality; the Malicious Host Causes Him to Climb a Tree, Where He Attains Immortality
22. A Person Employs a Ghost to Attain Wealth, but Later It Harms His Son
23. A Wealthy Man Is Questioned by the King, Who Lists the Items Already Used, and the King Awakens
24. A Person Commits a Crime, and the King Orders Five Pounds of Flesh Cut Off
25. Two People Swear an Oath to Arrange a Marriage for the Children in Their Womb
26. Two Sons of an Eminent Clan: The Elder Loses Wealth and Is Pitied; the Younger Obtains Wealth and Incurs Punishment
27. Three People Together Give One Coin to a Monk and in Future Lives Obtain Natural Gold
28. A Poor Man Makes an Offering to a Monk, and the Monk Repays Him by Bringing Wealth
29. A Poor Man Finds Hidden Treasure and Is Punished by the King
30. A Poor Man Buys an Axe, Not Knowing It Is a Treasure
31. An Elderly Poor Couple Is Lax at the Three Times of Day
32. A Destitute Man Violates an Oath to a Tree Spirit and Is in Turn Killed by a Tree Branch
33. A Man Pursued by an Elephant Falls to the Edge of a Deep Ravine; Heaven Rains Down Nectar and He Ascends to Heaven
34. Five Hundred Young Children Pile Sand to Build a Stūpa and, at the End of Life, Are Reborn in Heaven
35. A Young Boy Offers Beans to the Buddha, Is Reborn in Heaven, and Later Becomes a Wheel-Turning King
36. A Cowherd Boy Takes Flowers to Offer to the Buddha, Is Gored to Death by an Ox, and Is Immediately Reborn in Heaven
37. A Child in a Previous Life Gave Three Coins; Now He Understands the Speech of Birds and Succeeds in Becoming King
38. Various Robbers Divide Goods, Unable to Recognize the Fine Ones

44.3

1. Bhadra Invites the Buddha with an Illusory City, and Upon Seeing the Buddha Wishes to Extinguish the Illusion but Cannot

44.4

In the city of Rājagṛha there was an illusionist named Bhadra (rendered in the Liang language as Renxian, 'Benevolent and Worthy'). He clearly understood scriptures and texts, was versed in technical arts, and whatever he produced was clever and ingenious, pleasing many; his fame resounded far and wide. None among the people of Magadha could equal him, and everyone throughout the realm, young and old, studied under him. Bhadra happened to behold the World-Honoured One's body, magnificent and wondrous in complexion, and thought to test him. He thereupon made a show of inviting the Buddha, thinking: 'If he knows my intent, he will not accept the invitation; if he does not know it, he will surely accept without doubt.' Knowing his intent and wishing to deliver him, the Buddha accepted in silence. Bhadra thought: 'The Buddha lacks penetrating wisdom and did not perceive my intent.' Entering the city of Rājagṛha, in a clean and pure place he conjured up a lecture hall hung with silk banners and flower canopies. Beneath each tree he arranged lion seats for the monks, and in the lecture hall he specially set up a lion seat forty-nine feet high for the Tathāgata, preparing delicacies of a hundred flavours. At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings and Śakra Devānām Indra, along with thirty-two thousand devas, said to Renxian: 'Truly you have attained good benefit, having invited the Tathāgata to a lecture hall to make offerings! We shall assist in supplying what is lacking.' They immediately conjured up pavilions and halls resembling the Trāyastriṃśa palace. The Buddha, along with the bodhisattvas and monks, proceeded to his lecture hall; Bhadra saw the Buddha seated upon the seat he himself had created, while Śakra also saw the Tathāgata seated upon the adorned seat that he had created. Listening to what the Buddha preached, Renxian cast away his arrogance, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: 'I only pray that the Tathāgata pardon my transgression.' He wished to make what he had conjured vanish, but the Buddha caused it not to change, and further preached to him that all phenomena are like illusions and apparitions (from the *Huan shi Renxian jing*).

44.5

2. Rare treasures emerge from Anāthapiṇḍada's well.

44.6

Anāthapiṇḍada dwelt at the foot of Mount Erlian. He possessed great wealth and rare treasures; merchants coming from the four quarters borrowed on credit from him, and of those who begged, none departed empty-handed. At that time there were five hundred merchants whose ship was wrecked at sea, and all their rare treasures sank. Not a few died, while some survived by clinging to planks. They all went to Anāthapiṇḍada, and the host set out food for them. As the host drew water from his well, he retrieved treasure boxes, each marked with an inscription of a surname and personal name. When the merchants finished eating, they were all sorrowful. The host asked the reason, and they answered: 'Our party of five hundred travelled together upon the sea, where our ship overturned and sank. Many died, and we barely survived by clutching small planks. Having lost our rare treasures, we grieve for our companions. Just now we caught sight of the treasure boxes retrieved from the well; they all belong to us, though we do not understand how this can be.' The host said: 'When you gentlemen engage in trade and commerce, if you are sincere of heart, you will not lose anything; it was only because you were not sincere of heart that you lost them. Since countless kalpas ago, I have never failed to be sincere of heart and have never cheated or wronged others. All lost treasures therefore make their way to my well. Gentlemen, each of you inspect your surname and personal name, and take them away' (from the *Piyu jing*).

44.7

3. Xianzhi steals a pearl, confesses nothing, and receives a reward.

44.8

In the past, there was a man named Xianzhi who had thrice undertaken the eight precepts and had heard the scriptures recited, which said: 'The deva-eye does not blink, and their mindful recitation is never forgotten.' Yet this Xianzhi was skilled at stealing other people's goods right before their eyes without being noticed. The king of the realm lost a pearl and summoned his ministers to deliberate. A minister answered the king: 'I have heard there is Xianzhi, who is exceedingly capable of theft.' The king ordered him arrested and interrogated, expecting to obtain his confession, but he insisted he had not stolen it. Since the king was virtuous, how could he wrongfully convict someone? He again summoned his ministers to deliberate together. A minister said: 'We should devise an expedient means to make him confess. We should place heavy cangues and fetters upon him, carry him to the marketplace, proclaim his execution, give him wine to make him drunk, and then remove the fetters, carry him up into a hall, and have singing girls make music.' The king instructed the singing girls: 'When Xianzhi wakes and inquires, you may reply: "This is heaven, and I am a heavenly maiden assigned to attend you. Because in your previous life you stole the king's pearl, you were born here."' The king followed this plan. Upon hearing this, Xianzhi silently reflected: 'I heard the scriptures say that the deva-eye does not blink, yet these women all blink. Furthermore, if I stole the pearl, I should enter hell; is this not the king laying a trap for me to make me confess?' He immediately spoke out: 'My attainment of birth in heaven was due to my not stealing the pearl.' The singing girls reported to the king what Xianzhi said. The king laughed loudly: 'The lad definitely did not steal my pearl!' He immediately released him and richly bestowed gold and treasures upon him. In reality, he had indeed stolen the pearl, but by recollecting a single verse, he was pardoned and received a reward (from the *Za piyu jing*).

44.9

4. Ciluolu release a turtle, and later encountering a great flood, his life is saved in turn.

44.10

In the past, there was a man named Ciluolu who saw someone selling a turtle. Feeling pity in his heart, he wept toward the turtle. The turtle-seller said: 'Why are you weeping toward the turtle?' Ciluolu answered: 'I cannot bear to look upon it.' The impoverished turtle-seller laughed loudly: 'You are crazy!' Ciluolu answered: 'Pitying this turtle, I wish to purchase it from you.' The owner said: 'The turtle is worth a million.' Ciluolu then took him to his home, poured out his savings and borrowed at interest, obtaining eight hundred thousand. Ciluolu said: 'My money is exhausted; I have nowhere else to borrow.' The turtle-seller said: 'Since your money is exhausted, you may farm for me to pay off the full price.' Ciluolu agreed. He loaded the turtle onto a cart and cast it into a pond. The turtle was then able to speak: 'A great flood will soon come; you should climb a tree and call to me.' In later days, a deluge arose and the people were all killed. Ciluolu climbed a tree and called to the turtle, and the turtle arrived. Ciluolu sat upon the turtle's back. Advancing several miles, he saw a woman upon a floating raft, gasping for breath and near death; she begged Ciluolu, asking to be carried. Ciluolu addressed the turtle: 'This person is pitiable; please allow me to carry her.' The turtle said: 'Go ahead and take her aboard.' Advancing ten miles, they saw the turtle-seller drifting on a raft, who sought to be carried by Ciluolu. The turtle said: 'I am already heavy; I fear I will become exhausted and unable to cross over myself. By no means take him aboard!' Ciluolu said: 'He is pitiable; now is not the time to weigh right and wrong, we must carry him.' Ciluolu carried him as well. Advancing several tens of miles, they saw several pints of moths drifting on a raft; Ciluolu again informed the turtle and took them aboard. Reaching the realm of Nagara, the woman thanked Ciluolu with gold. The turtle-seller said: 'This turtle was originally sold by me; now that you have obtained gold, you must give it to me.' Ciluolu refused to give it. The turtle-seller then went to the king of Nagara, saying: 'Ciluolu stole someone's wife to traffic her, and has now brought gold and silver to this realm.' The king of Nagara immediately summoned Ciluolu and ordered an officer to execute him. When the officer submitted a report of the matter and was about to write with his brush, the moths repeatedly crawled over the brush, preventing the characters from forming. Hearing of this, the king asked Ciluolu: 'What merit do you possess?' Ciluolu answered in full. The king executed the turtle-seller (from the *Anan xianbian jing*).

44.11

5. Qianna is hired to paint and gains gold to host an assembly, but is sued by his wife.

44.12

In the city of Puṣkalāvatī of the Greater Yuezhi, there was a painter named Qianna. He travelled back and forth to Takṣaśilā in the east, working as a painter for twelve years. Obtaining thirty ounces of gold, he brought it back to his home country. Coming across the Saṅgha, his faithful heart became pure, and he asked the karmadāna: 'With how much provision can this assembly be provided food for one day?' The reply was: 'Thirty ounces of gold may be used.' The painter handed it all over to the karmadāna, begging: 'Prepare one meal; I shall return tomorrow.' Returning home empty-handed, his wife asked: 'What did you earn from working twelve years?' He answered: 'I obtained thirty ounces of gold, and have planted it in the field of merit by giving it to the Saṅgha to host an assembly.' The wife bound her husband and delivered him to the authorities, setting forth the whole affair. The magistrate asked: 'Why did you not provide for your wife and children, but gave it away to others?' The painter answered: 'In previous lives I lacked merit, so I was always poor and suffered hardships. Encountering the Saṅgha, they are a fine field of merit. If I do not plant good deeds again, I shall be poor again in future lives; poverty and suffering will continue without end, and there will be no time of liberation. For this reason, I gave all of it to the Saṅgha.' The magistrate handling the case was an upāsaka. He immediately took off his necklace, his mount, and gave a village to the painter, saying to him: 'You gave to the Saṅgha, and though the Saṅgha has not yet eaten, this is like grain sprouting before the seed is even sown; the great fruit will come later' (from fascicle 11 of the *Da zhidu lun*).

44.13

6. The consciousness returns to caress the bones of its former body.

44.14

In the past, there was a man whose spirit, after his death, returned to caress the side of his former bones. Someone asked him: 'You are already dead; why do you return to caress these dry bones?' The spirit said: 'This is my former body. It did not take life, steal, commit adultery, engage in double-tongued speech, harsh cursing, false speech, or frivolous talk, nor did it harbor jealousy, anger, or folly. After death, I was born in heaven, where whatever I wish comes naturally and my happiness is boundless. Therefore, I love and cherish it' (from the lower fascicle of the *Jiu za piyu jing*).

44.15

7. A wood craftsman and a painter trick each other.

44.16

In the past in North India, there was a craftsman who made a wooden woman, peerless in beauty, dressed in garments and adornments no different from ordinary women. She could come and go, serve wine, and look after guests; only she could not speak. At that time in South India there was a painter who was also exceptionally skilled in painting. Hearing of him, the craftsman prepared fine food and drink and invited the painter, having the wooden woman serve wine and carry food from morning until night. The painter did not realise [she was wooden], thinking she was a real woman; lust arose vehemently, and he could not forget her. When evening fell, the wood craftsman went in to sleep and had the painter stay, leaving this wooden woman standing at his side to attend him. He said to his guest: 'I have left this woman behind on purpose so you may spend the night together.' After the host went inside, the wooden woman stood by the lamp. The guest called to her, but the woman did not come; the guest came forward and pulled her, only then realising she was made of wood. Feeling ashamed, he thought: 'The host tricked me; I must repay him.' Thereupon the painter devised an expedient: right upon the wall he painted an image of himself, wearing clothing no different from his own body, with a rope tied around his neck resembling someone who had hung himself, painting the rope passing by his mouth. Having finished, he shut the door and hid himself under the bed. At dawn, the host came out, saw that the door had not opened, and looked inside, only seeing the image of the hanged guest upon the wall. The host was greatly terrified, truly believing he was dead; he broke the door down, entered, and cut the rope with a knife. At that moment the painter came out from under the bed. The wood craftsman was deeply embarrassed, and the painter said: 'You were able to trick me, and I was able to trick you. Guest and host are even; neither owes the other.' Realising the folly and illusion of the world, both abandoned their loved ones and left home to cultivate the Path (from fascicle 4 of the *Za piyu jing*).

44.17

8. A physician cures a king's illness, and upon recovery receives an extraordinary royal reward.

44.18

Once there was a king whose body fell gravely ill, and he did not recover for twelve years. None among all the great physicians was able to cure him. At that time, a small border kingdom was subject to the great king. It had a physician who was skilled at curing illnesses. The king immediately summoned him and ordered him to treat his ailment. Within a short time, [the king] was granted relief. The king then thought to repay this master's kindness, and accordingly dispatched an envoy to proclaim an order to that country: "This physician has cured me; he ought to be amply rewarded. Elephants, horses, carriages, cattle, sheep, fields, residences, maidservants, valets, and adornments should all be bestowed upon him." The king of that small kingdom respectfully received the supreme decree. While the master was at the king's side, no one spoke of this to him. The master then pondered: "I have exerted great effort in curing the king's illness, yet I do not know whether the king will reward me or not." After several more days, the king grew completely well. The master requested permission to depart and wished to return to his native country. The king then granted it, providing him with a single emaciated horse whose riding gear was also worn out. The master laughed heartily and felt deep resentment: "I cured the king's illness and exerted great effort, yet the king does not recognize kindness, nor did he provide for me, letting me leave empty-handed." Along the road he sighed in sorrow, holding it as a lasting grudge. Just as he arrived in his native country, he saw herds of elephants. He asked the elephant driver, "Whose family's elephants are these?" The elephant driver replied, "These are the elephants of Master So-and-so." He again asked the elephant driver, "From where did Master So-and-so obtain these?" The elephant driver replied, "Master So-and-so cured the great king's illness; these were obtained as a reward for his merit." Advancing a little farther, he saw herds of horses, cattle, and sheep. He asked, "Whose family's property is this?" The shepherd replied, "Master So-and-so's." Advancing a little farther, he saw his original residence: high halls and multi-storied pavilions, markedly different from his original house. He asked the gatekeeper, "Whose house is this?" The gatekeeper replied, "This is Master So-and-so's house." He then entered into the inner apartments and saw his wife, her complexion lush and joyous, her body dressed in jeweled garments. Astonished, he asked, "Whose lady is this?" A servant answered, saying, "This is Master So-and-so's lady." From seeing the elephants and horses to entering the house, he now knew all of this had been obtained as a reward for his merit in curing the king's illness. Thereupon, he felt remorseful in hindsight, wishing he had exerted only a little effort in curing the king's illness. (From the fourth fascicle of the Samyuktāvadāna-sūtra.)

44.19

9. Breaking the Fast Yet Still Gaining Rebirth in Heaven

44.20

In the past, there was a householder (gṛhapati) who erected and prepared a great altar, inviting the Buddha and the saṅgha. At that time, there was a man who sold curds. The host detained him for food, encouraging him to observe the fast (upoṣadha) and listen to the sūtras. It was already dusk when he returned. His wife said to him, "I have not eaten since morning, waiting for you until now." Thus she broke her husband's fast. Yet through the merit of even half a fast, he was still reborn in the heavens for seven lifetimes; and when reborn among humans, he always obtained sustenance spontaneously. One day of observing the fast brings six hundred thousand years of spontaneous provisions. Furthermore, there are five blessings: first, few illnesses; second, peace and ease of body and mind; third, few lustful desires; fourth, little sleep; fifth, after the end of life, the spirit attains rebirth in heaven and always remembers its past lives. (From Essential Matters in Various Sūtras.)

44.21

10. A Plowman Offered a Harītakī Fruit to a Monk and Later Was Reborn as the Crown Prince of Two Kingdoms

44.22

In the past, there was a man plowing and sowing in a field. The sun was drawing close to noon, but the meal sent from his home had not yet arrived. A man of the Way had lost his path and came to the field, begging from him for a midday meal. The plowman said, "Very well, please wait a short while; the meal from home is late." The man of the Way said, "Since the food has not arrived, I wish only to rinse my mouth." The plowman untied from his belt a harītakī fruit to give him. The man of the Way accepted and ate it. [The plowman] also gave a single coin as a gift (dakṣiṇā) to the man of the Way. The man of the Way said, "If your mind is so sincere, I have nothing with which to repay you. I wish to transmit the five precepts; are you able to receive them?" He replied, "As a disciple in secular life, the five precepts are difficult to keep whole; I can only take the precept against killing." When the plowman's life ended, he was born into the family of a king. The queen and her retinue went to the edge of flowing waters. Singing, dancing, and playing music, she held the child beside the water. Her hand slipped and he fell into the water, whereupon a fish swallowed him. Inside its belly for seven days, he felt neither hunger nor thirst. Drifting with the current downstream for over a thousand leagues (li), [the fish] entered the borders of a downstream kingdom, where people caught it and sold it in the marketplace. At that time, the ruler of the downstream kingdom sent someone to buy fish, and it was brought back into the city to be dressed with a knife. From within the belly, the child called out, "Slowly! Do not hurt me!" They immediately cut open the fish's intestines and saw a little boy, handsome beyond compare; the whole kingdom rejoiced. When the ruler of the upstream kingdom heard of it, he said, "This must be my child," and sent an envoy to demand him. The downstream ruler replied, "Found within a fish's belly, he was bestowed by Heaven; I am unwilling to give him up." The two kingdoms disputed with each other, until the matter reached a great kingdom. The great king adjudicated, saying, "If the upstream kingdom had not borne this child who fell into the water, how could the downstream kingdom have obtained him? And if the downstream kingdom had not caught this child, where could the upstream kingdom have sought him? Both have a karmic bond with him. You two kingdoms may build a palace midway between you to house this child together, entitling him Crown Prince of Two Kingdoms." Accordingly, following this decree, he resided in between, according to the protocol for a crown prince. The Buddha told his disciples, "The plowman of past days, by giving a single fruit and a single coin to a man of the Way, thereby became the crown prince of two kingdoms." (From the Samyuktāvadāna-sūtra.)

44.23

11. Making Offerings to a Śramaṇa with Wholesome or Unwholesome Intentions Brings Different Retributions

44.24

In the past, there was a lame man of the Way who kept the precepts and begged for food. He happened to arrive at a household that had long had faith in the Great Dharma. Seeing that he suffered from an ailment in his foot, the host felt pity and made offerings to him for a year. When the man of the Way took his leave to depart, the host said, "May you often grace us with a visit." At the moment of parting, guest and host shed tears of sorrow. After the man of the Way departed, the host opened the bed and saw only gold and treasures; because of this, he became extremely wealthy. A neighboring household, seeing that he had become very rich, asked what the cause was. The man answered truthfully. The neighbor had an evil thought, hoping to seek precious treasures: he searched for a lame person, wishing to make offerings to him, but could find none after an exhaustive search. He happened to meet a man of the Way whose body was whole and intact; he bound him, broke his legs, made offerings to him for a short time, and then forcibly drove him away. After he departed, [the neighbor] opened the bed. Due to the resonance of his evil intention, poisonous snakes, bees, and scorpions came to sting the entire household. In the present life he suffered an evil retribution, and later he entered hell. The one who obtained treasures had a pure and auspicious mind; the one stung by poison had an unbenevolent mind. (From the Samyuktāvadāna-sūtra.)

44.25

12. A Maternal Uncle and Nephew Thieved Together; the Nephew Was Clever and Later Won the King's Daughter as His Wife

44.26

In the past, there were a sister and a brother. The sister had a son, who served in the government storehouse together with his maternal uncle, weaving gold-thread brocade, silk gauze, thin damask, and rare, wonderful garments and fine treasures for the treasury. They conferred together, saying, "We weave with unremitting toil, and we know the quality and quantity of all the storehouse goods. Could we not take them together to relieve our poverty?" At night they bored a hole in the ground, tunneling in to steal the goods. At dawn, the storehouse overseer noticed that the goods were diminished and reported the matter to the king. The king decreed: "Do not make this widely known. Let the thieves think that the king is so occupied with affairs that he cannot detect it. In the days to come, they will certainly return. For now, set a strict guard; seize and arrest whoever is caught, and do not let them get away." The storehouse overseer received the command and immediately reinforced the guard. After a long while, the men indeed returned to steal. The nephew instructed his uncle: "You are advanced in years, your body is frail, and your strength is meager. If you are caught by the guards, you will not be able to free yourself. Go in backward through the tunnel; if you are seen and seized, I am strong and will rescue you." As soon as the uncle entered the hole, he was seized by the guards. The guards shouted out. The nephew, fearing that the uncle would be recognized, cut off his uncle's head and fled. At dawn, the storehouse overseer reported everything to the king. The king again decreed: "Carry out his corpse and place it at a four-way crossroads. Whoever weeps before it and attempts to take the corpse will be known as the thief." Days passed like this. Merchants from a distant land arrived, their men and horses congesting the road in a chaotic rush. The nephew loaded two carts of firewood and placed them upon the corpse. The overseers reported this fully to the king. The king decreed: "If anyone burns it, bind and deliver him here." The nephew led and instructed boys to hold torches and dance in play. When a crowd gathered, he cast fire onto the firewood, which flared up furiously. The guards did not notice. They reported this fully to the king. The king again decreed: "Increase the guards further to watch strictly over his bones." The nephew then brewed pure wine, making it especially thick and strong. He went to the guards and quietly sold it to them. The guards had been hungry and thirsty for nights on end; seeing the wine, they drank it together. Having drunk to excess, they all fell into a drunken stupor. Taking advantage of this, he put the bones into a wine jar and departed. The guards did not notice. The next morning they again reported to the king. The king again decreed: "Guards have been posted time and again, yet in the end he has not been caught. This thief is cunning; we must devise another plan." The king then brought forth his daughter, adorned with necklaces, pearls, and precious gems, and stationed her in a chamber beside a large body of water, with a crowd of attendants watching alertly without fail. "There must be someone greedy for lust who will come after the girl." He had instructed the girl beforehand: "When someone embraces you, seize him and call for men to arrest him." On another night, the nephew promptly came in secret. He released tree trunks into the water, letting them drift with the current, while shouting and hiding in haste. The guards were startled and rushed over, thinking there was a stranger, but saw only tree trunks. This repeated night after night without change. The guards fell asleep. The nephew then rode a tree trunk to the girl's chamber. The girl seized his clothing. The nephew said to her, "You may seize my arm." The nephew had previously held the severed arm of a dead person and handed it to her. The girl released his clothing, seized the arm, and cried out loudly. The guards awoke, and the nephew managed to escape. In the morning, they reported fully to the king. The king again decreed: "This man's resourcefulness is peerless. We have sought him long without capture; what is to be done?" The girl then became pregnant, and after ten months gave birth to a boy who was extremely handsome. The king ordered a wet nurse to carry him and walk all around the country: "Whoever kisses or fondles him, bind and bring him here." She carried the child all day long. The nephew had become a baker, staying beneath his pastry oven. The child cried from hunger, and the nurse carried the child toward the pastry oven to buy a pastry to feed him. Seeing the child, the nephew kissed him. She immediately returned and reported to the king, saying, "I walked with the child all day, and no one came near him. Hungry, we passed a pastry oven; the pastry seller handed him a pastry and then kissed him." The king again decreed, "Why did you not bind him?" The nurse replied, "The little child was crying from hunger; the baker handed him a pastry and kissed him out of fondness; he could not be the thief." The king ordered the nurse to carry the child out again with watchers: "Whoever approaches the child, bind and bring him here." The nephew sold fine wine, invited the nurse and the watchers to a tavern, and urged them to drink. When they fell into a heavy drunken sleep, he stole the child away. When they awoke and discovered the child lost, they reported fully to the king. The king again decreed: "You fools, greedy for mad water! Not only did you fail to catch the thief, but you also lost the child!" At that time, the nephew took the child and carried him to another kingdom. He went before the king, offering greetings and replies, citing scriptures and explaining principles. The king was greatly pleased and immediately bestowed upon him stipends and rank, making him a great minister. He said to him, "In our kingdom, none can match your wisdom and skill. Whether a minister's daughter or my own daughter, I shall match her with you, entirely as you desire." He replied, "I would not dare. If Your Majesty pities me, I desire to ask for the daughter of the king of a certain country." The king said, "Excellent! It shall be as you wish." The king treated him as a son and sent an envoy to seek that king's daughter. That king consented, but went on to reflect: "Could this be the phantom thief who was so cunning before?" He then dispatched an envoy, intending to welcome his daughter, sending his crown prince with five hundred mounted riders, all fully equipped. The nephew harbored fear, dreading that upon arriving in that kingdom, the king would surely seize him. He then petitioned his king: "If Your Majesty sends me, you must make the five hundred riders, their mounts, garments, saddles, and bridles entirely indistinguishable; only then can I welcome the bride." The king agreed with his words. He then went to welcome the bride. The king ordered his daughter to serve food and drink to entertain the guests. Two hundred and fifty riders were in front, and two hundred and fifty riders were behind. The nephew was among them, straddling his horse without dismounting. The girl's father came out himself, entered among the riders, seized the nephew, and said: "Are you the one, or not, who through various stratagems could not be caught? Is it you or not?" Bowing his head, he replied, "It is I." The king said, "Your intelligence and brilliance are peerless under heaven. According to your wish, I match my daughter to you to become husband and wife." The nephew was I myself. The king who was the girl's father was Śāriputra. The uncle was Devadatta. The father king was Śuddhodana. The mother was Māyā. The wife was Gopā. The son was Rāhula. (From the first fascicle of the Jātaka-sūtra.)

44.27

13. A Man of the Kingdom of Rājagṛha and a Woman of the Kingdom of Gṛdhrakūṭa Had a Karmic Connection from Past Lives

44.28

Formerly, in the country of Gṛdhrakūṭa, there was a young girl whose form was exceedingly beautiful and whose talent and wisdom were peerless. Her nature was magnanimous and gentle, and she never grew angry. The nine branches of her household clan and all relatives far and near loved and respected her without exception. From various kingdoms hundreds of thousands of men sought her hand, yet she was never wed. At that time, in the country of Rājagṛha, there was a young man endowed with heroic natural talent and lofty aspirations, whom all the common people of the country feared and respected. Though he had singing-girls, concubines, and consorts, he never favored or grew close to any of them. He often thought: 'In the country of Gṛdhrakūṭa there is a maiden who was originally my counterpart; I have simply not yet arrived there.' That very day, [reflecting that] 'those who fill my hall were all obtained through influence and gain, and are not my match', he dismissed and expelled them all at once so that none remained. He then mounted a white elephant and, accompanied by two servants, set out for that kingdom. Traversing mountains and treading through grasslands, he traveled tens of thousands of li, arriving only after five years. The maiden, staying deep within the palace, suddenly felt her heart stirred without cause. She stepped out to wander about and happened to peek through the outer gate. Suddenly seeing this man, she was both grieved and joyful, unable to restrain herself, thinking: 'This is my husband! Those who sought me before and after were not my past matches.' She felt an innate affinity with him, her affectionate regard for a husband lingering. The maiden's parents were distressed and at a loss, saying: 'We raised our daughter to womanhood, never expecting this!' They strictly guarded and confined her so that no message could pass between them. The maiden was distraught, not knowing what to do; the man was filled with sorrow and fear, harboring the same despondency. Thereupon the maiden kept the precepts with arduous diligence, practicing the Path day and night. She gave away her wealth and property, bestowing them upon the Buddha and the Saṅgha. Her heart exhausted and her body withered, five years passed in this way. Letters and tidings could not reach each other; both held each other in their hearts, yet nothing was fulfilled. Then on the eighth day of the fourth month, she personally bound her body, went to the Buddha stupa, burned incense, bowed down, and made this vow: 'I would cut and carve my own flesh to make offerings to the World-Honoured One, daring not to spare myself, hoping only that this wish may once bear fruit!' The Buddha instructed a nun to serve as their matchmaker, and thus they became husband and wife. The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Why is this so? It is all because they had long made vows and pledges since asamkhyeya kalpas ago; only thus did they attain this.' (Extracted from the Sūtra on Severing Affection to Avoid Transgression).

44.29

14. A husband and wife agree not to speak first; seeing a thief steal their goods, the husband manages not to speak

44.30

Formerly, there were a husband and wife who were sharing three cakes. Each took one, and one remained, which they were about to divide. The wife said: 'Do not divide it. Let us make a bet: neither of us shall speak. Whichever speaks first loses; whichever speaks last gets it.' Thereupon they closed their mouths until midnight. A thief dug through the earth and broke in. Seeing the two sitting without speaking, he thought they were terrified and dared not utter a sound. He gathered their belongings, shouldered them, and was about to go out the door. The wife shouted loudly: 'You are a man! How can you just let him take our things away?' The husband said: 'I win! I win! Now I get the big cake!' Everyone blamed and mocked them, calling them utterly foolish. (Extracted from the Hundred Parables Sūtra, fascicle 2).

44.31

15. A woman's nose is ugly, so her husband cuts off another's fine one to replace it

44.32

Formerly, there was a man who saw that another's wife had a well-proportioned nose. He thought to himself: 'My wife's facial features are foremost, but I only regret that her nose is ugly. Now I shall take this nose to replace my wife's nose.' He then led the woman to a secluded spot, cut off her nose, and carried it back. He then cut off his wife's nose and affixed that woman's nose to it. Both lost their noses, and neither [nose] adhered. The crowd was astonished and scolded him, calling him truly foolish and mad. (Extracted from the Hundred Parables Sūtra, fascicle 1).

44.33

16. A hired laborer understands the language of birds well

44.34

Formerly, there was an extremely poor man who understood the language of birds well. He worked as a hired porter for a merchant. Passing by a water's edge, they stopped to drink. A crow cawed. The merchant was frightened, but the laborer laughed instead. When they reached home, the merchant asked: 'When I was drinking there, I heard a crow caw; I was terrified, yet you laughed instead. Why?' The laborer replied: 'The crow said to me: "The merchant has fine white pearls on his body. You should kill him and take the pearls; I wish to eat his flesh." For this reason alone I laughed.' The merchant asked: 'Why did you not kill me?' He replied: 'Because in a past life I was greedy for others' wealth, I am now poor and work as a hired porter. If I were again to kill a man and take his goods, what end would there ever be to the suffering I would undergo in future lives? Even unto death I will never do such a thing.' (Extracted from the Parable Sūtra).

44.35

17. A drowning person relies on a phoenix and is saved, but another clings to a cormorant and loses their life

44.36

A great flood suddenly inundated [the land]. Living beings relied on a hill to escape it, but it was on the verge of being submerged as well. Suddenly a phoenix arrived; a wise person clung to its wings and was carried up to high ground, escaping the flood disaster. Those who remained behind suddenly saw a cormorant and entrusted themselves to its feathers. But the cormorant plunged straight into the deep water, and all drowned at once. (Extracted from the Miscellaneous Parables Sūtra).

44.37

18. A man buys wisdom and escapes a great offense

44.38

Formerly, there was a man who was destitute and useless. To make a living, he went to sea to gather jewels and returned to his home country. He met a good spiritual friend and said: 'I have always been poor, but now having obtained these goods, they are enough to support me. If my mother does not suit my mind, I shall abandon my mother and move away; if my wife does not suit my mind, I shall seek another.' The spiritual friend answered: 'Nearby, the city is full of people of great wisdom. You may go and buy wisdom from them; for no more than a thousand ounces of gold, they will surely explain to you the method of wisdom.' The man followed his words, entered a settlement where the Buddha was served, and asked people about it in detail. One replied: 'Whenever you face a doubtful matter, take seven steps forward and seven steps back; do this three times, and wisdom will naturally arise.' The man returned home at night and saw his mother sleeping alongside his wife. Supposing it was another man, he drew his sword intending to kill him. Unable to contain himself, he lit a great lamp and observed from afar, pondering what he had bought that morning as wisdom. As he paced forward and backward three times, his mother woke up. The man exclaimed: 'This is truly wisdom! How could it be worth merely a thousand ounces of gold?' He immediately gave another three thousand ounces of gold [to the teacher]. (Extracted from the Ten Fascicles Parable Sūtra, fascicle 4).

44.39

19. A man fools a ghost and escapes harm

44.40

Formerly, a man was walking in the mountains when he encountered a man-eating ghost, who grabbed him intending to eat him. The man begged for mercy, saying: 'Grant me a moment to ask one question; if you eat me only after that, I will harbor no regret.' The ghost believed the man, thinking it was genuine, and permitted his request. The man asked the ghost: 'Why are your face, legs, knees, and belly white, while the rest of your body is completely black?' The ghost replied: 'By my nature as a creature, I abhor the essence of the sun; I can walk with my back to the sun, but cannot face toward it. For this reason I am like this.' The man then ran facing toward the sun; the ghost could only resent it in vain and could not catch him. (Extracted from the Ten Fascicles Parable Sūtra, fascicle 4).

44.41

20. A man is loathed by his two wives and dies as a result

44.42

Formerly, there was a man who lived between two households and had two wives. He went to his younger wife, who said to him: 'I am young, but my husband is old; I take no joy in living together. You may go live with the elder wife.' Her husband then plucked out his white hairs. When he arrived at the elder wife's place, she said to him: 'I am old and my head is already white, but my husband's head is black; you should leave.' Thereupon she plucked out his black hairs to make them white. Continuing in this way without stopping, his head became completely bald. Both wives loathed him and each abandoned him. Dying of sorrow and grief, in a past life he was a dog in a monastery. There was a monastery east of a river and another monastery west of the river. Hearing the sounding-block struck, the dog would go there to get food. Later, both monasteries sounded their chimes at the same time. The dog swam in the water wishing to cross: just as he was about to reach the west, he feared the food at the eastern monastery would be better; turning toward the east, he feared the food at the western monastery would be better. Hesitating in this manner, he drowned in the water. (Extracted from the Ten Fascicles Parable Sūtra).

44.43

21. A man travels far seeking immortal water; a host with an evil heart sends him up a tree and he attains immortality

44.44

Formerly, a man heard that in a foreign land there was immortal water, and that by entering it one would become an immortal. He then set out for the foreign land and lodged with someone. The host asked the guest: 'Where do you wish to go?' He answered: 'To learn the way of the immortals.' Harboring evil intentions, the host told the guest: 'I have an immortal tree. If you can perform hard labor for me for one year, I will grant you immortality; why trouble yourself to go far away?' The guest said: 'Very well.' He performed hard labor for one year without ever showing a countenance of resentment. When the year was completed, the host—who had intended all along to deceive him and actually had no immortal tree—led him into the mountains, pointed to a tree overhanging a cliff, and said: 'This is the immortal tree. Climb to its top, and when I call you to fly, cast yourself off into flight upon my voice.' With sincere devotion, the guest soared into the empty sky from this tree and attained the way of the immortals. Seeing this, the host thought: 'I intended for him to die; how could I have realized he would become an immortal?' Deeply venerating this tree, he believed it was divine. After a short time, the host and his son went together to the base of the tree. Yielding to his father to go up first, the son called out: 'Father, you may fly!' The father then attempted to fly, but fell onto the rocks of the cliff and his body was smashed to pieces. (Extracted from the Miscellaneous Parables Sūtra).

44.45

22. A man employs a ghost and gains wealth, but later it harms his child

44.46

Formerly, a man was selling a Piye ghost in the marketplace. A person wishing to buy the ghost asked how much he wanted. The ghost's master said: 'Two hundred ounces of gold.' The buyer asked: 'What extraordinary power does this ghost have that you demand so much gold?' The seller said: 'As for this ghost's ability, there is nothing it cannot do; one day's work by it equals that of a hundred men. It has only one defect, against which you must guard beforehand.' He asked what defect it was. The seller said: 'When you set this ghost to work, you must keep it working day and night without letting it rest. If it has nothing to do, it will turn and harm its master.' The master paid the gold and took it home. He ordered it to plow and sow; when plowing and sowing were finished, he set it to woodwork; when woodwork was finished, he set it to leveling ground, building houses, pounding grain, milling, and cooking, never letting it rest for a moment. Within a few years, he became exceedingly wealthy. The master had an affair requiring him to travel as a guest; he forgot to leave instructions, and the ghost, wanting to work without any ordered tasks, took the master's child, placed him in a cauldron, lit a fire, and boiled him. By the time the master returned, the child was already boiled tender. Grieved, heartbroken, and full of regret, what more could he say? (Extracted from the Parable Sūtra).

44.47

23. A man is wealthy; the king demands a listing, and he lists only the goods already used, whereat the king is awakened

44.48

Formerly, there was a wealthy man whom the king ordered to itemize his belongings. He promptly wrote an account: 'In such-and-such year, so many tens of millions were used to make Buddha statues; so much was used for vegetarian feasts and scriptures; so much was used to relieve the poor and elderly. At present, there remain eight hundred and ninety million.' He presented this memorial to the king. The king was exceedingly enraged and asked: 'Why do you fail to list your existing goods and instead list what has already been spent?' The wealthy man replied: 'What has been used is the truest treasure, supporting a person's spiritual consciousness; therefore I presented it. Unused wealth is shared by five families and is not mine alone. That is why I dared to itemize it thus.' The king then realized that merit alone can be relied upon. (Extracted from the Parable Sūtra).

44.49

24. A man commits an offense and the king orders five catties of his flesh cut off

44.50

Formerly, a man committed an offense against the king. The king was exceedingly enraged and had someone cut off five catties of flesh from his back and spine, placing him in an outhouse. The man was in extreme agony, and his cries reached the king. The king asked why he did not accept his fate, and he replied: 'It was truly not my crime!' The king felt remorse upon reflection and decreed that one hundred catties of flesh be bestowed on him. Yet he still groaned and cried out. The king said: 'I have made up for it at once with a hundred catties; why do you still shout loudly?' The ministers replied: 'Do you not see this truth? Even if you gave a thousand catties, how would it relieve his pain? If a man's only child has died and another gives him a hundred children, could he not yearn for his own child?' (Extracted from the Hundred Parables Sūtra, fascicle 3).

44.51

25. Two persons make a mutual vow to arrange a marriage with their unborn children

44.52

Once there were two men who were friends. Their wives were each pregnant, and so they made a mutual vow: 'If we bear a boy and a girl, they shall marry.' After they parted, one family had a boy and the other had a girl. The boy's father died early, and when [the boy] grew up he had not yet married. Peddling assorted goods, he happened to arrive at the girl's house. The girl's father asked, 'Where has the youth come from? Where is your dwelling, and what are your parents' names and clan?' The boy answered in full. Hearing this, the father was greatly astonished, and said to the boy, 'When your father was alive, he made a betrothal with me while you were in the womb. I have continually sought you, but did not know where you were. My daughter has not dared to marry.' The boy said, 'I know nothing of this girl.' The father said, 'Ask your relatives.' The boy returned and asked his wet-nurse, and found it was indeed true. On his way to the girl's house, the boy saw ditch-water flowing into a skull without ever filling it. Frightened, the boy walked on and saw ripe fruit on a tree. Wishing to take and eat it, the fruit said, 'Take me! Take me!' The boy was terrified, ran swiftly, and fell to the ground. Arriving at the girl's house, a dog came out to meet him, knelt down, and licked both his feet; the puppies in the dog's belly growled and rushed forward, wishing to bite him. He collapsed to the ground again, reviving only after a long time. The girl's father came out, and the boy recounted everything. The father found it very strange, went inside, and told his daughter. The daughter answered her father, saying: 'That on the road you saw ditch-water flowing into a skull without ever filling it—in later generations, someone will gather the wealth and rare treasures of the world to supply a single person, yet there will never be enough. That you saw ripe fruit on a tree and wished to take and eat it, yet the fruit said, "Take me! Take me!"—people of later generations will seek older girls, yet younger girls will say, "Why do you not take me? Why do you not take me?" That the dog came out to meet you, knelt down, and licked both your feet, while the puppies in the dog's belly growled and rushed forward, wishing to bite you—people of later generations will speak to each other with mouths like oil and fat, but minds like awls and knives; their mouths will offer satisfaction, while inside they plot and scheme. These all pertain to later generations, not to the present.' She was then married to the boy, fulfilling their original intention. (From the Shijuan piyu jing, fascicle 8)

First 52 of 82 passages. Read on

Linked texts (1)

經律異相 — Classical Chinese