經律異相 46.37

46.37

In the past, there was a woman who had very many children. By nature she was wicked and devoid of compassion, fond of stealing other people's children, killing them, and eating them. The families who lost children did not know who had taken them, and weeping throughout the lanes like this was not an isolated occurrence. Whenever Ānanda went out, he saw them weeping. Having returned, [the monks] discussed it together, grieving for the families who had lost children. Knowing this, the Buddha intentionally asked, "What are the assembly discussing?" Ānanda said to the Buddha, "Just now while walking for alms I saw people weeping. When I questioned them, they all said: 'Our children have disappeared alive, and we do not know where their corpses are.'" The Buddha then explained to Ānanda: "The one stealing people's children in this country is no ordinary human being. She is the Mother of Demon Children (Hārītī). Having now been born as a human, she takes pleasure in stealing people's children. This mother has a thousand sons: five hundred are in the heavens, and five hundred are among humans. All thousand sons are demon kings, each accompanied by tens of thousands of demons. In this way, the five hundred demon kings in the heavens harass the devas, and the five hundred demon kings in the world harass kings and common people. Even the devas can do nothing against these five hundred demon kings." Ānanda said, "Since the Mother of Demon Children is in this country, could she perhaps be commanded not to steal people's children?" The Buddha said, "Excellent." Ānanda said, "By what expedient means?" The Buddha said to Ānanda, "Go to this mother's place, watch for her going out, collect her children, and place them inside the monastery." [Ānanda] immediately went, watched, collected more than ten of her children, and hid them in the monastery. When the mother returned and did not see them, she abandoned the other person's child and did not dare kill it again. She went in search of her children everywhere without knowing where they were, weeping along the roads like this for ten days. The mother then beat her breast, threw herself on the ground, cried aloud to heaven, and no longer ate or drank. The Buddha sent a monk to go and ask her. She replied to the monk, "It is because I have lost many children that I weep." The monk said further, "Do you wish to get your children back?" She replied, "I do." The monk said, "If you truly wish to get them back, you may go and ask the Buddha; you will be able to recover your children." Hearing these words, the mother was delighted and relieved in mind, and she went to the Buddha's place. She paid homage to the Buddha. The Buddha then asked the mother, "Why are you weeping?" The mother replied, "Because I have lost my children." The Buddha asked, "Where did you go when you abandoned your children and lost them?" The mother remained silent. When this happened three times, the mother realized that stealing other people's children was evil. She immediately rose and paid homage, saying, "It was out of my foolishness." The Buddha asked her again, "You have children; do you love them?" The mother said, "When I have children, whether sitting or rising, I always want them by my side." The Buddha asked again, "Since you have children and know how to love them, why do you go out every day to steal other people's children? Other people have children and love them just as you do. The families of lost children also weep along the roads just like you. In return, you steal people's children, kill them, and eat them. After death, you shall enter the Taishan hell. Would you rather get your children back?" The mother then bowed her head and face to the ground: "May the Buddha have pity on me!" The Buddha said, "If your children were still alive, would you be able to repent? If you can repent, your children will be returned to you." The mother said, "I can repent." The Buddha said, "If you can repent, what kind of repentance will you make?" The mother said, "I will listen to the Buddha's teachings and precepts, and follow the Buddha's words. Let the Buddha return my children!" The Buddha said, "If it is truly as you say, [I will] confer the five precepts upon you. You have a thousand sons; I will declare their names: five hundred are in the heavens, and five hundred are in the world, harassing the devas and humans. Your sons are demon kings leading tens of thousands of demons, countless in number. Some are called tree spirits, earth spirits, water spirits, spirits of boats and carriages, of houses, of darkness, of dreams and waking, of terror and bizarre occurrences, various kinds of spirits. Falsely assuming these titles, they cause people to offer sacrifices, slaughtering and cooking for food and drink, yet they cannot protect or preserve human life; they only multiply offenses. These foolish people do not understand, sitting and brooding in poverty." When the Mother of Demon Children heard the Buddha's preaching, she whole-heartedly repented, and immediately attained the fruit of stream-entry (srotāpanna). Kneeling upright, she said to the Buddha, "May the Buddha have pity on me! I wish to dwell beside the Buddha's monastery. I wish to summon my thousand sons; I wish to make them enter into an agreement with the Buddha; I wish to repay the kindness of those people above in heaven and below on earth." The Buddha said, "Sadhu! If you have such an intention, it is very good." The Buddha said, "Then dwell beside the Buddha's monastery. When people in this country have no children, if they come seeking children, you must grant them children according to their wish. I will instruct your sons to go and protect people accordingly, and not harass them recklessly again. Those who wish to seek boons from the Mother of Demon Children should know that her name is Bhūtamāṇibhadra, and her elder sister is named Jitinī. The demons in heaven and on earth belong under this Māṇibhadra's control. Within the four seas, boats, carriages, commerce, and property all belong to Māṇibhadra. Māṇibhadra entered into an agreement with the Buddha, received the precepts, and protects people's wealth and property. Jitinī presides over humans: when there is childbirth, she goes to save them." (Extracted from the Sūtra of the Mother of Demon Children)