經律異相 6.14

6.14

Formerly, in the realm of King Aśoka, there was a gṛhapati who made offerings to twenty thousand bhikṣus, inviting them continuously for an entire year so that his fame reached the king. The king summoned and met with him, asking: 'I have heard that your household is immensely wealthy. What things do you possess?' He replied: 'In truth, I have nothing.' Disbelieving him, the king detained the gṛhapati and sent [men] to inspect his home. They saw that the residence had seven tiers of gates, and the halls and buildings were all made of the seven treasures, surpassing the royal palace; the women were also superior, but there was neither grain, silk, money, nor goods. Returning, they reported this to the king. The king’s mind gradually understood. The gṛhapati smiled. The king asked: 'Why do you smile?' He answered: 'Only because Your Majesty did not believe me.' The gṛhapati pointed his hand toward the eastern sky, and the seven treasures rained down; he pointed to the south, and treasures likewise rained down boundlessly. The king then sent him home. As the vihāra of the sangha was not far from the palace, the king prepared his carriage and went to the vihāra. Seeing the bhikṣu-saṅgha, he paid homage respectfully and asked the senior elder: 'What past merit does this gṛhapati possess, that natural treasures arrive as soon as he thinks of them?' The senior elder bhikṣu entered samādhi and viewed the thoughts and minds of beings within four hundred yojanas; he saw this son of an elder: Formerly, in the time of Vipaśyin Buddha, four persons jointly erected a stūpa and monastery. Among them was one man who applied his mind most earnestly. After the stūpa and monastery were completed, he mixed gold, silver, the seven treasures, and various fine flowers together, ascended the third tier of the stūpa, and scattered them on all four sides like rain, making the vow: 'May the merit I enjoy in the future constantly never cease.' The one who now obtains natural treasures is this very person. Hearing this, the king extensively cultivated merit. (Extracted from the Avadāna Sūtra, fascicle 1)