經律異相 7.13

7.13

Prince Siddhārtha had two consorts: the first was named Gopikā, and the second was named Yaśodharā. Because Gopikā was a precious jewel-woman, she never became pregnant. Yaśodharā, on the night the Bodhisattva went forth, perceived herself to be pregnant. The Bodhisattva practiced austerities for six years, and Yaśodharā did not give birth for six years. The Śākyas reproached her, saying, 'The Bodhisattva has gone forth—how could you have this?' Yaśodharā said, 'I have committed no other transgression; the child I carry is truly the remaining flesh and blood of the Prince.' The Śākyas said, 'Why has it been so long without birth?' She answered, 'It is not something I understand.' The Śākyas assembled to deliberate; hearing that the king intended to punish her according to the law, Gopikā addressed the king, 'I constantly live together with Yaśodharā. I will be her witness, for I know she is without fault. Wait until her child is born and see whether he resembles his father or not; why would it be too late to punish her then?' The king then pardoned and spared her. When the Bodhisattva's austerities were fulfilled and on the night he first attained buddhahood, Rāhula was born. The king saw that he resembled his father; out of love and affection, he forgot his grief, and said to the assembled ministers, 'Although my son has departed, now I have obtained his child, who is no different from my son.' Since Yaśodharā's bad reputation had already spread, she wished to remove her ill fame. The Buddha returned to Kapilavastu to deliver the Śākya youths. At that time, King Śuddhodana and Yaśodharā constantly invited the Buddha into the palace to eat. Then Yaśodharā took joy-sweets of a hundred flavors and gave them to Rāhula to hold up and offer. By his spiritual power, the Buddha transformed the five hundred arhats so that all had the Buddha's appearance, equal and without any difference. Rāhula was only seven years old; holding the joy-sweets, he went straight before the Buddha and presented them to the World-Honoured One. Then the Buddha withdrew his spiritual power and restored [them to] the forms of bhikṣus. All the bowls were empty; only the Buddha's bowl was filled with joy-sweets. Yaśodharā asked, 'For what reason in the past did I carry a pregnancy for six years?' The Buddha answered, 'In a past age, Rāhula was once a king. At that time, a seer with the five supernormal knowledges came into the king's realm and said to the king, "The king punishes thieves according to the law; please punish my offense. Without permission, I stole the king's water and used the king's tooth-stick; this was taking what was not given." The king said, "When I first ascended the throne, I issued an order that all water and tooth-sticks are bestowed upon everyone." The seer said, "Although the king has bestowed them, my mind is still in doubt. I wish to be punished now, so that it causes no offense in the future." The king said, "If you truly desire this, wait a little while until I return to the palace." He entered the palace and did not come out for six days; the seer suffered from hunger and thirst. The seer thought, "I fear the king is precisely punishing me by this." When the king came out, he apologized, saying he had forgotten. Because of this, for five hundred lives [Rāhula] was always in the womb for six years' (from the seventeenth chapter of the *Mahāprajñāpāramitopadeśa*).