經律異相 7.9

7.9

The Buddha ascended to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven, entered the Nandana grove, and stayed under the pārijāta tree for the three-month rain retreat. Emitting light from his pores, he illuminated the great trichiliocosm. The sons of the gods did not understand the cause. The Buddha said to Mañjuśrī: "Go to my mother and say that I am here; I pray she will deign to visit." [Mañjuśrī] went and told Māyā. Milk flowed spontaneously from Māyā's breasts, [and she said:] "If it is indeed Siddhārtha, let the milk enter his mouth!" The milk streamed from both breasts and traveled far, entering the Buddha's mouth. Māyā was filled with joy. The entire earth trembled, and wonderful flowers and fruits blossomed and ripened out of season. She then said to Mañjuśrī: "Because mother and son are reunited, I have joy and peace as never before." Together they went to the Buddha's place. The Buddha saw his mother from afar and said: "The bodily paths one travels are accompanied by both suffering and joy. You should cultivate nirvāṇa to seek eternal liberation." Māyā single-mindedly threw her five limbs to the ground, concentrated her correct mindfulness, and her defilements and fetters were subdued and extinguished. When the Buddha expounded the Dharma for her, she immediately recognized her past lives and attained the fruit of srotāpanna. She then said to the Buddha: "From the prison of birth and death, I am now liberated!" The great assembly all said: "May all sentient beings attain liberation!" The broad conversion of devas and humans brought great benefit. When the three months were drawing to a close, he addressed Kumāra: "You may now descend to Jambudvīpa. The Tathāgata will soon enter parinirvāṇa." At that time the assembly was distressed: "We did not know earlier that he would soon enter parinirvāṇa. The eye of the world is about to be extinguished—how bitter it is!" Śakra ordered the ghosts and spirits to create three flights of jeweled stairs. Māyā shed tears, and thereupon they parted. Treading upon the jeweled stairs, with Brahmā holding a parasol and the Four Heavenly Kings attending on left and right, the fourfold assembly sang verses of praise, and divine music filled the sky. Scattering flowers and burning incense, he arrived in Jambudvīpa. (From the *Sūtra on the Buddha Ascending to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven to Preach the Dharma for His Mother*, and also from the *Samantapāsādikā*.)