經律異相 8
English (machine translation) 8
- Language
- English
8.1
Compiled by the Liang śramaṇas Sengmin, Baochang, and others
8.2
1. Sadāprarudita sells his heart, blood, and marrow out of a desire to hear the Dharma
2. Bhaiṣajyarāja in this life gives up his arms, and in a former life burned his body
3. Śubhagarbha and Śubhanetra transform their parents
4. Kṣāntivādin dwells in the mountains and is dismembered by a king
5. Wu Yan receives the heavenly precepts and instructions, contemplates according to their meaning, and attains the four dhyānas
6. Sadāprarudita travels east seeking the Dharma and meets a buddha who shows him the Way
7. Shanxin travels east seeking half a verse, walking on mud without sinking
8. Sarvasattvapriyadarśana is loved by his teacher's wife, and defying her command leads to suffering
9. Yan Guang practices the auspicious vow, encounters a woman, and retires to household work
10. Tiqiluo and Nalaidi contend with each other, causing darkness for five days
11. Loving the Dharma, [a king] gives up all precious adornments in exchange for a single verse
12. Giving up the body to hear half a verse
13. Having long cultivated patience, one is dismembered without sorrow
14. Selling oneself to make offerings to the Buddha and hear a single verse of the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, having one's flesh cut without developing wounds
15. To hear the Lotus Sūtra, the great earth splits and one leaps into the air to appear
16. Gathering flowers for a king, one encounters the Buddha and makes offerings
17. Upholding precepts and making vows to guard against transgressions
18. The initial resolve surpasses the two vehicles
19. Three little boys make offerings to the Buddha: two generate lesser resolves, and one generates the great resolve
20. In childhood, being bewildered by a ghost
8.3
1. Sadāprarudita sells his heart, blood, and marrow out of a desire to hear the Dharma
8.4
The Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita practiced the bodhisattva path in the presence of the Buddha Mahāmeghagarjitasvararāja. When he originally sought the Perfection of Wisdom, he did not begrudge his body or life, nor did he seek fame or profit. A voice in the air admonished and instructed him: 'I must seek the Perfection of Wisdom everywhere.' Thereupon, sorrowful and weeping, he spent seven days until his body was utterly exhausted, suffering hunger, thirst, cold, and heat. A buddha appeared in the air and said to him: 'Good son, when past buddhas practiced the bodhisattva path and sought to hear the Perfection of Wisdom, it was just as you do today. Because of this diligent vigor and love for the Dharma, they made offerings to the Perfection of Wisdom. The Bodhisattva Dharmodgata is now preaching the Perfection of Wisdom from this seat. If there are those who receive, uphold, read, recite, and practice it as taught—from now on, day or night, you will soon obtain hearing of the Perfection of Wisdom.' [He thought:] 'I am now poor and have nothing with which to make offerings to the Perfection of Wisdom and to the Dharma master. I ought not to go empty-handed. I should sell my body to obtain wealth for the sake of the Perfection of Wisdom and to make offerings to the Dharma master. Throughout my lives I have lost my body countless times. In beginningless saṃsāra, I have either died or been sold, or on account of craving and desire have endured immeasurable suffering in the hells life after life. Never once have I lost my body or life for the sake of the pure Dharma or to make offerings to a Dharma master.' He then entered a great city, went to the marketplace, and cried out in a loud voice: 'Who needs a person? Who needs a person?' At that time, the evil Māra had this thought: 'Could Sadāprarudita really wish to sell his own body for the sake of mindfulness of the Dharma? I must now ruin this.' Māra concealed him from the people, preventing them from hearing his voice. Unable to sell his body, he was deeply sorrowful. Śakra Devānām Indra transformed himself into a brāhmaṇa and said: 'I now wish to make a sacrifice to heaven and need a human heart, human blood, and human marrow. Are you able to give them or not?' He answered: 'I have now gained a great and wholesome benefit.' He immediately seized a knife, pierced his left arm to let out blood, and cut the flesh from his right thigh, intending to break the bone and extract the marrow. At that time, the daughter of an elder was up in a tower. Seeing this from afar, she immediately descended and asked the bodhisattva: 'Why do you torment your own body, and what do you intend to do with your heart, blood, and marrow?' He answered: 'I am selling them to this brāhmaṇa for the sake of the Perfection of Wisdom, to make offerings to the Bodhisattva Dharmodgata.' The woman asked: 'What merit will you obtain?' He replied: 'That person is skilled in learning the wisdom and power of skillful means. If I study this Dharma, I will be able to attain the unsurpassable Path, become a refuge for sentient beings, obtain a golden body endowed with all merits, and distribute these benefits so that all sentient beings receive equal benefits of merit.' The woman said: 'So wondrous and rare to encounter! For the sake of such merit, one ought to abandon bodies as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. Whatever you require, I will give it all to you. I too wish to go to Dharmodgata to plant wholesome roots together.' Śakra Devānām Indra then restored his original form and praised him, saying: 'Excellent, good man! When the past buddhas practiced the bodhisattva path, they sought it just like this. I truly have no need for a human heart, blood, or marrow; I merely came to test you. What do you seek? I will grant it to you.' [Sadāprarudita said:] 'May this body of mine be restored as it was before.' He then went to the house of the elder's daughter. The girl's parents gave them numerous wondrous flowers and incense, as well as various necklaces, unguents, burning incense, banners, canopies, clothing, the seven treasures, and music. The woman, together with her attendants, went to make offerings to the sūtra and to Dharmodgata. Dharmodgata preached the Perfection of Wisdom and the power of skillful means. When Sadāprarudita sought water to sprinkle on the ground and could not find any, he immediately pierced his own body to sprinkle the ground with his blood so that no dust would settle on the Great Master (from the thirtieth fascicle of the Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra).
8.5
2. Bhaiṣajyarāja gives up his arms in this life and burned his body in a past life
8.6
The Bodhisattva Nakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña addressed the Buddha, saying: 'World-Honoured One, how does Bhaiṣajyarāja roam in this Sahā world? He has undergone millions of myriads of nayutas of difficult and painful ascetic practices. May you explain this a little.' The Buddha said: 'Past kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges ago, there was a buddha named Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī. In that land there were no women. The Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana, within this Buddha's teaching, diligently practiced walking meditation, single-mindedly seeking buddhahood. After twenty thousand years, he attained the samādhi of manifesting all physical forms, all through the power of hearing the Lotus Sūtra. From the air rained down māndārava flowers and sandalwood incense from the near shore of the ocean. He wrapped his body in heavenly garments, poured fragrant oils over himself, and set fire to his body. His light illuminated eighty billion worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. This was true vigor, a true offering of the Dharma. The fire burned his body for one thousand two hundred years, and only after that was his body consumed. After the Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana had made this Dharma offering, he was transformed and reborn in that land into the family of King Vimaladatta. For his father, he spoke this verse:
8.7
'Where I previously practiced walking meditation, / I have already attained the samādhi of manifesting forms; / Having practiced great vigor diligently, / I abandoned the body I held dear.'
8.8
'The Buddha Candrasūryavimalaprabhāsaśrī is still present even now. I should immediately return there to make offerings to this Buddha.' Sitting on a terrace of seven treasures, he ascended into the air and went to the Buddha's dwelling. Joining his palms, he praised the Buddha:
8.9
'Your countenance is exceedingly marvelous, / Your brilliance illuminates the ten directions. / Just previously I made offerings to you, / And now I have returned in person to behold you.'
8.10
The Buddha told Sarvasattvapriyadarśana: 'The time of my complete extinction has arrived; tonight I shall enter nirvāṇa. I entrust my Dharma to you, and hand over my relics to you so that they may be widely distributed and offerings extensively made.' Sarvasattvapriyadarśana then took sandalwood from the near shore of the ocean to cremate him. Gathering the relics, he made eighty-four thousand jewel urns and erected eighty-four thousand stupas. Although he had made these offerings, his mind was still not satisfied. Thereupon, before the eighty-four thousand stupas, he burned his arms adorned with the hundred merits for seventy-two thousand years as an offering. Countless persons seeking the vehicle of śrāvakas and immeasurable people resolved their minds on bodhi, all attaining the samādhi of manifesting all physical forms. Seeing that he had no arms, the bodhisattvas, devas, humans, and others were sorrowful, distressed, and grieved, saying: 'The Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana is our great master who teaches and transforms us, yet now his body is incomplete!' The Bodhisattva Sarvasattvapriyadarśana made a vow in the midst of the great assembly: 'Having abandoned both arms, I shall certainly attain buddhahood. If this is true and not false, let my arms be restored.' At that moment, the trichiliocosm quaked in six ways, the heavens rained down jewel flowers, and both his arms were restored as before. The Buddha told the Bodhisattva Nakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña: 'The Sarvasattvapriyadarśana of that time is Bhaiṣajyarāja today. If there is someone who gives rise to the mind aspiring to unsurpassable bodhi and can burn a finger or even a toe as an offering to a stupa of the Buddha, it surpasses making offerings of a kingdom, city, wife, children, or the mountains, forests, rivers, ponds, and various precious treasures of three thousand lands to buddhas, bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, arhats, and the like (from the sixth fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra).'
8.11
3. Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra convert their parents
8.12
Long ago in the past, there was a buddha named Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña. There was a king named Śubhavyūha, and his queen's name was Vimaladattā. They had two sons: the first was named Vimalagarbha, and the second was named Vimalanetra. These two sons possessed great spiritual power, merit, and wisdom, and practiced the bodhisattva path. Wishing to guide King Śubhavyūha and out of pity for sentient beings, the Buddha preached this Lotus Sūtra. At that time, Vimalagarbha and Vimalanetra addressed their mother, saying: 'May mother go to the Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña. We too will attend upon him, make offerings, and pay homage.' The mother told her sons: 'Your father believes in and accepts non-Buddhist paths, deeply attached to brāhmaṇa teachings. You should go address your father and go together with him.' The mother also told them: 'You should have pity on your father and display spiritual transformations for him.' Thereupon the two sons leaped into the air to the height of seven tāla trees and manifested eighteen transformations. Seeing this spiritual power, the father was filled with great joy. Joining his palms toward his sons, he asked: 'Who is your master?' The two sons replied: 'The Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña is now seated upon the Dharma seat beneath the seven-jeweled bodhi tree, preaching the Lotus Sūtra. He is our master.' The father said to his sons: 'I now wish to see him.' The two sons descended from the air and addressed their mother: 'Our father the king has now attained faithful understanding and resolved his mind on bodhi. We have already accomplished the Buddha's work for our father. May mother grant permission for us to leave the household life under that Buddha and practice the Path.' The mother said: 'I permit you, for a buddha is difficult to encounter.' Thereupon the two sons addressed their parents, saying: 'May we go in good time to the Buddha's dwelling to behold him and make offerings.' Thereupon King Śubhavyūha, together with his ministers and retinue, Queen Vimaladattā with her palace maidens, and the two sons—forty-two thousand people in all—went together to the Buddha. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, instructing, guiding, benefiting, and gladdening them, and the king was filled with great joy. At that time, the king and queen immediately unfastened their pearl necklaces and scattered them over the Buddha. In the air they transformed into a four-pillared jewel terrace, inside of which was a great jewel couch covered with hundreds of thousands of heavenly garments. Upon it was a buddha sitting cross-legged, emitting a great light. At that time, the Buddha Jaladharagarjitaghoṣasusvaranakṣatrarāhasaṅkusumitābhijña addressed the fourfold assembly, saying: 'Do you see King Śubhavyūha standing before me with palms joined? Within my Dharma, this king will become a monk, diligently cultivating the practices that assist the Buddha Path, and will become a buddha named Sālarājamati. His land will be named Mahāprabhā and his kalpa named Mahāratiprabha.' The king immediately entrusted the kingdom to his younger brother, and the king, together with the queen, the two sons, and all their retinue, renounced the household life within the Buddha's teaching to practice the Path. Having left the household life, for eighty-four thousand years the king was constantly diligent in practicing the Wonderful Lotus Sūtra. After this, he attained the samādhi of all pure meritorious adornments, and immediately ascended into the air to the height of seven tāla trees. King Śubhavyūha is now the Bodhisattva Padmaśrī; Queen Vimaladattā is now the Bodhisattva Vairocanaraśmipratimaṇḍita; and their two sons are now the Bodhisattvas Bhaiṣajyarāja and Bhaiṣajyasamudgata (from the seventh fascicle of the Lotus Sūtra).
8.13
4. Kṣāntivādin lives in the mountains and is dismembered by a king
8.14
In ancient times, the Bodhisattva was once a brahmacārin named Kṣāntivādin. He lived in the mountains beneath a tree, drinking spring water and eating fruits. With his inner defilements completely eliminated, his six spiritual penetrations became immensely luminous, and he attained the wisdom of exhaustive knowledge. His fragrant reputation perfumed everywhere and was heard in all eight directions, above and below. Sages and commoners praised him, and his presence protected the country, so that wind and rain came in their proper season, the five grains ripened abundantly, and calamities and poisons were eradicated. The king was named Kali. He entered the mountains to hunt, chasing after elaphures and deer. Following their tracks, he passed right in front of the Bodhisattva. The king questioned him, but the Bodhisattva remained silent. The king said: 'You beggar worthy of death! I am the supreme lord of an entire realm. When questioned, you do not answer promptly. The tracks of the beasts passed here, yet you pretend to hang your head. With my power, I can execute you!' The Bodhisattva said: 'I am merely listening to the King.' The king said: 'Who are you?' He replied: 'I am a man of forbearance.' In fury, the king drew his sword and severed his right arm. The Bodhisattva said: 'My resolve is set on the unsurpassable Path; I have no dispute with the world. If I can extend my forbearance even to this king, how much more so toward the common folk! May it be that when I attain buddhahood, I will surely liberate him first, so that sentient beings will not emulate his evil deeds.' The king said: 'Who are you, sir?' He replied: 'I am a man of forbearance.' The king then severed his left hand, and even both feet, ears, and nose. His blood flowed like a spring, and his pain was immeasurable. Heaven and earth trembled, and the sun and moon lost their light. The Four Great Heavenly Kings arrived together in anger, saying with one voice: 'This king is cruel and ferocious!' They said to the man of the Path: 'We shall execute him and his wife and children, and destroy his entire country to make manifest his evil.' The man of the Path answered: 'What words are these? This is because in my previous life I did not uphold the Buddha's teachings and inflicted harm upon him. Evil brings retribution following closely behind, just as a shadow is tied to a form.' The common people, witnessing these anomalies, rushed forward to confess their faults, saying with one voice: 'The man of the Path resided here, warding off disasters and bringing salvation. Our foolish lord did not recognize good from bad, nor did he know what to pursue or avoid. He inflicted evil upon the foremost sage. We only pray that the holy one will not retaliate against us through the Sovereign on High.' The Bodhisattva replied: 'Though the king inflicted cruelty and ferocity upon me, my heart pities him just as a mother thinks of her infant child. What fault have the common folk? You need have no doubt.' The Bodhisattva had a younger brother living on a different mountain, who observed this with the divine eye. At that time, heavenly spirits and dragons conferred together about the king's evil, and none was not filled with rage. Fearing that his elder brother might have thoughts that damaged his virtue, the younger brother arrived at his brother's side by the power of his supernatural feet. He took the severed hands, feet, ears, and nose and placed them in their original positions. When the younger brother rejoined them, they were immediately restored to their original state. The elder brother said: 'The truth of my universal compassion has been manifested today.' The heavenly spirits and earthly deities were all moved to both sorrow and joy. They bowed their heads, praised him as excellent, exhorted one another, received the precepts, and withdrew. Kṣāntivādin was myself; the younger brother was Maitreya; and the king was Kauṇḍinya (from the fifth fascicle of the Liudu ji jing).
8.15
5. Remaining silent, he receives instruction from a deva and, contemplating according to the meaning, attains the four dhyānas
8.16
At that time, in Rājagṛha, a son was born into the family of General Siṃha. When he was born, the devas in the sky spoke these words: 'Boy, always be mindful of the Dharma and reflect upon the Dharma. Whatever you utter, do not speak of worldly matters. You must always proclaim the supramundane Dharma. You must always guard your mouth, be careful in your speech, and speak little. Do not give rise to mental reflections regarding worldly affairs. Rely on the meaning, not on the letters.' At that time, hearing this, the boy wept no more and showed no infantile appearance; up to seven days later, his countenance was gentle and joyful, and when seeing people he rejoiced, without ever blinking his eyes. Then someone said to his parents: 'This child is inauspicious and should not be raised.' The parents replied: 'Although this child makes no sound, yet his bodily faculties are complete. You should know that this child certainly possesses merit and virtue and is not an inauspicious cause.' Therefore, they gave him a name, calling him Wuyan (Mute). In time, the boy Wuyan gradually grew up to resemble an eight-year-old child, whom people delighted to see. Wherever the Dharma was preached and the wheel of Dharma was turned, he delighted in the Dharma, listening and receiving it, while uttering nothing from his mouth. At that time, Wuyan, together with his parents, retinue, and clansmen, went between the realms of desire and form to a jeweled courtyard. Seeing the Buddha and the bodhisattvas coming from the ten directions, he gave rise to great joy. Śāriputra said to the Buddha: 'Bhagavat, the son born to General Siṃha has all his physical faculties intact, yet cannot speak. By what karma was this brought about?' The Buddha said: 'One should not disparage this boy. Why is that? This person is indeed a great bodhisattva. He has already planted good roots before immeasurable Buddhas, and is in the stage of non-retrogression upon the path to bodhi. When this boy was born, many devas came to admonish him as related before. Following the devas' instructions, he silently reflected and attained the four dhyānas. Manifesting such a body, he is able to subdue immeasurable sentient beings.' By the power of his vows and the power of his supernormal faculties, he caused the eight classes [of beings] and the fourfold assembly each to see a great lotus flower in his right hand, like a cart-wheel, fully endowed with supreme color and fragrance, wondrous and foremost, which people delighted to see. On each flower platform sat a bodhisattva in full lotus posture, his body adorned with the thirty-two marks and eighty minor signs. Seeing this great supernormal power, Wuyan bowed his head, joined his palms, and pronounced 'Namo Buddhāya.' All the bodhisattvas within the flower platforms said the same words together. The worlds, numerous as the sands of the Ganges in the ten directions, shook in six ways. The devas in the sky made offerings to the Buddha with wondrous fragrant flowers and various kinds of music. At that time, Wuyan and the bodhisattvas leaped into the sky to a height of seven tāla trees, and uttered verses praising the Buddha (Extracted from the Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra, fascicle 17).
8.17
Sadāprarudita Journeys East in Search of the Dharma and Encounters a Buddha Showing the Path, [Story] 6
8.18
The Bhagavat in the past was a bodhisattva named Sadāprarudita. Seeing the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha in the world, [and seeing] how the world was filthy and defiled, turning its back on the correct and heading toward the deviant, being hypocritical and pursuing profit just as moths delight in flame; [and seeing that although] the four immeasurables and the six perfections are a dwelling of everlasting peace, yet the world abandons the Buddha and turns toward those perils and disasters to destroy itself, the bodhisattva was constantly grieved, distressed, and wept sorrowfully. In antiquity, there was a Buddha named Jingfa Wuhui. Not long after his passing into extinction, the sūtras and teachings had completely vanished. Sadāprarudita saw that Buddha in a dream preaching the Dharma to him. Hearing it, the bodhisattva's defilements of mind were eradicated and he entered pure concentration. Thereupon he abandoned his wife and children and entered the mountains to be secluded and quiet, sustaining himself with fruits and water. Beating his chest and wailing mournfully, [he cried]: 'I did not encounter the Buddha and do not see the Dharma and Saṅgha, the supreme ultimate of the Great Path!' Just as his lamenting voice finished, a heavenly deity descended and said: 'Luminous Knight, do not wail anymore in this way. The Buddha has a Great Dharma named the Illumination of the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā), through which all Buddhas of the three periods have attained [awakening]. Seek it, recite and study its text, keep its meaning in your mind, and practice it with devotion; then you will certainly attain buddhahood.' Sadāprarudita looked up and said: 'From whom should I hear this noble Dharma? By what expedient means, to what land, and what is the name and lineage of that master?' The deva replied: 'Go directly east. Do not give thought to form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, or consciousness; cut off all desires in your mind and hold your resolve without wavering. I teach you to behold the sacred scripture of the Perfection of Wisdom.' Sadāprarudita said: 'Yes, I shall hold it to heart from beginning to end.' The deva repeated: 'Vigorously preserve it,' and suddenly disappeared. The bodhisattva, receiving the instruction, journeyed east seeking it, and after several days he stopped. Reflecting deeply to himself, he said: 'My past merits are meager; rulers and subjects are confused and heedless, with no one knowing the Buddha. How many leagues from here is the noble master who dispels darkness?' Due to the culmination of his sincerity, he moved a Buddha from the zenith to appear before him, flanked by devas. He praised the bodhisattva: 'Excellent, excellent! You are rare in the world!' The bodhisattva, seeing the Buddha, was both joyful and sorrowful. Bowing his head, he said: 'May the Buddha have pity on me and expound the sūtras for me.' The Buddha told him: 'The three realms are entirely empty. Whatever exists must become non-existent; the myriad things are like illusions. A single birth and a single death are like waves on water; behold that all the world is thus, and take care never to forget it. From here, journeying east for twenty thousand leagues, there is a country named Gandhavatī, a city of bodhisattvas. Within that country, all are superior knights and there are no ordinary people. Were I to recount the virtues of the bodhisattvas for you, the number of kalpas would be exhausted, yet their virtues would still remain. A bodhisattva [there] is named Dharmodgata; among those sages, he is like the moon among the stars. Holding all scriptures, he repeatedly teaches others. The bodhisattvas receive, recite, write, and read them. He who is the origin of this sūtra will certainly be your teacher; I urge you to approach him, and he will preach it to you.' Sadāprarudita awoke from his absorption and looked around him; he saw the Buddha no more. His heart was sorrowful and tears flowed, and he said: 'From where did the miraculous brilliance of the Buddhas come, and where has it now departed?' (Extracted from the Liudu ji jing, fascicle 7).
8.19
Shanxin Journeys East Seeking Half a Verse and Treads on Mud Without Sinking, [Story] 7
8.20
In an age without the Dharma, the Bodhisattva Shanxin was searching for the true Dharma when a voice in the sky said: 'Ten thousand yojanas to the east of here, there is a country whose king is named Supratiṣṭhita. Formerly a Tathāgata appeared in the world, but he has long since entered extinction. As the Semblance Dharma declined, there was a woman born of humble and low caste, ugly in appearance, such as did not exist in the human world. Yet she vaguely remembers half a sentence, a single verse, showing that she holds a transmission; you may go and inquire about your doubts. [However,] there is a mire ten thousand leagues across; whoever steps on it immediately sinks. Even flying birds cannot cross it, and it cannot bear a single fine hair. You are now exhausted, and your hands and feet are cracked and broken. How could you advance further?' Hearing this, I leaped up and ran east to where the mire was. Prepared to abandon my body and life, I threw myself into it, originally expecting to sink. As I threw my body, wherever my body touched, a small road emerged, pure white, long, and straight. Treading upon it, I had no further difficulties, and went directly to that country and entered the city of Supratiṣṭhita. Weeping and blaming myself for not beholding the Bhagavat, I saw this woman dwelling in a humble and mean place, her room full of holes, her human form coarse and lowly. Yet with respect I regarded her as if she were a Buddha; looking upon her, making prostrations, circumambulating and praising her, I besought the woman to be my great master: 'May you deign to instruct me, so that I may fulfill deep faith.' The woman replied: 'The wondrous Dharma of the Buddhas is immeasurable and boundless; what I have heard is only half a verse. If you wish to hear it, I will speak it now:
8.21
"Commit no evil deeds, / Practice all wholesome deeds."
8.22
Hearing these words, my body and mind became cool, my faculties tranquil, naturally subdued. Reciting and retaining it in my mind, reflecting on its meaning, I penetrated this purport. Immediately I attained supernormal faculties, flew back to my native country, and widely proclaimed this verse. By this merit, I gained firm faith in the Buddha's Dharma, indestructible. The hosts of Māra submitted, and all were transformed and took refuge. Before having this faith, I was constantly in saṃsāra. For the sake of sentient beings, I revealed this faith, enabling them to practice it' (Extracted from the Pusa jueding yaoxing, fascicle 1).
8.23
Sarvalokapriyadarśana Is Loved by His Master's Wife and Disobeys Her Command, Bringing Upon Suffering, [Story] 8
8.24
North of the city of Śrāvastī, not far from the city, in a village named Sāna, there was a poor brāhmaṇa woman named Bhadrā. She gave birth to a son named Sarvalokapriyadarśana. He lost his father when young. When he was twelve years old, his physical strength and human marks were foremost and complete; he was intelligent, eloquent, and skilled in subtle speech. Furthermore, in another village named Phalāhasi, there was a long-residing brāhmaṇa master named Maṇibhadra, who thoroughly understood the four Vedas. Sarvalokapriyadarśana studied under him, humbly compliant, respectful, and serving him with all his heart; his faculties were pure and gentle, and whatever he received he was sure to retain. The master accepted an invitation from the king, leaving Sarvalokapriyadarśana to guard the house while he departed. The brāhmaṇa's wife was young and fair; toward Sarvalokapriyadarśana she gave rise to deep lustful passion. Suddenly forgetting decorum and shame, she stepped forward and grabbed his clothes. At that time, Sarvalokapriyadarśana said: 'Good lady, you are now my mother. How could you perform what is not Dharma?' Harboring shame and fear within, he discarded his clothes and shunned her from afar. The master's wife, her lust rampant, wept tears and thought to herself: 'He abruptly spurns me and does not follow my desire. If you will certainly not comply, I must end your life.' She then gouged her own body with her fingernails, employed womanly deceit to arrange her appearance, and tied herself with a rope without her feet leaving the ground. When the husband returned and saw his wife, he severed the rope with a knife, shouted loudly, and asked for what reason. The wife replied: 'This Sarvalokapriyadarśana forcefully violated me and did such deeds.' Her husband reflected, saying: 'On the day Sarvalokapriyadarśana was born, all the knives and swords of all kṣatriyas drew themselves out, their blades curled and bent, and fell to the ground. At that time, all the kṣatriyas were greatly terrified. Since the day of his birth possessed such signs, one should know that this person possesses great power of virtue.' He said to Sarvalokapriyadarśana: 'You are an evil person who has disgraced the revered one. You are now no longer a true brāhmaṇa. You must kill a thousand people, and only then may your sin be expiated.' Sarvalokapriyadarśana, by nature reverently obedient, respected his master's instructions. He said to the master: 'Alas, Upādhyāya, killing a thousand people is not what I should do.' The master then said to him: 'You are an evil person; do you not delight in being born in heaven and becoming a brāhmaṇa?' He replied: 'Excellent, Upādhyāya, I obey your command.' He then killed a thousand people and returned to salute the master's feet. The master, hearing and seeing this, thought it extraordinary: 'You great evil person, are you still not dead?' He then thought again: 'Now I must make him die.' And he told him: 'As you kill each person, take one finger from each person. After killing a thousand people, take the fingers to make a garland, place it on your head, and return. Only after that will you succeed in becoming a brāhmaṇa.' Because of this circumstance, he was named Aṅgulimāla. He then said to the master: 'Excellent, Upādhyāya, I receive your teaching.' He then killed a thousand people, lacking just one. At that time, Aṅgulimāla's mother, thinking her son must be hungry, personally took four kinds of delicious food and brought them to him. When the son saw his mother, he thought to himself: 'I should enable my mother to be born in heaven.' He then held his sword and came forward, wishing to end her life. Ten yojanas short of one zhang from the country of Śrāvastī, there was a tree named Aśoka. At that time, the Buddha, with omniscient wisdom, approached like a king of elephants. Seeing the Bhagavat, Aṅgulimāla held his sword and rushed forward, thinking to himself: 'Now I shall also kill this śramaṇa.' The Bhagavat manifested avoiding him. Aṅgulimāla spoke a verse:
8.25
"Stop, stop, Great Śramaṇa, / Prince of King Śuddhodana! / I am Aṅgulimāla; / Now I shall take a finger as toll!"
8.26
The Bhagavat spoke a verse:
8.27
"Stop, stop, Aṅgulimāla! / You should stop in pure precepts. / I am the Equal and Fully Awakened One; / I pay you the toll of the sword of wisdom."
8.28
Then the mother saw the Buddha and Aṅgulimāla engaged in back-and-forth bitter debate. The son's mind was subdued; relinquishing his body, he bowed down in contemplation. Therefore she spoke a verse, saying:
8.29
"Long having lost a precious treasure, today it is regained; / Dust and defilement ruined the eyes, today the eyes are cleansed. / Alas, my son's mind was bewildered, / Constantly smearing his body with human blood, / An extremely sharp sword always in his hand, / Killing multitudes of people to make heaps of corpses. / May this child follow after me; / Now I reverently bow my head to the Equal and Fully Awakened One. / Many people reviled me with words hard to hear, / Saying: 'Your son is like this,' severely reproaching me."
8.30
(Extracted from the Aṅgulimālīya Sūtra, fascicle 1).
8.31
Yanguang Practices Auspicious Vows, Encounters a Woman, and Retreats to Practice Household Affairs, [Story] 9
8.32
Incalculable kalpas ago in the past, there was an ascetic aspirant named Yan Guang. Living in a forest thicket, he practiced the auspicious vow. For 4,200,000 years he had cultivated his practice without hindrance. Entering the kingdom of Śāgala, there was a potter's daughter. Seeing this ascetic aspirant's handsome and graceful countenance, lust arose intensely within her, and she threw herself at him. The ascetic aspirant replied, saying, "I do not delight in desire." The woman said, "If you will not, I shall take my own life." Yan Guang thought to himself: "I uphold the prohibitive precepts. If I now break them, it will not be auspicious." Stepping seven paces away from her, he then gave rise to compassion and pity: "Breaking the prohibitive precepts leads to the sin of falling into hell. If it is not done, this woman will harm herself. It is better to bring peace and security to this woman; I shall endure the torment of hell." Yan Guang thereupon returned and complied with the woman's desire, retreating into domestic life for twelve years. After his life ended, he was reborn in the Brahmā heaven. The Buddha said: "If you wish to know who the ascetic aspirant Yan Guang was at that time, could he have been anyone else? He was my very self. The potter's daughter was Gopī." (Extracted from the first fascicle of the Huisheng pusa jing).
8.33
10. Diqiluo and Nalai Contend with Each Other, Causing Five Days of Darkness
8.34
In the past there were two bodhisattvas whose aspirations were pure and whose conduct was immaculate. Inwardly quiescent and free of desire, their outward appearance was like heavenly gold. Chipping out stone to make a chamber, they lived in seclusion and quieted their aspirations, wearing rush garments, sleeping on grass mats, and drinking spring water. Pure and without worldly striving, their aspirations were like empty space. Fully accomplishing the four dhyānas, they attained the wisdom of the five supernormal knowledges. Ordinary persons, Śakra, ṛṣis, sages, and all the devas, nāgas, ghosts, and spirits without exception bowed their heads to them. They dwelled in the mountains and marshes for over sixty years, pitying sentient beings and reverently honouring the Three Honoured Ones. One was named Diqiluo, and the second was named Nalai. Diqiluo rose at night to chant sūtras, and becoming utterly exhausted, lay down to rest. Nalai was also chanting sūtras at the time and mistakenly stepped on Diqiluo's head. Diqiluo immediately got up and said, "Who stepped on my head? When tomorrow morning's sun rises, your head shall split into seven pieces!" Nalai said, "It was a mistake that I stepped on your head; why make such a grave curse? Even mere vessels may bump into one another; how much more so for people living together for years not to make an error! If your words hold true, when tomorrow's sun rises my head must split. I shall hold back the sun and not allow it to rise!" The sun consequently did not rise, and for five days the entire kingdom was plunged into darkness. Torches were relied upon constantly, official duties were neglected, and sovereign and subjects were terrified and bewildered. The king assembled all his ministers and invited various Daoists. The king asked, "Where lies the blame for the sun not rising?" Among the Daoists was one with the five supernormal knowledges, who said, "Two Daoists in the mountains have had a slight dispute and have restrained it from rising." The king asked, "What can be done?" He replied, "If the king leads his ministers and the people, great and small alike, to hasten there, bow their heads, and make peace between them, they will surely become compassionate and harmonious." The king then issued an edict and went to the mountains and marshes, kowtowing and saying, "The abundance of the state and the peace of the people are the grace of the two venerable ones. Yet now you are in discord, and the entire land is deprived of its order. The fault lies with me; the common people are blameless. We pray that you will pity and pardon us." Nalai said, "Let the king persuade and instruct him to untie his mind. When his mind is untied, I shall release the sun to rise." The king went to Diqiluo's place and declared Nalai's intent. That very day, taking thought of him, Diqiluo smeared his head with clay and released the sun to rise. The clay head immediately split into seven pieces, and Nalai remained unharmed. The king, his ministers, and the common people were all overjoyed. The two Daoists expounded extensively to the king on governing the state: he should encourage the people with the four immeasurables of inexhaustible benevolence, uphold the five precepts, and practice the ten wholesome deeds. The king and his ministers and people all accepted the precepts together. The king returned to his realm and issued an edict, saying: "Let everyone, regardless of noble or base station, abide by the scripture of the five precepts and ten wholesome deeds, taking it as the standard for the kingdom." From that time onward, the king's bounty reached even the grasses and trees, and his ministers were loyal and pure. The Buddha told the monks: "Nalai was my very self; Diqiluo was Maitreya." (Extracted from the seventh fascicle of the Duwuji ji).
8.35
11. Bodhisattva Lefa Relinquishes Jeweled Ornaments to Trade for a Single Verse
8.36
In a past age, there was a bodhisattva named Lefa (Dharmakāma). Born and raised in a royal family, he wrote down, recited, and chanted whatever wholesome words he heard. For the sake of seeking the Dharma, he traveled through various states and towns. At that time, there was a man standing beside a deep pit who said to Lefa: "Come, come! I will give you a verse spoken by the Buddha." The bodhisattva replied, "Give it to me." The man said again, "Give me your jeweled garments and maṇi-necklace, and only then will I give it to you." The bodhisattva agreed. The man's greed grew, and he said further: "If you are able to throw yourself into this deep pit for me upon hearing the Buddha's verse—if you can do this, make a vow first, and only then will I speak it for you." The prince replied, saying: "Alas, kind sir! What benefit do you gain by having me throw myself into this deep pit?" The man replied, saying: "I gain nothing. I only fear that if you relinquish these precious items now, once you hear and receive it you will give rise to regret, and relying on your noble power and influence, take them back from me." The prince replied, "Just speak it. I shall never regret giving you the precious items or throwing myself into the deep pit." Hearing this vow, the man spoke the Buddha's verse for him. The bodhisattva immediately gave him the jeweled garments and the maṇi-necklace. He then made a vow, saying: "If I have relinquished these with sincere mind and without regret, by these true words may I fall from this height and land safely and peacefully without any injury." Having made this vow, he threw himself down. Before he reached the ground, the Four Heavenly Kings came, gently caught him, and set him on the ground, saying: "The verse spoken by the Buddha is extremely profound and subtle, yielding great benefit." The man also came down from the height to the bodhisattva's place and spoke these words: "Prince, it is rare that one can perform such a difficult deed. What Dharma do you seek?" The bodhisattva replied, "By this deed I shall attain the Buddha Way." And he made the four great vows. Having heard this, the man gave rise to faith and said to the bodhisattva: "I return to the prince his jeweled garments and pearl necklace; this is truly what befits the prince." He replied, saying: "It is like what has been spat out; how could one swallow it again?" The man said, "If you will not take them back, please accept my repentance. When you become a Buddha in the future, please save and deliver me." Prince Lefa was Śāriputra. The one who spoke the verse at that time was Ligeli. (Extracted from the upper section of the Rushou wushang qingjing fenwei jing; upon re-examination, this does not yet match).
8.37
12. Relinquishing the Body to Hear Half a Verse
8.38
Good son, in the distant past before the sun of the Buddha had arisen, at that time I was a brāhmaṇa cultivating the bodhisattva practice. I was able to thoroughly comprehend the sūtras and treatises of non-Buddhists, cultivated quiescent practice, and was endowed with decorous conduct. My mind was pure and could not be corrupted by external desires; I extinguished the fire of anger, and upheld the Dharma of permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Searching everywhere for the Mahāyāna scriptures, I had not yet even heard the name of Vaipulya. Residing in the snowy mountains, I focused my mind in meditation for immeasurable years, practicing difficult and austere deeds. At that time, Śakra Devānām Indra transformed his body into the likeness of a rākṣasa of extremely terrifying form. He descended to the snowy mountains, stood not far from him, and remained there. At that time, the rākṣasa was fearless in mind, valiant and formidable, eloquent in orderly succession, and of a clear and refined voice. He proclaimed half a verse spoken by a past Buddha:
8.39
"All conditioned phenomena are impermanent; / These are dharmas of arising and ceasing."
8.40
Having spoken it, he stopped. The appearance he manifested was extremely frightful. Looking around in all directions, he surveyed the four quarters. Hearing this half-verse, the ascetic felt joy in his heart. He immediately stood up from his seat, lifted his hair with his hands, looked around in all four directions, and spoke these words: "Who spoke the verse that was just heard?" At that time, looking in all four directions, he saw no other person, but only the rākṣasa. He then spoke these words: "Who opened such a gate of liberation? Who could thunder with the voice of the Buddhas? Who, amid the slumber of birth and death, has alone awakened and proclaimed such words? Who here can show and guide the beings famished in birth and death to the supreme taste of the Way? Immeasurable beings are sinking in the ocean of birth and death; who can act as a great helmsman among them? These beings are constantly entangled in the severe illness of defilements; who can act as a fine physician for them? Speaking this half-verse has awakened my mind, like a half-moon gradually opening a lotus blossom." At that time, I again had this thought: "Could it be this rākṣasa who spoke this verse?" Yet doubt arose again that it was not his speech: "Why so? This person's appearance is extremely terrifying. If someone gets to hear these verses and lines, all fear and ugliness are instantly removed. How could one of such appearance be able to speak this verse?" Good son, at that time I again had this thought: "This rākṣasa might have been able to see past Buddhas, and heard this half-verse spoken from those Buddhas." I then went to the rākṣasa's place and said, "Well done, Great Being! Where did you obtain this half-verse spoken by the past ones who were free of fear?" He then answered me, saying: "Great Brāhmaṇa, you should not ask me this meaning now. Why so? It has already been many days since I have eaten; I have sought everywhere but have been utterly unable to find anything. Afflicted with hunger and thirst, my mind is confused and speaking erratically; it is not known from my original mind." I then again spoke to the rākṣasa, saying: "Great Being, if you can finish speaking this verse for me, I will be your disciple for the rest of my life. What you have spoken is incomplete in words and unfinished in meaning; for what reason do you not wish to speak it? Material giving has an end, but the condition of Dharma-giving is inexhaustible. Dharma-giving is inexhaustible and brings great benefit." The rākṣasa replied, saying: "Your wisdom is excessive. You only worry about yourself and do not consider at all that I am pressed by the suffering of hunger; I truly cannot speak." I then asked, "What is the food that you eat?" The rākṣasa replied, "You need not ask. If I speak of it, it will cause many people to be terrified." I spoke again, saying: "Here we are in solitude and there is no other person. I am not afraid of you; why not speak?" The rākṣasa replied, "What I eat is only human warm flesh; what I drink is only human hot blood. Although there are many people in the world, they all possess merit and are moreover protected by the devas; I lack the strength and am unable to kill them." I spoke again, saying: "Just speak this half-verse completely, and I will offer my body as an offering. If my life ends, such a body will be of no further use; it will be eaten by tigers, wolves, kites, owls, eagles, and vultures, without obtaining a single hair's worth of merit. For the sake of seeking Buddhahood, I relinquish this unstable body in exchange for a stable body." The rākṣasa replied, "Who would believe that for the sake of eight characters you would discard the body you love?" I then replied, saying: "Just as when someone gives an earthenware vessel to another and receives a vessel of the seven treasures, I relinquish an unstable body to obtain a vajra body. The Great Brahmā Heavenly King, Śakra Devānām Indra, and the Four Heavenly Kings can bear witness to this matter. Furthermore, the bodhisattvas with the heavenly eye who, wishing to benefit immeasurable sentient beings, practice the Mahāyāna and are endowed with the six perfections, can also bear witness to and know it, up to the Buddhas of the ten directions." The rākṣasa then spoke:
8.41
"Arising and ceasing having ceased, / Quiescent cessation is bliss."
8.42
The rākṣasa spoke, saying: "Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, you have now heard the complete verse and its meaning; has your wish been fully satisfied? If you truly wish to benefit all sentient beings, now give me your body." At that time, I deeply contemplated this meaning, and afterward, everywhere—whether on rocks, walls, trees, or roads—I wrote down this verse. I then refastened the garments I was wearing, fearing that after death my body would be exposed. I then climbed a tall tree and threw myself down from the tree. Before I reached the ground, various sounds issued forth from empty space, the sounds reaching all the way to Akaniṣṭha. At that time, the rākṣasa restored his form as Śakra, and in midair caught my body and placed it safely on level ground. By this cause and condition, I was able to surpass twelve full kalpas and achieve anuttarasamyaksaṃbodhi before Maitreya. (Extracted from the thirteenth fascicle of the Da niepan jing).
8.43
13. Having Long Practiced Patience, Being Cut into Pieces Without Sorrow
8.44
Question: "A bodhisattva's body is not made of wood or stone. Why, when sentient beings come to cut and sever it, does no different thought arise in him?"
Answer: "Some say: 'Because the bodhisattva has long cultivated the perfection of patience (kṣāntipāramitā), he can be free from sorrow and distress. Just as when the hands and feet of the Ṛṣi of Patience were severed, his blood all turned to milk.'
Some say: 'Because the bodhisattva has deeply cultivated great compassion for immeasurable lifetimes, though he is cut and severed he does not grieve or worry, just as grass and trees have no mind of anger.'
Some say: 'The bodhisattva deeply cultivates the perfection of wisdom (prajñāpāramitā), and in transforming his body he obtains the retribution of the perfection of wisdom. Because his mind is empty, he distinctly knows emptiness; when his body is cut and severed, his mind also does not move. Just as external things do not move, so it is within. Because of the retribution of wisdom, he makes no discrimination among any dharmas.'
Some say: 'This bodhisattva does not possess a body of birth-and-death; it is a body born of the Dharma-nature that has transcended the three realms. Because he abides in the fruit of the taintless noble mind, his body is like wood and stone, yet he is capable of compassionate thoughts toward those who cut and sever him. It is because this bodhisattva can produce such a mind that when inner and outer dharmas are severed or plundered, his mind remains unmoved.'
This is a rare quality of a bodhisattva. With my Buddha-eye, I see across worlds in the ten directions as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, where bodhisattvas enter into the hells, causing the fires to be extinguished and the boiling cauldrons to cool, teaching and transforming sentient beings with the three matters. For immeasurable asaṃkhyeya kalpas, they deeply practice a compassionate mind, providing gifts of external objects, yet in their intention they still feel unsatisfied; only when they make gifts of their own bodies are they satisfied. Like the Bodhisattva Bhaiṣajyarāja, who made offerings of external objects and precious jewels to the Buddha, yet in his intention still felt unsatisfied; only when he made a lamp of his own body was he satisfied. Though external things be many, they are not deemed a great debt of gratitude. Why is this? Because they are not what is most prized. Only when they receive his body can they be startled into feeling moved. Therefore he gives his body." (Drawn from the eightieth fascicle of the Da zhidu lun)
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Linked texts (1)
- 經律異相 — Classical Chinese