經律異相 8.12

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).