法苑珠林 11.34

11.34

如佛本行經云。爾時菩薩於河澡浴食乳糜沐身體竟。光儀平復如本。威力自在安庠面向菩提樹。菩薩思惟。此菩提道場欲作何座。即自覺知。應坐草上。是時淨居天白菩薩言。過去諸佛欲證菩提。皆鋪草上而取正覺。爾時菩薩思惟誰能與我如是之草。左右四顧。是時忉利帝釋天王。以天智知菩薩心已。即化其身為刈草人。去於菩薩不近不遠。右邊而立。刈取於草。其草青緣。顏色猶如孔雀王項。柔軟滑澤而手觸時。猶如微細迦尸衣。色妙而香右旋宛轉。菩薩問彼人言。賢善仁者。汝名字何。彼人報言。我名吉利。菩薩思惟。我今欲求自身吉利。亦為他人以求吉利。此名吉利。在於我前。我今決當得證阿耨菩提。汝能與我草不。其化人報言。我能與草。是時帝釋即化作人。刈草奉菩薩。菩薩即取一把自手執持。當取草時。其地即便六種震動。將於此草向菩提樹下。持草中路。忽有百青雀。從十方來右繞菩薩。三匝訖已。隨菩薩行。又有五百拘翅羅鳥。又有五百孔雀。又有五百白鵝。又有五百鴻鶴。又有五百白鷗。又有五百迦羅頻伽之鳥。又有五百命命之鳥。又有五百白象。皆悉六牙。又有五百白馬。頭耳烏黑𩦲尾悉朱。長而披散。又有五百牛王。並皆解領猶如黑雲。是時復有五百童子五百童女。各以種種諸妙瓔珞莊嚴其身。又有五百天子五百天女五百寶瓶。以諸香華滿於其中。盛種種諸妙香水。無人執持自然空行。又世間中所有一切吉祥之事。皆從四方雲雨而來。各在菩薩右邊。圍繞三匝已隨菩薩行。一切諸天音樂。空中歡喜歌讚菩薩。不可具述。

As the Fo benxing jing says: At that time the Bodhisattva, having bathed in the river, eaten the milk-rice, and washed his body, his luminous appearance was restored as before. Majestic and possessed of sovereign ease, he calmly faced the bodhi tree. The Bodhisattva reflected: 'What kind of seat should be made at this bodhi-platform?' Then he knew of himself: 'I should sit upon grass.' At that time, a Śuddhāvāsa god said to the Bodhisattva: 'When the Buddhas of the past wished to realize bodhi, they all spread grass and attained perfect awakening.' Then the Bodhisattva wondered: 'Who can give me such grass?' He looked around to the left and right. At that time, Śakra, king of the gods in Trāyastriṃśa, having known the Bodhisattva's thought with his divine wisdom, transformed his body into a grass-cutter. Standing neither near nor far to the right of the Bodhisattva, he was cutting grass. The grass was dark green, its colour like the neck of a peacock king, soft and supple to the touch, like fine Kāsika cloth; its colour was exquisite, its fragrance coiled and turned to the right. The Bodhisattva asked the man: 'Good and virtuous sir, what is your name?' The man replied: 'My name is Jili (Auspicious).' The Bodhisattva reflected: 'I now seek what is auspicious for myself, and also seek what is auspicious for others. This one named Auspicious is before me; I shall certainly attain anuttarabodhi today. Can you give me some grass?' The transformed man replied: 'I can give you grass.' Then Śakra, having transformed himself into a man, cut the grass and offered it to the Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva took a handful and held it in his own hand. When he took the grass, the earth shook in six ways. He carried this grass toward the bodhi tree. While carrying the grass on the way, suddenly there were a hundred blue-green sparrows coming from the ten directions that circumambulated the Bodhisattva three times to the right and, having done so, followed as the Bodhisattva walked. There were also five hundred kokila birds, five hundred peacocks, five hundred white geese, five hundred swans and cranes, five hundred white gulls, five hundred kalaviṅka birds, five hundred jīvaṃjīvaka birds, five hundred white elephants all with six tusks, five hundred white horses with jet-black heads and ears, their manes and tails all cinnabar-red, long and trailing, and five hundred kingly bulls, all with loosened yokes, looking like black clouds. At that time there were also five hundred young boys and five hundred young girls, each adorning their bodies with various exquisite necklaces; there were also five hundred gods, five hundred goddesses, and five hundred precious vases filled with various fragrant flowers and containing various exquisite perfumed waters, which floated naturally through the air without anyone holding them. Furthermore, all auspicious things in the world came like clouds and rain from the four quarters, each on the right side of the Bodhisattva; having circumambulated him three times, they followed as the Bodhisattva walked. The music of all the gods resounded in the air, joyfully singing praises to the Bodhisattva beyond all description.