法苑珠林 19.32

19.32

又普達王經云。時有夫延國王。號名普達。典領諸國四方貢獻。王身奉佛法未甞偏枉。常有慈心愍傷愚民不知三尊。每當齋戒輒登高觀燒香。還頭著地稽首為禮。國中臣民怪王如此。自共議言。王處萬民之尊遠近敬伏。發言人從。有何情欲毀辱威儀頭面著地。群臣數數共議欲諫不敢。王勅臣下使嚴駕。當行王即與吏民數千人始出宮。未遠忽見一道人。王便下車却蓋住其群從。頭面著地為道人作禮。尋從而還施設飲食。遂不成行。群臣於是乃諫言。大王至尊。何宜於道路為此乞丐道人頭面著地。天下尊貴唯有頭面。加為國主不與他同。王便勅臣下令求死人頭及牛馬猪羊頭。臣下即遍行求索。歷日乃得。還白王言。前被教求死人頭及六畜頭。今悉已得。王言。於市賣之。臣下即使人賣之。牛馬猪羊頭等皆售。但人頭未售。王言。賤貴賣之。趣使其售。如其不售便以丐人。如是歷日賣既不售。丐人又不取者。頭皆膖脹臭處不可近之。王便大怒語臣下言。卿曹前諫言。人頭最貴。不可毀辱頭面著地禮道人。令使賣六畜頭皆售。人頭何故丐人無取者。王即勅臣下嚴駕。當出到城外曠野澤中。王有所問群臣人民莫不振悚。王即告群臣言。卿寧識吾先王時有小兒常執持蓋者不。臣下對曰。實識有之。王言。今此小兒何所在。對曰。亡已久遠乃歷十七年。王言。此兒為人善惡何如。對言。臣等常覩其承事先王。齋戒恭肅誠信自守。非法不言。王告諸臣。今若見此兒在時所著衣服。寧識之不。諸臣對曰。雖自久遠臣故識之。王顧使從。急還內藏取前亡兒衣來。須臾衣至。曰此是不。對曰。實是其衣。王曰。今儻見兒身為識之不。臣下皆默然良久。臣自弊闇卒覩不別。王始欲說本。前見道人來到王所。王大歡喜。起頭面著地為道人作禮。臣下莫不歡喜。道人就座。王叉手具白前緣。今故嚴出欲示本末。願為此國臣民開導愚癡令知真法。道人即為臣下說王本變。欲知王者。本是先王持蓋小兒。常隨先王齋戒一日不犯。其後過世魂神還生為王作子。今致尊貴皆由宿行。臣下大小莫不僉然。曰吾等幸遇得覩道人。願遂哀愍。乞為弟子。道人告言。我師號曰佛。身具足相好。獨步三界教授不虛。佛今去此乃六千里。須臾語頃。道人飛到舍衛國。具以啟佛。彼國人民甚可愍傷。今皆誠心願欲見佛。唯垂大慈開示真道。佛便許可。明日到夫延國。佛為王及臣民等說法云。欲知普達王及道人本末不。阿難言。願聞其事。佛言。乃昔摩訶文佛時。王為大姓家子。其父供養三尊。父命子傳香。時有一侍使。意中輕之不與其香。罪福響應故獲其殃。雖暫為驅使奉法不妄。今得為王。道人本是侍使。時不得香人。雖不得香其意無恨。即立誓言。若我得道當度此人。福願果合今來度王并及人民。王聞佛說其本末。意解即得須陀洹。國中人民聞經。皆受五戒十善以為常法。

Furthermore, the Sūtra of King Puda states: At that time, there was a king of the country of Fuyan named Puda, who held sway over various kingdoms and received tribute from the four directions. The king personally honoured the Buddha-Dharma and was never biased or unjust. He constantly harboured a compassionate mind, pitying the foolish commoners who did not know the Three Jewels. Whenever he observed the fast, he would mount a high tower to burn incense; returning, he would touch his head to the ground and prostrate in veneration. The ministers and people of the kingdom marvelled at the king acting thus, and conferred amongst themselves, saying, 'The king occupies the most revered position over the myriad people; those far and near revere and submit to him. Whatever he speaks, people follow. What inclination does he have to humiliate his dignified manner and touch his head and face to the ground?' The various ministers conferred repeatedly, wishing to remonstrate but not daring to do so. The king commanded his subordinates to prepare his chariot for a journey. The king then set out from the palace with several thousand officials and commoners. Not far along, he suddenly saw a man of the Way. The king immediately descended from his chariot, put aside his parasol, halted his retinue, and touched his head and face to the ground to venerate the man of the Way. He promptly followed him back and prepared food and drink, so that the journey was ultimately not completed. Thereupon the ministers remonstrated, saying, 'The Great King is supremely venerable; why is it fitting to touch your head and face to the ground on the road for this begging man of the Way? In all under heaven, what is honoured and noble is only the head and face; moreover, as lord of the kingdom, you are unlike others.' The king then commanded his subordinates to seek out a dead human's head as well as the heads of an ox, a horse, a pig, and a sheep. The subordinates immediately went all about searching for them, and only after several days did they obtain them. They returned and reported to the king, saying, 'Previously we were instructed to seek a dead human's head and the heads of the six domestic animals. Now we have obtained them all.' The king said, 'Sell them in the marketplace.' The subordinates then sent people to sell them. The heads of the ox, horse, pig, and sheep were all sold; only the human head was not sold. The king said, 'Sell it cheaply or dearly, just make haste to sell it. If it cannot be sold, then give it away to someone.' In this way, after several days of trying to sell it, it was still not sold; and when giving it away, no one would take it either. The head was completely bloated and stank so foully that none could approach it. The king then feigned great anger and addressed his subordinates, saying, 'You people previously remonstrated, saying that a human's head is most noble and that one must not humiliate oneself by touching head and face to the ground to venerate a man of the Way. When ordered to sell them, the heads of the six domestic animals all found buyers. For what reason is there no one who will take a human's head even when given away?' The king immediately commanded his subordinates to prepare the chariot to go out to the marshes in the wilderness outside the city. The king had questions to ask, and the ministers and people were all terrified. The king then addressed the ministers, saying, 'Do you happen to remember the young boy who used to hold the parasol during the time of my royal predecessor, or not?' The ministers replied, saying, 'We truly remember that he existed.' The king said, 'Where is this boy now?' They replied, 'He has been dead for a long time, indeed through seventeen years.' The king said, 'How was this boy's character, good or bad?' They replied, saying, 'We often observed him serving the late king, observing the fast with reverent solemnity, guarding himself with honesty and good faith, and never speaking what was contrary to Dharma.' The king told the ministers, 'If you were now to see the clothes this boy wore while alive, would you recognise them or not?' The ministers replied, saying, 'Although it has been a long time, we would still recognise them.' The king looked to his attendants and sent them in haste back to the inner storehouse to fetch the former dead boy's clothes. In an instant, the clothes arrived. He said, 'Are these they, or not?' They replied, 'They truly are his clothes.' The king said, 'If you were now to see the boy's body, would you recognise him or not?' The ministers were all silent for a long while, [then said,] 'We are dull and benighted, and upon seeing him abruptly we might not distinguish him.' The king was just about to explain the origin when the man of the Way seen before arrived at the king's place. The king was overjoyed; he stood up and touched his head and face to the ground to venerate the man of the Way. None of the ministers was not delighted. The man of the Way took a seat. The king joined his palms and fully stated the previous circumstances: 'Today I deliberately came forth in procession wishing to reveal the origin and outcome; I pray that you will guide and instruct the ministers and people of this kingdom out of their foolish ignorance, causing them to know the true Dharma.' The man of the Way immediately explained to the subordinates the king's original transformation: 'If you wish to know about the king: originally he was the young boy who held the parasol for the late king, constantly following the late king in observing the fast without violating it for a single day. Afterwards, when he passed away, his consciousness was reborn as the son of the king. Attaining supreme nobility today is entirely due to past deeds.' High and low among the ministers all agreed in unison, saying, 'We have had the fortunate encounter of beholding the man of the Way; we pray that you will extend your pity and compassion, and grant that we may become your disciples.' The man of the Way told them, saying, 'My teacher is named the Buddha. His body is complete with the marks and signs; he walks alone through the three realms, and his teachings are not in vain. The Buddha is now six thousand li away from here.' Within the space of a brief conversation, the man of the Way flew to the kingdom of Śrāvastī and fully reported to the Buddha: 'The people of that kingdom are greatly to be pitied; now they all sincerely wish to see the Buddha. We pray only that you bestow your great compassion and disclose the true path.' The Buddha then granted permission. The next day he arrived in the kingdom of Fuyan. The Buddha expounded the Dharma for the king, ministers, and people, saying, 'Do you wish to know the origin and outcome of King Puda and the man of the Way?' Ānanda said, 'We wish to hear of this matter.' The Buddha said, 'Long ago, in the time of the Buddha Mahāvīra, the king was the son of a great family whose father made offerings to the Three Jewels. The father commanded the son to pass around incense. At that time, there was an attendant who, being slighted in his mind, was not given incense. Because karmic offences and blessings correspond like echoes, he thus incurred this misfortune: although he was temporarily a servant, he honoured the Dharma without falsehood, and now has attained kingship. The man of the Way was originally that attendant. At that time, he did not obtain incense, yet although he did not obtain incense, his mind held no resentment; he immediately made a vow, saying: "If I attain the Way, I shall deliver this person." His merit and vow have borne fruit and united, so today he has come to deliver the king and the people.' When the king heard the Buddha explain their origin and outcome, his mind understood and he immediately attained the stage of srotāpanna. When the people in the kingdom heard the sūtra, they all received the five precepts and the ten virtues as their constant rule.