法苑珠林 33.10

33.10

復有一比丘。名曰阿難。即白世尊曰。憶念我昔生羅閱祇國。為庶民子。身生惡瘡治之不差。有親友道人來語我言。當浴眾僧取其浴汁。以用洗瘡亦可得愈。又可得福。我即歡喜。往到寺中加敬至心。更作新井香油浴具。洗浴眾僧取其浴汁。以用洗瘡尋蒙除愈。緣是功德所生端正。金色晃昱不受塵垢。九十一劫常得淨福。增德廣遠今復值佛。心垢消除逮得應真。爾時座中有一比丘尼。名曰柰女。即白佛言。我念宿命生波羅柰國。為貧女人。時世有佛。名曰迦葉。時與大眾圍繞說法。我時在座聞經歡喜。意欲布施。顧無所有。自惟貧賤。心用悲感。詣他園囿乞求果蓏。當以施佛。乞得一柰大而香好。擎一杅水并柰一枚。奉迦葉佛及諸眾僧。佛知至意祝願受之。分布水柰一切周普。緣此福祚命終生天得為天后。下生世間不由胞胎。九十一劫生柰華中。端正鮮潔常識宿命。今值世尊開示道眼。

There was another bhikṣu named Ānanda, who addressed the World-Honoured One, saying: "I recall that formerly I was born in the kingdom of Rājagṛha as the son of a commoner. Malignant sores broke out on my body, which could not be cured by treatment. A friend who was a religious practitioner came and said to me: 'You should bathe the Saṃgha, take their bathwater, and wash the sores with it; you may then be healed, and you will also gain merit.' I was overjoyed. Going to the monastery, with utmost sincerity and redoubled reverence, I further dug a new well, and provided scented oil and bathing utensils. Having bathed the Saṃgha, I took their bathwater and washed the sores with it, and immediately received healing. Through this merit, in subsequent births I was handsome, radiant with a golden colour and free from dust and defilement. For ninety-one kalpas I constantly enjoyed pure blessings, my virtues increasing far and wide. Now again I have encountered the Buddha, the defilements of my mind have been eradicated, and I have attained arhatship." At that time, there was in the assembly a bhikṣuṇī named Āmrapālī, who addressed the Buddha, saying: "I recall my former life: I was born in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī as a poor woman. At that time there was a Buddha in the world named Kāśyapa. Surrounded by a great assembly, he was preaching the Dharma. I was then seated in the assembly, and hearing the scripture, I was filled with joy. I wished to make a dāna, but looking around, I possessed nothing. Reflecting on my poverty and meanness, my heart was filled with grief and sorrow. I went to another's garden and orchard, begging for fruit and melons to offer in dāna to the Buddha. I obtained by begging a single apple (nài), large, fragrant, and fine. Carrying a bowl of water along with the single apple, I offered them to Kāśyapa Buddha and the Saṃgha. Knowing my utmost sincerity, the Buddha made an invocation for blessings and accepted them, distributing the water and the apple everywhere to all. Through this meritorious blessing, upon the end of that life I was born in heaven and became a heavenly queen. Descending to be born in the world, I did not pass through a womb: for ninety-one kalpas I was born within an apple blossom, upright, fresh, and pure, constantly remembering my former lives. Now I have encountered the World-Honoured One, who has opened and revealed to me the eye of the Way."