法苑珠林 33.11

33.11

爾時天帝即從座起。為佛作禮。長跪叉手。白佛言。世尊。我自惟念。先世之時生拘留大國。為長者子。青衣抱行入城遊觀。偶值眾僧街巷分衛。時見人民施者甚多。即自念言。願得財寶布施眾僧不亦快乎。即解珠纓布施眾僧。同心祝願歡喜而去。從是因緣壽終生天。得為天帝。九十一劫永離八難。佛告天帝及諸大眾。聽我自說宿命所行。昔我前世於波羅柰國。近大道邊安設圊廁。國中人眾得輕安者。莫不感義。緣此功德世世清淨。累劫行道穢染不污。金色晃昱塵垢不著。食自消化無便利之患。

At that time Śakra, Lord of the Devas, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Buddha, knelt on both knees with palms joined, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "World-Honoured One, I recall within myself that in a former life I was born in the great kingdom of Kuru as the son of an elder. Carried in the arms of a maidservant, I went into the city for sightseeing. I happened upon the Saṃgha begging for alms along the streets and lanes, and saw that the people giving alms were very numerous. Thereupon I thought to myself: 'Were I to obtain wealth and jewels to give in dāna to the Saṃgha, would that not be delightful?' Immediately, I took off my pearl necklace and gave it in dāna to the Saṃgha. We joined in making an invocation of blessing, and I departed with joy. Through this cause and condition, when my life ended I was born in heaven and became Śakra, Lord of the Devas. For ninety-one kalpas, I have been forever free from the eight difficulties." The Buddha said to Śakra and the great assembly: "Listen as I myself recount what was done in my former lives. Formerly, in a past life, in the kingdom of Vārāṇasī, I set up a privy beside a great road. Among the people of the kingdom, all who gained relief thereby were grateful for the benefit. Through this merit, in life after life I have been pure; cultivating the Way through successive kalpas, defilement and stain did not soil me, I was radiant with a golden colour, dust and dirt did not cling to me, food was digested of itself, and I was free from the distress of defecation and urination."