法苑珠林 43.32

43.32

時彼比丘而作是念。我今伏是王。多有所導。攝持佛法。當廣分布如來舍利安樂無量眾生。於此閻浮提盡令信三寶。以是因緣故自顯其德。時阿育王聞彼比丘所說。自於佛所生大敬信。又白比丘言。佛未滅度時何所記說。比丘答言。佛記大王。於我滅後過百歲之時。於巴連弗邑有三億家。彼國有王。名曰阿育。當王此閻浮提為轉輪王正法治化。又復宣布我舍利。於閻浮提立八萬四千塔。佛如是記大王。然大王今造此大地獄殺害無量民人。王應慈念一切眾生施其無畏令得安隱。時彼阿育王於佛所極生敬信。合掌向比丘作禮。我得大罪今向比丘懺悔。我之所作甚為不可。願受我懺勿復責我愚人。今復歸命。時彼比丘度阿育王已乘空而化。時王從彼地獄出。兇惡白王言。王不復得去。王曰。汝今欲殺我耶。彼曰。如是。王曰。誰先入此中。答曰。我是。王曰。若然者汝先應取死。王即勅人將此兇惡主。著作膠舍裏以火燒之。又勅壞此地獄施眾生無畏。

At that time, that bhikṣu thought to himself: "If I subdue this king now, it will guide many; he will uphold the Buddha-Dharma, extensively distribute the Tathāgata's śarīra, bring peace and joy to immeasurable sentient beings, and cause all in this Jambudvīpa to have faith in the Three Jewels." For this reason, he manifested his virtue. Then King Aśoka, hearing what that bhikṣu said, gave rise in himself to great reverence and faith toward the Buddha. He further addressed the bhikṣu, saying, "Before the Buddha entered parinirvāṇa, what prediction did he make?" The bhikṣu answered, saying, "The Buddha predicted regarding the Great King: 'A hundred years after my nirvāṇa, in the city of Pāṭaliputra there will be three hundred million households. In that country there will be a king named Aśoka. He shall rule this Jambudvīpa as a cakravartin, governing with the true Dharma. Furthermore, he will distribute my śarīra and erect eighty-four thousand stūpas across Jambudvīpa.' Such was the Buddha's prediction regarding the Great King. Yet the Great King has now created this great hell, killing and harming countless common people. The king should compassionately care for all sentient beings, bestow fearlessness upon them, and cause them to attain peace." Then King Aśoka gave rise to extreme reverence and faith toward the Buddha. Joining his palms toward the bhikṣu, he made prostrations: "I have committed great offenses and now repent before the bhikṣu. What I have done is utterly improper. I pray you accept my confession and no longer blame this foolish man. Now I take refuge once more." When that bhikṣu had converted King Aśoka, he transformed away through the sky. As the king was walking out of that hell, the cruel one addressed the king, saying, "The king may no longer leave." The king said, "Do you intend to kill me now?" He said, "Yes." The king said, "Who entered here first?" He replied, "I did." The king said, "If so, you should be the first to meet death." The king then ordered his men to take this cruel warden, put him inside a house of pitch, and burn him with fire. He also ordered the demolition of this hell, bestowing fearlessness upon all sentient beings.