法苑珠林 47.53

47.53

如佛說一切施主所行檀波羅蜜經云。佛言。過去久遠無央數劫。爾時世有大國王。號字薩和達（晉言一切施主）爾時布施有所求索不逆其意。爾時異國有婆羅門子。少失其父。獨與母姊弟為活。居家貧陋。其母告子。居家困窮無以自供。汝父在者。當往薩和達王所乞丐可以自濟。今何不行至彼王所從求錢寶。兒報母言。我今未有所知。先當學問然後乃行。母語兒言。今汝家中了無所有。而有學問爾乃當行。若汝去後其處空乏。何以自活。兒即語母。我先當假貸索一兩金。可備一歲之糧。母即聽之。便行貸得金一兩還以與母。乃出家行學。一歲已竟便來歸家。母見兒還便逆問言。汝已行詣一切施王所耶。兒復報母言。所學未通當復更學。母言。前金已盡當作何計。兒答母言。當更假貸。兒即復往至前所貸金家。向其主說復欲貸一兩金意。金主語兒。汝前取金。既未還我。甫復欲索。汝若審復欲得金者。持卿母及姊弟皆以上券。爾乃可得。若至時不畢。當沒汝母及姊弟以為奴婢。便相許可。適作券取持歸付母。復捨家行學。復終一年。所知粗備。欲歸語母行詣一切施王所。在道中便為債主所索。及母姊弟將歸鎖脚。婆羅門子語債主言。卿雖相繫正使終年我無益用。不如相放。我當往詣一切施王所乞丐得物還以相償。其主思惟。便解婆羅門子令去。時有異國王軍起兵欲往取一切施王國。時諸臣白王。今有他國興兵入界。不審大王當作何計。時王自念。人命至短當歸無常。又我少小已來好喜布施。慈仁忍辱無傷害意。不欲與彼共相拒逆。所以者何。但以我一身故動搖兵眾。設有所中實非我宜。便勅諸臣不須為備。亦勿恐怖。但且嚴出迎送作禮。恭敬承事受其教勅令踰於我。諸臣復白王言。他國入界。云何不備。王默不應。如是至三。王言。不須拒逆。如我前言。諸臣皆言。王勅勿備。我等俱然。王言。大善。各且安家慎莫勞擾。其王夜半即脫印綬默亡而去。彼國王入國即領王位。便募索一切施王。其賞甚重。王遂出國行五百餘里。遙見婆羅門子。王意即想。此婆羅門子。今者必來索我無疑。時婆羅門子意亦想。此人將無正是一切施王。二人各前相逢便住。王問婆羅門子言。卿從何來。今欲所至。婆羅門子答言。我欲行至一切施王所。王復問。欲詣一切施王所。欲何求索。婆羅門子報言。少小失父居甚貧窮。以母及姊弟持行質債。欲從一切施王乞丐錢寶還贖母姊弟并得自濟。王便語言。我正是一切施王。婆羅門子問王。儐從所在。而獨行耶。王言。有他國來欲得我處。是以避之。所以者何。不欲傷害於人兵故。婆羅門子聞王所說即便躄地。而大啼泣不能自勝。王便前牽婆羅門子。諫曉使起。不須復啼。所求索者今當相與。婆羅門子言。王今失國。當持何等以相濟乞。王便報言。彼國來王相募甚重。卿今可截我頭持往與之。在所求索皆可得也。於是婆羅門子說偈報言。

As stated in the *Sūtra on the Dāna-pāramitā Practiced by the Lord of All Giving Spoken by the Buddha*: The Buddha said: “In the distant past, immeasurable kalpas ago, there was at that time in the world a great king named Sarvadā (in the language of Jin, ‘Lord of All Giving’). At that time, when giving gifts, whatever was sought from him, he never went against their wishes. At that time, in another country, there was a young brahmin whose father died early. He lived alone with his mother, older sister, and younger brother, their household being poor and lowly. His mother told her son: ‘Our household is destitute, with no means to support ourselves. When your father was alive, he would go to King Sarvadā to beg, and we could sustain ourselves. Why do you not now go to that king’s realm and seek wealth and jewels from him?’
The son replied to his mother: ‘I as yet have no knowledge; I must first study, and only then set out.’
The mother told the son: ‘Now in your house there is nothing at all, yet you insist on studying before you set out! If you leave and this place is left destitute, how are we to survive?’
The son immediately said to his mother: ‘I shall first borrow one liang of gold, which can provide provisions for one year.’ His mother then consented. He went and borrowed one liang of gold, returned to give it to his mother, and then left home to study. When one year had passed, he returned home. When the mother saw her son return, she went out to greet him and asked: ‘Have you already gone to the Lord of All Giving?’
The son again answered his mother: ‘What I have studied is not yet mastered; I must study further.’
The mother said: ‘The previous gold is already exhausted. What plan will you make?’
The son replied to his mother: ‘I shall borrow again.’ The son then went again to the house where he had previously borrowed the gold, and told the master that he wished to borrow another liang of gold. The master of the gold told the son: ‘You took gold previously and have not yet repaid me, and now you ask again. If you truly wish to get more gold, you must put your mother, older sister, and younger brother as bond on the contract; only then can you obtain it. If the time arrives and the debt is not settled, your mother, older sister, and younger brother will be forfeit as slaves.’ He then gave his consent, drew up the contract, took [the gold], carried it home, and gave it to his mother. He again left home to study. When another year was completed, his knowledge was roughly prepared; he wished to return to tell his mother, and then set out for the realm of King Sarvadā.
While on the road, he was seized by the creditor, who had already bound his mother, older sister, and younger brother in foot-shackles. The young brahmin said to the creditor: ‘Although you have bound us, even if you keep me for an entire year I will be of no use to you. It is better that you release me. I shall go to King Sarvadā to beg for wealth and return to repay you.’ The master considered this and released the young brahmin, allowing him to go.
At that time, the army of a king from another state raised troops intending to seize the state of King Sarvadā. The ministers informed the king: ‘Now another state has mobilized troops and entered our borders. We do not know what plan the Great King will make.’
The king thought to himself: ‘Human life is exceedingly short and will surely return to impermanence. Moreover, from my youth I have loved giving; my mind is benevolent, patient, and without intent to harm. I do not wish to resist them. Why? Simply for the sake of my single self to mobilize troops—should anyone be injured, it is truly unfitting for me.’ He then instructed the ministers: ‘There is no need to make preparations, nor should you be afraid. Simply set out in orderly array to welcome them, make obeisance, respectfully serve them, and receive their commands so that they exceed me.’
The ministers again said to the king: ‘Another state has entered our borders; why do we not make preparations?’ The king remained silent and did not respond. This occurred three times. The king said: ‘There is no need to resist them, just as I said before.’ The ministers all said: ‘The king commands not to prepare; we shall all comply.’ The king said: ‘Very good. Let each pacify his family, and be careful not to cause disturbance.’
At midnight, the king removed his seal and sash and secretly fled away. The king of that other state entered the realm and assumed the royal throne, immediately advertising for the capture of King Sarvadā with a very heavy reward. The [former] king had left his state and traveled over five hundred li, when in the distance he saw the young brahmin. The king thought to himself: ‘This young brahmin must surely have come seeking me today, without doubt.’
At that time, the young brahmin also thought: ‘Could this person perhaps be King Sarvadā himself?’ Both walked forward, met each other, and stopped. The king asked the young brahmin: ‘Where have you come from, and where do you wish to go now?’
The young brahmin answered: ‘I wish to go to King Sarvadā.’
The king asked again: ‘Wishing to go to King Sarvadā, what do you seek?’
The young brahmin replied: ‘I lost my father when young and live in great poverty. I gave my mother, older sister, and younger brother as collateral for a debt. I wish to beg wealth and jewels from King Sarvadā to redeem my mother, older sister, and younger brother, and also to sustain myself.’
The king then said to him: ‘I am none other than King Sarvadā.’
The young brahmin asked the king: ‘Where is your royal retinue, that you travel alone?’
The king said: ‘Another state came wishing to have my place, and therefore I avoided them. Why? Because I do not wish to harm people and soldiers.’
When the young brahmin heard what the king said, he threw himself to the ground and wept bitterly, unable to control himself. The king then went forward, took the young brahmin by the hand, comforted him, and made him rise, saying: ‘There is no need to weep any more. What you seek shall now be given to you.’
The young brahmin said: ‘The king has now lost his realm. What can you take to give me in charity?’
The king then answered: ‘The king who came from that state offers a very heavy bounty for me. You may now cut off my head and take it to him; whatever you seek, you will be able to obtain it all.’
Thereupon the young brahmin spoke a verse in reply: