法苑珠林 52.46

52.46

如菩薩本行經云。佛告須達。過去世時有一婆羅門。名曰比藍。端正無比聰慧第一。財富無量不可憶數。比藍財寶所有皆悉非常。我不用之。欲施窮乏。即設大壇。人民雲集皆來至所。時比藍欲澡自手傾於軍持。而水不出。大用愁憂。今我大祠將有何過而水不出。即時天人於虛空中語比藍言。汝施大好無能過者。但所施人盡是邪偽倒見之徒。不堪受汝恭敬之施。以是之故水不能出。於是比藍聞天人語意便開解。即作誓言。今我所施用成無上正真之道。審如所願者。今我瀉水當墮我手。作誓願已便傾澡瓶水即墮手。諸天讚言。如汝所願成佛不久。爾時比藍布施貧乏衣服飲食。十二年中盡用布施無所藏積。佛告須達。爾時比藍婆羅門者。今我身是。而我所施亦好其心亦好。受者不好。所施雖多獲報甚少。而今我法真妙清淨弟子真正。所施雖少獲報甚多。於十二年所作布施。及閻浮提一切人民。計其功德不如布施一須陀洹人。其福甚多過出其上。施百須陀洹并前福報。不如施一斯陀含人。施百斯陀含并前福報。不如施一阿那含人。施百阿那含并前福報。不如施一阿羅漢。施百阿羅漢并前功德。不如施一辟支佛。施百辟支佛百阿羅漢百阿那含百斯陀含百須陀洹。及施閻浮提人所得功德。不如起塔僧坊精舍衣食等供養過去來今四方眾僧給其所須。計其功德過前所作功德。將前所作福德。不如施佛一人。功德甚多不可復計。雖供養佛并前施功德。不如有人一日之中受三自歸八關齋若持五戒。所得功德逾過於前。百千萬倍不可為喻。復以持戒之福。并合集前一切功德。不如坐禪慈念眾生經一食頃。所得功德逾過於前百千萬倍。復合前功德。不如聞法執在心懷思惟四諦。比前功德最尊第一無有過上。於是須達聞法踊躍。身心清淨得阿那含道。

As the Pusa benxing jing states: The Buddha told Sudatta: In a past age there was a Brahman named Velāma, incomparable in handsome appearance and foremost in intelligence and wisdom, with immeasurable wealth beyond reckoning. Velāma said, "All the wealth and jewels I possess are impermanent. I have no use for them; I wish to give them to the poor and destitute." He immediately set up a great altar. People gathered like clouds, all coming to the place. At that time, Velāma wished to wash his own hands and tilted the kuṇḍikā, but the water would not come out. He was deeply worried: "What fault will attend my great sacrifice now that the water will not come out?" At that moment, a devaputra in the sky spoke to Velāma, saying: "Your giving is exceedingly good; none can surpass it. However, the recipients of your giving are all followers of crooked deception and inverted views, unworthy to receive your reverent giving. For this reason, the water cannot come out." Thereupon Velāma heard the devaputra's words and his mind was opened and awakened. He immediately made a vow: "May my present giving serve to attain the unsurpassable, true, and correct Way. Truly, as I vow, when I now pour the water, may it fall upon my hand." Having made the vow, he tilted the water vase, and the water immediately fell upon his hand. The devas praised him, saying: "According to your vow, you will attain buddhahood before long." At that time, Velāma gave clothing, food, and drink to the poor and destitute. For twelve years, he gave everything away, hoarding nothing. The Buddha told Sudatta: "The Brahman Velāma at that time was my own person. What I gave was good and my mind was also good, but the recipients were not good; though what was given was vast, the retribution obtained was very little. But now my Dharma is truly sublime and pure, and my disciples are true and upright: though what is given may be little, the retribution obtained is very great. In terms of the giving performed over twelve years to all the people of Jambudvīpa, calculating its merit, it does not equal giving to a single srotāpanna; the blessing [of the latter] is far greater, surpassing the former. Giving to a hundred srotāpannas, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single sakṛdāgāmin. Giving to a hundred sakṛdāgāmins, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single anāgāmin. Giving to a hundred anāgāmins, together with the former retribution of blessings, does not equal giving to a single arhat. Giving to a hundred arhats, together with the former merit, does not equal giving to a single pratyekabuddha. Giving to a hundred pratyekabuddhas, a hundred arhats, a hundred anāgāmins, a hundred sakṛdāgāmins, a hundred srotāpannas, and giving to the people of Jambudvīpa—the merit obtained does not equal building a stupa, monastery, or vihāra, and offering clothing, food, and other necessities to the Saṃgha of the four directions throughout past, present, and future, supplying whatever they need. Calculating its merit, it surpasses the merit produced before. Setting against this the merit of blessings produced before, it does not equal giving to a single Buddha; its merit is exceedingly vast, beyond further reckoning. Although making offerings to the Buddha together with all the former merit of giving [is vast], it does not equal a person taking the three refuges, the eightfold observance, or upholding the five precepts for a single day; the merit obtained surpasses the former by hundreds of thousands of myriad times, beyond all comparison. Furthermore, taking the blessing of upholding the precepts and combining it with all the former merit, it does not equal sitting in meditation and lovingly contemplating sentient beings for the duration of a single meal; the merit obtained surpasses the former by hundreds of thousands of myriad times. Furthermore, combining all the former merit, it does not equal hearing the Dharma, holding it in one's heart, and contemplating the four noble truths; compared to the former merit, this is most revered, foremost, and unsurpassable." Thereupon Sudatta, hearing the Dharma, leapt for joy; body and mind purified, he attained the path of an anāgāmin.