法苑珠林 73.24

73.24

又賢愚經云。昔佛在世時。舍衛城中有一長者。名黎耆彌。有七頭兒。皆以婚娶。最小兒婦字毘舍離。甚有賢智。無事不知。時黎耆彌以其家業悉皆付之。由其賢智。波斯匿王敬禮為妹。有時懷妊。月滿生三十二卵。其一卵中出一男兒。顏貌端正勇健非凡。一人之力敵於千夫。長為納婦。皆是國中豪賢之女。時毘舍離。請佛及僧。於舍供養。佛為說法。合家悉得須陀洹果。唯最小兒未得道迹。乘象出游。逢輔相子乘車橋上。便捉擲著橋下塹中。傷破身體。來告其父。輔相語子。彼人力壯。又是國親。難與諍勝。當思密報。即以七寶作馬鞭三十二枚。純鋼作刀著馬鞭中。人贈一枚。諸人愛之歡喜納受。常捉在手出入見王。國法見王禮不帶刀。輔相見受便向王讒。毘舍離兒。年盛力壯一人當千。今懷異計謀欲殺王。各作利刀置馬鞭中。事審明矣。王即索看。果如所言。王意謂實。皆悉殺之。殺竟便以三十二頭。盛著一函。封閉印之送與其妹。當日毘舍離請佛及僧。就舍供養。見王送函。謂王助供。即欲開看。佛止不聽。待僧食竟。飯食訖已佛為說法無常苦等。時毘舍離得阿那含果。佛去之後開函見兒三十二頭。由斷欲愛不至懊惱。但作是言。痛哉悲矣。人生有死不得長久。驅馳五道何苦乃爾。三十二兒婦家親族。聞此事理懊惱唱言。大王無道。枉殺善人。共集兵馬欲往報讎。王時恐悑走向佛所。諸人引軍圍繞祇桓。阿難見王殺毘舍離三十二子。婦家親族欲為報讎。合掌問佛。有何因緣。三十二兒為王所殺。佛告阿難。乃往過去三十二人。盜他一牛共牽將到一老母舍。欲共殺之。老母歡喜為辦殺具。臨下刀時牛跪乞命。諸人意盛遂爾殺之。牛死誓言。汝今殺我。我將來世終不放汝。死已共食。老母食飽。歡喜之言。由來安客。未如今日。佛告阿難。爾時牛者今波斯匿王是。盜牛人者今毘舍離三十二子是。時老母者今毘舍離是。由殺牛故。五百世中常為所殺。老母歡喜。五百世中常為作母。兒被殺時極懷懊惱。今值我故得阿那含果。婦家親族聞佛所說。恚心便息。各作是言。此人自種今受其報。由殺一牛今尚如是。何況多也。波斯匿王是我之王。云何懷怨而欲殺害。即投王前求哀懺悔。王亦釋然不問其罪。阿難白佛。復修何福。豪貴勇健值佛得道。佛告阿難。乃往過去。迦葉佛時。有一老母。合集眾香。以油和之。欲往塗塔。路中逢值三十二人。因而勸之。共往塗塔。塗竟發願。所生之處尊榮豪貴。常為母子值佛得道。從是以來五百世中生常尊貴。常為母子。今值佛故各得道迹。

Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in the city of Śrāvastī named Rmigar (Liqimi). He had seven sons, all of whom were married. The youngest son's wife was named Viśākhā, who was exceedingly virtuous and wise, with nothing she did not know. At that time, Rmigar entrusted the entire family estate to her. Due to her virtue and wisdom, King Prasenajit respectfully treated her as a sister. At one time she became pregnant, and when her months were full she gave birth to thirty-two eggs. From each egg came forth a baby boy, whose appearance was handsome and whose courage and strength were extraordinary; the strength of a single one could rival a thousand men. When they grew up, wives were taken for them, all daughters of noble and worthy families in the country. At that time, Viśākhā invited the Buddha and the saṃgha to make offerings at her home. The Buddha preached the Dharma for them, and the entire family attained the fruit of srotāpanna, except for the youngest son who had not yet attained the stage of the path. Riding an elephant, he went out on an excursion and met the chief minister's son riding a carriage on a bridge. He seized him and threw him into the ditch under the bridge, injuring and breaking his body. [The son] came and reported this to his father. The chief minister said to his son: 'That man is powerful in strength and is also a relative of the state; it is difficult to contend with him and win. We must plan a secret revenge.' He immediately used the seven treasures to make thirty-two horsewhips, placing knives of pure steel inside the horsewhips, and presented one to each man. The men loved them and joyfully accepted them, constantly holding them in their hands when going in and out to see the king. By the law of the state, the etiquette for seeing the king prohibited wearing knives. Seeing that they had accepted them, the chief minister slandered them to the king: 'Viśākhā's sons are in their prime of life and vigorous, each matching a thousand men. Now they harbor treacherous designs and plot to assassinate the king, each having made a sharp knife and placed it inside a horsewhip. The matter is clearly verified.' The king immediately demanded to see them, and it was indeed as he had said. Believing it to be true, the king executed them all. Having killed them, he placed the thirty-two heads in a single box, sealed it with an impression, and sent it to his sister. On that day, Viśākhā had invited the Buddha and the saṃgha to her home to receive offerings. Seeing that the king had sent a box, she assumed the king was contributing to the offerings and immediately wished to open and look at it. The Buddha stopped her and would not allow it, having her wait until the saṃgha finished eating. When the meal was over, the Buddha preached the Dharma on impermanence, suffering, and so on for her. At that time Viśākhā attained the fruit of anāgāmin. After the Buddha departed, she opened the box and saw the thirty-two heads of her sons. Because she had severed sensual attachment, she did not arrive at grief, but merely uttered these words: 'How painful! How sorrowful! In human life there is death; it cannot last long. Galloping through the five destinies, how could suffering be like this!' When the kinsmen of the families of the thirty-two sons' wives heard of this matter, they lamented and proclaimed: 'The great king is unprincipled, falsely killing good men!' They gathered troops and horses together, intending to go and take revenge. At that time the king was terrified and fled to the Buddha's place. The men led their army to surround Jetavana. Seeing that the king had killed Viśākhā's thirty-two sons and that the kinsmen of their wives' families wished to take revenge, Ānanda pressed his palms together and asked the Buddha: 'What karmic causes and conditions led to the thirty-two sons being killed by the king?' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Far back in the past, thirty-two men stole an ox from another person and together dragged it to an old woman's house, intending to slaughter it together. The old woman rejoiced and prepared the butchering implements for them. When the knife was about to fall, the ox knelt and begged for its life. The men's vigor was fierce, and they proceeded to slaughter it. As the ox died, it made a vow: 'You now kill me; in future lives I will never let you go.' When it was dead, they ate it together. The old woman ate her fill and said joyfully: 'Ever since hosting guests, it has never been like today.' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'The ox at that time is King Prasenajit today. The men who stole the ox are Viśākhā's thirty-two sons today. The old woman at that time is Viśākhā today. Because of slaughtering the ox, for five hundred lifetimes they were always killed by him. Because the old woman rejoiced, for five hundred lifetimes she was always their mother, and when her sons were killed, she harbored extreme grief. Now, because she encountered me, she has attained the fruit of anāgāmin.' When the kinsmen of the wives' families heard what the Buddha said, their hateful thoughts ceased, and each made this statement: 'These men sowed it themselves and now receive its retribution. If it is already like this from killing a single ox, how much more so for many? King Prasenajit is our king; how could we harbor resentment and wish to kill him?' They immediately prostrated before the king, seeking mercy and repenting. The king was also relieved and did not question their crime. Ānanda said to the Buddha: 'What merit did they cultivate to be noble, honorable, courageous, strong, and to meet the Buddha and attain the path?' The Buddha told Ānanda: 'Far back in the past, at the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, there was an old woman who gathered various fragrances, blended them with oil, and intended to go and anoint a stūpa. On the road she met thirty-two men, and subsequently encouraged them to go together to anoint the stūpa. Having anointed it, they made an aspiration: 'Wherever we are born, may we be venerable, glorious, noble, and honorable, always be mother and sons, and encounter a buddha to attain the path.' From that time onward, for five hundred lifetimes they were always born into nobility and were always mother and sons. Now, having encountered the Buddha, each has attained the stage of the path.'