法苑珠林 8.70

8.70

依千佛因緣經云。爾時世尊在王舍城耆闍崛山。從石室出。問阿難言。今諸聲聞諸菩薩等皆講何論。阿難白佛言。世尊。諸菩薩眾各各自說宿世因緣。時有颰陀婆羅菩薩白佛言。我於今日欲少諮問。唯願天尊。為我解說。說是語時。八萬四千諸菩薩等。各脫瓔珞散佛供養。所散瓔珞住佛頂上。如須彌山嚴顯可觀。有千化佛坐山窟中。時諸菩薩白佛言。世尊。此賢劫千佛。過去世時種何功德。常生一處同共一家。於一劫中次第當得菩提化度眾生。

According to the Thousand Buddhas' Causes and Conditions Sūtra, at that time the World-Honoured One was at Mount Gṛdhrakūṭa in Rājagṛha. Coming out of a stone chamber, he asked Ānanda: 'What discourse are the śrāvakas and bodhisattvas now delivering?' Ānanda said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, the bodhisattva assembly are each speaking of causes and conditions in past lives.' At that time, the Bodhisattva Bhadrapāla said to the Buddha: 'Today I wish to ask a brief question; I only pray that the Heavenly Honoured One will explain it for me.' When he said these words, eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas each removed their necklaces and scattered them as an offering to the Buddha. The scattered necklaces rested above the Buddha's crown, magnificent and wonderful to behold, like Mount Sumeru; there were a thousand transformation Buddhas seated within the caves of the mountain. Then the bodhisattvas said to the Buddha: 'World-Honoured One, what roots of merit did these thousand Buddhas of the Bhadrakalpa plant in past ages, so that they were constantly born in the same place and shared the same household, and in a single kalpa will successively attain bodhi and transform and liberate sentient beings?'