法苑珠林 98.35

98.35

佛告帝釋四天王等。汝於須彌山金剛窟中。取彼黃砂石多造石鉢。置新塔中。大小形量如我破鉢。皆作五綴形安置彼塔中。汝等守護勿令損失。後經一百年。至阿育王造塔竟。汝將我塔遍大千國至十億家。或縱廣萬里當安兩鉢塔。於彼國土中周覓名山古聖住處。於彼安置。又告北方天王。汝至楞伽山採取牛頭栴檀香。於日三時中當至彼塔所。燒香供養勿令斷絕。我令自在天安置諸鉢塔。又遣四天王及揵闥婆王。燒香奏樂常為供養。汝等天人龍神等未解我意。此為未來非法比丘比丘尼。令其改惡生善故。使安置如是。

The Buddha told Śakra, the Four Heavenly Kings, and the others: 'In the Vajra Cave of Mount Sumeru, take the yellow sandstone and make many stone bowls, and place them within the new stupas. Let their dimensions and shapes be like my broken bowl, all made in the form of five joined pieces, and deposit them in those stupas. You must guard and protect them, letting no harm come to them. After a hundred years, when King Aśoka has finished building his stupas, you shall take my stupas throughout the great chiliocosm, to a billion households; or, across a span of ten thousand li, two bowl-stupas should be installed. Within those lands, search all around for famous mountains and ancient holy dwelling-places, and install them there.' He also told the Heavenly King of the North: 'Go to Mount Laṅkā, collect ox-head candana incense, and at the three periods of the day go to those stupas and burn incense as an offering without interruption. I command the Maheśvara deva to install the bowl-stupas, and I also dispatch the Four Heavenly Kings and the gandharva kings to burn incense and play music to make constant offerings. You devas, humans, nāgas, and spirits do not yet understand my intention: this is to cause the unlawful bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs of future times to reform evil and give rise to good, and for this reason I have had them installed in this way.'