法苑珠林 11.20

11.20

The New Mahāvibhāṣā-śāstra also states: When the Buddha was a bodhisattva, he grew weary of old age, sickness, and death, and left the city of Kapilavastu to seek unexcelled wisdom. At that time, King Śuddhodana sent five members of the Śākya clan to follow and attend upon him. Two were maternal relatives, and three were paternal relatives. The two maternal relatives held that purity was attained through the practice of pleasure; the three paternal relatives held that purity was attained through ascetic practices. When the Bodhisattva was practicing austerities, the two maternal relatives could not bear it in their hearts, and so they departed. Later, the Bodhisattva realised that austerities were not the Way; he abandoned them, accepted food such as thick gruel, rice, ghee, and milk, anointed his body with oil, and adopted the middle practice. The three paternal relatives all thought: "The Bodhisattva has gone mad and lost his purpose," and they too abandoned him. Later, when the World-Honoured One attained Buddhahood, he had this thought: "They were all my parents' relatives who previously showed me reverence and made offerings to me. Where are they now that I wish to repay them?" A deva reported to him: "They are now in the country of Vārāṇasī, in the Ṛṣipatana Deer Park" (the detailed account is as related before).