法苑珠林 22.31

22.31

Furthermore, the Sūtra on the Merits of Renunciation says: In the past, when the Buddha was in the world, the Buddha and Ānanda entered the city of Vaiśālī when the time came for begging food. There was a prince named Vairasena who, together with various palace maidens, was making merry on a high tower. The Buddha heard the sound of the music and said to Ānanda, 'I know that seven days from now this person must end his life. If he does not leave the household life, he will fall into hell.' Having heard this, Ānanda went at once to instruct and transform him, urging him to leave the household life. Hearing this exhortation, the prince indulged his desires to the utmost for six days. On the seventh day he besought the Buddha to let him leave the household life. For one day and one night he practiced and maintained the pure precepts, whereupon his life ended and he was born among the Four Heavenly Kings as the son of the northern Heavenly King Vaiśravaṇa, enjoying the pleasures of the five desires together with palace maidens for the full heavenly lifespan of five hundred years. Later he was born in Trāyastriṃśa as a son of Śakra, with a heavenly lifespan of one thousand years. Next he was born in Yāma, again as a prince, with a lifespan of two thousand years. Later he was born in Tuṣita, likewise as a prince, with a lifespan of four thousand years. Next he was born in Nirmāṇarati as a heavenly prince, with a lifespan of eight thousand years. When his lifespan in Nirmāṇarati was exhausted, he was reborn in the sixth [heaven], Paranirmitavaśavartin, as a heavenly prince; the pleasures of the five desires that he enjoyed with palace maidens were the most supreme among those below, for the full heavenly lifespan of sixteen thousand years. Enjoying pleasure in this way, he went back and forth seven times through the six heavens of the desire realm without untimely death. Having left the household life for a single day, for a full twenty kalpas he did not fall into the evil destinies, always born in heaven to receive natural blessings. Finally, born among humans into a wealthy and happy family, fully endowed with wealth and treasures, when his prime of life had passed and old age approached, he grew weary of the world, left the household life to cultivate the Way, and became a pratyekabuddha named Viruteja, extensively delivering devas and humans beyond measure. On account of this cause and condition, the merit of leaving the household life is limitless, boundless, and beyond comparison. Even if arhats filled the four continents, and someone were to serve them wholeheartedly for a hundred years with the four requisites without deficiency, and even build stūpas for each upon their nirvāṇa, offering flowers, incense, necklaces, and all kinds of offerings—the merit obtained thereby would not equal the merit of a person who, seeking nirvāṇa, leaves the household life and upholds the precepts for a single day and single night. Judging by this, the practice of leaving the household life is truly worthy of honor and veneration; one must not, for a little wealth and sex, covet mundane affairs, drift through saṃsāra, and torment oneself.