法苑珠林 31.9

31.9

Also, the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish states: At that time, in the country of Magadha, there was an elder who fathered a boy whose features were fully complete and very lovely and venerable. On the day of his birth, a golden elephant naturally emerged from the treasury. His parents rejoiced, and based on this auspicious sign they established his name, calling him Elephant-Protector (Saṅgharakṣita). As the child grew older, the elephant also grew larger. When he was able to walk, the elephant also walked; in going out, entering, advancing, and stopping, they were never parted. If his mind had no use for it, it remained within. The elephant's excrement and urine produced only fine gold. Due to this cause, the storehouses were filled with treasures. When Elephant-Protector grew up, he often rode it east and west; its speed or slowness followed his will, suiting his wishes completely. King Ajātaśatru heard of this and asked to see it. Elephant-Protector and his father rode the elephant to the gate. The king allowed them to ride the elephant inside. Dismounting from the elephant, they bowed to the king. The king was greatly pleased, had them seated, bestowed food, and conversed briefly with them. In a short while, they took their leave of the king, wishing to depart. The king said to Elephant-Protector: 'Leave the elephant here; do not take it out.' Elephant-Protector, sorrowful, complied with the command and left it behind, walking out of the palace on foot. Before long, the elephant sank into the ground and leaped out outside the gate. Elephant-Protector was able to ride it again. Fearing that the king would harm him, Elephant-Protector took refuge with the Buddha, left the household life, and attained the path of an arhat. Whenever he sat in contemplation with the monks in the forest, the golden elephant was always before his eyes. When the people of Śrāvastī heard there was a golden elephant, they vied to gather and watch it, causing noisy commotion and disorder, which hindered their practice of the path. Then the monks reported the situation to the Buddha. The Buddha told Elephant-Protector: 'Because of this, trouble is caused; send it away and tell it to leave.' Yet it was unwilling to leave. The Buddha again told him: 'You may say to it: "My share of births is now ended; I have no further use for you." When spoken to three times like this, the elephant will vanish.' At that time Elephant-Protector complied with the instruction and spoke to it, and the golden elephant immediately entered the earth. The Buddha addressed the monks: 'What was the cause of this karmic retribution? In the past, in the time of Kāśyapa Buddha, when human lifespan was twenty thousand years, after that Buddha entered nirvāṇa, a stūpa-temple was erected. Within it was an elephant on which the Bodhisattva originally mounted to descend and enter the womb. At that time, the body of the elephant had some slight flaking and damage. There was a person who saw the damage and repaired and mended it, and thus made a vow: "May I in the future always dwell in noble status, with wealth and provisions never lacking." When that person's life ended, he was born in the heavens. When his heavenly lifespan was exhausted, he was reborn down into the world, always in noble status, with a golden elephant constantly guarding and protecting him in accordance with the time. The person who repaired the elephant at that time was this Elephant-Protector today. Because he repaired the elephant, he naturally received this investiture; and due to the respectful mind with which he served the Three Jewels, he has now met me and attained the path.'