法苑珠林 32.16

32.16

As the Da zhuangyan famen jing states: At that time, in Rājagṛha, there was a courtesan named Jinse (Suvarṇā). Her radiance and dignity were awe-inspiring. Due to the causal conditions of her past roots of goodness, her appearance was upright and fully possessed of all fine features. Her body was of genuine golden color, shining brilliantly; her deportment was charming and beautiful, rare in the world. Her spiritual wisdom was keen and sharp, her eloquence unobstructed, and her speech clear, wonderful, deep, and gentle. When she spoke she was ever smiling. Wherever she walked, golden light illuminated the place; the garments she wore were also all golden. All people who saw her became attached in their hearts with fond love, unable to forsake her; wherever she strolled, they all followed her. There was an elder's son named Shangweide. For the sake of sensual pleasure, he gave her abundant wealth and treasures, made an agreement with her, and in adorned carriages they went to a park. At that time, Jinse had an unseen sympathetic resonance due to past conditions: Mañjuśrī, to transform her and cause her to enter the Path, because of his sovereign spiritual transformations, rested her head upon Weide's lap and fell asleep. Immediately, by his spiritual power, he manifested the appearance of death in that resting place: swollen, stinking, and putrid, it could hardly be approached. In a moment, the abdomen burst, the liver and intestines split open, and the five viscera were exposed, foul and repellent. Impurities flowed and spilled from the passages of stool and urine, and flies and worms pecked and fed upon all her sense organs and limbs, defying description. At that time, the elder's son, seeing this corpse, gave rise to great terror, and his bodily hairs stood on end. He had this thought: 'I am now without salvation. Looking in all four directions, there is no place of refuge.' His terror redoubled, and he let out a great cry of fright. That elder's son gave rise to great fright and terror for two reasons: first, he had never before seen such a repulsive sight, and therefore felt terror; second, the multitude knew that he had come together with her here, and now that she had suddenly died, they would assume he had deliberately killed her, and King Ajātaśatru, not examining the truth of this matter, would unjustly execute him—for this reason he felt terror. At that time, the elder's son was alone in this grove, not seeing a single person. Among all ordinary beings and sages, who could rescue him? Although that elder's son's past roots of goodness were ripe, because he had not heard or seen the Dharma expounded by Mañjuśrī together with Jinse, Mañjuśrī immediately used his spiritual power to make all the trees in the grove expound a gāthā. After the elder's son heard it, he rejoiced greatly in his heart, feeling deeply fortunate. Abandoning the corpse, he came out of the grove, went immediately to the Buddha's place, and recounted in full the circumstances of his fright. At that time, the Buddha said to the elder's son: 'Do not grieve or fear. I shall bestow upon you all fearlessness. If you take refuge in the Buddha, there will be no fear at all.' The elder's son said to the Buddha: 'From what do all fright and terror arise?' The Buddha said: 'They arise from the causal conditions of greed, anger, and folly. You should know that all fears are without owner, without creator, and without any grasper. Where is your former sensual perception now?' The elder's son said: 'What was seen here as fine form is an evil perception to which ordinary people greedily cling; in the holy Dharma, there is no such thing.' Thereupon the Buddha expounded the Dharma to him through various skillful means. At that time, the elder's son attained the patience of compliance with the Dharma. Then Jinse, knowing that the elder's son had already received instruction and transformation, adorned five hundred horse carriages, surrounded in front and behind, and came to the Buddha's place, stepping back to stand to one side.