法苑珠林 35.57

35.57

Furthermore, the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish states: Ānanda said to the Buddha, 'I wonder, World-Honoured One, what roots of goodness you planted in past lives to attain this limitless karmic reward of lamp-offerings?' The Buddha told Ānanda, 'Two asaṃkhyeya and ninety-one kalpas ago, in this Jambudvīpa, there was a great king named Prasenajit. His principal queen gave birth to a prince whose body was purplish-golden, complete with the marks and signs. Later, as he grew up, he renounced the household life and attained Buddhahood, teaching and transforming the people and delivering exceedingly many. At that time, the royal father invited the Buddha and the saṃgha to receive offerings for three months. There was a bhikṣu named Arimitra (in the language of Jin: Shengyou, "Noble Friend") who acted as the dānapati of the lamps during these three months, entering the city day after day to seek out clarified butter, oil, and wicks. At that time, the king's daughter, named Muni, climbed a high tower and saw this bhikṣu entering the city daily to manage what was needed. Her heart was moved with reverence and pity, and she sent someone to ask what he was managing. The bhikṣu replied, 'For these three months I am providing lamps for the Buddha and the saṃgha, acting as dānapati and begging for clarified butter, oil, and wicks.' The messenger returned and reported back. The princess was delighted [and said], 'From now on, do not go begging again; I will provide you with the supplies of lamps and wicks.' The bhikṣu agreed. From then on, she constantly sent supplies of clarified butter, oil, and wicks. The devotion of the bhikṣu Noble Friend was earnest and profound, and the Buddha bestowed a prediction upon him: 'In a future asaṃkhyeya kalpa, you will become a Buddha named Dīpaṅkara' (in other sūtras called the Lamp-Lighting Buddha). When Princess Muni heard that the bhikṣu Noble Friend had received a prediction to become a Buddha, she thought to herself, 'The materials for the Buddha's lamps were all mine; the bhikṣu has already received a prediction, so why haven't I alone received one?' Having thought this, she went to the Buddha's presence and expressed her feelings. The Buddha also bestowed a prediction upon her, telling Muni, 'In a future time, after two asaṃkhyeya and ninety-one kalpas, you will become a Buddha named Śākyamuni, complete with the ten epithets.' Hearing the prediction, the princess rejoiced and generated the [bodhi-]mind; she transformed into a man, again bowed down to the Buddha's feet, and requested to become a śramaṇa. The Buddha then permitted it, and he cultivated diligently without cessation. Due to that past dāna of lamp illumination, from that time onward across countless kalpas, he received natural blessings in the heavens and among humans, his physical body extraordinary and surpassing that of other people, until now when he attained Buddhahood, receiving this retribution of lamp illumination.'