法苑珠林 36.8

36.8

Also, the Bodhisattva-cariyā-sūtra states: Formerly, when the Buddha was in the world, he wandered through villages from the country of Upariṭṭha together with the bhikṣus and Ānanda. At that time, the weather was scorching hot with no shade. A shepherd, seeing the Buddha walking in the heat, gave rise to a pure mind, wove grass into a canopy, and used it to cover the Buddha as he wandered along following him. Having gone a great distance from his sheep, he threw the canopy to the ground and returned to them. The Buddha smiled and told Ānanda, “With a reverent mind, this shepherd covered the Buddha with a grass canopy. By this merit, for thirteen kalpas he will not fall into evil paths; born into noble families in heaven and the human world, his joy will be limitless. Naturally, there will always be a seven-jewelled canopy over him. After the thirteen kalpas, he will go forth, cultivate the Way, and become a pratyekabuddha named Anavatapta.”