法苑珠林 37.44

37.44

Furthermore, the Avadānaśataka says: When the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in the city of Kapilavastu with immeasurable wealth and treasures. His wife conceived and gave birth to a son who was upright in appearance and rare in the world. When he was born, a maṇi jewel parasol naturally hovered over his head, completely covering the city above. His parents rejoiced and accordingly named him Ratnachattra (Jewel Parasol). As he grew up, he encountered the Buddha, went forth, and attained the fruit of an arhat. The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "Ninety-one kalpas ago in the distant past, a Buddha appeared in the world named Vipaśyin. After his divine presence passed into nirvāṇa, there was a king named Bandhumat who gathered his relics, built a four-jewelled stūpa one yojana high, and made offerings to it. At that time, a merchant went to sea to gather jewels and returned in peace and safety. He then covered the top of the stūpa with a maṇi jewel, made a vow, and departed. By virtue of this merit, for ninety-one kalpas he did not fall into the evil destinies; among gods and humans a jewel parasol was always born along with him, up until the present when he was able to encounter me, went forth, and attained the Way." Having heard what the Buddha spoke, they rejoiced and practiced accordingly.