法苑珠林 37.45

37.45

Furthermore, the Avadānaśataka says: When the Buddha was in the world, there was an elder in the city of Kapilavastu with immeasurable and incalculable wealth and treasures. His wife gave birth to a son who was upright, extraordinarily handsome, and rare in the world. On his head there was naturally a maṇi jewel. His parents then named him Ratnacūḍa (Jewel Crest). As he grew up, he saw the Buddha, went forth, and became an arhat. When he entered the city to beg for food, the jewel was still on his head. The people in the city found it strange and vied with one another to come and look at it. Deeply ashamed, he returned to his dwelling and addressed the Buddha: "World-Honoured One, on my head there is this jewel and I cannot make it go away. Now when begging for food, I am ridiculed by people. I pray that the Buddha, the World-Honoured One, will remove this jewel for me."