法苑珠林 40.12

40.12

Furthermore, the Aśokāvadāna says: The kings of the eight countries disputed over the śarīra and each raised troops. Śakra, lord of the devas, descended in person to persuade them, dividing them with a golden jar. Counting them together with King Ajātaśatru, each obtained eighty-four thousand śarīra. There remained one whisker from the Buddha's mouth that no one dared take. Because King Ajātaśatru was the first to arrive, he obtained the śarīra and the whisker. Each returned rejoicing, making music that shook the heavens. The dragon king Nanda-Upananda transformed into a human body and came to the place of the parinirvāṇa. On the road, he met King Ajātaśatru and, turning back, said to the king: “You can take one share and give it to me.” The king said: “That cannot be done.” The dragon king said: “I am the dragon Nanda-Upananda; I can lift your kingdom and place it eighty thousand li away, grinding it into dust.” King Ajātaśatru was terrified and immediately offered the Buddha's whisker to him. The dragon king then returned to the foot of Mount Sumeru and erected a crystal stupa, eighty-four thousand li high; he erected a crystal and lapis lazuli stupa. After King Ajātaśatru passed away, King Aśoka gained his kingdom. At that time, a minister said to King Aśoka: “The dragon Nanda-Upananda formerly despised King Ajātaśatru and took away the Buddha's whisker.” Hearing this, King Aśoka was greatly enraged and immediately commanded all the spirit kings to make iron nets and iron snares, casting the snares into the water beneath Mount Sumeru wishing to bind and capture the dragon king. The dragon was greatly alarmed and frightened, and devised a plan together [with others], saying: “Aśoka serves the Buddha. We should wait until he is asleep, take his palace, and move it into the water beneath Mount Sumeru; his anger will surely cease.” They then dispatched dragons to carry King Aśoka's palace. When the king awoke from sleep, he did not know where he was. Seeing the crystal stupa, eighty-four thousand li high, joy and terror mingled in his heart. The dragon came out himself to apologise, saying: “King Ajātaśatru gave me the Buddha's whisker of his own accord; I did not snatch it. When the Buddha was in the world, he made an agreement with me: ‘After the parinirvāṇa, when the kalpa comes to an end, all the scriptures, precepts, kāṣāya robes, and bowls shall all be taken by me to be hidden and placed in this stupa. When Maitreya descends, they shall be brought out and presented again.’ ” Hearing these words, King Aśoka apologised deeply: “I truly did not know this.” The dragon king then caused the dragons to return the king's palace to its original place. Furthermore, the Samantapāsādikā says: Inside Śakra's palace there are two śarīra: the first is the Buddha's right tooth, and the second is the Buddha's right collarbone.