法苑珠林 43.16

43.16

As the Sūtra of the Wise and the Foolish says: 'The Buddha told the bhikṣus: "Countless asaṃkhyeya kalpas in the past, in this Jambudvīpa there was a great king named Upacāru who governed this realm under heaven. He had eighty-four thousand minor kingdoms, twenty thousand wives and palace ladies, and ten thousand great ministers. At that time, a boil suddenly arose on the crown of the king's head. Its shape was like a cocoon, pure and clear, and without pain. Later it grew as large as a gourd. They then sliced it open to inspect it and found a boy, who was exceedingly handsome. After the great king died, Māndhātṛ became king, fully endowed with the seven treasures, with food, clothing, and music spontaneously providing enjoyment, for eighty-four thousand years. At that time, a yakṣa leaped forth before the palace hall and called out in a loud voice: 'In the eastern direction there is a land named Pūrvavideha, where abundance, joy, and delight are peerless. The Great King may proceed there.' The king's mind was pleased, and he wished to go. The golden wheel turned once again, treading through the void and advancing forward, with all his ministers and the seven treasures following along. Having arrived in that land, all the petty kings came to pay homage and offer congratulations. The king indulged freely in the five desires in that country for eight thousand years. The yakṣa spoke again: 'In the western direction there is a land named Aparagodānīya; the king may proceed there.' He went as before, for one billion four hundred million years. The yakṣa called out again: 'In the northern direction there is a land named Uttarakuru; the king may go there.' He went as before, for one billion eight hundred million years. The yakṣa called out again: 'There are the Four Heavenly Kings whose joy is immeasurable; the king may travel there.' The king, together with his ministers and the fourfold army, ascended through the void. The Four Heavenly Kings saw them from afar and were greatly terrified. They immediately assembled their troops and went out to resist them, but in the end could do nothing. Māndhātṛ leisurely enjoyed pleasures among them for one billion years. In his mind he thought again, wishing to ascend to Trāyastriṃśa. Thereupon, together with his ministers, he trod upon the void and climbed up. At that time, there were five hundred ṛṣis living on the slopes of Mount Sumeru. The dung and urine of the king's elephants and horses fell down and defiled the bodies of the ṛṣis. The ṛṣis asked one another: 'For what reason is there this?' Among them was a wise one who told the assembly: 'I have heard that King Māndhātṛ wishes to ascend to the Thirty-three Heavens; it must be that the elephants and horses have dropped this impurity.' The ṛṣis were filled with wrath and resentment, and thereupon chanted a magical incantation, causing King Māndhātṛ and his host of followers to all freeze in place without moving. The king knew this, and immediately made a vow: 'If I possess merit, all these ṛṣis should come and serve the king's majesty and influence.' The five hundred ṛṣis all came to the king's side, and together they supported the wheels and drove the horses up to the heavens. Before they arrived, they saw the heavenly city from afar, called Sudarśana. Its color was dazzling white, lofty, prominent, and extraordinary. This city of Sudarśana had twelve hundred gates. The devas were terrified, and shut all the gates and fastened threefold iron bars. Māndhātṛ's army advanced directly without hesitation. The king then took up a conch and blew it, drew his bow, and struck the bowstring. The twelve hundred gates all opened at once. Śakra, Devānām Indra, soon came out to meet with him, and thereupon invited him into the palace to share his seat. The appearance of the lord of devas and the king of men was identical; those who saw them for the first time could not tell them apart, knowing the difference only by the speed of their blinking. The king enjoyed the pleasures of the five desires in heaven, throughout the Thirty-three Heavens. In the end, he wished to kill Śakra and reign supreme alone for his pleasure. No sooner had this evil thought arisen than he immediately fell down, collapsing before his original palace hall, feeble and on the verge of death. When people came to ask, Māndhātṛ replied: 'I governed the four continents, experienced seven days of raining treasures, and dwelt in two heavens for thirty hundred million years, yet because I was insatiable, I fell to this end.' Ānanda asked further: 'What merit did this King Māndhātṛ cultivate in the past to obtain such a great retribution?' The Buddha told him: 'Long ago in the past, incalculable kalpas ago, there was a Buddha named Puṣya, who traveled and converted beings in the world together with his disciples. At that time, a brāhmaṇa's son was about to take a wife, and held broad beans in his hand to scatter over his bride, which was their domestic custom from past generations. Encountering the Buddha on the road, his heart was filled with joy, and he immediately took these beans and scattered them as an offering to the Buddha. Four grains entered the bowl, and one grain rested upon [the Buddha's] usṇīṣa. Through this cause and condition, he received boundless merit: because four grains entered the bowl, he was king over the four continents; because one grain rested upon the usṇīṣa, he enjoyed pleasures in two heavens.'"